Gearbox oil

[tt65]

Does any one know about oil for the gearbox attached to my Bukh 24. It is a ZF.
The oil specs/numbers in the manual seem to bear no relationship to what is on the shelves at Halfords and oil has not been changed for years!

 

[Slipstream 34]

Uses the same grade as the engine.

 

[Boat44]

Susupect it is automatic transmission oil. (ATF) Have a dig on the ZF marine website zf-marine.com

Hope that helps, a bit!

 

[jerryat]

Agree with Akela, use the same as for the engine. It's what I was told by Bukh and do in my own B24. I change it once a year, though change the engine oil more frequently as I think it's one of the most cost effective things you can do with an engine.

 

[jobbie]

According to the chaps at Bukh (UK) and the guys who use the forum, the spec is 15w/40 for both engine and gearbox. I wouldn't use auto transmission fluid.

 

[Boat44]

The others have got me doing some digging. If it is a ZF gearbox on a 24hp engine, it is probably a ZF 6 or 10 http://zf-marine.com/Transmissions/TechnicalDataSheet.cfm?DS=Description&GN=ZF_6_M

If so a little more digging, and like most websites its not obvious finds a lubricant list http://zf-marine.com/Transmissions/Lubricants.cfm which says a ZF4 - ZF115 would be ATF. But be careful some BW gear boxes use "normal" engine oil as the others state.

I would double check with Bukh and or ZF with the gearbox seriel number.

 

[Richard10002]

Not the same engine but be careful... I was told to use ordinary engine oil in my Hurth gearboax attached to a Volvo Penta MD22l... BIG MISTAKE... lots of grinding and gnashing of teeth or something. Found out what the correct stuff was and it's worked fine since.

If anyone is interested the key details are API: GL-5 and the oil I bought is :

Multigrado 80w/90 Extrema Presion (Spanish /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif )

So make doubly sure you get the right stuff - whatever that is

 

[pvb]

I'm quite convinced you should use the same oil you use in the engine. This is supported by the Bukh manual I've seen. However, why not tell us what the oil spec is in your manual? Might help to resolve your question.

 

[vyv_cox]

The workshop manual for the Bukh 10 and 20 contains a section on the ZF BW-6 gearbox. Oil grade requirement for this gearbox is SAE 20 or 30 to specification MIL-L-2104 B or HD engine oils SAE 20 or 30 to MIL-L-2104 A.

A section on the ZF BW7 gearbox, used on the DV 36, states oil requirement is to API CC or CD, SAE 20 or 30.

This link appears to suggest that the two MIL specifications are close to API CD.

So back to the question - for these two ZF gearboxes the lubricant used should be the same as for the engine. API CD if you can get it, 15W/40 will be OK if you cannot get the monograde. Otherwise API CF-4, also 15W/40. The workshop manual for these engines is old and a recent thread on a similar subject reported that the later owners' manual allows multigrades.

 

[marija]

hello everyone. i need a help. did anyone have a problem with disconnecting of ZF bw 6 gearbox? from time to time, when in drive, a gearbox is blocked in a way that it is not possible to disconnect it and, in that moment when it is blocked, the only way to manage to disconnect it is to "trick it" : by turning off the engine, no of rpm is Descending, i succeed in disconnecting it. thanks in advance

 

[allan24]

I recently contacted ZF marine who advised me that SAE30 is the correct oil for my ZF BW7 gearbox.