Has anyone replaced a saildrive seal?

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runningman

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It is saildrive seal replacement time and I am considering doing it myself. How difficult is it? Has anyone got first hand experience of this?

Thanks in advance.
 
It varies slightly depending upon whether you have a Yanmar or Volvo saildrive.

I have an excellent document for the Yanmar helpfully written by forumite Halo which describes the process in words and photos based on his personal experience.

It's large so I can't attach it but PM me with your email address if you would like me to email it to you just in case Martin does not see your post.

Richard
 
I've done my Volvo one on a Moody. Not difficult at all if you are reasonably handy. Easier with 2 pairs of hands.
Some modern boats need a saw taken to the joinery (hopefully in a minor way) to get the leg out. I helped change the seal on a Bavaria 34 in which this was the case but it was nothing drastic.
 
I have done both a Volvo 2003 and a 2030. Access is the key, the 2030 was in a Bav 36 with good access and was a lot easier than the heavy 2003 with poor access. However, it is also down to your mechanical skill. Some will find it easy, others would shudder at the thought of doing an oil change!

Do a search, there have been several threads on the subject.
 
Cantata said:
Some modern boats need a saw taken to the joinery (hopefully in a minor way) to get the leg out. I helped change the seal on a Bavaria 34 in which this was the case but it was nothing drastic.
Click to expand...

Interesting. Do you know what year the boat was? What bit of joinery did you have to saw? See my pic, the only piece of wood apparently in the way unscrews.

Enginerear_zps0fb111a3.jpg
 
Bav34 said:
Interesting. Do you know what year the boat was? What bit of joinery did you have to saw? See my pic, the only piece of wood apparently in the way unscrews.
Click to expand...
Hmmm. It was a few years ago. Perhaps on this one (I don't know the year, sorry) there was a glued-in bearer beneath that bit that unscrews? Sorry, lost in the mists of time. It wasn't a big issue, whatever it was we had to do.
 
Hi Richard. It's fine for you to forward my document to "runningman". and he is welcome to pm me if he has questions. Martin
 
Hi,

I did mine two years ago and i've got very little room, my VP 2001 is squeezed in. I followed the guide that Davegriff has linked and it was easy. Two man job to get the thing out and back in but the rest you can do on your own. The white ring in the boat might need some attention, i painted mine while i had the chance. I also changed the oil seals in the leg but then again my was leaking oil a little.

Good luck :)
 
Hi runningman,

I've just completed this on my Volvo MD2040 and saildrive; the rubber was 13 years old, so well past the advertised life. Interestingly, the rubber appeared as good as new, but the metal annulus bolting it to the inside of the engine space was badly corroded, so I renewed this too.
Access is indeed the key. The kit instructions are very good. Every class of boat will be different (mine's a Sweden Yachts 390); the difficult part was building a suitable sliding arrangement to support the rear of the engine when disconnected from the gearbox. I used greased sections of 4x2. You need to move the engine forward by about 15cm in order to allow the gearbox spline drive to clear the flywheel housing. While it is all in pieces, it is a good idea to renew the seals at the base of the saildrive where the prop shaft leaves the housing.
Hope that helps.
 
I have followed the hyperlinks and also sent my email address to Richard for the Yanmar guide. It looks like I will be able to do this myself so I will have a good read and tackle this project in the summer.

I am grateful for your responses.
 
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