Milky gear box

[PabloPicasso]

Checked the gear box oil on my volvo penta 2001 with a 120 saildrive. It was very slightly milky.

Club lift out in a month. Likely usage until then, once a week for club race, short distance in/out of harbour.

Obviously will monitor the situation, but how much risk to the gearbox/saildrive leg?

 

[Plum]

Checked the gear box oil on my volvo penta 2001 with a 120 saildrive. It was very slightly milky.

Club lift out in a month. Likely usage until then, once a week for club race, short distance in/out of harbour.

Obviously will monitor the situation, but how much risk to the gearbox/saildrive leg?

Don't think anyone can answer that with confidence but if I were you I would change the oil now, check for water ingress in a week after your next outing. if clean leave another week, if not then change the oil again, if the water ingress gets worse try to get an earlier liftout, if the same then change oil after every outing. The cost of four oil changes is a small price to pay to significantly reduce any damage.

Www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk

 

[Boater Sam]

Water is not a recommended lubricant for gears. Replace it with oil.

 

[The Q]

Water is not a recommended lubricant for gears. Replace it with oil.

unless it's a Seagull

 

[Refueler]

Milky appearance is indicative of water ingress and the oil emulsified.

Change oil .... watch for it happening again.

Some gearboxes have watercooled oil ..... my gearbox cooler basically developed leak inside so water and oil mixed ... ended up looking like yellow yoghurt. But checking where water came in ... never found where.
Later we found the failed cooler unit at start of a 10day cruise, when it finally collapsed internally and oil was lost out the exhaust with the cooling water .... decided to carry on by topping up box frequently.
On return to home .... had a pal fabricate a new cooler unit.

Box still performing excellently now 10yrs later .......

 

[Yngmar]

If you checked immediately after you had the engine in gear and it's only slightly milky, it's probably fine for a month of light use, especially if the oil level has not risen (dipstick check with the dipstick resting on the threads). Likely the seals are worn and letting a little water in. There's no guarantee it's not something worse of course, the risk is on you.

Once you've committed to this path, stop checking the level until haulout. Every time you unscrew the dipstick, the saildrive loses pressure and lets in a little more water and the level rises.

The other posters don't seem to realize that on the 120-S, the oil change requires hauling out, it cannot be sucked out from inside the boat (that only gets you maybe a quarter or so, which is fairly pointless).

Prepare to replace the oil seals, drain plug seal and expect some shaft wear that can be fixed by shifting the seal position on the shaft or fitting one or two Speedi sleeves. Also remember, if it's an 120S-E model, the correct oil is API GL-5 SAE 75W–90 (gear oil). In all other Volvo saildrives it's engine oil.

 

[PabloPicasso]

I hope it'll be an easy fix shaft or drain plug seal. I've never touched the shaft seal in the many years I've owned the boat.

Could a saildrive diaphragm issue be causing water ingress into the saildrive leg?

 

[Tranona]

No. That is just a gaiter round the housing. The only way water gets in is through worn seals on the output shaft or (unlikely) the drain plug. "very slightly" suggests recent and not much water if the level has not increased so little risk of damage. Oil will be normal engine oil and removing the bearing housing and shaft will ensure all the old oil drains completely.

 

[jlavery]

For 120S, I think oil is not engine oil, but needs to be specific for saildrives. 130S drives take engine oil.

 

[Neeves]

I was mulling over the sense of urgency being suggested by some.

I know nothing about the innards of a Saildrive - so I have a need to be educated.

I have to assume, considering the cost of a sail drive that the innards are stainless (in fact considering the costs the Saildrive must have titanium fittings), except for the casing which is aluminium. If the casing is full of emulsified oil where does the oxygen come from to cause corrosion. If the innards are stainless why would they corrode. I understand that water is a poor lubricant but the seawater is a very small component of the contents - most of the space is oil (which cannot escape, easily, as it floats on the water (and any that escapes could be replaced with new oil).

So I have this vision of a vessel with, say 95% oil and 5% seawater, lubricating a stainless gear box. There is no, or minimal oxygen (to result in corrosion).

So is this emulsified mix SOOOOOO.... bad to demand immediate attention - or might the OP wait till a more convenient time, a time at his choosing - say when he lifts his yacht for the winter (its already mid September pleasant days on the water are numbered) - does he need to panic. If he lifts now he may need to employ a 'professional' to service his unit (it might be cheaper to buy a new sail drive . ). If he can fit in a nice day or 2 he can top up with fresh oil (and sail rather than motor ).

If he can delay lifting, he can drop all the emulsified oil as soon as his yacht is secured on the hard, he can ask here how to service his sail drive (saving oodles of money) .......or is it a task only a professional dare attempt (I know the answer to this latter).


Basically - is panic mode necessary? and why?

Jonathan

 

[sailaboutvic]

Well this is something I had to deal with many times , the other year twice in one year when we first picked up a sack and the second time a fishing line .
I wouldn't worry getting it out straight away or using it lightly as it happen the last time I had this problem we run ours for over 100 miles after talking to volvo even so we had no options .
as yngmar said you won't get much oil out of the top of a 120s and you probably find there not much different in the oil level , you don't need much water to make it go milky .
as volvo said some run their for long periods before checking and realise they have contaminated their oil .
I suggest you buy a set of 2 speedy sleeve from simply bearing ,@ Yngmar may be kind enough to give you the part number he as a set which I given him on board,
If there any scoring what so ever sleeve the shaft or it won't be long before they will leak again .
The hardest part of doing the job is knocking out the bearing cup out of the hub can be tricky for the first timer and remember the seals go back to back .

 

[sailaboutvic]

For 120S, I think oil is not engine oil, but needs to be specific for saildrives. 130S drives take engine oil.

Engine 130s started with ATF but later volvo suggested to use engine oil the 120E use synthetic oil it's the only saildrive that use synthetic

 

[PabloPicasso]

Engine 130s started with ATF but later volvo suggested to use engine oil the 120E use synthetic oil it's the only saildrive that use synthetic

The saildrive number starts with S1200 followed by another 9 numbers. So presumably a 120, and NOT an E. I've always used engine oil without issue.

 

[PabloPicasso]

I was mulling over the sense of urgency being suggested by some.

I know nothing about the innards of a Saildrive - so I have a need to be educated.

I have to assume, considering the cost of a sail drive that the innards are stainless (in fact considering the costs the Saildrive must have titanium fittings), except for the casing which is aluminium. If the casing is full of emulsified oil where does the oxygen come from to cause corrosion. If the innards are stainless why would they corrode. I understand that water is a poor lubricant but the seawater is a very small component of the contents - most of the space is oil (which cannot escape, easily, as it floats on the water (and any that escapes could be replaced with new oil).

So I have this vision of a vessel with, say 95% oil and 5% seawater, lubricating a stainless gear box. There is no, or minimal oxygen (to result in corrosion).

So is this emulsified mix SOOOOOO.... bad to demand immediate attention - or might the OP wait till a more convenient time, a time at his choosing - say when he lifts his yacht for the winter (its already mid September pleasant days on the water are numbered) - does he need to panic. If he lifts now he may need to employ a 'professional' to service his unit (it might be cheaper to buy a new sail drive . ). If he can fit in a nice day or 2 he can top up with fresh oil (and sail rather than motor ).

If he can delay lifting, he can drop all the emulsified oil as soon as his yacht is secured on the hard, he can ask here how to service his sail drive (saving oodles of money) .......or is it a task only a professional dare attempt (I know the answer to this latter).


Basically - is panic mode necessary? and why?

Jonathan

Yep, I'll wait 4 weeks ultil club lift out and service it myself.

 

[PabloPicasso]

For 120S, I think oil is not engine oil, but needs to be specific for saildrives. 130S drives take engine oil.

See other posts for the right info.

 

[Tranona]

The saildrive number starts with S1200 followed by another 9 numbers. So presumably a 120, and NOT an E. I've always used engine oil without issue.

The "E" version was only used on high output engines (MD22 with turbo) hence the need for heavier duty oil.