mdonnelly
Well-Known Member
Anybody know which oil I should use for the saildrive leg? When I drained it recently it was green and had a menthol smell! almost tempted to have a taste.
Oil for 120s saildrive
- Thread starter mdonnelly
- Start date
Gubbo
Well-Known Member
The 120s uses fully synthetic gearbox oil. There should be a label on the box warning of this.
I found a good supplier on e-bay who was selling an american brand at a considerably cheaper price than the volvo penta branded product. The rating was identical. Not listing at present but there are others on there.
I tried shopping around in places like Halfords but the best oil they do is only semi-synthetic and, I understand, not suitable.
I found a good supplier on e-bay who was selling an american brand at a considerably cheaper price than the volvo penta branded product. The rating was identical. Not listing at present but there are others on there.
I tried shopping around in places like Halfords but the best oil they do is only semi-synthetic and, I understand, not suitable.
mdonnelly
Well-Known Member
Thanks for that.
Airassmith
Active Member
I thought the recommendation was to use the same oil as goes in the engine 15W-40, and not any fancy synthetic gear oil? I'm sure thats what it says in my manual.
Dave
Dave
Sans Bateau
Well-Known Member
The Volvo 120s saildrive should be filled with the same oil as used in the engine, i.e. SAE 20/30 CD, in other words a basic mineral 20/30 diesel oil. According to the owners manual, see here:
http://www.bluemoment.com/downloads.html
http://www.bluemoment.com/downloads.html
mdonnelly
Well-Known Member
My engine is a MD7B, does that make a difference?
Sans Bateau
Well-Known Member
See if its listed on the web site, I cant see why it should. You could also try doing a search, there have been several threads on Volvo Penta oil just recently.
aluijten
Well-Known Member
This AFAIK is one of those nice Volvo tricks
Depending on the exact model of the S120 you have (type C or D if I remember correct) you wil need plain engine oil or the synthetic stuff. The reason is that the last models were fitted with special coated gears. This coating in not resistant to mineral oil. The Coating is applied to lower the friction between the gears. Look careful in the manual and the identification plate on the leg you have to see what you need.
Cheers,
Arno
Depending on the exact model of the S120 you have (type C or D if I remember correct) you wil need plain engine oil or the synthetic stuff. The reason is that the last models were fitted with special coated gears. This coating in not resistant to mineral oil. The Coating is applied to lower the friction between the gears. Look careful in the manual and the identification plate on the leg you have to see what you need.
Cheers,
Arno
scottie
Well-Known Member
I think that the original reccomendation for the120s drive was engine oil then they used the s drive with the MD22 and due to the higher hp they reccomended sinthetic for this application then to avoid confusion they said use synthetic for all unless you had already used engine oil in which case you still used engine oil but a lot of lower powered units still used engine oil any way from new.
if you have sinthetic oil it usually smells almost rancid
I think that an md 7 would be an early unit and use engine oil.
confused I am and I have just written it
if you have sinthetic oil it usually smells almost rancid
I think that an md 7 would be an early unit and use engine oil.
confused I am and I have just written it
Mrnotming
Well-Known Member
The Volvo synthetic oil stays in the leg and gearbox, i.e. it does not boil over around the leg. This can happen if the sea/canal temperature is say 25C and the unit runs all day.The handbooks were out of kilter sometimes with the reality of what was supplied. As Aluijten says use the identification plates as a starting point. Fair Winds! and not too many engine hours!
