Saildrive Oil Change

I

Ian_Rob

Well-Known Member
Joined
31 Jan 2008
Messages
1,207
Visit site
Unable to remove the oil drain plug from the leg of my Volvo 130 saildrive, I went for plan B and used an extractor. According to the the manual there is 2.9 litres of ATF oil in the saildrive of which you should be able to remove all but approx 0.5 litres using this method. I am fairly sure that the extractor tubing [7mm external dia ] was in as far is it could go [say 200 - 250mm] and straight but the most I could get out was 1.6 litres.

Perhaps there is a small dia passageway down the leg itself for which a smaller diameter tube is needed?

Ian
 
I removed my drain plug by using a screwdriver with flats at the top of the blade, put a trolly jack under the screwdriver pushing it up into the drain plug, then got a spanner on the screwdriver flats. Worth a try?
 
I am fairly sure that there is an extractor tube just to starboard of the oil filler at the top of the gearbox, similar to the one on the engine. ( I have not used it as I have always managed to get the plug out) The metal tube will require a softish hose tightly clipped over it, sucked by a Pela or a suction pump. The advantage of getting the bottom plug out is that you can clean the metal dust off the magnet attached to it as well as completely empty the leg. I have a screwdriver specially chosen as a very good fit for the slot in the plug, it is kept for that purpose. I apply it, whack it sharply twice with a mallet, push up straight with the driver while my assistant applies torque to the hexagon on the screwdriver shank with a spanner, seems to work and does not damage the slot. If your plug is damaged order a new one and find a big screwdriver to exactly match it before you fit it.
However if your ATF is clean, I do not think you are taking too much risk in persisting with it until you get the plug out, if the change to engine oil was critical surely Volvo would have taken the trouble to properly advise their customers and service agents, I suspect it may be more of a convenience issue? (Volvo market engine oil but not ATF!!!!)
 
Tranona said:
Yes, but you have to drain all the ATF out first which means taking that horrid plug out first.
Click to expand...

Ideally but the implication of the 4th paragraph of the Service bulletin is that it is Ok to leave some ATF in the lower part of the drive.
 
Quandary said:
However if your ATF is clean, I do not think you are taking too much risk in persisting with it until you get the plug out, if the change to engine oil was critical surely Volvo would have taken the trouble to properly advise their customers and service agents, I suspect it may be more of a convenience issue? (Volvo market engine oil but not ATF!!!!)
Click to expand...

Volvo have issued a Service Bulletin recommending that the oil be changed from ATF to 15W-40 engine oil.

Nobody said it was critical ... it's a recommendation!
 
VicS said:
Ideally but the implication of the 4th paragraph of the Service bulletin is that it is Ok to leave some ATF in the lower part of the drive.
Click to expand...
I agree, but my Volvo agent said not good idea, and as he had just fitted the new drive, I let him change the ATF for new ATF! Typical Volvo, designed to confuse.
 
Not having seen the service bulletin, I refilled with ATF.

Whilst I extracted 1.6 litres, I could only put back 1.3 litres. The level didn't drop in the next 3 hours so I left it and will top it up when I next return to the boat. I have since mentioned this to my Volvo agents and their advice is that there is an air-lock and if it persists, I should run the engine and drive and top-up again. Presumably this will be OK for a few seconds?

Re ATF v Engine Oil - their advice is that I should continue to use ATF rather than mix the two.


THANKS for all your helpful replies.
 
VicS said:
Volvo have issued a Service Bulletin recommending that the oil be changed from ATF to 15W-40 engine oil.

Nobody said it was critical ... it's a recommendation!
Click to expand...

Neither did I!!! the note implies that the change might address a possible issue with gear changing, I am still sufficiently content that Dextron ATF is an adequate lubricant to continue using it at annual changes until my stock is exhausted. The tardiness with which VP circulated the information over the last two years suggests to me that they may not regard it as a serious issue, people on here have been talking about it for two years but some dealers have only just heard about it.
 
rivonia said:
Well Thanks to you all also. I did not know about the change to engine oil either. So next change it will be the same oil all round. By the way does it matter which type of sail drive?
Click to expand...

Yes, it only applies to 130 types, from approx 2005 on - identifiable by 2 piece anodes. See the service bulletin posted above.
 
Stork_III said:
Nothing if gearbox uses 15/40. But it might use hypoid 90 or 75/90 ie 120SE saildrive.
Click to expand...

If the 130 originally used the hypoid type stuff and they are now suggesting to use engine oil is there a lot of difference between them?
The reason I ask is that I originally had a 120 leg which had to have the lower portion changed to the 130 leg with the split anode and the different gearing.
I presume in effect I have the 130 leg and the oil should be 15/40?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top