SAWDOC
Well-Known Member
My saildrive oil extracted after 2 seasons bears a good resemblance to pea green soup. I've seen warnings before to examine it for milkyness but pea green soup? Comments of a non culinary type welcome!
Last edited:
Saildrive oil or pea green soup??
- Thread starter SAWDOC
- Start date
My saildrive oil extracted after 2 seasons bears a good resemblance to pea green soup. I've seen warnings before to examine it for milkyness but pea green soup? Comments of a non culinary type welcome!
johnalison
Well-Known Member
Two years since checking? I think there may be a lesson somewhere.
Tranona
Well-Known Member
Leave it to settle as that looks like water in the oil. Time to replace the seals in the lower leg perhaps?
Daydream believer
Well-Known Member
That is oil in the water.( or should that be water in the oil!)
I have had this on 2 occasions. the first when the seals on the shaft failed. The second when i used a copper washer on the drain off bolt. This allowed water into the oil & i had to pay for a lift out to change it.
I was advised to always fit a new washer of the correct type when refitting the bolt.
Changing the shaft seals is no big deal but they cost about £ 70-00 . However, if you leave it too long the shaft can get scored & then things get really expensive
Considering the amount of oil needed, against cost of a new saildrive, it is well worth changing the oil each year & checking it for water ingress
I have had this on 2 occasions. the first when the seals on the shaft failed. The second when i used a copper washer on the drain off bolt. This allowed water into the oil & i had to pay for a lift out to change it.
I was advised to always fit a new washer of the correct type when refitting the bolt.
Changing the shaft seals is no big deal but they cost about £ 70-00 . However, if you leave it too long the shaft can get scored & then things get really expensive
Considering the amount of oil needed, against cost of a new saildrive, it is well worth changing the oil each year & checking it for water ingress
Last edited:
SAWDOC
Well-Known Member
24 hours later I do not see any separation of oil and water. My memory from my earlier boat is that the oil should come out pretty similar in colour to the condition it was in when first inserted ?
Halo
Well-Known Member
Looks like a little water ingress to me but it could be a mixture of oils were put in. Do you have any of the oil that went in ? If she is out of the water for the winter and it could be a mix of oils then I suggest draining down ( for a week) refiliing and draining down again before refilling.
SAWDOC
Well-Known Member
Tried a little experiment today. Still no visible separation of oil and water so I mixed sea water and the oil in a second jar and gave it a good shaking until it was mixed completely. Within 15 minutes the oil had completely separated out again. So i am leaning towards the conclusion that whatever has coloured the oil is not sea water. Any oil experts out there?
Last edited:
Baddox
Well-Known Member
The pea green soup could still be emulsified water in oil, just at a more stable droplet size than the one you made.
Since you are curious enough to experiment, see if you can collapse the pea green emulsion by adding some table salt to a small sample. If this still doesn’t result in two clearer layers forming you could then try heating a jar of the salty mixture in hot water to force it even harder.
Another option would be to get the highest magnification binoculars you can find, smear a thin layer of pea soup onto a glass and look at it down the wrong “wrong” end of the bino’s. If you can get them close enough to have the sample in focus, you may be able to see tiny droplets of emulsion.
Since you are curious enough to experiment, see if you can collapse the pea green emulsion by adding some table salt to a small sample. If this still doesn’t result in two clearer layers forming you could then try heating a jar of the salty mixture in hot water to force it even harder.
Another option would be to get the highest magnification binoculars you can find, smear a thin layer of pea soup onto a glass and look at it down the wrong “wrong” end of the bino’s. If you can get them close enough to have the sample in focus, you may be able to see tiny droplets of emulsion.
SailorBill
Well-Known Member
The green colour is from a mangled leprechaun. And so it is.
Beamishken
Well-Known Member
Once oil & water has been fully emulsified in a drive then it will not seperate by standing only. It could be mineral & synthetic oil that has been mixed ie mineral drained & synthetic refilled or vice versa whatever was remaining in the drive may have contaminated the other as they do go funny when mixed
You could try a simple pressure test & vacuum test to check although not always conclusive if you only have a minor leak.
Most importantly don't leave the drive sat with no oil in it for very long as if it has got water in it now you have allowed air into it by draining the oil it will start to corrode, refill it with any cheap oil until you decide what your going to do with the drive
You could try a simple pressure test & vacuum test to check although not always conclusive if you only have a minor leak.
Most importantly don't leave the drive sat with no oil in it for very long as if it has got water in it now you have allowed air into it by draining the oil it will start to corrode, refill it with any cheap oil until you decide what your going to do with the drive
picardy
Well-Known Member
What is the recommended interval for replacing seals? Is it by age or hours. My 130s (2006 year) is connected to a D1-30 and I get the oil changed every year to check for leaks (none last year). I will be doing the same when she is lifted out next week.
It has only run 300 hours but any advice appreciated
Thanks
It has only run 300 hours but any advice appreciated
Thanks
Ariadne
Well-Known Member
I change the seals in my 120S as soon as I can afford to lift after I start seeing water in the oil, no set time I've only done mine once in 8 years, but I do check the oil on a regular basis and if possible remove some and replace with new. It's a simple job to change them when your on the hard.
Daydream believer
Well-Known Member
I first got water in the saildrive after about 2000 hours & i found that the seals were worn
johnalison
Well-Known Member
The first sign I had of seal failure was also at about 2000hrs, with a small drop in oil level mid-season. The oil was still clear. I topped it up and it was still clear at the end of the season.
In case you haven't noticed it already, synthetic oil, used in some systems, doesn't half ruin the O ring around the filler and I have found after trial and error that keeping some spares is a good idea.
In case you haven't noticed it already, synthetic oil, used in some systems, doesn't half ruin the O ring around the filler and I have found after trial and error that keeping some spares is a good idea.
SAWDOC
Well-Known Member
Thanks - good advice. I have tried the addition of salt and the application of heat and still no separation so I am not going to waste any more time on that. Boat is on the hard si I will split drive and replace seals.
Stork_III
Well-Known Member
Seals can be replaced without splitting the saildrive. They go in the bottom.
