Saildrive plug

[RichardS]

Does not mean you did it right, or that you can still do it right.
Just means that you are probably older than 59 years.
So not that far short of " doddery old fart" age :ambivalence:

I agree .... it's totally meaningless but, with a smiley face, as a response to "my dick is bigger than yours", I reckon it's a pretty good response.

Does that fact alone mean that I know a great deal about engines and gearboxes ..... no.

Do I know a great deal about engines and gearboxes ..... that's for me to know and you to decide, although it really makes no difference to me either way.

Richard

 

[RichardS]

I did my first gearbox overhaul in the early 1970s but my first complete engine overhaul in 1969

I am well past "doddery old fart". More like "One foot in the grave"

We may well both be doddery old farts Vic, but I'll tell you what, put you and me in car or boat and ask us to solve a range of technical problems and I reckon that we could out-think any 40 year old highly-qualified engineer on the planet 'cos we have one thing that they don't have ..... yet.

Richard

 

[dunedin]

Ah ha, so we have some saying pela down the dip stick is a thing and will work, some that say the tiny gnome will vex the process? Did you win Eilerts? Or go back to the plug?

Well I can confirm that you can get a Pela tube at least 40cm down into a Volvo 130 saildrive via the dip stick hole. Today’s job done

 

[Daydream believer]

Well I can confirm that you can get a Pela tube at least 40cm down into a Volvo 130 saildrive via the dip stick hole. Today’s job done

So how deep is a Volvo 130 saildrive from the top where you put the tube in to the bottom of the sump?
Bearing in mind that 40CM is approx 15.75 inches.
I ask because that suggests to me ( & I say this with the greatest of respect) that there is a good chance that the job was not "done".
But I would have to look at a saildrive to be sure. There must be 12 inches before it passes through the bottom of the hull. Ie possibly 9 inches above the ring & 3 inches in the void before the hull outer seal. There is a lot more than 4 inches poking out the bottom of the hull. But as I say I am only guessing & I do not know how far down the dipstick hole is on a 130.

 

[dunedin]

So how deep is a Volvo 130 saildrive from the top where you put the tube in to the bottom of the sump?
Bearing in mind that 40CM is approx 15.75 inches.
I ask because that suggests to me ( & I say this with the greatest of respect) that there is a good chance that the job was not "done".
But I would have to look at a saildrive to be sure. There must be 12 inches before it passes through the bottom of the hull. Ie possibly 9 inches above the ring & 3 inches in the void before the hull outer seal. There is a lot more than 4 inches poking out the bottom of the hull. But as I say I am only guessing & I do not know how far down the dipstick hole is on a 130.

Clearly the Pela from above through the dipstick hole does not reach the bottom. But this is an official method listed in the Volvo D55 manual. They reckon will leave 0.5 litres oil still in. But old oil was clean so happy with 80% new oil. And no messing with lift out and fighting with plug.

 

[MagicalArmchair]

Well I can confirm that you can get a Pela tube at least 40cm down into a Volvo 130 saildrive via the dip stick hole. Today’s job done

I did the same thing - and got about the same distance into the sail drive with my pela, however that only got a litre out (of the two and a half in there) leaving me groaning and resigning myself to the fact I should do the drain plug to get any water out that will have sunk and to remove any swarf. Ho hum. First struggle will be to chip all the antifouling off the bung, second will be to fabricate a tool (modifying a chisel sounds like a good plan) to get into that groove nice and tightly to apply enough torque to get it undone.

 

[Daydream believer]

Clearly the Pela from above through the dipstick hole does not reach the bottom. But this is an official method listed in the Volvo D55 manual. They reckon will leave 0.5 litres oil still in. But old oil was clean so happy with 80% new oil. And no messing with lift out and fighting with plug.

Whilst it is important to check the condition of the oil, one might wonder at the point of leaving 20% of it in place.

I also find it odd that people are really having so much difficulty removing a plug, which, after all, has only about 5/8 inch long thread. It has a fairly large slot, in which one can get a good purchase with a reasonably sized screwdriver. I cannot see how anyone should struggle at such a simple 15 minute task. This can be done when the boat is lifted for annual antifoul surely.

 

[sailaboutvic]

I surprise to read this thread is still going on , different ways have been suggested how to remove the screw some ways more then once , I know for a fact these screw can be very hard to remove, but as I said way back you can get around this by removing the bearing housing , not own will you then be able to remover every little drop but at the same time check on the shaft, as at time these can get scored and it may only be a matter of time before water start to enter the sail drive .

 

[ghostlymoron]

Rather than grinding a chisel to fit the plug slot, I would grind a screwdriver, preferably with a square shaft, to be a snug fit. A chisel tip is tempered differently and could be a bit brittle to use as a screwdriver.

 

[Mikenda]

When I first had my sail drive screw came undone ok using large flathead, tried two different size plugs from key parts but neither fitted so ended up using original plug. Never did establish the correct part number. Key parts were very helpful but said there were only two sizes mine must have been modified. Knowing the original owner this was not the case.

 

[Daydream believer]

but as I said way back you can get around this by removing the bearing housing , not own will you then be able to remover every little drop but at the same time check on the shaft, as at time these can get scored and it may only be a matter of time before water start to enter the sail drive .

Apart from the fact you would get smothered in oil as you release the shaft:ambivalence:
Surely the sensible time to replace the shaft seals is when one does the saildrive hull seal every 7 years (unless there is sign of water in between) That way it can be on a bench in nice clean conditions. But of course that suggestion will immediately start the " I have never changed my hull seal in 25 years" brigade off:encouragement:

 

[sailaboutvic]

Apart from the fact you would get smothered in oil as you release the shaft:ambivalence:
Surely the sensible time to replace the shaft seals is when one does the saildrive hull seal every 7 years (unless there is sign of water in between) That way it can be on a bench in nice clean conditions. But of course that suggestion will immediately start the " I have never changed my hull seal in 25 years" brigade off:encouragement:

The bearing housing seals are normally replaces as and when there is a In take of water , I have known people to have to replace then every other year in some cases, because as I said the prop shaft can end up getting scored and if it not fixed or replace then just putting new seal in won't do the job in some cases.
Has for getting full of oil as you remove the housing bearing , I can only think you have never done one to suggest that .

In any case My suggestion was only made for them who are having problems removing the saildrive oil plug,
of-cause you don't have to have a degree in engineering to know if plug comes out without any problem then that's the best way forward .

 

[Daydream believer]

Has for getting full of oil as you remove the housing bearing , I can only think you have never done one to suggest that .

In any case My suggestion was only made for them who are having problems removing the saildrive oil plug,
of-cause you don't have to have a degree in engineering to know if plug comes out without any problem then that's the best way forward .

So help me out here-- What happens to the oil if you take the bearing & seals out without having first drained the oil by removing the plug?

 

[MagicalArmchair]

I found the following discussing the same topic: http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f114/volvo-120-saildrive-drain-plug-stuck-202324-2.html - they talk about fabricating a tool from a cold chisel, which seems like a good idea (and fun in the garage!).

Is anyone near their boat that can get the exact dimensions for the slot so I can make it an exact fit? Mirage is currently 130 miles away...

The plugs part number is 804262 - I can find no schematics for it.

 

[RichardS]

So help me out here-- What happens to the oil if you take the bearing & seals out without having first drained the oil by removing the plug?

As I suggested in post #3 (a very long time ago ), if you intend to change the oil and/or the shaft seals, it's much easier to just remove the shaft.

The oil runs out as fast or slow as you like when you withdraw the bearing housing so you just collect it in a funnel/tray/bucket as you would if you removed the plug. If it's running out to fast, just push the housing back in a bit.

Forget the saildrive gaiter/diaphram as that's a completely different job and a lot more complicated. The recommended seal replacement interval for the most common Yanmar saildrive is just 2 years.

Having said that, I only replace my shaft seals when there is water ingress which is every 4 or 5 years. :encouragement:

Richard

 

[mordase]

In response to the original question I had the exact same issue. The way forward is to use an impact screwdriver with the biggest flathead and then just gently tap. Worked a treat for me.

 

[sailaboutvic]

So help me out here-- What happens to the oil if you take the bearing & seals out without having first drained the oil by removing the plug?

How would you like me to help you out ?
I would had thought an engineer as your self can work that one out .
I don't wish to get into one of them back and fro arguments with you as others have .
But just for your sake .
I just cut and hang 20 lts water contain close under the leg and slowly remove the housing , if you really want you could have it up pass the shaft as there room to work in side one the bolts are removed.

Does it throw oil all over me and onto the ground ? .
I think not it just sent a steady stream of oil into the container.
If your stupid enough to leave the container on the floor , it may shot oil every where .

I do have trouble understanding why won't you except there are other ways of doing a job other then your way , without being rude you seen to want to disagree with others here and not just in this thread,

If you kindly read post #7 you see my suggestion of remover the oil plug , since then
You suggestion the same in post #12 and then the same method suggested three or for four times, I think tho OP get the idea.

Theses plug can get stuck for all sorts of reasons , so it's not that straight forward.
Rather then hitting it with impact or tapping it with a punch which may end up breaking some thing , if it won't undo with a bit of pressure on a good screw driver undoing the two Allen bolts and removing the bearing housing has to be a good way forward and as I said it gives the owner a chance to check out the condition of the shaft he will also spot any metal particles that may sat on the highter part of the casing.
Hope this help you out as I just got no other way of explaining it .