Mikenda
Well-Known Member
There seems to be confusion on which oil to refil on a MS25S saildrive. Manual says same as engine oil, other sources say Synthetic oil. Anyone know the correct oil?
Volvo 2020 Saildrive Oil
- Thread starter Mikenda
- Start date
pvb
Well-Known Member
Follow VP's instructions.
haydude
Well-Known Member
I confirm that the manual specifies CE 15W40 which is the same as engine oil.
I have the same saildrive, which was professionally serviced and the engine oil was used.
Given the light use of a saildrive the engine oil is perfectly suitable. Careful because different saildrive models require oils with lower viscosity or Synthetic oils. This is NOT the case for the MS25S.
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Quandary
Well-Known Member
Note that the current VP legs use automatic transmission fluid (ATF), not much like oil at all.
richardbrennan
Well-Known Member
I have a 2030 with saildrive of 1998 vintage. The recommended oil is the synthetic stuff which is very expensive and has a very strange smell!
VicS
Well-Known Member
Bav34
...
I'd keep using whatever is in there now.
My box has the red synthetic oil in it.
My box has the red synthetic oil in it.
VicS
Well-Known Member
despite the fact that it would be more sensible to put in the oil that VP recommend?
perhaps that is the correct oil for yours ... you don't tell us what type it is !
Bav34
...
Sorry Vic, on the basis that I was replying to a thread regarding a Volvo 2020 with a MS25S gearbox fitted I thought it was obvious what gearbox I was talking about.
Also, on the basis that the two oils look so different i.e engine oil is golden, synthetic oil is red, and that there do seem to be two choices, I thought it sensible to keep using whatever was already in the box.
When I last changed my oil I was specifically asked by the Volvo dealer what oil I already had.
Also, on the basis that the two oils look so different i.e engine oil is golden, synthetic oil is red, and that there do seem to be two choices, I thought it sensible to keep using whatever was already in the box.
When I last changed my oil I was specifically asked by the Volvo dealer what oil I already had.
Stork_III
Well-Known Member
ATF is RED? Synthetic Gear oIL IS NOT SPECIFIED for MS25s gearbox, either same as engine or ATF
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Bav34
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I never said that ATF is red.
What I know is that this is my engine/gearbox/saildrive info:
engine MD 2020 5102329755
saildrive 120 S-D 2.48:1 3582395 MS25S 2:47 5025-01-30018
and that two Volvo dealers have supplied red synthetic oil which replaced red synthetic oil.
Mikenda
Well-Known Member
Thanks Guy's for the advice. Engine oil as per VP Manual & Keypart.
Stork_III
Well-Known Member
You misunderstand my post, perhaps my ? should have been ! Volvo Synthetic gear oil is not red, but Volvo ATF is red. 120SD should have Engine oil. 120SE is synthetic.
Bav34
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Well that's me screwed then.
I appear to have a 10 year old 120SD in perfect working order that has always had red oil in it which both Volvo dealers called synthetic.
Stork_III
Well-Known Member
Probably doesn't matter what goes in as long as its not water? My last boat had 120SD in which I always used engine oil, VP dealer did supply Synthetic for a spares kit, new boat (7 years old) has MS25 and uses ATF.
VicS
Well-Known Member
But the question was about oil for a MS25-S.
You do not actually seem to know whether you have a 120S-D or a MS25S Sometimes you tell us one at other times the other. In one post you quoted both!
Earlier I posted a link to the lubrication schedule for all VP saildrives and jet drives on the VP website
Has anybody bothered to look at it .... what is says there is what counts!
They do , on the page which links to the schedule , however, advise you to always refer to the owners manual
120S, 120S-B, 120S-C and 120S-D should be using engine oil.
120S-E should be using an SAE 75W90 synthetic gear oil to API GL5
MS25S should be using engine oil
that is what Volvo's lubrication schedule says! ... It does not specify any particular colour!
Nor does it specify whether the engine oil should be mineral or synthetic.
FWIW some saildrives ( MS10 and MS15) can use either an SAE 15W40 engine oil or ATF Dexron II or III. However you must not mix them.
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Bav34
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RE You do not actually seem to know whether you have a 120S-D or a MS25S Sometimes you tell us one at other times the other. In one post you quoted both!
I know EXACTLY what I have Vic.
I have a Volvo MD2020 which according to the rating plate on top of the gearbox has an MS25-S GEARBOX WHICH IS ATTACHED TO A 120S-D SAILDRIVE
In post 9 I quoted MS25S GEARBOX ... the OP's original question
In post 11 I gave the rating plate detail as above quoting gearbox AND saildrive.
In post 14 I mentioned the SAILDRIVE in response to post 13.
What confuses me most is that only 2 months ago a Volvo dealer when presented with the above information said '' Oh, you need synthetic then'' which matched what was already in the MS25-S gearbox AND 120S-D saildrive.
So, yes, I agree with the OP
There seems to be confusion on which oil to refil on a MS25S saildrive. Manual says same as engine oil, other sources say Synthetic oil.
I know EXACTLY what I have Vic.
I have a Volvo MD2020 which according to the rating plate on top of the gearbox has an MS25-S GEARBOX WHICH IS ATTACHED TO A 120S-D SAILDRIVE
In post 9 I quoted MS25S GEARBOX ... the OP's original question
In post 11 I gave the rating plate detail as above quoting gearbox AND saildrive.
In post 14 I mentioned the SAILDRIVE in response to post 13.
What confuses me most is that only 2 months ago a Volvo dealer when presented with the above information said '' Oh, you need synthetic then'' which matched what was already in the MS25-S gearbox AND 120S-D saildrive.
So, yes, I agree with the OP
There seems to be confusion on which oil to refil on a MS25S saildrive. Manual says same as engine oil, other sources say Synthetic oil.
VicS
Well-Known Member
That's interesting. All the literature and owners manuals shows them as complete units either a 120S or a MS25S. The earlier engines being fitted with 120S units and the later ones with MS25S
The designs of the two lower units are quite different so I had no idea you could even fit a 120S lower unit onto a MS25S upper unit to create a bitsa.
Any idea why yours is partly one and partly the other?
However the specified oil for them in the manuals I have looked at and the schedule in my earlier link is engine oil. (15W50)
VP do market a synthetic 15W50 engine oil for gasoline engines. This is what your dealer is suggesting perhaps not the synthetic 75W90 gear oil that is specified the 120S-E saildrives.
haydude
Well-Known Member
There you go, well done. The OP has an MS25S therefore the oil is the same as engine.
Different saildrive models may require different oils and there is no generic answer around a saildrive oil and a non specific recommendation may be misleading.
Jezzb
New Member
My S130 saildrive came with ATF oil but Volvo issued a notice last April saying that all S130 saildrive owners should start using Engine oil instead, so now I am putting in the same oil as I put in my MD2020. Hope this helps.
