Volvo Penta 290E DP Drive - Water in the Oil

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MartynJS

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Over the years I have always inspected and/or changed the oil in my 290E DP leg. Very often there was water in the oil; not much, but enough to make the oil 'milky'. So last year I spent a lot of time trying to establish where it was getting in. I carried out pressure and vacuum tests on the leg and applied oil to the various seals until I found the culprit; the vent plug close to the top of the leg , facing astern. This badly designed plug is sealed with a simple fibre washer. This has a large enough internal diameter to clear the threads on the plug but, unfortunately, the plug has an undercut below the head. This prevents the washer from centering and allows the inner diameter to settle very close to the edge of the head of the plug. Any distortion on tightening and 'hey presto', it leaks.

I would be interested to hear whether anyone else has had similar problems. I got over mine by fitting a Dowty seal in place of the fibre washer and this year the oil was clear. Anyone else had this problem?
 
No I haven't but good spot, I'll change that when I next come out of the water. You don't recall what size Dowty you used do you?
 
Ha! No I don't. I was in the local marine engine suppliers and had the plug in my hand so we chose the one that best fitted over the threads. I will guess at 5/8" (16mm) but it might have been 3/4" (19mm). Ask me this time next year :)

I have a home made vacuum test set up, which I will try to post in the future. Easy to make and runs from any pressurised air line.
 
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MartynJS said:
I would be interested to hear whether anyone else has had similar problems. I got over mine by fitting a Dowty seal in place of the fibre washer and this year the oil was clear. Anyone else had this problem?
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Hope you didn't use a steel Dowty
 
It did occur to me over the years that Volvo went to a lot of trouble to machine grooves and fit 'O' rings to the drain plug and to the dip stick so why oh why put a loose fitting fibre washer on the plug? Is it me? Am I missing something here?
 
MartynJS said:
It did occur to me over the years that Volvo went to a lot of trouble to machine grooves and fit 'O' rings to the drain plug and to the dip stick so why oh why put a loose fitting fibre washer on the plug? Is it me? Am I missing something here?
Click to expand...

I have to say that this has never been an issue for me in about 15 yrs owning 3 290/DPE legs, not once has there been a leak like you describe. Perhaps you just don't have the right fibre washer?
 
A_8 said:
I have to say that this has never been an issue for me in about 15 yrs owning 3 290/DPE legs, not once has there been a leak like you describe. Perhaps you just don't have the right fibre washer?
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Perhaps; but they all came from either Keypart or my local Volvo supplier and were in Volvo parts bags. I guess the rule is 'don't remove the plug; just fill through the dip or the drain'. The guy at our local marine workshop said that they never remove them.
 
MartynJS said:
Perhaps; but they all came from either Keypart or my local Volvo supplier and were in Volvo parts bags. I guess the rule is 'don't remove the plug; just fill through the dip or the drain'. The guy at our local marine workshop said that they never remove them.
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I take mine off every year but now that we discuss it I vaguely remember volvo says to change them for new once removed, perhaps that makes a difference.
 
A_8 said:
I take mine off every year but now that we discuss it I vaguely remember volvo says to change them for new once removed, perhaps that makes a difference.
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Yes; I always fitted a new washer. Next time you do the job, put the washer onto the plug and look at how much movement there is. The inner edge of the washer almost meets the outer edge of the head on the plug. A little bit of distortion when you tighten the plug and there you are. Or again; perhaps it's me!:)
 
Hi. I change my leg oil each year and it is normally quite milky. i would be interested to check the vent plug - where abouts exactly is it ?
Also, do you know what size the seals are for the drian plug and oil level plug ?
thanks in anticipation
 
I have been servicing and repairing VP drives for 25yrs and have literally had hundreds with water in the oil, its nearly akways the propshaft seals, they have no protective shield like Mercruiser drives so the slightest bit of seagrass or fishing line will get drawn in around the shaft and the seals leak. The other seal that leaks is the gearshift quadrant, the quadrant moves in and out as it rotates and over the years crud builds up on the part going into the seal so it damages the lips. Wish I had a fiver for every seal I have have changed on a VP drive, it was one or two a week on average! We never open the plug on the back of the drive unless the red fibre washer looks dodgy, and never had one leak there when pressure testing.
 
All DPE's will knacker their seals, just a fact of life, it's a wear part.

On the older drives or ones with heavy hours, on the shafts were the seals sit, a certain amount of wear happens on the shaft. If you keep fitting the seals on the same point, leaks will occur. We machined a new seal press that pushed the seals back a little bit further and cured that problem.

On one commercial boat, the shaft was so bad we fitted a SKF Speed Sleeve and machined it to fit. For £25 as opposed to £1800 for new shafts, a no-brainer.
 
MartynJS said:
Over the years I have always inspected and/or changed the oil in my 290E DP leg. Very often there was water in the oil; not much, but enough to make the oil 'milky'. So last year I spent a lot of time trying to establish where it was getting in. I carried out pressure and vacuum tests on the leg and applied oil to the various seals until I found the culprit; the vent plug close to the top of the leg , facing astern. This badly designed plug is sealed with a simple fibre washer. This has a large enough internal diameter to clear the threads on the plug but, unfortunately, the plug has an undercut below the head. This prevents the washer from centering and allows the inner diameter to settle very close to the edge of the head of the plug. Any distortion on tightening and 'hey presto', it leaks.

I would be interested to hear whether anyone else has had similar problems. I got over mine by fitting a Dowty seal in place of the fibre washer and this year the oil was clear. Anyone else had this problem?
Click to expand...

Happens all the time. I solved it by sealing over the plugs with silicone each year. Never had an issue afterwards
 
Agree with QBhoy , I spread silicone sealant over the head (after tightening)... seemed to work. Also filled the heads of any allen screws. The benefit is that when maintenance time comes you just flick out the silicone with a sharp tool to reveal a nice clean hole ready for the allen key rather than having to dig out encrusted crud first.
 
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