MrCramp
Active member
Just got given a Volvo Penta 6hp outboard, says "60" on it. Can anyone tell me what sort of oil I should put in the gearbox? Thanks
Volvo Penta 60 Outboard Gearbox Oil
- Thread starter MrCramp
- Start date
VicS
Well-known member
I've got a VP51, 5hp, outboard. That uses EP90 like most other outboards. (I dont use it now, I pensioned the wretched thing off in 1985 after only 7 and a bit years service
MrCramp
Active member
Thanks for that info. This engine sounds very good. What was so wrong with your engine that you "pensioned it off"? Arn't they a reliable engine?
VicS
Well-known member
It is not really up to salt water use, too many bits going rusty. It is air cooled therefore noisy. It is a bit temperamental. It would start OK and idle until the anchor came into view the die and only restart if the the plug was cleaned. So leaving an anchorage meant starting it, to make sure it was OK, then stopping it, getting the anchor up and on deck then restarting it! It also tended to die when first slowed down after a run so approaching a marina, mooring or anchorage had to be done by progressively slowing down over a period of several minutes.
It was only a standard shaft length so if attempting to motor against a bit of a chop the prop kept coming out of the water. I also fancied something a bit more powerful. In those days outboards were rated according to the power produced by the engine but now they are rated by the power delivered by the prop so an old 5hp would these days probably be 4 and a bit.
It recently did a season for a friend though.
In its favour was the fact that it was very basic and light. I cannot now lift the replacement on and off the bracket so it has to stay on there. Apart from the above matters it was relaible and would run all day if required to do so. Being air cooled there were no cooling problems and no pump impeller to worry about. The replacement conked out after only a few hours and needed a new ignition module. fortunately I was only a short distance from my mooring so the dinghy o/b (Seagull) had to be pressed into service.
You cant win with outboards.
It was only a standard shaft length so if attempting to motor against a bit of a chop the prop kept coming out of the water. I also fancied something a bit more powerful. In those days outboards were rated according to the power produced by the engine but now they are rated by the power delivered by the prop so an old 5hp would these days probably be 4 and a bit.
It recently did a season for a friend though.
In its favour was the fact that it was very basic and light. I cannot now lift the replacement on and off the bracket so it has to stay on there. Apart from the above matters it was relaible and would run all day if required to do so. Being air cooled there were no cooling problems and no pump impeller to worry about. The replacement conked out after only a few hours and needed a new ignition module. fortunately I was only a short distance from my mooring so the dinghy o/b (Seagull) had to be pressed into service.
You cant win with outboards.