My boat will be hauled out next week and an oil change of the S drive gearbox is on the diy work schedule. Having never done this job before I was looking for tips on what is involved. E.g. Tools, technique.
Volvo S drive oil change, how to?
- Thread starter jonjo
- Start date
starboard
Active member
The drain plug is in the bottom of the leg......You will need a large flat head screw driver to remove the drain screw. Quite often covered in old antifoul and can be stuborn to undo, use a shifter on the end of the screwdriver blade to increase torque!!, on replacing use a new fibre washer and would suggest using loctite on thread to ensure it does not work loose.
Paul.
Paul.
gwc2004
New member
I hang a bucket from the prop to catch the old oil. Make sure the filler cap is off when you drain and the dip stick is out when you fill, to let air in and out. Filling is a very slow process. Good luck. PS. if old oil is white/ish then water is getting in past the shaft seal and they will need replacing. Good luck.
jax
New member
I've done this several times - no big problem. However you may find the filler plug is gunged up, if so clean it up, apply WD40. Then beg or borrow an 'old fashioned' carpenters swing brace and screw driver bit (better than using an old fashioned hammer and cold chisel!) I had trouble getting a screw driver bit so I 'modified' a old wide ended screwdriver.
AIDY
Active member
make sure you open the filler cap or remove the dipstick to use as a breather as you will open the plug at the bottom and wonder why the oil wont come out.
DickB
Member
If you empty the oil soon after using the engine (i.e. a day or so) you might find that the oil is slightly opaque. This might not be water ingress. Sometimes with the synthetic oil it whips air into the oil that takes a day or so to clear. I know this because I panicked when I saw what looked like emulsified oil, and had the yacht lifted and the oil and seals replaced. The engineer who did the job it said the oil was fine - i.e clear. He pointed out the issue of air in the oil if it is synthetic...
Oh well, I did get new seals put in, and I did use the time out to do some other stuff as well...
Oh well, I did get new seals put in, and I did use the time out to do some other stuff as well...
Budgie
New member
Just a few points to add.
When refilling the difference between underfill and overfill is VERY small!
On my saildrive the oil level is checked with the dipstick NOT screwed home.
Finally the oil is hideously expensive.
When refilling the difference between underfill and overfill is VERY small!
On my saildrive the oil level is checked with the dipstick NOT screwed home.
Finally the oil is hideously expensive.
cardinal_mark
New member
[ QUOTE ]
Finally the oil is hideously expensive.
[/ QUOTE ]
Not necessarilly. Apparently there are two types, one that takes the hideously expensive synthetic oil and one that takes standard engine oil (or at least thats what Motortech told me!). The clue is on the serial number so make sure you have that when you go to get the oil - apparently if you mix them the result is not good.
Mark
Finally the oil is hideously expensive.
[/ QUOTE ]
Not necessarilly. Apparently there are two types, one that takes the hideously expensive synthetic oil and one that takes standard engine oil (or at least thats what Motortech told me!). The clue is on the serial number so make sure you have that when you go to get the oil - apparently if you mix them the result is not good.
Mark
Stork_III
Well-known member
Volvo 120S drive A to D use ordinary engine oil, later E uses synthetic but not if its already used ordinary, VP changed spec mid life on E series.
Thanks everyone, bucket, very large screw driver and loctite are packed in the car. I would not have thought about opening the filler cap and dipstick before extracting the sump screw.