Volvo saildrive water in oil

[bugs]

I have a 1999 volvo 2020 saildrive. Following a regatta last weekend, when the engine had little use but there was much heeling and the odd broach, I found some oil in the rim of the rubber seal. I checked the dipstick and think I may have water mixed with the gear oil- its milky in colour. I cant see where the oil is coming. Any thoughts on how the water might have ingressed, where the oil might be coming from and how to fix it?

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[kdf]

Probably coming from the bleeder nut on the bottom on the saildrive - Either that or water got in via the oil filler or dipstick but that would be unusual. You can only get at the bleeder nut when you lift the boat out which you should do as quickly as you can - getting water into the saildrive is not a good thing.


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[henk]

Another posibility is that a fishingline demagned your 2 seals behind the propeler, i have the same problem 2 years ago and damaged my 2 seals and propeller shaft.


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[extravert]

1) It will either be cheap and easy to fix...

an oil drain plug leaking because the seal is missing or damaged, or it's loose;

2) or more expensive and more difficult to fix..

your drive shaft seal or shaft has worn or got damaged and started passing water. This needs the bottom end of the leg dismantling. If it's the shaft start preparing for Volvo part prices;

3) or so horrendously expensive to fix that you will be tempted to get a Wayfairer instead...

your sail drive leg has corroded all the way through the aluminum and is letting water in that way. Hopefully yours at age 4 won't have done this. How are your anodes?

When my similar 13 year old Bukh saildrive started exhibiting the symptoms you've got, unfortunately it was reason 3. I would guess that yours is most likely to be problem 2.

 

[bugs]

Thanks for the prompt and helpful comments. I'd not been on this forum for some time and had forgotten how good it is.
I'm confident the anode and rubber seal are OK. Still curious about the way the oil got out of the gear box- perhaps I hadn't tightened the dip stick and the heeling caused it to leak- it only let out a little.
The oil is creamy white which I thought was water mixed- emulsion type. The book says it would be grey in colour. Am I right to think it is water contamination?
I think I will dry her out and drain and replace the plug/seal to be safe.


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[jackho]

I have had this problem on several times on three different boats with sail drives and on every occasion it has been the drain plug on the bottom of the sail drive leg. In addition to replacing the o ring or gasget (some have a fibre gasket and the newer ones an o ring) I now use teflon tape on the thread.
I am told the milky appearance is the detergent in the oil reacting with the sea water!!! I would guess the "leak" is possible by the increased level due to the water ingress!!?


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[bugs]

Many Thanks Jackho. Ill start with the change and will change plug,ring and use PTFE tape.
rgds
henry.

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[extravert]

When I had saildrive oil contaminated with water it was creamy white as you report. When I had engine oil contaminated, it was grey. I guess that was because the engine oil was black to start with, but the saildrive oil wasn't, it usually stayed clean.

My saildrive oil level rose when it was contaminated, water ingress raising the level I guess.

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