VOLVO SAILDRIVE WATER INLET SEACOCK

[philwebb]

Hi Folks,
I‘ve got a S120 sail drive and the seacock has more or less had it. I went from the original plastic head to a modified plumbing valve head, but now I need a spanner to turn it. What have other people done about this? I’m thinking that a suitable (bronze?) plumbing valve might do the job if the thread is compatible.

 

[Baggywrinkle]

Hi Folks,
I‘ve got a S120 sail drive and the seacock has more or less had it. I went from the original plastic head to a modified plumbing valve head, but now I need a spanner to turn it. What have other people done about this? I’m thinking that a suitable (bronze?) plumbing valve might do the job if the thread is compatible.

Do not get a DIY plumbing valve - they are brass and really bad news on a boat ... explanation on this thread.

A dezincified seacock?

 

[Seashoreman]

I got the yard to block it off and install a through hull with filter. It got to the point were I worried every
time I tried to turn the sail drive seacock that it would round off the fitting and consequently no coolant water.
The plastic circular handle rounded off a long time ago, material not strong enough. Not a good design imo.
EDIT: actually I think it is simply just turned off, not blocked in any way.

 

[jwilson]

Aren't Volvo Saildrives aluminium? If so any yellow metal seacock directly attached to it is very bad news long-term. Many people have fitted totally separate water inlets away from the saildrive with bronze/DZR fittings.

 

[philwebb]

Do not get a DIY plumbing valve - they are brass and really bad news on a boat ... explanation on this thread.

A dezincified seacock?

Hi Baggywrinkle- I did say bronze! I was thinking about the plumbing fittings spec’d for contact with soil.

 

[philwebb]

Aren't Volvo Saildrives aluminium? If so any yellow metal seacock directly attached to it is very bad news long-term. Many people have fitted totally separate water inlets away from the saildrive with bronze/DZR fittings.

Hi jwilson, yes the sail drive is aluminium or aluminium alloy. It looks like the body of the original valve may be bronze though. Plastic moving parts though which is why it is now u/s.

 

[Baggywrinkle]

Hi Baggywrinkle- I did say bronze! I was thinking about the plumbing fittings spec’d for contact with soil.

..you did say bronze, but with a question mark and I have no idea how much you know about it all - so just trying to be helpful ...

I thought I'd point you to a thread with a link to YBW Forums resident metalurgist ... @vyv_cox ... valves and through-hull fittings are always popping up on the forum and there was a campaign highlighting the problems some time ago.

This is his site where he explains all the differnet variations of brass/bronze and what markings to look for on fittings intended for marine use.

Brasses and bronzes

 

[Martin_J]

A number of Volvo parts suppliers sell a kit consisting of a nipple that screws in place of where the existing seized value is together with valve and another adaptater for the hose to the engine.

No idea why they call it a nipple but its part 65D at the diagram below...



Not necessarily the local supplier to you but it might point you towards the right solution.. The diagram above shows both the old style value fitted direct to the upper gear unit as well as the replacement fittings which I have circled.


120S-D Upper Gear Unit - marine drives & transmissions

Edit: Changed sized to seized.

 

[penfold]

I have a brand new VP valve with the round plastic handle that I acquired in a box of jumble, make me an offer.

 

[sawduster]

Another option as described here is to use the threaded section of a trudesign through hull as the threaded insert, then attach a trudesign valve to it Corroded Saildrive Seacock. I'm planning to do with my heavily corroded valve and insert in the spring. Unfortunately clearance is quite right and I haven't managed to get the old insert out as it's so badly corroded so that'll be a fun job....

 

[philwebb]

A number of Volvo parts suppliers sell a kit consisting of a nipple that screws in place of where the existing sized value is together with valve and another adaptater for the hose to the engine.

No idea why they call it a nipple but its part 65D at the diagram below...

View attachment 167824

Not necessarily the local supplier to you but it might point you towards the right solution.. The diagram above shows both the old style value fitted direct to the upper gear unit as well as the replacement fittings which I have circled.


120S-D Upper Gear Unit - marine drives & transmissions

Martin, that’s really useful!! I’ll look into it.

 

[Martin_J]

I bought the whole set of parts (circled in red) from somewhere but it was over ten years ago now.. I just can't recall where from.

 

[philwebb]

Another option as described here is to use the threaded section of a trudesign through hull as the threaded insert, then attach a trudesign valve to it Corroded Saildrive Seacock. I'm planning to do with my heavily corroded valve and insert in the spring. Unfortunately clearance is quite right and I haven't managed to get the old insert out as it's so badly corroded so that'll be a fun job....

Thanks, sawduster. Your thread was informative. You may find that a large stud extractor will be helpful in getting out the remains of the insert.
Im not looking forward to this job myself as there is not much space.

 

[philwebb]

I have a brand new VP valve with the round plastic handle that I acquired in a box of jumble, make me an offer.

pm sent

 

[sawduster]

Thanks, sawduster. Your thread was informative. You may find that a large stud extractor will be helpful in getting out the remains of the insert.
Im not looking forward to this job myself as there is not much space.

That's a good idea, with an impact driver it might work because I've had no luck with heat and some big spanners. Makes me wonder if it's in as bad condition as it looks as I've put a lot of force in with no movement but I should finish the job now it's started.

 

[philwebb]

I have a brand new VP valve with the round plastic handle that I acquired in a box of jumble, make me an offer.

PM sent!