Whining Saildrive

[DickB]

I have just changed the gear oil and cheapo ali prop on my 5 year old Volvo 120P saildrive and it now whines when spinning in neutral. Not desperately badly but it is noticeable. Anyone experienced the same and knows what to do? I have only just put her back in the water and I suspect she will have to out again.... More expense!!!

<hr width=100% size=1>Dick

 

[BigLes]

I used to put it in gear when sailing to lock the prop and stop the whining. Some say it's better to do this as it prevents wear on the gears and shafts that occurs when it's left spinning free.

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[BigLes]

I used to put it in gear when sailing to lock the prop and stop the whining. Some say it's better to do this as it prevents wear on the gears and shafts that occurs when it's left spinning free. Of course you could always fit a folding prop.

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[boatless]

Smug answer would be to tell you not to let it spin in neutral, more drag.

Is it definitely a whine, not possibly the blades "singing" in resonance with turbulence? Can't really see that an oil change - for thicker, less clapped out oil - would reveal wear.

You could, if pushed, check for float in the bottom shaft by loading foredeck with people and going under the back with a dinghy; however, I would expect that you would have noticed the shaft floating about while you were struggling to get the old prop off. Unfortunately there are three shafts and at least six bearings involved, so if it's a bearing failure, sod's law says it's not the bottom one.

<hr width=100% size=1>my opinion is complete rubbish, probably.

 

[kds]

Mind you - makes a change from whining Poms !
Ken

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[Stork_III]

You say you changed the prop, for a folding one? If so engage reverse when sailing to fold and stop rotation and whine. If fixed prop then in neutral.

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[boatless]

<If fixed prop then in neutral>

Why?

<hr width=100% size=1>my opinion is complete rubbish, probably.

 

[DickB]

Thanks for the feedback... Had a panic attack last night and went and checked gear oil for water ingress... no problem there - lovely clear (expensive) gear oil... (by the way it is a fixed ali prop.

I did try putting in gear but when sailing it will not then allow me to move out of gear back into neutral to start engine without slowing right down. I dunno.. Wretched thing.

Probably just wrap a load of rope around it to stop it moving at all

THanks anyway...

<hr width=100% size=1>Dick

 

[davidwf]

To disengage from stuck reverse

To get the gearbox to disengage from reverse if its stuck just give the engine a quick burst on the starter ie a quick prod just enough to turn it a little bit. The gearbox will free and you can disengage ok.

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[Stork_III]

As recommended by Volvo Penta, who make the saildrive.

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[John_Clarke]

Synthetic oil may be required

There is some ambiguity about whether to use the same oil as the engine or synthetic transmission oil. For the 120S-E the manual says engine oil but a small yellow sticker on the rear of the drive says synthetic transmission oil API GL-5 SAE 75W-90.

When I got the boat I asked our local Volvo agent for advice and he asked Volvo UK who said that synthetic transmission oil is only required for engines of 50hp and above for low wear under load at high temperatures. I have therefore used engine oil for a couple of years, but then I read the following posting by Chris Cosher on 4/10/02 on the PBO Forum:

"A word of warning! We changed oil in our 2000 year gearbox/S-drive at the beginning of this season as we expected to do a lot of miles, Sweden to Med this year. We asked 3 authorised Penta dealers, bought 2 manuals and everyone said "Use normal engine oil". So we did. After 200 hours, the axle in the gearbox stripped! Very expensive and time consuming. It turns out that our gearbox/S-drive uses a GL5 synthetic 75/90 oil and the dealers were unaware of this! Volvo Penta have been OK about this, but other owners should be aware that not all gearboxes/S-drives use engine oil! Our drive is according to Volvo Penta a 120SE and is apparently the only one that differs. This is what was factory fitted in our Bavaria."

After reading this I have started to use synthetic transmission oil just in case. I found this specification of oil at £5 per litre at a motor parts shop under the trade mark Comma which they tell me is made by Esso. You need 2.8 litres


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[DickB]

Re: Synthetic oil may be required

Thanks for that. Yes... I have that yellow sticker and I also use the very expensive gear oil. I don't quite recall the Volvo price but I will certainly look at Comma equivalent for next year. I noticed that when i emptied the last lot out it was a bit opaque and grey. The Volvo guy said that this does tend to happen with condensation causing a bit of greyness. Did you get the same?

In the long run I would really like to get a feathering prop which would require the saildrive to be left in gear when sailing but I will try the other suggestion and give the engine a quick tweak to get it out of gear when running under sail.

Thanks again...

<hr width=100% size=1>Dick

 

[jackho]

I believe my saildrive whines but I assumed it is normal. I discussed this fact with a consultant motor engineer as I use standard engine oil as per volvo handbook.
My opinion was that temp. wasn't a problem nor carbon deposits etc. -
however he pointer out that in gearboxes pressure is the issue as gears mesh and as a consequence lubrication and oil spec. is critically important.
I assumed the whine was caused by the oil thrashing about between the gears and am still inclined to think so , but I think the next time the boat is out of the water I will replace with syn. or semi. syn. oil.
My boat is a 2001 model Bavaria 34 with volvo 2030 and 120 saildrive..

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[John_Clarke]

Lipseal leak?

My oil isn't as clear as when it goes in but I don't remember it being even slightly grey.

The shaft can wear at the lip seals and cause them the leak. PBO had an article in the Jan '04 issue on a relatively inexpensive slieve which can be fitted to cover the wear. The other possible source of a leak could be the drain screw.

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