Yanmar dipstick pipe OD ?

Ian_Edwards

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It's getting to that time of year again, liftout date 27th September.
I normally change the oil in my Yanmar 4JH4E the day before liftout, it's easier to run the engine to get it hot, whilst the boat is still in the water.
Last year I bought cheap 12 electric pump to make life easier, but found that the plastic pipe supplier with the pump was too small to go over the dipstick pipe.
Anyone got any idea what the OD of the Yanmar 4JH4E dipstick pipe is? So I can source an appropriate pipe and coupler?
I should have thought of this earlier and measured it, but the boat is 165 miles away.
 
Don't you need internal diameter. I just push into the dipstick pipe - it is slight flared to allow easy insertion. Mine is 3JH so may be different. I have just tried measuring the extraction pipe but 2 have oil remnants on them and wouldnt want to give you the wrong dims.
 
It's the outside diameter (OD)I'm looking for.
Up to now I've been using a Pela, and pulling the spiral steel tube down in side the dipstick tube. It works, but is very slow, and I'm never quite sure I've got all the old oil out.
The professional seem to use a short length of rubber tube to slipped over the dipstick tube to connect to the pumps' plastic inlet tube and the just pump from there.
I'm looking to replicate that.
 
Only one engine I have experience of that oil is sucked via pipe pushed OVER dipstick tube : My Range Rover 4.4 TDV8 (actually its not a dipstick tube - its a tube designed to remove the oil !)

My Perkins ... Yanmar and other boat engines / gearboxes I have had - all have had suction pipe passed internally down dipstick tube to touch sump bottom - then pull back slight touch to allow oil to freely flow ...

It is generally true that a dipstick tube will extend most way into sump as a guide to the dipstick itself .. but it usually stops quite a way short of bottom.

Just a comment :

My 4-107 Perkins ... the dipstick tube cracked at junction into block. The tube nut that fastens it in place is friction fit to the tube ... but tube is an old imperial size so its only original part job to replace .... but being a Sunday ... I had to improvise.
I swapped the tube round so now the short top part was into block and the long sump part now external. The length of the sump part is slightly longer by about 1/3 inch ... so I just need remember that oil level should be less than the max mark on stick. Tube nut hits a stop ridge on tube. Has it ever had problem that now there is no guide tube into sump ? Never in many years since it happened back in about 2005.
 
I use a Pela type extractor, the pipe pushes into the top of the dipstick tube which then effectively extends the extraction pipe down to the sump. Suction makes an air tight seal, I would think anything that pushes over will either allow air to leak in or collapse under suction.
 
I use a Pela type extractor, the pipe pushes into the top of the dipstick tube which then effectively extends the extraction pipe down to the sump. Suction makes an air tight seal, I would think anything that pushes over will either allow air to leak in or collapse under suction.

Your Pela ... does it have the plastic sealed wire spiral tube ? looks like bicycle brake cable outer ?

Mine has - (globe version Pela 6) and its less diameter than all my cars (3) and both my inboard engine boats dipstick tubes ... it needs to be passed all way to sump.

I have recently bought an electric pump - but not opened box yet to check it .... maybe that will be different.

Tip : If anyone has that wire spiral extraction tube and the outer plastic is failing ... easy fix. Strip of bad section of plastic ... get heat shrink tube for electrical stuff ... you can buy it in long lengths ... slip it over and shrink to seal. Works a treat. Done carefully - it is near same diameter as old.
 
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It is generally true that a dipstick tube will extend most way into sump as a guide to the dipstick itself .. but it usually stops quite a way short of bottom.
Agree. The dipstick protrudes out of the dipstick tube and so will a suction tube do, to get all of the oil in the sump out.

There is no reason for the dipstick to go that far as the point for it to measure is the surface of the oil down there, not the bottom.

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There is a banjo?? type fitting on the end of the dip stick tube so there is no way the extractor tube could pass through that.

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OK ... I know that various cars have / are going the remote sensor route for oil level - which precludes use of dipsticks / extraction tubes into sump.

Was not aware that boat engines were falling for this given most still have sticks ?
 
Many aspects on boats are going tech ways that I think are unnecessary ...

I agree that we should move with the times, evolve and old ways - many need revising etc. But some are just plain daft IMHO.

Unlike a car - if we break down - we can be really alone ... no break-down service to call on. I agree that a dipstick does not fall into this category usually ... BUT what about pulling it to see what is in the sump ? When my 4-99 seized ... right up until that day - all appeared good .. usual dark brown black oil on stick. When it seized - it had that emulsified tint to it - so we knew what was wrong.

IMHO - we need simple tech on a boat ...
 
Couldnt agree more, KISS although the way for me.

However I don't sell engines that will run forever if ALL the oil is changed regularly!
 
Only one engine I have experience of that oil is sucked via pipe pushed OVER dipstick tube : My Range Rover 4.4 TDV8 (actually its not a dipstick tube - its a tube designed to remove the oil !)
Agree, not common, but my 41 series Volvo Penta's dipstick tube goes to the bottom of the sump so I am able to suck out the oil using a hose that goes over the OD of the tube after removing the dipstick.

Www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk
 
Just put the plastic pipe into the top of the dipstick pipe and then seal round with self amalgamating tape. The pump will then work fine. On point to watch is there is a small hole drilled into the side of the tube near the top so the tape must cover this as well.
 
I have just watched a video on Youtube called 'Yanmar secret oil change plug' by Lucas Spaniard. Worth a watch and to check whether your engine has that plug. There was one on a 4JH4AE and on the 5 series, both in the video.
 
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