SD 20 oil seal in water replacement?

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tsmwebb

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Jan 1, 2009
371
Atlantic 42 Honolulu
I'm back in La Paz, Mexico because one of my saildrives has started to leak a bit of tranny oil out of the top seal (pretty sure). It's and SD 20 on a Yanmar 2GM20. I'm assuming the the bearings are ok (we live in hope). So, I am planning to suspend the motor from a plank, unbolt the saildrive and swing the motor forward 5-6" (alll the foreward I've got). Reach in and take off the retaining plate, pry out the seal and push in a new one. All in the water (of course). Advise? Thoughts?

Thanks,

--Tom
 
kloudie1

kloudie1

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Nov 6, 2006
10,217
Hunter 34 Mandeville Louisiana
Be really careful, Tom.. consider that water is heavier than oil .. If water is leaking in at the bottom, it will force oil out the top.. Not saying that is what ya got, just thinking out loud.
 
T

tsmwebb

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Jan 1, 2009
371
Atlantic 42 Honolulu
kloudie1 said:
Be really careful, Tom.. consider that water is heavier than oil .. If water is leaking in at the bottom, it will force oil out the top.. Not saying that is what ya got, just thinking out loud.
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I hear you! But, the oil level is below the static waterline and when I take the fill plug out of the top it does not rise. Too, I think the oil is water free -- I took a sample after running the motor from as deep in the sump as I can get with a 1/4" hose and let it sit for several days and it had no discernible water in it.

--Tom.
 
kloudie1

kloudie1

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Nov 6, 2006
10,217
Hunter 34 Mandeville Louisiana
That is good news, Tom ! Top seal is the seal where the driveshaft goes into the transmission? sounds like a viable plan .. What holds the saildrive in place when the engine is unbolted? If only the diaphragm and the rear mount, it should be OK but the diaphragm can't take a lot of stress, as you probably know.. The weight of the drive is going to try to rotate the drive so the prop goes aft. Ya might want to go under and put a rope around the leg and run the rope forward underwater and over the anchor roller so that you can take the strain off the diaphragm and control the position of the SD while you are working on it. Just thought that a bridal tied around the prop and bottom of the SD with ropes led up and forward from each side would allow better control of the SD location.. It will work, Tom.
 
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T

tsmwebb

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Jan 1, 2009
371
Atlantic 42 Honolulu
kloudie1 said:
Top seal is the seal where the driveshaft goes into the transmission?
Click to expand
Yes.

What holds the saildrive in place when the engine is unbolted? If only the diaphragm and the rear mount, it should be OK but the diaphragm can't take a lot of stress, as you probably know.. The weight of the drive is going to try to rotate the drive so the prop goes aft. ...
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Good point. The diaphragm(s) and rear engine mount are all that hold the SD in place when the motor is removed. I think I will run a line around the front of the SD up to a plank that I intend to put over the engine room hatch to support the motor for support and control.

Thanks,

--Tom.
 
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