Engine and Gear Box Oil Specifications for 2007 Yanmar 3YM30

[Jake N Eggs]

From my YM 30 operators manual:

Marine Gear Oil Specifications
Use marine gear oil that meets or exceeds
the following guidelines and classifications:
KM2P-1 (S), (G) or (GG):
• API Service Categories: CD or higher
• SAE Viscosity: #20 or #30
Sail Drive Oil Specifications -
SD20
Refer to the Sail Drive Operation Manual
for the procedure to fill or replace the sail
drive oil.
SD20:
• API Service Category: GL4.5
• SAE Viscosity: 90 or 80W90

To the best of my knowledge, API classification C indicates compression ignition (Diesel), S indicates spark ignition (gasoiline) and GL indicates gear lube. Since Yanmar suggests API CD or higher they are indicating that the marine gear oil should be an engine oil with SAE viscosity #20 or #30. It is actually quite common to see engine oil used in transmission applications. I use 10 W 30 because we use it in large quantities in engines and transmissions in our equipment fleet.

 

[Caspurr]

Thanks Jake...I have asked around our club and the majority of feedback is use the same oil you use in your engine. I have been using 15W-40 in the engine since I purchased the boat (recommended by original owner) but I will pick up a 10W-30 for the transmission because of the stamped TAG 20/30 on the transmission and Manual specs.
Thanks

 

[Ron20324]

I doubt the people at the club know what you use in your engine. There is a lot of good advice in this thread, but knowledge and what is printed on the tranny and in the manuals. Again, 20/30 is not a multi-weight oil, it is an either/or number. Call Yanmar if you don't believe us.

 

[Scott B]

Thanks for the information guys. The 15W-40 I used has a CJ-4 Rating. I will pick up a 10W-30 for the transmission tomorrow as the stamp had 20/30 same as manual.

Do you have TSC store close by. They will have both Rotella T4 15w-40 for the engine and the HD 30 wt. For the gear box. Do not use 10w-30 in the gear box.

 

[Jake N Eggs]

The guys are correct. If you are going to purchase oil anyway for your gear box purchase the single viscosity 20 or 30. I would use 30. In the north here you will probably only be able to find 30W. The W is for winter.

The multigrade 10W30 oil only means that the viscosity when cold is 10 and when it warms up it is 30. The 10 is actually below the specified 20 so I am not recommending that you go out and get 10W30. I am a HD transmission (and engine) guy and I understand the systems. For me, since I have hundreds of gallons of 10W30 that is what I use, but I also accept the risk. Based on my experience I think the risk is low.

 

[Caspurr]

So if i understand correctly I could use a motor oil with a W30 rating vs a 10W-30. Because it it is being used in a non-combustion environment it could be regular motor or diesel oil.
I will drop into NAPA today to see if they have anything on the shelf that meets all/some of the criteria from doc and feedback.
If anyone is using a product they stock let me know. Good discussion for sure. I know in the C&C 32 I had for 10 years we used the same oil we used in the engine and no issues (Feedback from "original" owner who bought the boat new from C&C in 1984).
Where this is a newer boat I wanted to see what was best wrt new products and specs. I will probably keep this one for a longer period and trying avoid large budget replacements..

 

[Caspurr]

Just checked NAPA site. They have a HD30 Castrol SAE30 Motor Oil.
Thoughts,

 

[Jake N Eggs]

Castrol HD 30 meets API S classification :

• Exceeds API SM, SL and SJ performance for passenger cars and light trucks

Yanmar is specifying API classification CD or better. I would not use this particular oil because it does not meet the API classification CD or better.

I stand corrected in my earlier statement that S indicates spark ignition and C indicates compression ignition. The API document that I linked states S is for Service and C is for Commercial. C grade oils, in my pinion are better quality oils. We also use the C classification 10W30 in the automotive engines.

Look for a 30 weight diesel engine oil that has the C classification. Petro Canada has it for sure. They call their oils Duron. You may have to go to a commercial oil distributor.

 

[Caspurr]

Thanks...I also went to an API site and somewhat confusing.
Category S is for “Spark Ignition”, for Gasoline.
Category C is for “Compression Ignition’, for Diesel.
For both, the letter S or C is followed by another letter. For example, SM or CF.
The higher the 2nd letter, the more recent the technology of the oil.Since the transmission has nothing to do with Ignition then as long as it is 20W or 30W it will be ok as it's only job is to lubricate the gears.
Thoughts...
Also:
The dip stick is hard to read as Just a line near the bottom. With the new oil even harder to get a fix. Is it ok to have a little more oil in the transmission vs right on the line?
Would never have thought the transmission oil would be so hard to figure out.
Thanks in advance for all the feedback.

 

[Jake N Eggs]

Yes it is hard to see where the oil is on the dipstick. I thought about painting it flat black so I could see it better but decided against that. I didn't want to contaminate the transmission if the paint came off. I remove the dipstick and clean it off. I dip it in but do not thread it in. I remove the dipstick and place it immediately, in a horizontal position, on a dry paper wiper to reveal where the oil line is. I make sure that it is at the line. I believe that the dipstick is supposed to be threaded in to check the level but when I changed the oil the first time I put in the exact amount of oil, I believe it was 0.3 l, and the oil level was at the line without the cap threaded in. This is the same level as when the boat was delivered.

Too much oil can cause the oil to be aerated by the excessive contact with the rotating gears. Aeration causes excessive heat and a reduction in lubrication. If it is above the line take some out. Use your wife's turkey baster. Instant birthday gift option.

Are you sailing yet? Did you get snow last week? Enjoy the season.

 

[Scott B]

Thanks...I also went to an API site and somewhat confusing.
Category S is for “Spark Ignition”, for Gasoline.
Category C is for “Compression Ignition’, for Diesel.
For both, the letter S or C is followed by another letter. For example, SM or CF.
The higher the 2nd letter, the more recent the technology of the oil.Since the transmission has nothing to do with Ignition then as long as it is 20W or 30W it will be ok as it's only job is to lubricate the gears.
Thoughts...
Also:
The dip stick is hard to read as Just a line near the bottom. With the new oil even harder to get a fix. Is it ok to have a little more oil in the transmission vs right on the line?
Would never have thought the transmission oil would be so hard to figure out.
Thanks in advance for all the feedback.

You want to make sure it is HD oil which is not regular 30W oil. Walmart? and the truck supply places in Halifax carry the Shell Rotella T.

http://rotella.shell.com/locator.html

 

[Alan Gomes]

I believe that the dipstick is supposed to be threaded in to check the level but when I changed the oil the first time I put in the exact amount of oil, I believe it was 0.3 l, and the oil level was at the line without the cap threaded in.

No, the dipstick should not be threaded in. So you measured it correctly.

 

[Jake N Eggs]

No, the dipstick should not be threaded in. So you measured it correctly.

I thought I better check. Here is the information from the YM operators manual.
1 –Dipstick
2 – Marine Gear Filler Port
3 – Upper Limit
4 –Lower Limit
1. Make sure the engine is off. Make sure
the engine is as level as possible and
wipe area clean around the marine
gear filler port (Figure 7, (2)).
2. Remove the filler cap at the top of the
housing.
3. Remove the dipstick (Figure 7, (1)) and
wipe with a clean cloth.
4. Fully reinsert the dipstick.
5. Remove the dipstick. The oil level
should be between the upper
(Figure 7, (3)) and lower (Figure 7, (4))
lines on the dipstick.
6. Fully reinsert the dipstick.

Now, there is no upper and lower mark, only one. I think that the lower limit is the bottom of the dipstick. When they say to fully reinsert the dipstick in item 4 I believe that this is threaded in. In the final step in item 6 they again say to fully reinsert the dipstick. Sort of makes sense but it is ambiguous enough that I chose to measure the oil amount exactly in the first oil change. The marine gear is not level so I believe that this affects the reading. Here is the warning about not overfilling.
NOTICE: NEVER overfill the marine gear with oil.

If the installation is such that the engine is level there could be an overfill situation if the oil level is checked and set to the line without threading in the dipstick. This should not be the situation with Caspurr as I believe we have the same boat.

 

[Ken13559]

Good to have a spare dip stick for the gearbox. The cap is plastic and will deteriorates and breaks after couple of years.

 

[Caspurr]

Thanks Guys. I also checked with Marlow-Hunter Tech support and they said the HD30 Castrol SAE30 Motor Oil is good. Any HD (Heavy Duty) 30W motor oil would work.
The dip stick is confusing and with the new oil hard to read. I have a little extra to remove today as it was hard to check with the lighting during the refill. Rolling the dip stick on paper towel helped identify a slight overfill. One video on line said measure 10oz of oil in a measuring cup. Wish I had of watched it before I started as just a little extra puts you over the fill line.

 

[Caspurr]

Yes...sailing season has started in Nova Scotia. Supposed to get to 28 deg today so I see a sick day coming on early.
I race on a J120 and first race last night. Not sure where we placed but the post race Beers and Rums were as good or better than I had remembered from last year.
Need to pack Turkey Baster, head for the boat, adjust the overfill then take out for a test run.
Knowing I have not fracked up the oil change will make the day much more enjoyable.
Thanks,

 

[Scott B]

The updated version of the Yanmar manual, has more specific instructions on checking the oil level. They show the dipstick not screwed in, but they also mention to make sure the engine is level as possible, which it is not, since it is installed on an angle for the prop shaft. When I change the oil, I measure out the .3 litres.