An excellent modification

[sailaway78]

Finally got around to doing something I have been promising myself for a long time. Pulled the oil pan off the Yanmar, drilled and tapped and installed a drain plug. Added a ball shut off, and viola. No longer do I have to do the dipstick two step. Ran it today, checked for leaks,( none ) and drained it. It was so easy, I should be whipped for not doing this sooner. Biggest problem was getting under the engine, and scraping off the old gasket material.
Other than checking everything over one more time, that is the last thing on the to do list, before I head out for the Yucatan and Belize. Target date to leave. Nov. 15

 

[zeehag]

congratulations.
how long will the trip last for you??

 

[Ron20324]

If you drilled an tapped, were you confident the pan was thick enough to do that? Or maybe you also welded the fitting? Or if NS thread, backing washers/nuts? Any sealant? Inquiring Yanmar (3YM20.

 

[Dave602]

Thought of doing that myself but laziness has won out everytime. Any pic's by chance?

 

[kloudie1]

I have geared up to do exactly the same, Phil. Just bought a M14X1.5 tap to install the fitting. .. Looking forward to not having to putz around with the ^&*&% suction tube when changing oil.. and actually being able to get most of the old oil out.

 

[Bill Roosa]

If memory serves, the pan has a flat reinforced spot where the drain plug would be if it was not a marine engine. They install them in tractors with the drain plugs.

 

[sailaway78]

Drill and tap

There is plenty of meat in the pan. At the very rear there is what I would think was an area that would have held the drain plug if installed. I used a 1/4NPT brass nipple, 3/8 tubing and a ball shut off valve. Have enough tubing to hang it above the level of the pan.
I expect to take three weeks or so to get to the Yucatan. Diddling along the Florida coast, over the the Tortugas, then into Isla. Gonna stat down there till summer returns.

 

[SamLust]

I did the same thing to my 3GM30 years ago before I installed it. Engine is too close to hull to get a pan below it so I set up a vinyl hose arrangement below the pan. I can now poke my drain oil pump into the hose and suck the drain oil out from below the engine. Quick, convenient, complete drain, and I haven't spilled a drop yet (knock on fiberglass).

 

[zeehag]

good plan, phil--i hope all goes well and that you stay warm. if i get thru canal this spring, i may just turn left-- but at present i may just stay in panama if the place is friendly to po folk.....make a kind of base for furycame season then wander north periodically. i really have enjoyed mazatlan for this part of my trip.

 

[brian3820]

Nice N Easy, this isn't intended to be a thread highjack, so my apologies. I am in complete envy of your trip to the Yucatan and Belize. What an awesome and exciting trip this must be. Might you post some sailing photos as well as some of your destinations. We dream of doing this one day...and again, not an intentional change of topic... It simply just sounds awesome and I had to comment... Be safe and enjoy...

 

[sailaway78]

Posting about trip

Brian,
I will try to post up as much as I can, and pics or course. Leaving a little later than I wanted, but seems there is always just one more thing that has to be done. The oil pan was pretty much the last thing on the to do list. This has been on my agenda for several years, but in the past seems like something has happened. Katrina, oil spill, a death in the family. All seem to have been timed to spoil my trip. But this year, HOO YAA.

 

[zeehag]

glad you are going finally.do you have good crew!?? smooth sailing. you will find wifi in mexico almost adequate.

 

[Stretch]

My '91 3gm30f oil pan has a deep waffle pattern on the bottom of the pan, can you post a pic of yours to compare? I can't see a spot like you describe, Nice n Easy.
This would be a great mod to do.
Thanks in Advance