diesel lub questions

[dlewis812]

diesel lube questions

first time with a diesel (universal 18HP).

checking lubricants:

- oil low and added

- trans empty; not sure where the fill line is on dipstick. there is 1 at 1/8" from bottom then nothing until the top?

- coolant empty. manual instructs 50/50 mixture. being new thought i'd make sure to get the correct one so went ahead and the sales person at west marine. he was looking through and really wasn't sure since the one they have suggests full strength.

thanks

 

[Calif. Ted]

oil low and added- OK, keep an eye on the level, ideally you shouldn't need to add oil between changes. Shell Rotella & Chevron Delos are the 2 "old School" diesel oils, but many oils certified for diesels currently.

trans empty; not sure where the fill line is on dipstick. there is 1 at 1/8" from bottom then nothing until the top?

There is usually only one mark, maybe 1/2" from the end and you don't screw the stick in to check, very small capacities, maybe 1/2 pint total.
Coolant used to be diluted 50/50 many now come premixed and ready to add, can't help you there except try to use the same color you have now (probably).

 

[Stu Jackson]

www.marinedieseldirect.com

Check it out.

 

[Steve Walsh]

If you have the Universal M-18, it is 14hp, not 18hp. Not sure why they labled them this way. Also, the trans dipstick was too short by 5/8"(not the correct one) on my M18. Lots of trans fluid coming out of the dipstick vent hole from over-filling. Got the correct one and problem solved. It's a great engine, very low maint.

 

[dlewis812]

re coolant, i'll review the manual tonight however:

- there was an expansion coolant tank installed. only info the PO could give me was to make sure to add coolant into the expansion tank not directly to the engine. picture worth a thousand words however..

in the cockpit storage locker, there is a plastic tank mounted on the aft wall with fill line. assuming this is the expansion tank and will add the coolant there. however there is a metal tank on the bottom just aft of the water heater. Is this perhaps the original coolant tank and the plastic is the new one? not sure how this works.

thanks