Please, I want to change my transmission fluid ( oil ?? ) on my 1997 H 376. How do I drain it ? How much & what type of fluid do I add. ( ATF for auto trans & what for MANUAL TRANS which I think mine is ?? ) My dipstick is @ 4 inches long and only has a line inscribed near the end of the stick ( about 1/16" th or 1/8" th from end ). How do you know how much to add ?? Much Thanx, MRF
Transmission Fluid Change
- Thread starter John Murphy
- Start date
I suck mine out with a hand pump from the fill plug.
Check the end bell of the transmission or the owners manual for capacity/type (mine uses regular oil).
Check the end bell of the transmission or the owners manual for capacity/type (mine uses regular oil).
Don, Much Thanx. What is an End Bell ?? A red fluid leaked out under the engine. I assumed this was the transmission fluid. ( ?? ) Does it matter if one uses ATF Trans Fluid, or reg. 10 W 40 oil??? And, how much does one put in ? Nothing in Manual re: transmission. Again, Much thanx. MRF
Tranny Fluid
Hi John, sorry to hijack Don's reply. The end bell is the tranny case. Normally the aft side of the case has a stamp or label that will tell you what you need to know. Make, model, etc. As Don said, I would vacuum the fluid out with a pump, much the same way you extract oil from the engine.
Transmission differ on lubricants. Check your owners manual, or contact Yanmar once you have the model information from the end bell or case. Our 2GM took regular engine oil. Our current boat takes ATF. If yours is leaking red oil, then it could be ATF. Why/where is it leaking? Do you need to fix that leak first?
Also, most transmissions take very little fluid. The very end of the dip stick has a mark. That is the full mark when the dip stick is resting on the case, not screwed in. Maybe a pint of fluid...maybe.
As a foot note, the 3GM normally used a Kanzaki KM3P transmission. The end bell will tell you.
Hi John, sorry to hijack Don's reply. The end bell is the tranny case. Normally the aft side of the case has a stamp or label that will tell you what you need to know. Make, model, etc. As Don said, I would vacuum the fluid out with a pump, much the same way you extract oil from the engine.
Transmission differ on lubricants. Check your owners manual, or contact Yanmar once you have the model information from the end bell or case. Our 2GM took regular engine oil. Our current boat takes ATF. If yours is leaking red oil, then it could be ATF. Why/where is it leaking? Do you need to fix that leak first?
Also, most transmissions take very little fluid. The very end of the dip stick has a mark. That is the full mark when the dip stick is resting on the case, not screwed in. Maybe a pint of fluid...maybe.
As a foot note, the 3GM normally used a Kanzaki KM3P transmission. The end bell will tell you.
Last edited:
Hello,
There is some misinformation posted here. My 3GM transmission has a drain plug/bolt on the lower aft port area of the transmission housing.
For a Hurth transmission I recommend Amsoil ATF. You should change the fluid every year due to moisture contamination and molecular shear through use reducing the lubrication provided by the oil. Sludge may still be in the transmission after you drain it, so be careful not to over fill.
Information is in your Yanmar manual.
An electronic copy of the boat manual is available here - http://sbo.sailboatowners.com/downloads/Hunter_376_10424794.pdf
The Yanmar tips for the 376 are available here - http://sbo.sailboatowners.com/downloads/Hunter_376_17384872.pdf
which says your engine is a 3JH2E and implies you use SAE 30 in the engine but a half pint to a quart of ATF in the transmission that should be added gingerly to avoid filling too much.
There is some misinformation posted here. My 3GM transmission has a drain plug/bolt on the lower aft port area of the transmission housing.
For a Hurth transmission I recommend Amsoil ATF. You should change the fluid every year due to moisture contamination and molecular shear through use reducing the lubrication provided by the oil. Sludge may still be in the transmission after you drain it, so be careful not to over fill.
Information is in your Yanmar manual.
An electronic copy of the boat manual is available here - http://sbo.sailboatowners.com/downloads/Hunter_376_10424794.pdf
The Yanmar tips for the 376 are available here - http://sbo.sailboatowners.com/downloads/Hunter_376_17384872.pdf
which says your engine is a 3JH2E and implies you use SAE 30 in the engine but a half pint to a quart of ATF in the transmission that should be added gingerly to avoid filling too much.
Some engines and transmissions will have drain plugs but if there is no room to set a pan and work the plug the best way will still be to suck the oil or fluid out through the filler. Our 2GM20F came with ATF from the dealer so we did not bother verifying and continued to use ATF. After about a year and seeing that we periodically had to add new fluid we checked the manufacturers recommendation and saw that engine oil was the correct fluid. We switched and have not had to top off the oil between changes. Fourteen years latter the transmission shows no worse for the wear. There are no combustion by- products in the transmission and metal shavings from break-in have long diminished so the oil remains very clean and its main enemy is actually heat breakdown so we gotten to use a premium synthetic oil and change it about every three years. Synthetic is more heat resistant and maintains viscosity over a longer period of time. Have not had a leaks but are very careful not to overfill. We don't use synthetic for the engine as it gets dirty anyways and has to be replaced, also suspect (not proven) it generates higher oil pressure which may tend to cause leaks.