Slipping Clutch on SD40 Saildrive and Changing Oil

[Meck]

Hey, Just wanted to share something learned with the SD40 Saildrive;

After a diagnosis of a slipping clutch it was recommended that I change the oil to a synthetic with the "Lucas" oil stabilizer and then shift the transition into forward and reverse several times before warming up in hopes of releasing the clutch and making it grip better. We have not completed the possess so not quite sure if it has worked or not, but I did learn something about getting the oil out of the sail drive while in the water.

It became obvious after an hour or so of trying get a small suction tube down and around clutch and gears that no mater which of the three opening into the system I used I would not be able to get access the to bottom of the drive.

What I was able to realize is that the Saildirve is not vented, so if you have a quality suction pump and an air tight fit at the lower drain plug (right under the shift linkage) you can suction out 95% of the oil.

After days of searching for an effective way to change the oil without a pullout I never found an option that worked and nowhere did I find the option of sucking the oil out like a holding tank. Anyway, it worked for me!

Cheers,
Meck

[Chief Engineer]

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