Helia 44: Inside Tips from Volvo on Saildrives:

[Helia 44]

I made a Friend in Volvo, and I got this inside Tip...
Now even as a fair Marine Engineering sort, I cannot vouch for the authenticity, but it makes sense, so I will share it... 2013 Helia 44 in Australia, Maestro edition, D2-55s stock............

I was concerned, having always been a monohull shaft drive sort of person, about the longevity of the Saildrives. I got these Tips on making the Saildrives last longer..

1) This makes sense, I approve for sure, he says change the oil in the Saildrives every hundred hours maximum without fail... Groovy, I can did that (Old School here, oil is CHEAP compared to changing out a saildrive unit...

2) Drain it from the bottom on a haul out, this get ALL the oil out..

3) Here is another really good one: Pause before shifting forward to reverse. Why? Internal slippage clutches and if you shift in a panic it docking it wears them excessively... Got that... Hard to do at times but I got that..

4) Here is the significant one, and I cannot say it is for sure real, but it makes sense: He says on a long passage, put the saildrives in reverse, gear handles straight down... He says even with the folding props there is a tendency sailing at higher speed with the gearboxes in neutral, for there to be some spinning, and this can wear on the bearings a little long term in thousands of hours... OK, I bought that one too... Just do not forget to put them back in neutral when firing up the engines... heh he

Kind regards, and I hope it is a help.... Helia in Oz

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by Helia 44

... Just do not forget to put them back in neutral when firing up the engines...

Do the Volvos not have a neutral safety switch?

[Cotemar]

Volvo Penta Sail Drive Service Bulletin

IMPORTANT!

Gear when sailing

When sailing, set the control lever to reverse if a folding
propeller is fitted.
If a fixed propeller is fitted the control lever should be
set in neutral or reverse. When using a fixed propeller
and sailing with the control lever set to reverse the
speed is slowed down though less noise is being
made.

[colemj]

Point #1 is half of the Volvo recommendation. OK, I guess, because it doesn't hurt. However, owning two Volvo saildrives for 16yrs, I don't think it is necessary, and think the Volvo recommended interval is conservative.

Points #2 and #3 are straight out of the Volvo manual.

As Cotemar notes, Point #4 is also out of the Volvo manual. I can add that once the shift lever is moved just into the engagement position, there is no further physical difference in moving the lever straight down. After the point of gear engagement, the handle controls the throttle setting only. You can confirm this by looking at the shift mechanism while you move the handle.

As Gord implies, Volvo has a neutral safety switch that prevents starting the engine while in gear. Even if that switch fails, the failure mode is to prevent starting the engine at all (easily jumped, if necessary).

Mark

[a64pilot]

Funny, I don't have a sail drive or even a Volvo, but adhere to every single one of those recommendations, except for the drain it at haulout
I have one to add, pause in neutral for a second, but then don't ease it into gear slowly, go ahead and put it in gear, the slipping when easing one in isn't good for it

[colemj]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I have one to add, pause in neutral for a second, but then don't ease it into gear slowly, go ahead and put it in gear, the slipping when easing one in isn't good for it

That is in our Volvo manual also!

Mark

[bsurvey]

get a galvanic isolator otherwise the drive, once the little collars zinc is gone will act as an anode.

I have seen 10 drives disintegrate.

[a64pilot]

Your not supposed to read the manual are you?

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Your not supposed to read the manual are you?

Only when all else fails.

[Pauline SA]

Originally Posted by Helia 44

I made a Friend in Volvo, and I got this inside Tip...
Now even as a fair Marine Engineering sort, I cannot vouch for the authenticity, but it makes sense, so I will share it... 2013 Helia 44 in Australia, Maestro edition, D2-55s stock............

I was concerned, having always been a monohull shaft drive sort of person, about the longevity of the Saildrives. I got these Tips on making the Saildrives last longer..

1) This makes sense, I approve for sure, he says change the oil in the Saildrives every hundred hours maximum without fail... Groovy, I can did that (Old School here, oil is CHEAP compared to changing out a saildrive unit...

2) Drain it from the bottom on a haul out, this get ALL the oil out..

3) Here is another really good one: Pause before shifting forward to reverse. Why? Internal slippage clutches and if you shift in a panic it docking it wears them excessively... Got that... Hard to do at times but I got that..

4) Here is the significant one, and I cannot say it is for sure real, but it makes sense: He says on a long passage, put the saildrives in reverse, gear handles straight down... He says even with the folding props there is a tendency sailing at higher speed with the gearboxes in neutral, for there to be some spinning, and this can wear on the bearings a little long term in thousands of hours... OK, I bought that one too... Just do not forget to put them back in neutral when firing up the engines... heh he

Kind regards, and I hope it is a help.... Helia in Oz

Not a fan of having a gearbox under water. I am a strait shaft guy with the gearbox access able without lifting the boat out.

[colemj]

Originally Posted by bsurvey

get a galvanic isolator otherwise the drive, once the little collars zinc is gone will act as an anode.

I have seen 10 drives disintegrate.

Volvo drives are electrically isolated from the engine by design. Of course, that doesn't help if one is parked next to a big steel electrically leaking boat. But neither will a galvanic isolator.

Mark

[colemj]

Originally Posted by Pauline SA

Not a fan of having a gearbox under water. I am a strait shaft guy with the gearbox access able without lifting the boat out.

Then you should ignore threads about tips in maintaining saildrives.

BTW, a saildrive's gearbox is above water attached to the engine in the normal way, and accessible for working on without removing the boat from the water. The only thing below water is the shaft and prop.

You need to lift your boat out to work on the cutlass bearing, and often for working on the packing gland. Saildrives do not require those things.

Mark

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by colemj

Then you should ignore threads about tips in maintaining saildrives.

BTW, a saildrive's gearbox is above water attached to the engine in the normal way, and accessible for working on without removing the boat from the water. The only thing below water is the shaft and prop.

You need to lift your boat out to work on the cutlass bearing, and often for working on the packing gland. Saildrives do not require those things.

Mark

Mark,

The input about hauling to change gear oil, every hundred hours, did not sound correct. I feel sure there is oil in the lower unit since is a right angle drive even if the transmission is inboard. Is there an access to the drive from inboard to pump out and replace hypoid? Is the lower unit like a car rear end, filled with hypoid and worry about it once in a life time?

[Cadence]

Just answered my own question. Anyone that is interest can google Volvo sail drive. Yes the gears are inboard and lower unit oil can be replaced from inboard. Maybe older units are different? Appears a zinc can be replaced without pulling the prop.

[Helia 44]

Hello GordMay,

No, either mine is non-op or there is no neutral switch as the other day I fired up my port engine in reverse, only for a brief second or so before I was alerted by the different sound, but no. On the linkage I can find no sign of any neutral switches. It is the old cable shift, in the Old Days the dominant variety was call "Teleflex" but anyway no to answer your question..

What had me do this Post was what the Volvo Insider told me... I had voiced my insecurity about having Saildrives and wanted to know what he thought their life expectancy was in hours....

I apologize if these things were in the Owners Manual. I only had a glance through it. In Australia we Blokes do not thoroughly read Owners Manuals until we have broken something.... Heh he... I thought since it concerned me, others might benefit if only for the reminders..

Helia 44 "AVALON"