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Old 26-03-2014, 03:07   #16
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Re: Yanmar Gearbox Lube Oil Questions

Thanks!
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Old 27-03-2014, 10:28   #17
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Re: Yanmar Gearbox Lube Oil Questions

What's your conclusion then Dockhead ?? - as i have the same dipstick (haven't changed the oil yet) but only check it is to the one mark on the dipstick.
So .. interested how this goes.....

BTW ..found this link TRANSMISSION TYPES
see Caution ..
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Old 27-03-2014, 12:16   #18
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Re: Yanmar Gearbox Lube Oil Questions

Judging from this thread I wouldn't do anything based on the dip stick until you fill it with the amount required by yanmar . Then check the stick and see where it's at. So far it seems they use the same stick in several different transmissions. It makes sense that the different trans have different shapes and gear oil areas to fill with fluid. But they use the same stick. Dockheads says 1.3, mine says .32
Same stick different trans.
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Old 02-04-2014, 20:36   #19
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Re: Yanmar Gearbox Lube Oil Questions

My 3JH3E has that dipstick and transmission. The manual says it takes 450 ml. That would put it at the mark if the engine is level, which it is not in most installations. Overfilling is not a good idea.
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Old 02-04-2014, 20:41   #20
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Re: Yanmar Gearbox Lube Oil Questions

Do not screw the dipstick in, according to Yanmar manuals.
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Old 02-04-2014, 20:59   #21
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Re: Yanmar Gearbox Lube Oil Questions

Dockhead,

I have the exact same trannie and the exact same stick. I have confirmed - several times - with Yanmar mechanics that to check the oil level you do NOT screw it in. Fat lot of good it does anyway because I can never see the level of oil on the bloody stick! If it is wet, I tell by touch, then I am good to go.

One tip: I have broken several of these cheap dipsticks (that don't work anyway) by tightening them by hand 1/16th of a turn to much. I don't have big gorilla hands and I am a careful guy but I have done this twice! I have bought two replacement dipsticks and a stainless threaded bolt that I can use to plug the hole of the trannie in case, or when, I break the next one. Then I will still be able to use the engine and continue on my way for a year or so until I calm down enough to buy my third dipstick!

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Old 07-04-2014, 11:46   #22
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Re: Yanmar Gearbox Lube Oil Questions

i recently changed tranny oil on my 3gmd. i followed all the instructions i could find in the shop manual and in the operating manual. this resulted in [a] overfilling [b] the wrong fluid much confusion and no confidence in what i did, sso i called a mechanic who said to read the plate on tranny. i tried with mirrors and flashlites and then took a phone picture. then upon re reading the shop manual i found a third or fourth reference and have stuck with that, as it refers directly to the model # on the plate. however, under the cast model # there is a new number stamped in the case!!!!! i couldnt read it. so im hoping now that all is good since they didnt stamp under the oil type or amount. afterwards i found a can of oil the p.o. had bought for the boat, the wrong type!!!! must have been following the manual!!!
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Old 07-10-2014, 16:18   #23
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Re: Yanmar Gearbox Lube Oil Questions

Anyone have a copy of the service manual for the KM4A?

Thanks.
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Old 08-10-2014, 06:19   #24
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Re: Yanmar Gearbox Lube Oil Questions

I have that same Yanmar transmission, Dockhead. My service manual specifies 450 ml of 20 or 30w oil for it. You probably won't kill it by using 15-40 but I think it is a small thing to use the type specified unless you are in some place you cannot get it. I have blown the gaskets out of other transmissions by over filling them, so I would be cautious about over filling. The lower mark is the only mark because this is where you get with 450 ml. I agree with others that the oil is very very hard to see on this stick. I also agree that it is very easy to strip the plastic threats on the dipstick. When I change the oil on my transmission, I suck the old oil out and measure 450 ml and pour it in. Then I squint and feel the dipstick to try to see if there is oil to the first mark---generally I find it, but it is really hard to see as even when the oil is used, it does not turn dark like the crankcase oil.



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Old 08-10-2014, 06:34   #25
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Re: Yanmar Gearbox Lube Oil Questions

A tip to read the level in the gearbox oil is to use the edge of a small piece of paper towel.

Slowly advance this down the dipstick. As soon as the leading edge of the paper touches the fluid level the paper towel will suck up the the fluid on the dipstick. The transition between dry and wet is very obvious.
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Old 08-10-2014, 06:57   #26
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Re: Yanmar Gearbox Lube Oil Questions

You usually can sand one side of the stick too, the rough surface will hold enough oil to see, I've thought about painting it flat black, but just haven't done that yet. Mine uses transmission fluid so it's even harder to see as that stuff is thin
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Old 08-10-2014, 08:21   #27
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Re: Yanmar Gearbox Lube Oil Questions

Mine appears to have ATF in it (pink) 2gm20f what type I have heard they are all different. I have no info on this used engine except it has very low hours.
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Old 12-08-2015, 07:19   #28
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Re: Yanmar Gearbox Lube Oil Questions

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dockhead View Post
My Yanmar JH3HTE has a Kanzaki KM4A gearbox. I changed the oil in it today, and I have a couple of questions:

1. The manual specifies either 20W or 30W HD oil of API classification "CC or higher". Is there anything wrong with using the same oil as goes in the engine, that is, 15W-40 API CF4? I can't imagine what would be wrong with that, but I thought I would ask.

2. As usual with Yanmar, it is hard to figure out how to check the oil level. The manual shows high and low marks on the dipstick, with the high mark appearing to be somewhere in the middle. The manual says check the oil with the dipstick "fully inserted", although the dipstick screws in.

The problem is that my dipstick only has one mark:

Attachment 78084

The upper mark on the dipstick in the manual appears to be around the middle of the dipstick, so I filled the gearbox, with about one liter of oil (total capacity 1.3 liters according to the manual), to about the middle of the dipstick, with the dipstick screwed in. Does that sound about right to you all?

Thanks in advance for all advice.

I just went through this and have the KM4A with the same dip stick and markings on a 4JH2-DTE. According to the Yanmar Service Manual, there are 3 transmissions that were sold with my engine. The first one covered (KBW-20 and 21) gives a detailed description of how the level should be checked in section 3.1 (Operation and Maintenance). It should be maintained between the machined groove and the end of the dipstick (1.3 L capacity when fully drained). When checking, do NOT screw in the oil filler screw, it should rest on top of the housing.

The KM4A section is silent on the procedure, as is the KM3P2 transmission section. Section 3.1 for the KM4A is titled Inspection and Service (not maintenance).

I'm thinking that the same measurement process is used for all 3 types of transmissions, but they only covered the detailed process of level checking on the first one in the manual.

When I look at your picture (which is a carbon copy of mine...thanks for the effort you put into this), you can plainly see the groove about 1/2 inch above the end of the stick. When I sucked all I could out of the KM4A, it took 1 US qt to get the level to the groove again, using 30W in my case. This is not to the middle of the dipstick though, as you stated.

My manual ( A0A1029-0104, Rev 1, April 2001) also shows only one mark on the dipstick (page 7-7), the machined groove. I could not find the statement about being fully inserted in.
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Old 29-02-2016, 13:48   #29
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Re: Yanmar Gearbox Lube Oil Questions

I'm a bit late to this party, but might have some insights. I have 3 cyclinder Yanmar with the standard gearbox. Until recently, we were achieving 3600rpm at full throttle. On our last trip, the best we could get was 3200. I poked around looking for obvious reasons, which led me to the gearbox, and decided to change the oil. My first step was to check the transmission oil level. Since the boat was only 2 years old, the oil was still clean and very hard to see, so I fabricated a paper dipstick, which established that the tranny oil level was up to about 2/3 of the height of the regular dipstick. After studying the Yanmar book, it looked like the drawings showed that the very bottom of the dipstick is the "low" limit, and the groove about 1/4" up from the bottom is the "high" limit. Very confusing! At any rate, after draining the box, I added the book volume of oil (0.3 L), and took a level measurement per the book (dipstick head resting on outside of filler port, but NOT screwed in). Surprise, the oil level sat right on the "full" groove! Another clue: the book describes theu gearbox lubrication as a "splash" type, implying a design that has a low oil level. I also understand that overfilling the gearbox is a bad idea, in that it results in improper wear on the cone clutch. I'm hoping that I haven't damaged mine.
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Old 29-02-2016, 14:10   #30
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Re: Yanmar Gearbox Lube Oil Questions

Use chalk on the dipstick for easy level finding. Overfilling a gearbox does not allow easy dissipation of HEAT a Gearboxes #1 Enemy, particularly in Plate Clutch Boxes.
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