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V-Drive Oil (SAE 30) - Mine looks clean after 50 hrs


CrystalSurf

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I'm curious how often the crew changes their V-Drive oil. We put about 50 hrs a season on our boat and so I change the engine oil, v-drive oil (SAE 30), and transmission fluids each year. However, my v-drive oil looks practically brand new after the season.

So....do i need to be changing this oil every year? How come it looks practically new?

Finally, how do you change your oil out of the Walter v-drive? I use a vacuum pump (mityvac) with a tube down the dipstick...but I always have a tough time getting at the oil.

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You could probably go quite a while between changes, all depends on use. But I'm sure many here change it quite often. Heat is one factor that breaks down oil. In my experience, the v-drive does not get hot at all....especially with all of your incoming water from the lake going through it. Engine oil turns dark because it gets contaminated by combustion by-products, which is not applicable to the v-drive. So that's why it looks like new.

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I change mine every year. I don't have my manual but after the first change it's a long time like 500 hours or something.

To change mine I have a container that fits under the vdrive. I pull the plug and let oil drop into the container while my son squeezes the hand pump to pull it out of the container. I plug the hole with my finger so the container doesn't over flow. It holds a 1 quart.

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The transmission is every 100 hrs.

IS that 100 hours for both v drive and DD?? I change/replace it every other year cause it is easy to do, makes sense and a new transmission is mucho $$$. so anything I can do to prolong the life, I do.

If it more hours, then fine, I always ask why not do it/change the oil sooner...it can't hurt anything changing the trans oil more frequently that required!!

Edited by happypappy
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IS that 100 hours for both v drive and DD?? I change/replace it every other year cause it is easy to do, makes sense and a new transmission is mucho $$$. so anything I can do to prolong the life, I do.

Same here. It is basically just a gear box and it doesn't see much heat but a few quarts of oil and a bit of time is cheap insurance IMHO.

Edited by FastFreddy
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Thanks for the responses.

I change mine every year. I don't have my manual but after the first change it's a long time like 500 hours or something.

To change mine I have a container that fits under the vdrive. I pull the plug and let oil drop into the container while my son squeezes the hand pump to pull it out of the container. I plug the hole with my finger so the container doesn't over flow. It holds a 1 quart.

I'll have to look for this plug. Is it relatively easy to access? Do you just pull the plug?

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Thanks for the responses.

I'll have to look for this plug. Is it relatively easy to access? Do you just pull the plug?

Mine is a little ~1/4" npt plug, with a square head. Sticks out the back by the engine.

IMG_1052_zps465d1333.jpg

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That would be the plug out of the v-drive not the engine. It really helps if you have a second person to help. I change all my fluids every year regardless of hours and my fuel filter and impeller every other year.

Put down a few rags in case you spill oil.

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That would be the plug out of the v-drive not the engine. It really helps if you have a second person to help. I change all my fluids every year regardless of hours and my fuel filter and impeller every other year.

Put down a few rags in case you spill oil.

We are talking about the V-drive oil. The picture I posted is where I drain my V-drive oil from.

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We are talking about the V-drive oil. The picture I posted is where I drain my V-drive oil from.

Just making sure people are getting confused.

I loosen the plug, stick the container under the plug, right hand I remove the plug and drop it in the container, with my left hand I hold the hose in the container, my son then squeezes the hand pump to suck the oil out. If the container starts to get to full I put my right finger over the hole to stop the oil.

You can do it by yourself but you have to keep putting the plug back in the hole when the container gets full so you can pump the oil out. Total pain in the butt.

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So..I guess it's tough to find a container shallow enough that it will fit beneath the hole and still be big enough to hold 1 litre?

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get a pump, stick a hose down the fill hole and suck it out.

The hole is way to small for me to get a hose down it.

So..I guess it's tough to find a container shallow enough that it will fit beneath the hole and still be big enough to hold 1 litre?

I fill it a couple of times while my son uses the hand pump to suck it out. It's a Tupperware dish that I use.

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Engine oil gets the dark, black dirty look, mainly due to combustion blow-by. I would not use the clean look of the v-drive oil as a true indicator of when it needs to be changed. As long as it looks clean and free from contamination, mainly water, then I would service it as recommended by hours or every other season.

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