Infusing gear lube into sail drive

[Quickstep192 93]

I’m getting ready to do a gear lube change on a SailDrive for the first time. 
 

It seems pretty straight forward, but the manual indicates that the gear lube must be put in slowly. To add to the fun, this is all done through an opening the size of a shoe box while lying down in the aft end of a small quarter berth. 
 

Has anyone made a contraption to make this job easy? The manual recommends using one of those little gear lube pumps which I’m guessing would take about a thousand strokes. It’s just a once a year thing, but I’m all for minimizing pain and saving energy for other stuff. 
 

Any inventions are appreciated. 

[Max Rockatansky 920]

I know from your prior posts that you are asking about a Yanmar SD20, but maybe from here on you might want to specify that in your query

[Autonomous 1,233]

I've used a plastic syringe on smaller lower units with succes.

[snubber 68]

Not an invention, but warm or heat your gear lube first. Flows better and less likely to form an air bubble or airlock. I sometimes use clear plastic tubing, and always squeeze the gearlube bottles. Not sophisticated but it works for me.

Snubs

[Quickstep192 93]

Mostly, I’m trying to avoid making a mess, especially since this stuff stinks. 
 

I was thinking about literally using a douche bag and letting it run in like an IV. 

[IStream 3,421]

What volume, what weight of lube, how big is the opening, is there an overflow port, etc?

[Quickstep192 93]

2 litres, opening is about an inch, opening is on the top of the SailDrive. If it overflows, the next step is the bilge. 

[slug zitski 576]

2 hours ago, Quickstep192 said:

I’m getting ready to do a gear lube change on a SailDrive for the first time. 
 

It seems pretty straight forward, but the manual indicates that the gear lube must be put in slowly. To add to the fun, this is all done through an opening the size of a shoe box while lying down in the aft end of a small quarter berth. 
 

Has anyone made a contraption to make this job easy? The manual recommends using one of those little gear lube pumps which I’m guessing would take about a thousand strokes. It’s just a once a year thing, but I’m all for minimizing pain and saving energy for other stuff. 
 

Any inventions are appreciated. 

Don’t know your project 

for topping up hard to access equipment like hydraulic oil reservoirs  I use a squeeze bottle 

[randii 143]

Heat up the oil and it will flow better and thinner. A few sinks full of hot water does the trick.

Use the one-quart plastic jugs with the pointed tip -- a finger over the tip controls flow while you position the jug, and then you can squeeze the jug.

Spilling part of a quart sucks, but spilling a gallon or a five gallon bucket is so much worse.

Plan for an oil spill and you're less likely to have one. I like pig pads, but anything absorbent will work. Better to have too many pads at the ready than too few.

Probably too late to do this now, but measure what you take out, and replace the same amount. That helps you know to slow down when you are coming up to 'full.'

[Zonker 5,247]

This

https://www.westmarine.com/buy/quicksilver--8m0072133-gear-lube-pump-fits-1-quart-or-1-liter-bottles--1662527

[IStream 3,421]

18 hours ago, Quickstep192 said:

2 litres, opening is about an inch, opening is on the top of the SailDrive. If it overflows, the next step is the bilge. 

In that case, the answer is what Zonk suggested. Take it slow and keep checking the level. Get some oil absorbent sheets and keep them handy to pick up any drips or spills.  If you're the impatient sort, add 1.5 liters using a funnel and then top it off with the pump but I wouldn't bother. Just pump it in, it won't take a thousand strokes. 

[DDW 1,072]

The neat thing about a saildrive is the the next stop for gear lube spills isn't the bilge, it is the rubber boot that keeps the water out. Rubber which is somewhat sensitive to petroleum products. If your access is poor to fill it, your access to clean that up is non-existent. I'd get a pump or at least an automatic transmission funnel (very long small snout) and take my time, figuring if it takes an hour or two to fill that will be nothing in comparison to what it will take to clean up even a small spill. 

[Quickstep192 93]

I have a bucket with a long hose that I use to do spillproof oil changes on my stink potter. It's basically a glorified funnel. I could possibly modify it for use on the SailDrive. Do any of you guys think it would be a show stopper if half an ounce of 15W40 got mixed in with the 2 quarts of 80W90?

[DDW 1,072]

No.

[Blitz 124]

I wanna see the douche bag method.

[Quickstep192 93]

I'm torn between the douche bag method and the bucket. I was picturing filling the DB with lube hanging it like an I.V. and letting it drip into the fill. 
 

Only thing is, I really don't need more shit to store for 364 days of the year. 

[Plumbean 33]

It's been a while since I did this but I don't recall it being too difficult.  Once I contort myself into position under the cockpit I can sit there and just put a small funnel in the opening and go slowly.

[Quickstep192 93]

I took advantage of the warm weather today and got this done. I had already made a contraption to put oil into the engine on my power boat and I made an adapter for the sail drive. It worked fine if slowly and that's another job done for the year. I guess it wouldn't be as satisfying if it weren't a challenge, but could they make this shit harder to get to? At least my contorted body has a year to recover.