Can the lower leg of a SD20 saildrive be filled from the top?

[Quickstep192]

Having not done it before, I’m hiring a pro to do oil and filter changes this year. 
 

They won’t go under the lift to drain the oil out of the lower leg. I will go under and drain it, but I would like to know that it can be re-filled from above. The owners manual seems to indicate that it can be filled from above, but it’s not completely clear. 
 

Anybody know for sure?

 

[damcoyote]

Yes, drain from the bottom, fill from the top.

 

[steele]

Rememeber that the oil level is determined with the cap/dipstick on the fill hole sitting on top of the housing, not screwed into place.

 

[Overbored]

yellow cap on the rear of the engine/trans above the anode cap on the side . anode should be changed yearly also. 

 

[Overbored]

 

[George Dewey]

Must the oil be drained, requiring a haul, or can it be sucked out from the top?

 

[Controversial_posts]

Where do you live that they have such shitty mechanics who won’t walk under the travel lift to drain the oil?

 

[Quickstep192]

It’s not in a travel lift, but a boat lift. I can understand not wanting to climb out on the lift, but don’t quite see why they wouldn’t go on one of those boat maintenance floats to do it. 
 

But, as long as they can fill it from the top, I’ll kayak over to pull and replace the plug. 

 

[phill_nz]

so long as the head isn't to high

you can not only fill but also drain the oil sump from the top

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003228161413.html?

or

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002821691540.html?

you can easily get longer stiff plastic hoses to fit the pushfit fittings

 

[ride2live]

Might be different with the Yanmar but I don't think there is anyway you could have threaded one of those pumps down into my Volvo sail drive. Just pouring in the oil took forever. It was very difficult not to pour a bit to fast and make an oily mess.

Also make sure you have the correct crush washer for the plug. If the Yanmar takes one.

 

[ryley]

Must the oil be drained, requiring a haul, or can it be sucked out from the top?

On the SD20 the only way to get *all* the oil out is to drain from the bottom. I've done partial changes from the top, but you can only get a little out. 

The SD50 has the ability to do a complete change from within the boat.

 

[MiddayGun]

It’s not in a travel lift, but a boat lift. I can understand not wanting to climb out on the lift, but don’t quite see why they wouldn’t go on one of those boat maintenance floats to do it. 
 

But, as long as they can fill it from the top, I’ll kayak over to pull and replace the plug. 

You may as well do the job yourself since you have to drain it anyway. 

No point paying someone to do it if they're expecting you do half the job for them. 

 

[phill_nz]

https://www.yanmar.com/media/global/com/product/marinepleasure/sailBoatPropulsion/operationmanualgears/SD_OM_27MAR09.pdf

page 19 but read pages  18-47

 

[ruckus25]

You can get about 1/3 of it out from the top pretty easily. Just do that a few times if you don't have the ability to drain it properly. Complete drain and fill is best, but done is better than perfect.

 

[Quickstep192]

You may as well do the job yourself since you have to drain it anyway. 

No point paying someone to do it if they're expecting you do half the job for them. 

You’re right, but they’ll be in there doing other stuff, so the refill will be one of several tasks

 

[ryley]

https://www.yanmar.com/media/global/com/product/marinepleasure/sailBoatPropulsion/operationmanualgears/SD_OM_27MAR09.pdf

page 19 but read pages  18-47

not sure what you're getting at. Page 39 is actually the relevant page where it shows that for the SD20 you can only change the oil out of the water. the sd50 can either be changed out of the water in the same way, or it can be pulled out with compressed air or an extraction pump. Page 19 only shows how to check the appropriate level of the oil.

 

[phill_nz]

not sure what you're getting at. Page 39 is actually the relevant page where it shows that for the SD20 you can only change the oil out of the water. the sd50 can either be changed out of the water in the same way, or it can be pulled out with compressed air or an extraction pump. Page 19 only shows how to check the appropriate level of the oil.

because page 19 is the start of the pages for the information he wants

18 is just the types of oils .  relevant but not in his question