Today, I started the process for upgrading the SD50 saildrive on Hanuman; the cone clutch start slipping last season. I purchased Gideon’s upgrade kit and I’m following the wonderful instructions on this forum and the YouTube video. 

I’ll document the steps as I go through this process to add to the excellent material already available on this topic.

Question from day 1: the sail drive access in the engine compartment is very limited (you work mostly from above by leaning over the engine) and I’m started to get a bit frustrated. Has anyone tried to cutout an access panel from the starboard cabin (to provide side access or even better access from the backside)? This should make the upgrade job easier and regular inspections more convenient.

Am I missing something here?

Thanks

Prashanth 

All that said, the access to the saildrive is truly poor. So I sympathise!  Never did understand why Hanse couldn’t put in at least a sane access to the saildrive mounted seacock. Still love the boat though :)

Mark

I must have been fortunate in that my Yanmar specialist was hobbit-sized; he simply put padding over the engine, climbed on top and worked happily away without the need to move the engine.  That said, the H400 already comes with side panels which clearly yours doesn't.  If you don't get a useful answer here I'd sure consult a local shipwright as I've found side access most valuable.

I just put an old cushion on top of the engine. The majority of the work is to grind the new top-nut to correct play, and that is done in your workshop. 

When removing the clutch assembly (as you have learned on YouTube), don't use a hammer (on a aluminium block) on the studs when moving the pinion. A fellow Hanse owner did that and broke the bearing housing (the one holding the pinion gear) and needed to separate engine/transmission to fit a new one. You should use some type of wedge. 

For me second challenge was to seat the new lower collar on the cir clips. Mine was a little bit tight, but using my wise (that has aluminium blocks) I was able to seat it, see picture.

 

Last step is to adjust the shifter and I don't think that Gideons instruction is super easy to follow. Important is to do this BEFORE you re-engage the pinion. You should rotate the vertical shaft with a socket and while rotating engage both forward and revers. If it jams during shifting its to tight. You need to redo this both clockwise and anti clockwise. When it jams, unscrew the setscrew maybe a half turn. I did the process several times and noted the exact position when jaming started (4 different combinations of fw, revers, cw and cww) then pulled back half turn. Make sure it can be shifted (while rotating the drive-shaft) without signs of jamming when you are ready. The position for the setscrew can change after tightening the look-nut as well.

Another small challengewas to make space for the new bigger top-nut. Gideon propose to se a dremmel tool, but I went to a friend with a machine shop.

After this upgrade I have not had any problems with cone slipping. Before I had to re-lap every second year.

a. as Kjeld often warns, perhaps you've only ever been using GL4 and not GL5 oil

b. you never actually use your engine

c.  you're just plain lucky

d.  you're tone deaf at exactly the right pitch and can't hear it squealing

d. your clutch is just waiting for you to be in the most remote position in the worst possible weather.....

My money's on the last one.  Boats are like that.

Iain 

I have a SD50 saildrive and it started slipping. When I attempted to check the oil, it started coming out of the dipstick hole, it wasnt like that last week. What does this mean?

From an anchorage in Spain! 

Many thanks. 

If (like me) you're not competent to do the job yourself you'll need to find a (preferably a Yanmar) mechanic familiar with the work.  Do be aware that the work can easily be done without moving the engine so don't be persuaded otherwise.  As a guide, the cost in the Solent area would be about £400-500.  This lapping is usually good for about 250-500 hours.  Depending on how happy you are to remain where you are and if you find a mechanic that you've confidence in and is prepared to do the work (not all are), you may even care to consider going the whole hog and ordering the upgrade kit.  I got mine within just a few days of ordering and it sorted the oil issue out as well.  So much depends on your programme, however.

As a 'limp along' tactic you may be able to make progress keeping the engine in low revs; it should be OK in astern too if that gear was required or if you just felt like entertaining onlookers.  Engage the gear and increase the revs as slowly and steadily as you can until you reach an acceptable speed then leave it there.

Good luck!

I searched and read the posts but couldn't find any mention of over-pressure.

Many thanks for your help.

I'm impressed you're able and have the facilities to do the lapping onboard.  From what I understand from my mechanic you might well be able to install the upgrade kit yourself, then.  The seller was quick to answer all queries and was most helpful.  

All the best

Iain

Thanks for your very helpful reply.

We Hauled the boat, replaced the seals at the bottom of the leg, relaunched the boat and I then lapped the cone clutch.

Unfortunately, we still have very little drive.

I am currently looking into the possibility of the autoprop slipping on its rubber bush.

Have you heard of this happening?

Many thanks for your wisdom.

Richard.

Thanks again for your help. I did not check, so will pull the clutch out and make sure.

I do believe the problem may be the prop, as I spoke to the manufacturer and they said my symptoms could be the rubber breaking down. I just need a fixed prop to try.

Many thanks.

Richard.

"Webster" Hanse 430 in Vigo Spain.

I have had the cone clutch slipping twice on my Hanse 400e of 2007 with all the issues discribed in the many threads. My remedies are as follows:

1. I have bought a used SD50 from ebay which external corrosion issues (nothing to do with clutch). The clutch from this is always ready for exchange when the slipping begins. The trick of pushing the pinion gear forward without moving the engine forward has worked fine for me.

2. The gearbox is ventilated to atmosphere. Since then there is no more seawater ingress through the seals at the propeller shaft outlet during the cooling down period (by underpressure in the housing).  The gear oil remains transparent and doesn't go milky. 

3. As soon as it goes milky, seals or shaft are warn, the double seals and the prop shaft(from my spare gearbox) are exchanged and reworked.

No new parts (except for the seals) have been neccessary so far (1500 h engine use). 

John

John

I dont have a hanse, but i do have an sd50 (2 of them). Even after the upgrade and following the instructions as careful as i could, I have lapped each engine every 80-120 hours 3 times in 2 years.

My props are brunton autoprops. The boat is private and i am the only user. I am sailing a. lot and do around 150hr a year on each engine. The cone is within the tolerances and I have no idea what to do next except from keep on lapping everytime it slips.

After each lapping, the engine would engage with a very nice satisfactory sound, glang. Then after approx 40-60 hours that sound will start to fade away. Then when i rech 80-120hr (from initial lap), the saildrives will stop engaging. Ussually that happens on reverse engaging first. Bear in mind my props feather on forward.

I always engage and slowly increase my rpms. Use only quicksilver high perfomance lube.

Next steps are either lap every 80 hours or upgrade to sd60 and see how that goes. I could also get a spare gearbox like someone on this forum recommend and swap it out.

But ideally i would like to sort this problem and even get 250-500 hr between lapping will keep me super happy.

I saw that parley revival, they did the upgrade kit and then soon after they went for sd60.

Anyone having a similar experience?

For comparison, my saildrive has done over 600hrs since the last clutch lapping. Oil changed twice a season preventatively (due to the dodgy shaft o-rings design). Doesn’t (yet) have the Gideon inspired upgrade, but I have added a breather/filter to atmosphere above waterline. 

Not sure where in the world you are but in the UK I typically just get the oil from Westway’s classic car oil range (a lot of older cars have the similar metallurgy issues). One possible link via Amazon below. 

Re Parlay Revival saildrive escapades - I dream of having that much space in the engine room!  I’d note the SD60 solves one problem but still seems to have shaft o-ring issues!  I was surprised to see that there is in fact a minor structural change needed for the SD60. So not a straight swap mechanically (extra parts needed) plus a little work on the mounting setup. That would be an engine out job on my Hanse 400 but you may have more space to work? 

I'm now on the hard and will take apart the clutch, inspect and re-lap and then only use the gl3/4 classic oil. However, it will probably take a few years to get any reliable conclusion. 

I will need 2 kits for the SD50s on my catamaran.

I'm in Aruba right now.

Thanks for your answer!

This is from StavrosNZ:

"Quite correct, as Captain Cook says use the search function and see the many detailed threads on this subject.

Capn Cook, 

This is an alternative SD50 upgrade kit.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zo0QcoQcagk" rel="nofollow - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zo0QcoQcagk

Heres how to change the SD oil under water!!!

And this is his blog.  With detailed instructions.  In this case, google translate is your "search" function's polyglot cousin - lol!! 

http://www.gerdamartha.de/index.php/2-uncategorised/47-meine-erfahrung-mit-yanmar-simmerringen.html" rel="nofollow - http://www.gerdamartha.de/index.php/2-uncategorised/47-meine-erfahrung-mit-yanmar-simmerringen.html

Im not decided yet which SD upgrade kit to choose for the slipping clutch cluster f#$%.  

I will however choose the prop seal kit he offers, as I am about to investigate the source of the water in the sail drive.  I will also install a sail drive oil tank breather. How stupid of Yanmar not to consider that. 
 

For ease of reference, here is the "original after market SD upgrade" saildrive@yahoo kit. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3gWiMVkdEc

 

"The trick of pushing the pinion gear forward without moving the engine forward has worked fine for me"

I'm currently struggling to mate the pinion gear and am wondering how one does this.  

'.