My engine is a Universal but I am not sure what type. I think it is a M18, but how can I be sure? What type of oil do I use and how much? I would also like to know where the sacrificial zinc is located in the engine and where to buy it. ------ How do I check the transmission fluid level and what type of fluid do I use in it.
P.S. The help that you all have been giving is greatly appreciated - you guys are excellent!!!!
Mtaylor673@aol.com
Engine oil & Transmission Questions
Moderator: Jim Walsh
-
zeida
Re: Engine oil & Transmission Questions
Hi, Mac: I have a CD-33 with a Universal Atomic 4 diesel, 24 HP, 3 cylinders. Maximum rpm's 2800, It is a vertical-water-cooled-4/cycle diesel, Model 30 (5425). All this information came with the engine manual. What size CD do you have? The type of oil to use is 10W40 Heavy Duty diesel lub oil, make sure it has the CG approved logo.
The transmission uses a Type "A" transmission fluid. The zinc is located in the heat exchanger, usually in the back part of the engine, and you probably have to either remove the heat exchanger completely, clean it, and in the bottom you will find a screw, that when it comes off, it is the top part of the "pencil zinc", which screws into the heat exchanger. Many people ignore this and they never replace it when it wastes away, because it is in a very difficult place to get at. I happen to fit in the space behind the engine and the steering cables, plus I did remove the heat exchanger for a thorough clean-up. The pencil zinc should cost you about $5 and you can buy it in any shop where they sell Universal or Westerbeke diesels. But before you go, take your old one with you, so that they can give you the same exact size. Every engine has a different size!!
When you replace the old oil with the new one -on my 33 I take 5.6 quarts of oil- you must also replace the canister oil filters. It would be a good idea once you start such a process, clean your engine by putting in cheap type oil with some diesel fuel in it, then flush it out and repeat a couple of times. Then put in your new good oil.
The transmission has its own dipstick - it is like a screw, again screwed into the transmission box itself, and very difficult to get at. you do this maybe once every two years, unless you have a leak, and this you will see! But again, all this depends on what size boat you have. Good luck.
Zeida
zcecil@ibm.net
The transmission uses a Type "A" transmission fluid. The zinc is located in the heat exchanger, usually in the back part of the engine, and you probably have to either remove the heat exchanger completely, clean it, and in the bottom you will find a screw, that when it comes off, it is the top part of the "pencil zinc", which screws into the heat exchanger. Many people ignore this and they never replace it when it wastes away, because it is in a very difficult place to get at. I happen to fit in the space behind the engine and the steering cables, plus I did remove the heat exchanger for a thorough clean-up. The pencil zinc should cost you about $5 and you can buy it in any shop where they sell Universal or Westerbeke diesels. But before you go, take your old one with you, so that they can give you the same exact size. Every engine has a different size!!
When you replace the old oil with the new one -on my 33 I take 5.6 quarts of oil- you must also replace the canister oil filters. It would be a good idea once you start such a process, clean your engine by putting in cheap type oil with some diesel fuel in it, then flush it out and repeat a couple of times. Then put in your new good oil.
The transmission has its own dipstick - it is like a screw, again screwed into the transmission box itself, and very difficult to get at. you do this maybe once every two years, unless you have a leak, and this you will see! But again, all this depends on what size boat you have. Good luck.
Zeida
zcecil@ibm.net
-
M. R. Bober
-
Tom
Re: Engine oil & Transmission Questions
I agree with M.R. on that and I also wouldn't use multi vis oil. Boat engines always run at about the same ambient temperature becaue sea water doesn't change temperature that much. I've always heard to use straight 30 weight.M. R. Bober wrote: I wouldn't mix the diesel fuel with the lubricating oil.
TacCambria@thegrid.net
-
Marv Birdt
Re: Engine oil & Transmission Questions
I have the Universal 18 in my CD30. The engine manual calls for 30 wt. oil. The trannie is a Hurth and it calls for DEXRON and it takes .3 liters. The sacrificial zinc is in the heatexchanger as previously described. Oh, the engine takes a slightly less than 3 pints. The trannie fluid should be changed every year. If the engine is not horizontally installed it will read higher than actual. Good luck....MarvMac wrote: My engine is a Universal but I am not sure what type. I think it is a M18, but how can I be sure? What type of oil do I use and how much? I would also like to know where the sacrificial zinc is located in the engine and where to buy it. ------ How do I check the transmission fluid level and what type of fluid do I use in it.
P.S. The help that you all have been giving is greatly appreciated - you guys are excellent!!!!
mbirdt@peganet.com
-
D. Stump, Hanalei
Re: Engine oil & Transmission Questions
Mac,
If it is the Universal 18, 14 hp diesel, the zinc is in the Port side, lower back of the heat exchanger. It is an 1/8" zinc, requires a 7/16" combination wrench to remove, can be reached from the front of the engine with a little reaching, and really isn't too difficult to change once ya get the hang of it. As far as crankcase oil goes, a good 30 weight, diesel rated oil should be just fine. The Hurth transmisssion uses Dexron ATF fluid, and change it yearly (do not over fill!).
As far as being sure what engine you have, is it a two cylinder? Is it in a CD-30? If so, it more than likely is the Universal 18. Do you have an owners' manual? Also, look at the engine, it should have an ID plate on it, top front, I think. The owners manuals are available on this site, but I don't know if the Universal engine owners' manual is.
Dave Stump
Captain Commanding
s/v Hanalei, CD-30
If it is the Universal 18, 14 hp diesel, the zinc is in the Port side, lower back of the heat exchanger. It is an 1/8" zinc, requires a 7/16" combination wrench to remove, can be reached from the front of the engine with a little reaching, and really isn't too difficult to change once ya get the hang of it. As far as crankcase oil goes, a good 30 weight, diesel rated oil should be just fine. The Hurth transmisssion uses Dexron ATF fluid, and change it yearly (do not over fill!).
As far as being sure what engine you have, is it a two cylinder? Is it in a CD-30? If so, it more than likely is the Universal 18. Do you have an owners' manual? Also, look at the engine, it should have an ID plate on it, top front, I think. The owners manuals are available on this site, but I don't know if the Universal engine owners' manual is.
Dave Stump
Captain Commanding
s/v Hanalei, CD-30
-
Jay Ankers
Re: Engine oil & Transmission Questions
Marv:
I have the M-18....and it takes 2.5 QUARTS...not pints. Half full would not be good...for long.
Jay
I have the M-18....and it takes 2.5 QUARTS...not pints. Half full would not be good...for long.
Jay
-
Jay Ankers
Re: Engine oil & Transmission Questions
I talked with Castrol Motor Oil about their recommendation and based on the fact that a marine diesel should be run pretty hard from a minute or so after you start it...single weight oil is recommended. Multi-weight oil may not have enough time to get its kinetic viscosity up before the engine is run hard.
In addition, all the diesel mechanics that I have talked to on the Chesapeake say the same things: Use oil with a "C" rating designation...not "S" rated gas engine oil, Use your engine under load and run it up to operating temperature(don't sit at the dock and idle it..it does more harm than good.), And feed it REALLY clean fuel.
About the zinc, it is located under the heat exchanger, right above the fill hole on the transmission.
Jay
In addition, all the diesel mechanics that I have talked to on the Chesapeake say the same things: Use oil with a "C" rating designation...not "S" rated gas engine oil, Use your engine under load and run it up to operating temperature(don't sit at the dock and idle it..it does more harm than good.), And feed it REALLY clean fuel.
About the zinc, it is located under the heat exchanger, right above the fill hole on the transmission.
Jay
-
mac
Re: Engine oil & Transmission Questions
Dave,D. Stump, Hanalei wrote: Mac,
If it is the Universal 18, 14 hp diesel, the zinc is in the Port side, lower back of the heat exchanger. It is an 1/8" zinc, requires a 7/16" combination wrench to remove, can be reached from the front of the engine with a little reaching, and really isn't too difficult to change once ya get the hang of it. As far as crankcase oil goes, a good 30 weight, diesel rated oil should be just fine. The Hurth transmisssion uses Dexron ATF fluid, and change it yearly (do not over fill!).
As far as being sure what engine you have, is it a two cylinder? Is it in a CD-30? If so, it more than likely is the Universal 18. Do you have an owners' manual? Also, look at the engine, it should have an ID plate on it, top front, I think. The owners manuals are available on this site, but I don't know if the Universal engine owners' manual is.
Dave Stump
Captain Commanding
s/v Hanalei, CD-30
Thanks for your help, as well as all of the others! My CD is a 1984 28. As far as the numbers for the engine the only thing that I can find with the papers that came with the boat are the serial number and the model number. Neither of these has an "M". The model number is 118 and the serial number is 420214. The engine is FW cooled with a raw water intake - I can see the heat exchanger from the rear.
Thanks,
Mac
mtaylor673@aol.com