PRM Dipstick

[Old Son]

I have a PRM 150. The dipstick is on the end of the filler nut so it's a faf checking oil level. The biggest issue is that I just cant see the oil level on the dipstick provided. I thought of painting the dipstick matt black but am worried it will wash off and get into the gearbox. I suppose I could make something up that is the correct length and use that to check the levels. How do you check yours, do you have the same issues?

[richardf]

Exactly the same issues; I lay mine horizontally along some paper towel to check the level. I believe that if you don't screw the plug back in and simply rest it on top of the casing, then the bottom line is actually now equivalent to the full line. Obviously screw it down when you have finished checking it!

[junior]

I put mine flat on the back of my hand, this enables me to see what is wet with oil and what is not.

[Ricco1]

I have the same gearbox and same problem. I haven't got round to it yet but I think the solution is to make something simple out of wood to measure the level more easily.

[bottle]

As per post #2.

[Bobbybass]

Yup...I'm with 'poster 2'...

 

You don't have to screw it right back in ...as long as there is a drop on the tip of the stick..it will hit the full mark when screwed back.

 

I also....used to smear it over the back of my hand...but having burnt myself doing that...opted for the paper towel !!

[Burgiesburnin]

Apply white chalk to the dipstick before dipping the level.

[andyb116]

A friend of mine made up a replica dip stick up out of a soft wood dowel with a plastic disc stuck around the top to act as a stop, shows the oil level better, he then puts the original dip stick back in when he's finished.

[Keeping Up]

Exactly as per post #2, been doing it that way for years.

[howardang]

I have been wary of PRM dipsticks since an experience on a share boat some years ago. I went to check gearbox oil levels and when I unscrewed the nut there was no stick underneath. It had become detached and fallen to the bottom of the gearbox casing, somehow avoiding all the gears! Because we were miles from anywhere and after advice from Ownerships engineer, I gingerly started the engine and put the boat in gear, waiting for the bang, but fortunately nothing happened and we were able to limp home to base where the stick was removed with no apparent harm done.

 

Howard

[RLWP]

I have been wary of PRM dipsticks since an experience on a share boat some years ago. I went to check gearbox oil levels and when I unscrewed the nut there was no stick underneath. It had become detached and fallen to the bottom of the gearbox casing, somehow avoiding all the gears! Because we were miles from anywhere and after advice from Ownerships engineer, I gingerly started the engine and put the boat in gear, waiting for the bang, but fortunately nothing happened and we were able to limp home to base where the stick was removed with no apparent harm done.

 

Howard

 

The first time I took our gearbox apart, there was a broken off dipstick sitting in the corner. One side was quite worn away where it had occasionally been up against the gears but otherwise didn't seem to be a problem

 

The 150 and Delta are much safer, the dipstick is in a separate sort of compartment. The downside is you end up touching the side of this compartment as you withdraw the dipstick giving a confusing reading

 

All good fun

 

Richard

[Old Son]

Thank you all for your replies, glad its not just me then!!

 

I think I will make something that I can use instead of the dip stick. I like the idea of a piece of wood with a dowel all marked to show the levels. I think matt black paint will give me the best background to see the oil level.

 

I understand about the separate compartment in the 150, there always seems to be oil above the levels even though I give it a good wipe.

 

Will it be serious if there is a little too much oil in there?

[p6rob]

That reminds me, my dipstick is still in the bowels of the gearbox. I tried locating it with an endoscope and magnet but failed. So far it hasn't made any untoward noises. Hopefully it'll stay out of harms way until I get a round tuit.

 

They are difficult to read though. I wonder if a bit of heat shrink tubing over the dispstick end would be easier to read and oil resistant

 

Rob

[RLWP]

No.

 

I didn't see this mentioned - are you reading with the dipstick screwed in?

 

Richard

That reminds me, my dipstick is still in the bowels of the gearbox. I tried locating it with an endoscope and magnet but failed. So far it hasn't made any untoward noises. Hopefully it'll stay out of harms way until I get a round tuit.

 

They are difficult to read though. I wonder if a bit of heat shrink tubing over the dispstick end would be easier to read and oil resistant

 

Rob

 

Which gearbox, Rob?

 

Richard

[p6rob]

Don't know. PRM something or other. It's got a serial number but no model number. Don't know if you remember, we had a few pic exchanges around the BSP birthday banter time.

[Flyboy]

If you file a flat on the dipstick up to the top mark with a fairly course file you can see the oil much better. You can make a dummy dipstick from a piece of 6mm dowel glued into a small bit of wood. Use the original dipstick to calibrate the dowel. Crude but effective.

[Scholar Gypsy]

One could attach to the dowels as described above a piece of thin plastic tube. Stick the dipstick in the hole, put finger over end of tube, and lift up. you can then see the level of the fluid. Put bottom of tube back in the gearbox, take your finger off and allow the fluid to run back into the gearbox.

 

I did try to get this to work in my diesel tank, but gave up as I couldn't find a safe way to weight the end of the tube and be confident that said weight would not fall off & rattle around in the tank (or worse).

[Bobbybass]

Do you really have to check the oil so often...that you need to go to all the trouble..?

 

I checked mine from time to time...but it never needed any oil between services.

[Keeping Up]

I've had oil leaks from the front seal (just a couple of drips a day, it drips off the bottom of the engine sump), oil leaks from the rear seal (up to a couple of drips per hour, hard to spot if it's flung by the rotating shaft), oil leaks from between the two halves of the casing (up to a quarter of a pint per day,), and oil leaks from the selector shaft.(up to one pint per hour) not including all the times when it failed catastrophically and lost all the oil at once and not including the leak from the joint on the oil cooler. That's on one PRM Delta and two PRM 150's, so yes it is worth checking.

[Machpoint005]

Do you really have to check the oil so often...that you need to go to all the trouble..?

 

I checked mine from time to time...but it never needed any oil between services.

 

Beat me to it. If you check the level every so often, a quick visual inspection without removing the dipstick is fine. If the gearbox has lost oil, where can it be but in the bilge directly underneath? If that's dry, you haven't lost any!

[Old Son]

So what happens when you replace the gearbox oil. Irrespective how many times I check the level I would still like to know that when I replace my oil I know that the level is correct. Its hardly a lot of trouble to either make up a temporary dipstick using a 6mm dowel or place the dipstick on a paper towel.

[David Schweizer]

Do you really have to check the oil so often...that you need to go to all the trouble..?

 

I checked mine from time to time...but it never needed any oil between services.

 

It seems to vary depending on the model. We have a 33 year old 160D (now called a 260D) and never had any perceivable leaks, and like you, never bother to check the levels between engine oil services every 200 hours,

 

The dipstick can be a bit difficult to read, so I roughened up the surface with very coarse grit paper, and I can usually see where the oil level is, if not I lay it on a piece of kitchen roll paper.

[Richard T]

You make something like this and have a dedicated spanner. It takes about 5minutes from a piece of scrap wood.

[David Schweizer]

You make something like this and have a dedicated spanner. It takes about 5minutes from a piece of scrap wood.

 

I guess that something like that could be quite usefu, except that I would probably loose it , or forget where I put it, after 200 hours cruising.

Edited December 22, 2014 by David Schweizer