Yanmar 6lpa dipstick

[budhod]

My 2003 Yanmar 6lpa has two dipsticks. The long one on the starboard side shows the oil to be clean and honey colored. I thought this was the only stick but now I see another stick on the port side above the starter motor. On checking the oil on this stick, I see oil that is dark as you would see in a Diesel engine. I am thinking that there are two sticks for access in the confined space (mine has twins) but why would the oil look different?

[whwells]

budhod: Well your comments are interesting. I also have twin Yanmars. There a difference in the color of the oil from the port engine with the longer dip stick and the starboard with the shorter dip stick. Frankly, I have assumed that one just burns cleaner as the oil is always changed annually. No way that I can get over to the outside of the starboard engine to check that lomger dip stick. Do get help with changing the oil/filter on the port side has the fill tube and filter on the outside.
Well, maybe next time the engine oil is changed will have the young person crawl around and check the starboard side outside dip stick.
Would really be surprised if the location of the dip stick has anything to do with the difference in color.
whwells "Howard"
2006 35te Sportfisher/Conv.

[budhod]

I think I found the answer to my own question. After doing my first oil change on my Yanmars, I understand more about how they are setup. The dipstick on the port side of the engine sets in the oil pan and measures the true oil level and shows the actual color of the oil. The dipstick on the starboard side sets in a tube that is connected to the oil pan drain hole with a banjo bolt. This setup is for suctioning the oil from the pan through the dipstick tube. When you check oil on the starboard side you may be getting oil that just sets in the tube and not actually circulating through the engine, hence the clean oil. The level will be fine but the oil will give you a false indication as to the true condition of your oil.

[RobS]

Good info and thanks for the followup. You should mention if you are a Flush Deck or Engine Box since the engine orientation must be known in order to understand starboard vs. port side due to the engine box being a reverse reduction tranny setup. I think in '03 they were building both the FD and EB?

To avoid any confusion you could always refer to one side of the engine as the "coolant side" and the other as the "oil side." If you wanted to take it even a step further, the technical terminology is that the oil side is the "Operation Side" and the coolant side is the "Non-Operation Side."

Thanks again.

[budhod]

If this is any help, my 6LPA Yanmars (I have twins) have two dip sticks each. A shorter one located above the starter motor, enters the oil pan and shows the true level and color of the oil. The longer stick, mounted on the side opposite, is in the oil suction tube. This one will measure the oil level but may not show the true color because the suction tube is looped and the oil in it is not necessarily circulating through the engine.