Yanmar · Saildrive

Yanmar SD50 / SD60

The SD50 and SD60 are Yanmar’s larger saildrives for the three- and four-cylinder JH engines of roughly 39 to 80 hp, fitted in many mid-size production yachts and cruising catamarans. The SD50, and the SD50-4T behind the turbocharged 4JH4-TE, has a cone clutch and a 2.32:1 reduction and runs on Quicksilver gear lube; the older SD40 shares many of its wear parts. In 2013 the SD60 took over with a multi-disc clutch, 2.23:1 or 2.49:1 ratios and ordinary 15W-40 engine oil that can be sucked out from inside the boat, built as SD60-5 and SD60-4 with a standard or extended leg. Oil, seals, anodes and intervals differ between the two drives, so every part and interval below says which one it belongs to.

Manuals & documents
Wear parts & part numbers
Service intervals
Specifications
Good to know
Videos & how-tos
Fitted in
On the marketplace

Manuals & documents

The links go straight to Yanmar. We host no manuals or drawings — the manufacturer’s copy is the current one.

Operation manual SD25 / SD60 / SD110 / SD150 saildrives (0ASDM-EN0042, 3rd edition, April 2026) Operation manual yanmar.com · PDF · EN · DE · FR
Operation manual SD20 / SD50 / SD50-4T saildrives, March 2009 Operation manual yanmar.com · PDF · EN
Parts catalogue SD60-4 / SD60-4EXT / SD60-5 / SD60-5EXT (0CR10-M85900EN, updated November 2019; first edition July 2013), hosted by Yanmar dealer Mécanique Plaisance Parts catalogue mecanique-plaisance-finistere.com · PDF · EN
Parts catalogue 4JH4AE engine (0CR10-M68301EN) with the SD50 rear mount and coupling, hosted by Yanmar dealer Mécanique Plaisance Parts catalogue mecanique-plaisance-finistere.com · PDF · EN
SD60 rope cutter: installation and user manual (Dutch, English, German, French, Spanish, Italian) Installation guide yanmar.com · PDF · NL · EN · DE · FR · ES · IT
Yanmar SD60 product page: specifications, operation manuals in 13 languages and installation drawings Product page yanmar.com · EN
Yanmar FAQ: how to get operation manuals, service manuals and parts lists through a dealer Manual portal yanmar.com · EN
Yanmar dealer & distributor network Manual portal yanmar.com · EN

Wear parts & part numbers

Part	OEM number	Also fits	Note
Ring anode	`196420-02652`^3,1,2,4,5	Tecnoseal (via Parts4Engines) `P4E49520130510`¹AnodeFactory `R801305`²	SD40/SD50: one-piece zinc ring on the lower gear case in front of the propeller (about 147 mm long, 108/66 mm outer/inner diameter, 25 mm high, bolt holes 73 and 43 mm apart); the propeller has to come off to change it. Dealers list it for SD20 to SD60, but Yanmar’s SD60 parts catalogue shows only the two-piece set on the SD60.
Ring anode	`196440-02660`^9,10,6,11,12	Tecnoseal (via Parts4Engines) `P4E49520130511 / P4E49520130997`^6,7AnodeFactory `T01305/1`⁸	SD20 to SD50: Yanmar’s optional two-part zinc anode from the 2009 manual, two halves. It can be changed with the propeller on, afloat or by a diver. The first set needs two stainless mounting plates 196440-02690, four flat-head bolts 196440-02700 and two bolts 8 × 20 26453-080202; later halves bolt straight onto the plates. Parts4Engines’ P4E49520130997 comes with the plates.
Ring anode	`196450-02492`^{5,14,15,16,13,17}replaces 196450-02491replaces 196450-02490	AnodeFactory `T01305/1AL`¹³	SD60 standard: two-piece aluminium anode set with two halves 196450-02500 (now 196450-02501), two stainless plates 196440-02690, four flat-head bolts M6 × 18 196440-02701 and two bolts M8 × 16 26453-080162. Also fits the SD20 to SD50 as a retrofit. Once the plates are on, the halves are changed without pulling the propeller; aluminium is what Yanmar now asks for in salt and brackish water.
Ring anode	`196450-02501`^5,18,19replaces 196450-02500	—	Single aluminium half for the two-piece set, two needed; it bolts onto the mounting plates, so it fits the SD60 as standard and the SD20 to SD50 once the plates are retrofitted.
Seal sensor	`196420-02802`^5,20,21replaces 196420-02801	—	Sits between diaphragms A and B and switches on the “water in saildrive” lamp and buzzer; sealed with gasket 14 × 1.0 23418-140000. The SD60 catalogue lists 196420-02801, which 196420-02802 has replaced; De Dieseldokter lists the sensor for SD20 to SD60.
Saildrive diaphragm	`196420-02711`^22,23,24,9	—	SD40/SD50: outer diaphragm A between drive and hull. One source: only De Dieseldokter confirms the fit (SD20 to SD50) and also sells A and B with their bands as a cuff set. Diesel Parts Direct lists a second “diaphragm A”, 196420-02712, without saying what it fits, so ask your dealer. Yanmar treats the change as a dealer job with the boat ashore.
Saildrive diaphragm	`196420-02720`^25,23,26	—	SD40/SD50: inner diaphragm B behind A, with the seal sensor between the two. One source: the fit is confirmed by De Dieseldokter only (SD20 to SD50).
Diaphragm kit	`196460-02710` · `196460-02720` · `196460-02700`^{5,17,27,28,29}	—	SD60 (all four versions): the two hull diaphragms 196460-02710 and 196460-02720 plus clamp ring 196460-02700, which Yanmar says must never be reused. The job also takes snap rings 196460-02730 (they replaced 196460-02740) and O-ring 196460-02810; De Dieseldokter sells the diaphragms, two snap rings and the O-ring as a set. Due every 7 years.
Hull rubber protector	`196420-02551`^31,30,4replaces 196420-02550	Parts4Engines `P4E49520130619 / P4E49520130620`³⁰	SD40/SD50: rubber protector bonded to the hull around the leg, about 317 × 237 mm. It keeps sunlight off diaphragm A and is not part of the diaphragm set. Parts4Engines’ P4E49520130620 comes with sealant.
Hull rubber protector	`196460-02550`^5,32,33	—	SD60 (all four versions): the rubber hull gasket bonded to the hull around the leg; not included in the diaphragm set.
Propeller shaft seal	`196440-02871`^34,4,35,36	—	SD40/SD50: propeller shaft oil seal, two needed. One source: De Dieseldokter sells 196440-02871 for SD40/SD50, while Murray Yacht Sales lists 196440-02870 and no supersession was found, so check with your dealer. Same job: back-up ring 24372-000460 for the bearing housing, listed for SD40, SD40-4T, SD50 and SD50-4T.
Propeller shaft seal	`196460-02620`^5,37,38	—	SD60: two output seals on the bearing support, with two O-rings 196460-02630. Milky oil usually means these seals are letting water in. Also sold as Yanmar’s output seal kit, next row.
Lower unit seal kit	`796460-02950`³⁹	—	SD60 (SD60-4, -4EXT, -5, -5EXT): Yanmar’s output seal kit for the propeller shaft.
Seal set	`796460-02910`^5,40	—	SD60: upper seal kit with input seal 196460-02260, gasket 196460-02270, O-rings 196460-02360 and 2 × 196460-02430 and seal ring 196460-06320.
Dipstick	`196420-02350`^41,42,9	—	SD40/SD50: dipstick with the yellow cap, which is also where the oil goes in; shared with SD20, SD25 and SD30.
Dipstick	`196460-02390`^{5,43,44,45,17}replaces 196460-02350	—	SD60: dipstick, 196460-02390 since August 2014; O-ring 196460-02360. Fresh oil goes in through the dipstick hole.
Drain plug gasket	`189010-01130`^46,4	—	SD40/SD50: plastic sealing washer for the lower drain plug, listed by De Dieseldokter and Murray Yacht Sales; fit a new one at every oil change.
Drain plug gasket	`196460-02610`^5,47,48,17	—	SD60: O-ring of drain screw assembly 196460-02590 (screw 196460-02600); renew it at every oil change and tighten the plug to 10 Nm.
Gear oil	`92-850743A1`⁹	—	SD50/SD50-4T: Quicksilver High Performance Gear Lube (MerCruiser part code) in 0.946 l bottles, mandatory per Yanmar; MerCruiser pump 91-85729A1 fills straight from the bottle. Not for the SD60, which takes SAE 15W-40 engine oil.
Oil change adapter	`196311-92960`⁹	—	SD50/SD50-4T: adapter joint M10 × 1.5 (thread no longer than 12 mm) for the oil-changing plug under the shift lever, with O-ring 24311-000100, stiff hose 196440-92970 (14–16 mm bore) and optional hand pump 28210-000080. One is needed afloat, two out of the water.
Propeller hardware kit	`796450-09201`^5,49replaces 796450-09200	—	Optional nut set for a fixed propeller: bolt M8 × 105, spacer, nylon nut, M8 nut, propeller nut with insert, propeller washer 196420-09220 and lock nut. In the SD60 catalogue; Diesel Parts Direct also lists it for SD40, SD50 and SD50-4T (one source for those).
Saildrive mount	`196440-02380`^50,51,52	—	SD40/SD50 behind the 4JH engines: shock absorber “430” under the saildrive, part of absorber assembly 796440-08630 with washer 196440-02390. For 3JH engines with a saildrive De Dieseldokter lists absorber 196420-02310 instead (one source).
Saildrive mount	`196460-02310`⁵	—	SD60: mount assembly under the drive, with lock nuts 196460-02320 (later 196460-02690) and rubber support 196460-02460.

Numbers checked against the sources below on 12 October 2026. Always confirm against your serial number and exact type before ordering.

Service intervals

Task	Interval
Oil level check	SD50 and SD60: before every start, with the dipstick resting on the thread, not screwed in^9,17
Drive oil change	SD50/SD50-4T: first after 50 h or 1 month, then every 250 h; let the drive cool for at least 5 minutes before opening the drain plug⁹
Drive oil change	SD60: first after 50 h or 1 month, then every 250 h or once a year¹⁷
Saildrive anode	SD50/SD50-4T: check and replace every 100 h or 6 months, or as soon as half the anode is gone⁹
Saildrive anode	SD60: check and replace every 250 h or once a year, and at every haul-out¹⁷
Saildrive diaphragm	SD50/SD50-4T: inspect diaphragms A and B at least every 2 years with the boat on blocks and replace them every 5 years (dealer); check the seal sensor yearly⁹
Saildrive diaphragm	SD60: check yearly and replace both diaphragms with a new clamp ring every 7 years, sooner if the seal lamp has ever come on; test the seal sensor every 250 h or once a year¹⁷
Clutch	SD50/SD50-4T: clutch shifter after the first 50 h, then every 250 h; inspect and lap or replace the cone clutch every 500 h, replace it at 2000 h (dealer jobs)⁹
Engine mounts	SD50 and SD60: inspect the flexible mounts yearly (SD60: every 250 h or once a year) and replace them when the clearance is under 1 mm; renew them every 2000 h in any case^9,17
Propeller	SD60: grease and retighten the propeller nut every 250 h or once a year with the boat out of the water; folding propellers: check that the blades open freely and grease the pins at every haul-out¹⁷
Hoses & clamps	SD60: hose clamps and the grounding circuit every 250 h or once a year; the hose on the seawater cock gets two clamps¹⁷
Cooling system	SD50 and SD60: clean the cooling-water intake holes in the leg yearly and at every haul-out^9,17
Winterising	Before frost drain the engine cooling water together with the water in the saildrive case, or the case can crack; at every haul-out repair the leg’s coating (never copper- or tin-based paint) and check the hull protector before storage ashore^9,17

The SD50 rows come from Yanmar’s SD20/SD50/SD50-4T operation manual (March 2009), the SD60 rows from the SD25/SD60/SD110/SD150 operation manual (0ASDM-EN0042, April 2026); hours or time, whichever comes first. Not sure which drive you have? The nameplate on the leg tells you.

Specifications

Type	Saildrive with its own oil bath; two rubber diaphragms seal the hull opening, and a seal sensor between them lights the “water in saildrive” lamp and sounds the buzzer when the outer one leaks. SD50/SD50-4T: mechanical cone clutch (a grinding noise when it engages is normal). SD60: mechanical multi-disc clutch^9,17
Engine options	SD50: 3JH4CE, 3JH5CE (28.7 kW), 4JH4ACE, 4JH5CE (39.6 kW); SD50-4T: 4JH4-TCE (55.2 kW). SD60-5: 3JH40 (29.4 kW), 4JH45 (33.1 kW), 4JH57 (41.9 kW); SD60-4: 4JH80 (58.8 kW). Yanmar’s SD60 page also lists the 3JH5E, 4JH5E and 4JH4-TE^9,17,53
Versions	SD50/SD50-4T: standard leg or long-reach leg with a 58 mm or 100 mm extension. SD60-5 (SAE #5 bell housing) and SD60-4 (SAE #4, behind the 4JH80), each with a standard or extended leg (EXT, 75 mm longer). The nameplate on the drive shows the oil capacity (SD50) or the ratio and oil grade (SD60)^9,17,53
Years built	SD40 and SD50 in the 2000s (the SD50 operation manual dates from 2009); SD60 from 2013, the first edition of its parts catalogue is dated July 2013^5,9
Gear ratio	SD50/SD50-4T: 2.32:1 ahead and astern, about 1293 (SD50) or 1337 (SD50-4T) propeller rpm at rated engine speed. SD60: 2.23:1 or 2.49:1 ahead and astern, e.g. 1345 or 1205 propeller rpm at 3000 engine rpm^9,17
Direction of rotation	Input shaft counter-clockwise seen from astern; the propeller shaft can turn either way, and which lever direction gives ahead is set when the control cable is connected^9,17
Drive oil	SD50/SD50-4T: Quicksilver High Performance Gear Lube, which Yanmar makes mandatory. SD60: diesel engine oil API CD or higher, SAE 15W-40^9,17
Drive oil capacity	SD50/SD50-4T: 2.2 l standard leg; long-reach leg 2.35 l (58 mm extension) or 2.45 l (100 mm extension); SD40: 1.8 l. SD60: 2.8 l standard, 3.0 l extended leg. Fill to the mark with the dipstick resting on the thread and check again 15 minutes later^9,17
Dry weight	SD50 39 kg, SD50-4T 41 kg; SD60-5 43.6 kg (extended leg 48.2 kg), SD60-4 45.1 kg (extended leg 49.7 kg)^9,17
Propeller	SD50/SD50-4T: up to 18 in diameter, folding or 2-blade fixed. Yanmar requires a rubber bushing in the hub of every propeller on its SD drives, or the shaft, bearings and gears get damaged⁹
Tightening torques	SD50/SD50-4T propeller nut M20: 80–100 Nm, its M8 × 75 locking bolt: 11–15 Nm. SD60 with Yanmar’s rope cutter: stud M8 × 60 13.7–15.7 Nm with Loctite 271, propeller nut 196460-09310 113–123 Nm; without it, follow the propeller maker’s figures. SD60 anode screws M8 (6 mm hex key): 20 Nm^9,54,17
Drain plug torque	SD60: lower oil plug 10 Nm, always with a new O-ring¹⁷
Control	Single-lever control head with a Morse 33C cable or equivalent. SD60: 70 mm travel at the control head; the shift lever must move at least 35 mm (outer connection point) or 30 mm (inner) each way and sit at right angles to the cable in neutral^9,17

Good to know

Don’t mix up the oils: the SD50 and SD50-4T run on Quicksilver High Performance Gear Lube, the SD60 on ordinary SAE 15W-40 diesel engine oil (2.8 l, 3.0 l with the extended leg). Check which drive you have on the nameplate before you buy oil.^9,17
The SD60 oil can be changed from inside the boat: take the plug 196460-02420 off the oil suction pipe, push a hand-pump hose down to the bottom, suck the old oil out and refill through the dipstick hole. Ashore, open the lower drain plug instead (new O-ring, 10 Nm) and pump fresh oil in from below. The SD50 can be emptied afloat too, through Yanmar’s adapter 196311-92960 in the plug under the shift lever.^17,5,9
The SD50’s cone clutch wears: avoid long spells in gear at low rpm and always sail with the lever in neutral, because slipping voids the warranty. If it slips or will not take up ahead under load, the cones need lapping or replacing; Yanmar schedules an inspection every 500 h.⁹
Under sail the two drives want different lever positions: the SD50 sails in neutral, while on the SD60 with a fixed propeller Yanmar asks for ASTERN (and no more than 10 knots). With a folding or feathering propeller on the SD60, shift briefly to ASTERN to fold the blades, then back to neutral.^9,17
Anodes: aluminium (on the older drives also zinc) in salt and brackish water, magnesium only in fresh water, where it lasts; in the sea it is gone within weeks. Never paint the anodes or put copper- or tin-based antifouling on the aluminium leg, and give a bronze or other non-aluminium propeller its own anode.^17,9
If the “water in saildrive” lamp comes on, the outer diaphragm is leaking and only the inner one is keeping the sea out: stop the engine, head for port and plan a lift-out rather than just silencing the buzzer. On the SD60 the diaphragms are due every 7 years anyway, always with a new clamp ring.^17,9

Videos & how-tos

Links to YouTube, nothing embedded. The maker’s own channel comes first; the rest are channels we found clear and correct for this model.

Replacing the SD60 output seals on the propeller shaft Video Travel Sketch · EN · 25 min
Overhauling an SD40/SD50 saildrive in a marine workshop Video Salty Mechanics By Krogsrud Marine · EN · 18 min
Removing and lapping the SD50 clutch cones Video Larry Meyer · EN · 15 min
SD40/SD50 clutch upgrade kit: lapping and shimming the cones (German, with English, French and Italian subtitles) Video Tipps und Hinweise zur Technik von Segelyachten · DE · 31 min

Fitted in

Boats whose builder lists it as standard or optional equipment:

Leopard 42 — Yanmar SD60 × 2 (2nd generation: the model is named only in the Simonis Voogd sheet of May 2019)
Leopard 45 — Yanmar SD60 × 2 (All Leopard 45; the model is named only in the Simonis Voogd sheet of January 2016)

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Sources

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