Velvet Drive Trans rebuild

Lost starboard trans while waiting 35 min in current and wind for RR bridge to lift. From looks of trans fluid, water in the mix. Probably bad heat exchanger.
Very recently added new water pump to that engine - maybe the higher pressure ruptured a weak exchanger?? BW Velvet Drive. What say ye on avg cost of a rebuild?? Thanks

I just had a Borg Warner Velvet Drive 72C-CR2 rebuilt. The rebuilder got about $2500. The mechanic qnothet $1700. Total bill about $4200. In my mechanic's defense, access to the unit is poor in my boat.

Rebuilt cost of $2500 was $1000 more than I expected, but mechanic told me it is fairly typical.

Prices are all over the place depending on what model you have. If it's just clutches and maybe bearings, you might get away with under $1k. A full rebuild or exchange of a CR2 model can be $3k.

Ken

Water is due to a bad trans. oil cooler, not heat exch. Cost depends upon the hours. if you need clutch pack, $750-1250 seems to avg. If just clean and seals, maybe less than $750. You remove and deliver transmission. Oil cooler, maybe $200. I would replace both. If high hours I would replace damper plate. $100.

I suspect most shops would want to do a rebuild. A cleaning requires disassembly of forward and reverse pumps so you need gasket and seal kit. Clutch discs aren't that much more in parts. Labor is probably the same either way.

Once disassembled, they may find pitted or corroded bearings and shafts. Price quickly doubles.

Many thanks - yep I’ve seen rebuilt Velvets for sale $750 - $1,500. And mine have very easy access so should be quick out/in.

I had one done by the local (auto) transmission shop, $750.00. Owner was a boater. I removed the unit, brought it to the shop and reinstalled it. Came with a one year guarantee.

Would do the same again.

Rob

FoxtrotCharlie said:

Lost starboard trans while waiting 35 min in current and wind for RR bridge to lift. From looks of trans fluid, water in the mix. Probably bad heat exchanger.
Very recently added new water pump to that engine - maybe the higher pressure ruptured a weak exchanger?? BW Velvet Drive. What say ye on avg cost of a rebuild?? Thanks

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The new water pump on the engine likely had no effect. Don't know the oil pressure a Velvet Drive runs at, but probably at least 10 times the pressure of your raw water pump. Probably just an eaten up transmission cooler. Without an anode, they only live but so long.

Ted

O C Diver said:

The new water pump on the engine likely had no effect. Don't know the oil pressure a Velvet Drive runs at, but probably at least 10 times the pressure of your raw water pump. Probably just an eaten up transmission cooler. Without an anode, they only live but so long.

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The pressure thing is a good point. The one time I've seen a cooler fail on a Velvet Drive it resulted in oil out the exhaust, not water in the trans.

Recently had mine rebuilt. Wasn't cheap but found two different shops that kind of specialize in BW rebuilds. One was out in Washington and the closer one to you would be down in Ft Lauderdale called Transmission Marine. If you don't find anyone locally I highly recommend these folks. Excellent work and service.

FoxtrotCharlie said:

Many thanks - yep I’ve seen rebuilt Velvets for sale $750 - $1,500. And mine have very easy access so should be quick out/in.

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Note: Tran is held to bell hsg w/ 6 bolts. I replaced 2 middle bolts with long setup studs to make reinstallation easier. Simpler to align shaft with damper spline when putting it back. It's a bit heavy and trying to get it centered can damage damper spline. (If you do it yourself)

Mark couplings with felt tip and scribe before you pull shaft back. Might save you some time during re-alignment.

Velvet Drive CR2 Forward failure

I just came back from a short cruise and starboard engine would not go forward. investigated found black fluid and metal shavings. Does anyone know a reputable shop in southeast Louisiana? Velvet Drive, 10-14-000-006 CR2 1989 vintage.

I have spoken with Seabrook in nola on two separate occasions. Both times I came away with the same impression - confident in their abilities but price will always be on the comparable high side - and prepare to be treated like an idiot. Which to be fair I am but don't like to pay to be reminded of it. They have their own transmission guy but I was told he wouldn't be able to find parts and they would have to send it out. Which was fine be me bc I really like Transmission Marine in FL. This is my only SE LA experience. Sorry not to be more helpful but my guess is you will need to send it off as well.

Unless you get lucky and find a guy that knows a guy that happens to have an extra velvet drive sitting around.

That looks like the plan

I’ll pull and ship it off.

Please post how it goes. Mine has 6000 hours on it. I lowered idle speed to pamper it even more.

Dtgros said:

I’ll pull and ship it off.

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Try your local automotive transmission shop. I did, the guy happened to be a boater who did a lot of marine gears. I did have to pull and re install myself.

Rob

Choices said:

Please post how it goes. Mine has 6000 hours on it. I lowered idle speed to pamper it even more.

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Don't go too low on the idle speed. The rougher power delivery is hard on damper plates and the trans gears. As long as it's not banging into gear hard and you're around the spec, it's not idling too high.

rslifkin said:

Don't go too low on the idle speed. The rougher power delivery is hard on damper plates and the trans gears. As long as it's not banging into gear hard and you're around the spec, it's not idling too high.

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Agree. Low idle might prolong the life of the oil pump at the expense of the damper plate but the oil pump usually lasts forever. Keep the oil changed and the gears should last a day beyond forever. The seals and the clutch disks are the wear items.

Send it to T/A Powertrain in Garner NC. They are one of the largest if not the largest power shift transmission remanufacturers in the country with 28 locations nationwide. Almost 50% of their business comes from others repair houses.

Mike Vogt at Harbor Marine (425-259-3285 - X103) in Everett, WA is the most knowledgeable man of Velvet Drives I have ever known. They rebuilt both of mine and that was 10 years ago. Considering the torque and speeds I run at times they are still doing a fine job for me. Mike told me once that the biggest enemy BW Velvet drives have is heat, and suggested I install transmission temperature gauges to monitor it. Never exceed 160* and if you do change the oil ASAP. I followed his advice and installed gauges on both transmissions.

I live in a big boating area and could not find someone to rebuild mine.

One of the better repair marinas would inspect mine and replace front and rear seals...and let me know ineeded more.....but not do it.

Even automotive tyranny shops that used to do them said no.

Good luck and I am always keen on where they still do them.

.

Replacement found

Instead of sending for rebuild, i purchased a reconditioned unit from Midwest Marine Services St. Charles MO. Picked it up and dropped it in this afternoon. I will report out after finish the installation.

, i purchased a reconditioned unit from Midwest Marine Services St. Charles MO. Picked it up and dropped it in this afternoon.

Damn, she is purdeee! All shiny and new.

Congrats and good luck

Billy V please post and data on temp gauges.

Choices said:

Billy V please post and data on temp gauges.

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I used an Autometer transmission temperature guage and sensor.
https://www.autometer.com/2-trans-temp-100-250-f-sse-z-series.html

Sensor is mounted in the top of transmission where presently is a plug or possibly a high temp alarm sensor. Mine run between 115* and 155* depending on speed. If I put the hammer down and run about 3800-4000 (36-38 mph) I will see about 155*. Slow cruise at 1500 (7-9mph) sees about 115*

https://www.glasply.org/forum/technical-forum/electrical-electronics/70232-new-gauges-for-a-28

installed and tested fine

Completed installation. Fingers crossed. Looks like i installed it upside-down.

Dtgros said:

Completed installation. Fingers crossed. Looks like i installed it upside-down.

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You built a submarine? LOL