Velvet Drive Model 20-01-006

[Dewmyster]

These are in my 1998 370 Voyager hooked up to 7.4 Mercrusiers. Coming back from the Tall Ship event in Boston this past weekend I had an alarm sound in the middle of Buzzards Bay in pea soup fog. Lifted the hatch could smell something was wrong and shut my port engine down. Thought I had blown a coolant line. We motored home to Westport, MA on one engine doing 8.5Kts and the trip took an extra 2 hours. When I started the engine to assist me into my slip I couldn't shift into forward or reverse. Current and wind were favorable and stuck the landing on the first try on one engine.

Took the time to straighten the boat up, have lunch and a beer before I looked further. Once my wife had left I started cleaning up the mess. Tranny fluid has sprayed onto the engine causing the alarm. Not sure where it was coming from but cleaned up the mess and thru extra pads in the bilge. Looks like it may have leaked out of the cooler or one of the hoses. I will attack it this weekend, only hope I didn't fry the tranny. Any suggestions or comments will be readily accepted. Summer is too short to be down long.

[Viper]

Oh Oh. Is there any oil in the tranny? Try to pump some out and see if it's still pink. Take a sniff in the dipstick port to check if it smells burnt. If it doesn't, you may be lucky. At this point, once you find the leak, about the only thing you can do is refill the unit and test. If it smells burnt, you're looking at a rebuild.

What rpm were you at when you realized something was wrong?

[Dewmyster]

Hello Viper, Doing about 3K rpms. Did not smell burnt. I added 1 quart of transmission fluid today and it is full. Disconnected the shift linkage and could not move the lever. Took a 2x4 and tapped it with a hammer and it moved. Reached down and could move it with my hand so connected the linkage and went to the bridge. Started the engine, shift forward....nothing. Shifted to reverse.....nothing. Looks impossible to remove, given the limited space. Any other suggestions? Looks like the 4th is a work holiday.

[bud37]

I would give Borg warner a call with your trans number to see if a pump failure would exhibit what you have , there is also some valving....is the trans fluid still clean ??.......try to find a tranny guy to come to check pressures if possible.....maybe first on the list before removal.It may be that there are no repairs without it being on the bench, think I might find out though.....good luck man...

[Viper]

I agree, contact BW. It doesn't sound good though and to try to put it back into service without dismantling and assessing what's going on internally may cause further damage ($$$).

[Dewmyster]

All great suggestions, thank you. On another note when the shift lever is moved into F or R the engine will start, leading me to believe that some how the neutral safety switch is still getting the signal for N. Perhaps I will catch a break and it is the control valve? Won't know until next week.

[Dewmyster]

She was towed to New Bedford, MA today for a rebuild. Need to have my boat back in the water and functional by July 29th. Wish me luck. Thank goodness for Gold Unlimited Towing.

[Viper]

Did they need to haul it out to remove the tranny?

[Dewmyster]

My marina wasn't capable of completing the job timely. No room in the engine compartment. Needs to come forward 12" , not out.

[Viper]

Source of the post .....Need to have my boat back in the water and functional by July 29th.....

They had to haul the boat out?