Carver Owners Forum

mwest74 wrote:Qr Bbpost..... I'm looking at $10-12k for a new transmission and oil cooler.

Say what? Have you looked at getting a rebuilt unit and new cooler?

10 to 12 K for a transmission rebuild seems like a lot. I had my port side velvet drive rebuilt this past february for only $2300. Hope it costs you less than what you posted.

I agree with the others... $10-12K for a trans and cooler sounds crazy high. If you have the same (or similar) Velvet Drives I have I can't imagine paying more than $2500 for a good trans, plus a bit for R&R.

A couple things... are your engines 350CI or 350HP? Crusader made both and in your boat size it could be either. Making that clear helps others understand and adds additional insight.

How are your batteries configured? Do both engines tie into the same battery for starting and running? Wondering if both alternators have issues and not just the starboard one.

You might invest in trans temp alarms. They can tie into the same alarm as the oil pressure and will alert if the trans starts to slip due to low oil pressure, giving you the option of shutting it down and saving it from severe damage.

To answer a few questions: Engines are 350 cid, I have two batteries connected through a 1-all-2 switch with a separate battery for the generator. I said worst case I was look at $10-12k for a new transmission. The repair is going to depend on the amount of damage that was done. as little as $1200 if I got it shut down fast enough. The port engine will have to come out to get to the transmission. I've checked different yards and marinas around where the boat is, and about $5k for removal and installation of transmission and engine is about the going rate. My only question now is, after it is fixed, do I sell it or keep it. I'm leaning toward sell, to many unknowns. Thanks everyone for your opinions and advice.

For the life of me ,I can't see how they are arriving at 5k to re and re one side ..engines are under the cockpit deck aren't they??.....at 110 an hour that is about 45.5 hrs total/almost 23hrs out. Anyway be that as it may, you need to figure out what to do. I think you will have to try to find out what the boat is worth as it is and then with the repair. Will you recover what you spend and how long will it take to sell in both forms.
Again there are no guarantees in these estimates either, maybe luck is with you and it comes in low like you were saying or......Once again good luck with it man, I don't envy your position, but sometimes these things work out for the best somehow.Not sure if this helps or hinders.

mwest, if you ran dry on fluid, you most likely just toasted the clutch packs. If it is a BW velvet drive I believe a rebuild kit can be bought for under $500. Another $2500 should cover the removal and rebuild from someone that knows what they are doing.
If your home is Chesapeake City, give Duffy Creek Marina in Georgetown a call. They are one of the few in our area with a decent mechanic.
If you have boat us gold, they will (reluctantly) tow it for you.

Don't give up yet!!!!

Also, if you and your buddies are mechanics, look at the rebuilt kit and the assembly of the transmission. There really isn't much to them. It is more difficult to remove, and reinstall than rebuild.

[quote="tomschauer"]Qr Bbpost mwest, if you ran dry on fluid, you most likely just toasted the clutch packs. If it is a BW velvet drive I believe a rebuild kit can be bought for under $500. Another $2500 should cover the removal and rebuild from someone that knows what they are doing.

I'm hoping is just something as simple as a clutch pack. The boat, however, is in Beach Haven, NJ. I've call around to a few different marina/yards and it ranges from $2k-3K for the removal. And then, It's about the same to reinstall everything reinstalled. There are some places that are a little bit cheaper, but then I would have to pay to get the boat back in the water and towed. So, not worth it in my opinion. The transmission is gonna be inspected and serviced by a BW service center not by the marina.
As far as doing it myself, I think it would be a nightmare to try and get done. The boat is out of the water, So I'm not even sure how I would go about lifting it out without a crane of some sort. Not to mention it is 2.5 hours away

MW, the rebuilt kit includes the clutches, seals, bearings and gaskets. Everything but the gears. After market kits can be had for under 300 BW kits about 500. I really doubt you hurt anything not included in the rebuilt kit.
Two men can lift the tranny without a problem.

Mw, do you have the v drive/ trans combo that are attached to the engines, or are they the remote v drives with a shaft between the trans and the v drive itself.??If they are the shared sump combo ones that could account for the higher rebuild cost....one side would have gears and the other has a chain and gears, can't remember which.......maybe chain on port side, still got clutches though.