Transmission replacement

Thanks for any help, guys.
'Got a 1984 2001 Ski Nautique with a 351 Ford and Warner 1:1 Velvet drive transmission. Went out tonight and tranny started slipping. Warmed up for a bit and got better, then tried to pull a skiier and it got a lot worse and started stinking burnt. Barely limped back to the dock. 1300 hours. Fluid a little dark. Couldn't tell level, but never bad an issue before. Am I looking a putting in a rebuilt tranny and where do I find one? I see Dis. Inboard Marine has a brand new one for $1700, plus cooler and freight. Any advice and help would be appreciated. -Luther, Minnesota

Luther, where are you in Minnesota? there are a few of us around. Eric is the man, it is worth the extra few days to ship it to brunstucky, he takes good care of members on this site, and it will be done right.

figure a thousand less, thats allotta gas

replace the damper plate while you are there!

unlag rear mounts, loosen front pinch bolts on front mounts, remove 4 coupling to prop shaft bolts, pull shaft back, lift rear of engine/transmission with bottle jack under manifold to stringer, or simply lift and block, or use a cherry picker or chain hoist, at this point the transmission should be high enough to clear the prop shaft. then unbolt the trans from the bellhousing and remove.

you will need to disconect the oil cooler lines to the at so me point transmision too.

Eric, with so many of us sending transmission to you should have a couple of "transmission" crates for rental or free for use, given a deposit. The deposit is in case the crate is not sent back and initial shipping. I know, it will cost some shipping but is less of a headache than trying to find one.

the funny thing is I let the hourly guy build a crate once trying to go that route, it took him 2 fcn hours, that crate i figured by the time it was done cost me 200.00, (his wage and lost productive 2 hours)
now, we rust proof cars and i let him loose on them, tapes every opening, tapes a squirt around the car, all in all he spends about 5 hours start to finish...now, he needed some extra cash and asked me if he could do his friends car on Tuesday, yeah no problem, got it in there, put it on the lift and 10 minutes later he was spraying it. a fcn hour in a half he was done. wtf, when he is on my time he's a fcn turtle...just venting

While Eric works on my transmission, I'm wondering if I should be pulling the prop shaft assembly apart. The boat is a '84, and to my knowledge, it has never been apart. Everything seems tight, and concentric, but don't want to compromise my new tranny, either. Any advice?

lison wrote: While Eric works on my transmission, I'm wondering if I should be pulling the prop shaft assembly apart.

Just double check the cutlass bearing in the strut. Everything else you'll need to wait for the trans and install it. When you get to that point, this video may come in handy.

I like em, there are some out there in the 150.00 range, set and forget, thats me though and i look at it this way, all the high end boats have them installed.

I asked Eric to include one, but wasn't aware there was such a thing as a universal damper plate. How much needs to be trimmed for a 351? Sure don't want to do the job twice, like I'm apt to do anyway!
Found previous posts and a few pics of the universal plate. Is it a better plate than the one made for a 351? Cost difference ($183 Skidim)? Eric?

yes

you shouldnt. you know about alignment? and leaving the damper loose until the transmission is piloted and bolted?

Got the Velvet Drive back yesterday and getting ready to put things back together. This is what I think I need to do. Am i missing anything?

Trim damper plate and install. Only had to trim quarter inch
Install bell housing. Grease splines of tranny and damper.
Drop in tranny and rotate trans output until splines align. Tighten everything down.
Replace transmission mounts
Install rebuilt starter
Hook up clean fluid lines to clean cooler, leaving one loose
Fill transmission with Type Dex Merc III ATF. Tighten loose fluid line.
Hook up new water hoses to cooler, linkage, neutral switch.
Loosen front and rear engine mount locking nuts
Align prop shaft as close as possible and put in one bolt
Remove and replace prop with rebuilt
Replace packing in prop shaft
Put boat in water and do final adjustment within .003
Start engine. Put transmission in forward and reverse at idle.
Recheck fluid level and fill as necessary.
Restart and test transmission.
Recheck alignment
Check and adjust packing.
Get in boat/ski time before big freeze and winterizing.

What have I missed? Thanks for all the help. Couldn't have done it without all you. -Luther