velvet drive external filter add on

Stu,
Think about the automatic in your car. They typically have a screen and no filter just like the Velvets. I don't feel a filter would extend the life as there are Velvets out there with LOTS of hours on them. Then there's the restrictive pressure drop across a filter. Think about that. It's my opinion that you do not want to install a filter. Pull the screen on the ATF return line and check it out.

Warpman89 wrote: [ I rebuilt my transmission last year.      The guy that rebuilt my transmission a couple years ago

Whats the deal with rebuilding every few years? Tractor oil? is that what BW the ones who designed and built it recommends? ATF is cheap and should just be replaced every year

I added an FL1A to mine after putting in fresh clutches, seals, and shimming the forward pack. Should be good for another 28 years. May need a fresh pump prior, we'll see.
Monitored line pressure after the filter, no delta..

That said, Im not predicting any tangible extended life till the next repack. Just wanted to do it.

Like Pete sez, put effort into frequent fluid changes after a quaility build, about the best one can do.

If the forward pack is too loose and isn't shimmed right, the forward piston only had so much throw, so runs out of clamping pressure

GottaSki wrote: I added an FL1A to mine Monitored line pressure after the filter, no delta..

Tom,
It's good you used a large filter so the delta P isn't an issue.
When you pulled your Velvet apart, was there any debris in the screen?
Stu,
So we can try to help, tell us more about the two "rebuilds". What was the Velvet doing? What was done to the Velvet? As Tom mentioned, did the clutch pack need to be shimmed to spec ether of the two times?

Pete, he never said he had a Velvet.

TRBenj wrote: Hollywood wrote: Pete, he never said he had a Velvet. Check the thead title. Recommend more coffee before posting.

Kevin,
I actually did a double take on the Velvet in the title before posting.

8122pbrainard wrote: GottaSki wrote: I added an FL1A to mine Monitored line pressure after the filter, no delta.. Tom, It's good you used a large filter so the delta P isn't an issue. When you pulled your Velvet apart, was there any debris in the screen? Stu, So we can try to help, tell us more about the two "rebuilds". What was the Velvet doing? What was done to the Velvet? As Tom mentioned, did the clutch pack need to be shimmed to spec ether of the two times?

Sorry for the late reply. When I bought the boat 5 years ago or so the transmission was functional but would slip under acceleration. I pulled it after that summer and had a transmission shop go through it. It was not a backyard mechanic or anything like that. He was one of those old guys that has had his hands in every kind of tranny and used to ski himself and it was a legit shop. I know, not all transmission shops are boat transmission shops but this guy had done work for my company and was very well rounded and had worked on velvet drives before. After I put the transmission back in, it ran well for a few days but then got stuck in forward, the clutches fused together. Maybe I didn't break it in properly or the clutch packs weren't soaked before installation? The next spring I pulled the tranny again and replaced the clutches and seals myself. So far so good. I guess neither of these repairs are technically rebuilds. This boat has about 1100 hours on it so I'm sure there are deeper issues.

Warpman89 wrote: Sorry for the late reply. When I bought the boat 5 years ago or so the transmission was functional but would slip under acceleration. I pulled it after that summer and had a transmission shop go through it. It was not a backyard mechanic or anything like that. He was one of those old guys that has had his hands in every kind of tranny and used to ski himself and it was a legit shop. I know, not all transmission shops are boat transmission shops but this guy had done work for my company and was very well rounded and had worked on velvet drives before. After I put the transmission back in, it ran well for a few days but then got stuck in forward, the clutches fused together. Maybe I didn't break it in properly or the clutch packs weren't soaked before installation? The next spring I pulled the tranny again and replaced the clutches and seals myself. So far so good. I guess neither of these repairs are technically rebuilds. This boat has about 1100 hours on it so I'm sure there are deeper issues.

Stu,
Sorry you had the issue with the "tractor oil expert"! Your experience confirms that he didn't know what he was doing.

Like previously mentioned:

8122pbrainard wrote: As Tom mentioned, did the clutch pack need to be shimmed to spec ether of the two times?

No, there isn't a break in and no, the clutch pack doesn't need to be soaked. Sounds like you did a better job that a guy that's "has had his hands in every kind of tranny"!
BTW, just because someone skis, doesn't mean he's a good mechanic. A good example would be are very our and highly respected Jbear!