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B-W Velvet Drive Pressure/Temperature Monitoring

noelct

Regular Contributor
I have a 72 series 1:1 in my '75 Mako inboard.

I would like to know if other Velvet Drive owners hook up a pressure gauge and temperature gauge to transmission to keep an eye on things? If so, is there a better spot for pressure than another? I figure that I'll get temperature at supply to cooler. Also, I think that 160 psi is normal. Yes?

Thanks, Noel.
 
Service Manual says at 600 rpm and operating temp of 140 deg:
Neutral 115 to 135 psi
Reverse 120 to 140 psi
Forward 115 to 140 psi

Velvet Drive Test Pressures.jpg
 
Just to answer the other part of your question, I've owned a bunch of BW Velvet Drives and I've never seen the need to monitor transmission temp or pressure. If you don't beat them by granny shifting, Velvet Drives last a long, long time before the clutches give up. And why install two more gauges to watch? Bottom line is you don't really need transmission gauges unless you really like a tricked-out helm station. If one of the clutch packs starts to fail, you'll notice the slippage first in reverse. That's the time you might want to measure pressure.
 
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