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Paragon Vee Drive

Yes it is separate and it is the Paragon PV31 Vee Drive that is turning dark. Almost the colour of dirty motor oil.
 
Sorry for the delayed response. so the gear case oil is turning black or the tranny oil, still confused. In any event what are the hours between the color change and what fluid/oil are you running?
 
The transmission fluid is in the Paragon PV31 Vee Drive, not in the transmission and it turns a dark motor oil color in about 20 Hrs of running.
 
Its probably getting hot then. Have you felt the case after a solid run at cruise speed? Can you spin the shaft by hand? (engine off gear in neutral)

Will
 
I've shot it with a thermal gun both during and at the end of a run and it runs about the same temperature as the port side Vee Drive.
 
Have changed it out 3 times. The first time it smelt like it may have gotten hot, the last two times it just looks dark. I'm wondering if what I have is a spun bearing and it is cast iron in the transmission fluid. I think I will change it again and send it out for oil analysis.
 
A follow up. A noise was being generated from the same Vee drive area at low RPM so we had a vibration analysis done to determine where the noise was coming from but due to the solid construction of both the Vee Drive and the transmission it did not identify the source. We sent the Vee Drive out for a rebuild which was completed but the repair shop indicated the Vee Drive was in pretty good condition as was. We then sent the paragon transmission out for a rebuild and it was in need of a rebuild which they did. After the units were reinstalled the noise was still there. It turns out the hydraulic pump in the transmission was not putting out enough pressure at low RPM. (around 500 RPM) The repair shop indicated that they could no longer get parts to rebuild the hydraulic pumps in these transmissions. If I keep the RPMs over 700 the noise goes away which is a good short term Band-Aid, but I need to find a more permanent solution.

I'm guessing the black colour in the vee drive oil was likely caused by better detergents in the new transmission oil after an oil change on my last preventative maintenance oil change. Has anyone found another hydraulic pump that might work for these old paragon PV32-R transmissions?
IMG-20150413-01704 (2).jpg
 
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you can check with federal marine transmissions, in IL....they have a www site.

I've never used them personally but understand they have a decent stash of parts for the old paragon gears....
 
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