Logo

v drive help

infinityron

Contributing Member
Guys, I have an old 1976 Jeffries sportfisher with twin 454 Crusaders coupled to Thermo Electron V Drives. Everything is running great but I wanted to check all my fluids recently and discovered that everything looks spectacular.....engine oil, trans fluid and v drives all look like new lubricants and good levels EXCEPT the port side v drive that is a little low on the dipstick. The fluid on the dipstick looks like 30wt motor oil and is very clean and good color, HOWEVER, the tag on the v drive says the fluid is supposed to be APG 90, which I take to mean all purpose gear oil 90wt. I bought some 80/90wt gear oil at west marine but it is bluish in color.
What an I supposed to put ii there? and where do I add the oil? I took a couple pics which I will attempt to upload here. There is a 1" hex head plug on top of the v drive which I would guess is the fill plug. Otherwise, not sure where it would go. Any old timers on here who can help me????
 
if its a 4500 series, it swill be happy with SAE 80W-90 gear oil....and the manual says to only fill to the FIRST mark on the dipstick. you can fill it thru the breather or the dipstick.

I haven't checked lately but in the past, you needed FIVE posts before you could add pictures....
 
if its a 4500 series, it swill be happy with SAE 80W-90 gear oil....and the manual says to only fill to the FIRST mark on the dipstick. you can fill it thru the breather or the dipstick.

I haven't checked lately but in the past, you needed FIVE posts before you could add pictures....

The tag on this v drive does not indicate 4500....it says serial number 18-2.398 with warner gear serial number 2257. I know I sound like an idiot, but I am confused about "breather" On the top of my v drives there is a 1" hex head plug more or less top center and a mystery cap that feels loose and just spins and spins and does not come out. Both port and starboard v drives are identical in that regard.
 
there should be two plugs on the top of the v drive, offset from the centerline a couple inches. the factory dipstick usually looks like a square head pipe plug. the breather is usually what you describe as the 'mystery cap'. they should be in the opposite holes on the other v drive.

you can google 'crusader 4500 v drive' and find a few photos...they are pretty unique in appearance.
 
there should be two plugs on the top of the v drive, offset from the centerline a couple inches. the factory dipstick usually looks like a square head pipe plug. the breather is usually what you describe as the 'mystery cap'. they should be in the opposite holes on the other v drive.

you can google 'crusader 4500 v drive' and find a few photos...they are pretty unique in appearance.

thanks Mark..I'm still playing detective..So on mine I do have the "breather" caps which seem to spin free but do not come out from my efforts, and the hex head plug but there is no dipstick on the inside of that plug, and a conventional looking dipstick all the forward of the v drive just ahead of the hex plugs. That dipstick goes into what appears to be a rectangular well on the front end of the v drive. and that fluid looks like 30wt oil to me. I just dont lnow what lies beneath those plugs. I am tempted to add oil there but not certain. Thanks for your continued interest and help.
 
I am unable to upload pics apparently. Searching all night, I'm beginning to believe I have Borg Warner Velvet Drive transmissions with Velvet Drive v drives bolted up front. If I am barking up the right tree, Velvet Drive may have assembled "complete" tranny and v drive combos as single units in the 60's and 70's. The tag on my v drive says Warner Gear 2257 with lubricant to be apg 90. I wish i could share pictures. So if I unscrew the "t-handle" dipstick from the transmission, the fluid in there is pristine reddish Dexron trans fluid and at good level. As far as the v drive assembly itself, there is the "breather" cap, a 1" hex head plug which has no dipstick on it at all and would appear to be a fill point but that's where I am confused, and.......a conventional dipstick forward of that which when extracted has honey color oil on it that looks just like 30wt to me. Both port and starboard are same. Boat runs great, all components cool, no alarming noises. ALL COMPONENTS INCLUDING MY 454 ENGINES, TRANSMISSIONS AND V DRIVES BEAR "THERMO ELECTRON" TAGS AND NUMBERS.
 
you may need one more post to enable posting pics....

until you figure out what you have its gonna be tough to figure out which fluid is a viable option.

Velvet drive makes V-drives and typically they are used with their 71/72 series inline gear without a reduction unit. Other popular units at that time were the 4500 and the Walthers V-drive...some with the jackshafts and some direct to the gear....the V-drives introduce a LOT of options...
 
you may need one more post to enable posting pics....

until you figure out what you have its gonna be tough to figure out which fluid is a viable option.

Velvet drive makes V-drives and typically they are used with their 71/72 series inline gear without a reduction unit. Other popular units at that time were the 4500 and the Walthers V-drive...some with the jackshafts and some direct to the gear....the V-drives introduce a LOT of options...

is a reply to your comment qualification toward being able to upload a pic?:) I keep trying. I would love to share a picture here for sure. I know one thing...finding any information about a 44 year old application or any pics of the same unit is a needle in a haystack.
 
IMG_20200709_113431001.jpg
 
Hoping someone can help me as I still can not share pics, even though it says I may add images. I go to manage attachments, choose file, upload file, then nothing. files are uploaded but nowhere to find them to attach?????
 
View attachment BW V drive.pdf

here's a BW V drive unit bolted to the back of an inline direct drive gear.

you can post pictures a few ways...if you are doing it from the 'normal' reply window you need to upload it and then attach it...same in the advanced window but the GUI changes...
 
Last edited:
Thanks Mark..I will try again on the pics...I found the tag on the trans today. It is yellow, Says Velvet Drive model AS 2072C, serial number 2261. So I know the trans is Velvet Drive, but coupled to what? I am trying to figure out. That V drive just says V Drive serial # 18-2.398 AND Warner Gear serial # 2257. Both numbers on the same Thermo Electron tag.

I apologize for being ignorant on this, but the help of this forum is greatly appreciated.
 
Wow, attaching a photo is a project. I am completely familiar with uploading and sending images but I am completely unable to do so here. I select image from computer, upload...and it disappears into twilight zone with no way of me finding images uploaded to attach. Stumped
 
if it has what appears to be 30wt in it, it's likely a Walters - they recommend straight 30wt....
 

Attachments

  • BW V drive.pdf
    205.1 KB · Views: 49
  • qjet-exploded view.pdf
    126 KB · Views: 43
For you guys who have been trying to help me....I wanted to inform you of some resolution to identifying my old v drive and oil fill location. After exhaustive research and phone calls, I was finally put in touch with a local old-timer who specializes in trans and v drives in my area. I sent him pics of the unit......His response is, the unit is so rare I better keep it running. The transmission is Borg Warner, but the v drive was made by Crusader Marine, aka Thermoelectron Corp. He states that the pipe plug on top of my v drive is the fill port for 90 wt lube.
Thanks to all who kept trying to help me.
 
Did he say if it was the 4500?? I ask only because that's the only 'model' I've ever seen with the TE plate...
 
Back
Top