Fluid for Gearbox

[Wakesurfection]

Hi All

I have a 2007 Tige RZ2. There are two dipsticks in the gearbox area. Both dipsticks have a red sign next to it marked ATF. My mechanic who was doing the service was used to servicing Mastercraft boats but not Tiges. The gear box can be found after removing the middle seat at the back. In the bottom dipstick, the mechanic filled it up with axle oil instead of Automatic Transmission Fluid. I thought it was odd and asked him about it. He said all Mastercrafts have the bottom dipstick on the gearbox filled with axle oil. I was not sure that this was the case for Tiges and was wondering if anyone knew the correct answer. I'm not sure my mechanic is right and I think the bottom dipstick should have been filled with automatic transmission fluid rather than axle oil

Here are some photos

1ST Photo: BOTTOM DIPSTICK WITH LABEL SAYING ATF
2nd Photo: BOTH DIPSTICKS WITH BOTTOM DIPSTICK ON THE RIGHT
3rd Photo: BOTH DIPSTICKS WITH BOTTOM DIPSTICK ON THE RIGHT (you can see the fuel line on the top)

[ajholt7]

The lower one is the v-drive and the upper is the transmission. If they say atf only then that is what you should run. Some run 30w motor oil but those do not say atf only on them. I don't know of any that use gear oil. The bad part I see it's that now you may have a mixture of atf and gear oil in your v-drive.

[Wakesurfection]

Thanks ajholt7 - would you suck out the gear oil and flush it out with ATF?

[Wakesurfection]

Hi ajholt 7 - I spoke to my mechanic again. He said that the Borg-Warner Velvet Drive Manual says that SAE 30 engine oils can be used if the RPM does not exceed 3000rpm. Does that sound right - do the 2007 Tige RZ2 use Borg-Warner Velvet Drives?

[bigdaddy_houseboater]

My old v-drive in my flatty runs 90 wt gear oil.
The tranny in my Tige runs ATF. I wouls guess the v-drive in your tige needs 90 wt gear oil.

[ajholt7]

Hi ajholt 7 - I spoke to my mechanic again. He said that the Borg-Warner Velvet Drive Manual says that SAE 30 engine oils can be used if the RPM does not exceed 3000rpm. Does that sound right - do the 2007 Tige RZ2 use Borg-Warner Velvet Drives?

I don't know about the Borg-Warner. I just believe that if it says ATF only on it then I don't know why the mechanic would change that to anything else. Mine is a ZF and has SAE30 in it. MarinePower said they started putting SAE30 in them to quiet them down. You will probably be fine if the mechanic put SAE30 in it, but Axle oil is a whole lot thicker than ATF.

[ajholt7]

Come to think about it, it's the trans that Marine Power switched from atf to Sae 30. I believe the v-drives have always had some sort of oil in them, not atf. Now I'm confusing myself. hopefully someone else will chime in.

[chpthril]

Hi ajholt 7 - I spoke to my mechanic again. He said that the Borg-Warner Velvet Drive Manual says that SAE 30 engine oils can be used if the RPM does not exceed 3000rpm. Does that sound right - do the 2007 Tige RZ2 use Borg-Warner Velvet Drives?

The Borg-Warner Velvet was the transmission unit that Tige mated with the Walter-Vdrive. What you have is a ZF trans/v-drive unit. On a side note, ive never seen a B/W unit that used anything other then ATF and the Walters used non-detergent 30W motor oil.

I think you need to use ATF and your Mastercraft tech needs to get some training from MC so he knows the difference between a trans and a V-drive . What do they do with the $120K they get for their boats J/K

[ajholt7]

Thanks Chp

[chpthril]

I will be happy to repost the pics as soon as I can. My unit was the borg-warner and walter v-drive, but the concept is about the same.

Post looks out of place, but the OP was asking about the pics in my how to service you v-drive thread, but deleted his question.

I just looked and the pics seem to be there.

I could have deleted, but why waste a chance to increase your post count