V-Drive Dipstick

[baroda5 1]

I'm a new owner of an '03 Avalanche Brett Eisenhower Edition with the 350/315 Engine with 300 hours on it.  The V-Drive warning light came on during our first and only ride this year.  I went to check the oil level and the dipstick interferes with the structure of the boat and required a subtle flex of the dipstick to remove it from the gear drive.  Is this normal??  Also, should I check the level while sitting in the water? or should I have the framework around the engine level?  or try to get valve covers level with the world??

 

Thanks in advance.

[jtryon 24]

haha welcome to the club, i had this same question last season.  the dipstick is definitely a stout one so you have to trust that bending it to get around that seat frame won't break it off, but that's the only way to get it out.  poor design for sure.  i checked the level of mine on the trailer after a drain/refill and it's worked perfectly with no warning light since.  mine would have the light on at idle and up to 900-ish RPM but would go off after that; since changing the fluid and topping it off it doesn't even come on at idle anymore.

[baroda5 1]

Thanks for the reply.  Glad to hear it’s not just me and I wasn’t missing something.  We had to replace the starter this weekend (which was zero fun) but afterwards the v drive light worked correctly.  Maybe I was just understanding it incorrectly the first time out.  Now onto gauges, stereo, and ballast pump issues.  
 

This is a great forum for help.  Thanks again

[rick0 0]

On 6/20/2022 at 8:59 AM, jtryon said:

haha welcome to the club, i had this same question last season.  the dipstick is definitely a stout one so you have to trust that bending it to get around that seat frame won't break it off, but that's the only way to get it out.  poor design for sure.  i checked the level of mine on the trailer after a drain/refill and it's worked perfectly with no warning light since.  mine would have the light on at idle and up to 900-ish RPM but would go off after that; since changing the fluid and topping it off it doesn't even come on at idle anymore.

This sounds like an issue to me.  The light should come on up until 700-900 RPMs.  If it's not coming on at all, you need to probably change the vdrive oil pressure sending unit sensor.

[mikeyr114 1]

I actually just was emailing walter directly. $49 for new sending unit. They also said to make sure oil was atleast to top of full mark if not slightly over and to check when boat was in water. They sent me full service manual if anyone needs one. 

[jtryon 24]

On 8/26/2022 at 9:35 AM, rick0 said:

This sounds like an issue to me.  The light should come on up until 700-900 RPMs.  If it's not coming on at all, you need to probably change the vdrive oil pressure sending unit sensor.

it worked right before changing the oil, it would be quite a coincidence if the sensor died the next time the boat was started, no?  anyone else out there with a sensor light that stays off?

[mikeyr114 1]

Yea that's strange..did you just move a wire or break once? You can jump the w wires and light should come on to verify.

Mine actually never came on for previous 4 years of owning boat and just started working. I always thought if light came on then I had an issue. So you can imagine my scare when that light did come on the first time at idle...

[jtryon 24]

just got this from Walters, so i'll look into it.

 

Light should be ON anytime in neutral or IN GEAR below approx 1000 rpm