A drive unit assembly, comprising: a housing having an inner surface and an outer surface defining a hollow interior portion therein; a gear assembly; wherein said hollow interior portion is of a size and shape to receive and/or retain at least a portion of the gear assembly; a shroud having an inner surface, an outer surface, a first side, a second side, a first end portion, a second end portion and an intermediate portion interposed between said first and second end portions (634; 636); wherein at least a portion of said shroud is disposed within at least a portion of said hollow interior portion of said housing; wherein one or more first shroud channels having one or more inlet openings and one or more outlet openings extend inward into a body portion of said shroud from at least a portion of said second side of said shroud; wherein at least a portion of said one or more inlet openings of said one or more first shroud channels are disposed in said second side of said shroud; wherein at least a portion of said one or more outlet openings are disposed in said inner surface of said first end portion of said body portion of said shroud; wherein at least a portion of said shroud is integrally connected to at least a portion of said inner surface of said housing or is integrally formed as part of said inner surface of said housing; characterized in that at least a portion of a helical gear of said gear assembly is disposed proximate to and directly adjacent to at least a portion of said inner surface of said shroud; and wherein said one or more outlet openings are in fluid communication with said one or more first shroud channels in said shroud by one or more second shroud channels in said shroud. a housing having an inner surface and an outer surface defining a hollow interior portion therein; a gear assembly; wherein said hollow interior portion is of a size and shape to receive and/or retain at least a portion of the gear assembly; a shroud having an inner surface, an outer surface, a first side, a second side, a first end portion, a second end portion and an intermediate portion interposed between said first and second end portions (634; 636); wherein at least a portion of said shroud is disposed within at least a portion of said hollow interior portion of said housing; wherein one or more first shroud channels having one or more inlet openings and one or more outlet openings extend inward into a body portion of said shroud from at least a portion of said second side of said shroud; wherein at least a portion of said one or more inlet openings of said one or more first shroud channels are disposed in said second side of said shroud; wherein at least a portion of said one or more outlet openings are disposed in said inner surface of said first end portion of said body portion of said shroud; wherein at least a portion of said shroud is integrally connected to at least a portion of said inner surface of said housing or is integrally formed as part of said inner surface of said housing; characterized in that at least a portion of a helical gear of said gear assembly is disposed proximate to and directly adjacent to at least a portion of said inner surface of said shroud; and wherein said one or more outlet openings are in fluid communication with said one or more first shroud channels in said shroud by one or more second shroud channels in said shroud. wherein at least a portion of said shroud is disposed within at least a portion of said hollow interior portion of said housing; wherein one or more first shroud channels having one or more inlet openings and one or more outlet openings extend inward into a body portion of said shroud from at least a portion of said second side of said shroud; wherein at least a portion of said one or more inlet openings of said one or more first shroud channels are disposed in said second side of said shroud; wherein at least a portion of said one or more outlet openings are disposed in said inner surface of said first end portion of said body portion of said shroud; wherein at least a portion of said shroud is integrally connected to at least a portion of said inner surface of said housing or is integrally formed as part of said inner surface of said housing; characterized in that at least a portion of a helical gear of said gear assembly is disposed proximate to and directly adjacent to at least a portion of said inner surface of said shroud; and wherein said one or more outlet openings are in fluid communication with said one or more first shroud channels in said shroud by one or more second shroud channels in said shroud.