Allison Transmission Questions
- Thread starter AllisonMan
- Start date
dbarton291
Senior Member
Re: Allison Transmission Questions
Back now in the US of A and darn glad.
Back now in the US of A and darn glad.
Triple E
Senior Member
Re: Allison Transmission Questions
dB, Took my mh out of the garage. Parked her beside the house on a 2% grade. The rear of the coach was lower then the front. After a week, I went to put her back into the garage and now I think I have a problem. I started the coach, let the engine warm-up, transmission temp = 104. Selected "D" and the pad indicated "1", pushed on the peddle and she acted like she was in second. I had to almost floor it to get her to move. Reverse is good. I put the coach back into the garage and left it there. Wanted your input before I made another move.
I put her in to storage around Oct. On the first Sunday of the each month while in storage I start the engine for approximately 90 minutes. Just before I shut the engine down I always cycle the transmission from N to R to N to D to N for approximately 30 seconds in each gear. Replaced the filter, Allison, and oil, Synthetic, last summer. Oil is about a half quart low. Well db what do you think? :question: Thanks, again, for your help.
:8ball:
dB, Took my mh out of the garage. Parked her beside the house on a 2% grade. The rear of the coach was lower then the front. After a week, I went to put her back into the garage and now I think I have a problem. I started the coach, let the engine warm-up, transmission temp = 104. Selected "D" and the pad indicated "1", pushed on the peddle and she acted like she was in second. I had to almost floor it to get her to move. Reverse is good. I put the coach back into the garage and left it there. Wanted your input before I made another move.
I put her in to storage around Oct. On the first Sunday of the each month while in storage I start the engine for approximately 90 minutes. Just before I shut the engine down I always cycle the transmission from N to R to N to D to N for approximately 30 seconds in each gear. Replaced the filter, Allison, and oil, Synthetic, last summer. Oil is about a half quart low. Well db what do you think? :question: Thanks, again, for your help.
:8ball:
dbarton291
Senior Member
Re: Allison Transmission Questions
I'm assuming when you pressed the fuel pedal, the engine didn't rev way up like the trans was slipping.
I'd take it out and drive it and see if you get the check trans light coming on indicating transmission trouble codes. At this point, I don't necessarily think from your description there's a problem with the trans. Several possibilities for that sort of sensation.
Let us know what happens.
I'm assuming when you pressed the fuel pedal, the engine didn't rev way up like the trans was slipping.
I'd take it out and drive it and see if you get the check trans light coming on indicating transmission trouble codes. At this point, I don't necessarily think from your description there's a problem with the trans. Several possibilities for that sort of sensation.
Let us know what happens.
bluestarhp
New Member
RE: Allison Transmission Questions
Recently purchased a 1999 Fleetwood American Dream 40VS, Cummins 330, Allison 6-Spd (M3060)?_ Speedometer(VDO) was totally Inop. on first trip after delivery, then began to operate normally and continues to be OK.
VDO Tachometer worked at first, now totally Inop. except for pulse from 0-full scale when Ign. Switch turned on _ otherwis totally Inop.
Tech from local diesel shop installed a new sending unit_ the straight version as opposed to OEM 90-degree style_
Tachometer still Inop.
Have ordered a new VDO Tach._ not installed yet.
I suspected a wiring harness problem, but voltage and continuity checks showed up OK?
Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Bill
Recently purchased a 1999 Fleetwood American Dream 40VS, Cummins 330, Allison 6-Spd (M3060)?_ Speedometer(VDO) was totally Inop. on first trip after delivery, then began to operate normally and continues to be OK.VDO Tachometer worked at first, now totally Inop. except for pulse from 0-full scale when Ign. Switch turned on _ otherwis totally Inop.
Tech from local diesel shop installed a new sending unit_ the straight version as opposed to OEM 90-degree style_
Tachometer still Inop.
Have ordered a new VDO Tach._ not installed yet.
I suspected a wiring harness problem, but voltage and continuity checks showed up OK?
Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Bill
RE: Allison Transmission Questions
AllisonMan
I am looking at a 1999 American Tradition MH with only 15K original miles on it. That is just over 1.3K miles a year. What would you expect to see if you did an oil sample? What kind of problems would/could present themselves since it is almost no miles in 11 years?
AllisonMan
I am looking at a 1999 American Tradition MH with only 15K original miles on it. That is just over 1.3K miles a year. What would you expect to see if you did an oil sample? What kind of problems would/could present themselves since it is almost no miles in 11 years?
dbarton291
Senior Member
RE: Allison Transmission Questions
so this speedo uses a sending unit, not the speedo output from the transmission control unit? It that's the case, you certainly don't have a transmission issue.
I'd check the harness between the speedo head and the sending unit for opens, shorts between wires and shorts to ground.
bluestarhp - 3/10/2010 9:35 AM
VDO Tachometer worked at first, now totally Inop. except for pulse from 0-full scale when Ign. Switch turned on _ otherwis totally Inop.
Tech from local diesel shop installed a new sending unit_ the straight version as opposed to OEM 90-degree style_
Tachometer still Inop.
Have ordered a new VDO Tach._ not installed yet.
I suspected a wiring harness problem, but voltage and continuity checks showed up OK?
Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Bill
so this speedo uses a sending unit, not the speedo output from the transmission control unit? It that's the case, you certainly don't have a transmission issue.
I'd check the harness between the speedo head and the sending unit for opens, shorts between wires and shorts to ground.
dbarton291
Senior Member
RE: Allison Transmission Questions
Depends when the oil was last changed.
If the oil's been sitting there all these years, the presence of water due to condensation is possible, as well as biological growth.
Best to just change the oil and filters and go on.
Depends when the oil was last changed.
If the oil's been sitting there all these years, the presence of water due to condensation is possible, as well as biological growth.
Best to just change the oil and filters and go on.
Rick from Paso
New Member
Re: Allison Transmission Questions
Thank you for being there for all of us neophytes! I just bought an old American Eagle with a MD3060 mated to a cummins 8.3. It seems to shift fine but the tranny fluid looks like it needs changing. It doesn't have the spin-on filter like the new ones. It just has two round covers held on by bolts to the bottom of the pan. I assume that's where the filters are. There doesn't appear to be any drain plug. Would changing the fluid and filters be a job that I could perform? I do so on my suburban 700R4 tranny. Are there any pitfalls / tricks I need to be aware of? The manual and dipstick both say dextron, is there a way to tell if it has synthetic? Should I use synthetic? I read about running out the old fluid through the cooler line. After you drain what you can and change the filters and fill with fluid (how much?) to top it off, should you over fill or just let it pump out until clean + 2 qts and refill or should you be filling it as you are running the engine?
Thanks again for your help.
Regards, Rick from Paso
New owner of a 1992 American Eagle with lots of problems!
Thank you for being there for all of us neophytes! I just bought an old American Eagle with a MD3060 mated to a cummins 8.3. It seems to shift fine but the tranny fluid looks like it needs changing. It doesn't have the spin-on filter like the new ones. It just has two round covers held on by bolts to the bottom of the pan. I assume that's where the filters are. There doesn't appear to be any drain plug. Would changing the fluid and filters be a job that I could perform? I do so on my suburban 700R4 tranny. Are there any pitfalls / tricks I need to be aware of? The manual and dipstick both say dextron, is there a way to tell if it has synthetic? Should I use synthetic? I read about running out the old fluid through the cooler line. After you drain what you can and change the filters and fill with fluid (how much?) to top it off, should you over fill or just let it pump out until clean + 2 qts and refill or should you be filling it as you are running the engine?
Thanks again for your help.
Regards, Rick from Paso
New owner of a 1992 American Eagle with lots of problems!
Triple E
Senior Member
Re: Allison Transmission Questions
Hello Rick and welcome to the forum.
I am not dBarton but I will tell you what he has told me and what I have in my manual.
Never, never, never overfill.
Do not refill the transmission while the engine is running.
Yes the filters are inside of those two round covers.
The drain plug is next to the round filter cover on the drivers side.
When you remove the (2) filters that will get rid of most of your old oil. Not all but close. Ok to mix the old oil with the Synthetic
When replacing the internal filters you will need 18 qt's. Use TranSynd Synthetic transmission oil.
Torque; Filter cover bolts = 38 - 45 lb ft, Drain plug 18 - 24 lb ft.
Believe me. If I can change the oil, you will not have a problem.
Tricks???? Make sure you replace the O-rings correctly. The filters come with good directions.
:8ball:
Hello Rick and welcome to the forum.
I am not dBarton but I will tell you what he has told me and what I have in my manual.
Never, never, never overfill.
Do not refill the transmission while the engine is running.
Yes the filters are inside of those two round covers.
The drain plug is next to the round filter cover on the drivers side.
When you remove the (2) filters that will get rid of most of your old oil. Not all but close. Ok to mix the old oil with the Synthetic
When replacing the internal filters you will need 18 qt's. Use TranSynd Synthetic transmission oil.
Torque; Filter cover bolts = 38 - 45 lb ft, Drain plug 18 - 24 lb ft.
Believe me. If I can change the oil, you will not have a problem.
Tricks???? Make sure you replace the O-rings correctly. The filters come with good directions.
:8ball:
Rick from Paso
New Member
Re: Allison Transmission Questions
Triple E, Thanks for your help, I have an early MD3060, my drain plug is on the passenger side, not much came out of it, maybe a quart, I checked the fluid level several times prior to the filter change and it looked okay. All told, including the filters only a little more than a gallon in the drain pan! I installed the new filters an o-rings and re-filled a gallon. Any ideas?
Triple E, Thanks for your help, I have an early MD3060, my drain plug is on the passenger side, not much came out of it, maybe a quart, I checked the fluid level several times prior to the filter change and it looked okay. All told, including the filters only a little more than a gallon in the drain pan! I installed the new filters an o-rings and re-filled a gallon. Any ideas?
Rick from Paso
New Member
Re: Allison Transmission Questions
Is there a start up procedure you should follow after changing filters? My old manual tells how to do a cold check and hot check but no pre-start up check. I read the new manual and it says the static fluid level should be near hot prior to starting the engine. After changing filters, my dipstick is considerably higher than hot, as you would expect the filters aren't full at this point. Thanks again for your help.
Regards, Rick from Paso
Is there a start up procedure you should follow after changing filters? My old manual tells how to do a cold check and hot check but no pre-start up check. I read the new manual and it says the static fluid level should be near hot prior to starting the engine. After changing filters, my dipstick is considerably higher than hot, as you would expect the filters aren't full at this point. Thanks again for your help.
Regards, Rick from Paso
Triple E
Senior Member
Re: Allison Transmission Questions
Was the oil hot or cold when you drained it. Should have been at operating temp. I have not seen any start up procedure that I now of beside being close to full. I wish I could tell you more. dbarton will have to take over from here. He may be out of town but I know he keeps an eye on this forum. Should be hearing from him soon. Sorry that I cannot be of further help.
:8ball:
Was the oil hot or cold when you drained it. Should have been at operating temp. I have not seen any start up procedure that I now of beside being close to full. I wish I could tell you more. dbarton will have to take over from here. He may be out of town but I know he keeps an eye on this forum. Should be hearing from him soon. Sorry that I cannot be of further help.
:8ball:
Rick from Paso
New Member
Re: Allison Transmission Questions
Transmission was at operating temp (ouch!). I started it up and went through the cold check procedure. Shift to drive, shift to reverse, idle for 1 min. Dip stick shows good cold level. I'm going to call allison and ask some questions. Thanks for your help.
Regards, Rick from Paso
Transmission was at operating temp (ouch!). I started it up and went through the cold check procedure. Shift to drive, shift to reverse, idle for 1 min. Dip stick shows good cold level. I'm going to call allison and ask some questions. Thanks for your help.
Regards, Rick from Paso
Rick from Paso
New Member
Re: Allison Transmission Questions
Thinking about it a little more, I think the drain plug is just clogged. The drain plug is pretty small, the o-ring replacement in the filter kit didn't fit it, way too big. I noticed that it didn't drain very freely, it kind of dribbled out. If it is plugged, that's not a good sign.
Thinking about it a little more, I think the drain plug is just clogged. The drain plug is pretty small, the o-ring replacement in the filter kit didn't fit it, way too big. I noticed that it didn't drain very freely, it kind of dribbled out. If it is plugged, that's not a good sign.
Triple E
Senior Member
Re: Allison Transmission Questions
Oh boy, where is Danny when we need him. Rick I am using a 2006 Allision Service Manual. This manual show the oil drain plug for the MD 3060 6 speed in the same location. The drain plug is located on the transmissiontoward the front of the motor home, just to the right and front of the oil filter on the driver side. You need a 1/4" drive, or maybe an Allan Head, to remove this plug. The plug does not have a bolt type head on it. I am wondering if you might have removed a Test Port Plug. These plugs use a smaller o-ring. Hey good luck and let us know what you find. :8ball:
Oh boy, where is Danny when we need him. Rick I am using a 2006 Allision Service Manual. This manual show the oil drain plug for the MD 3060 6 speed in the same location. The drain plug is located on the transmissiontoward the front of the motor home, just to the right and front of the oil filter on the driver side. You need a 1/4" drive, or maybe an Allan Head, to remove this plug. The plug does not have a bolt type head on it. I am wondering if you might have removed a Test Port Plug. These plugs use a smaller o-ring. Hey good luck and let us know what you find. :8ball:
Rick from Paso
New Member
Re: Allison Transmission Questions
That would be great, I'll have to crawl under there and look. Thanks for your help, I'll keep you posted. I talked to the Allison service center in Bakersfield, $6,000 for a rebuild, not including RR labor and flush/fill!! Yikes!!
That would be great, I'll have to crawl under there and look. Thanks for your help, I'll keep you posted. I talked to the Allison service center in Bakersfield, $6,000 for a rebuild, not including RR labor and flush/fill!! Yikes!!