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Allison temperatures

Yahoo Message Number: 22170
Who has a failed Allisons in a CC of your model & year?

Did it fail due to excess temperature?
Without those two questions, this thread of discussion has little value.
It seems some would invent problems to blame on CC. CC is not President Bush, we do not need to accuse CC of creating problems that do not exist.

Why do people choose to base opinions on SOBs rather than Allison publications?

Assumptions based on mechanical design of a Chevrolet car are not relevant to design & operation coach of the model & year of your coach is. Assumptions based on under temperature operation of an Allison in SOB that lacked /controlled/ cooling system are not relevant.
If you could limit your Allison to 100 degrees, it would fail due to water contamination & corrosion.

My personal preference is engine & transmission operation near 200 degrees to evaporate water & fuel from engine crankcase and water from transmission.

Some of the observations seem to have merit, but without failed Allisons little value.

Eric Lee Elliott
5 Inspire 51321

C9 Caterpillar 400 HP.
over 40K# rolling weight

Re: Allison temperatures

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 22171
Quote
Who has a failed Allisons in a CC of your model & year? >

Did it fail due to excess temperature? > > Without those two questions, this thread of discussion has little value.
Excellent point. In following these groups for 7-8yrs and owning an Allison MD3060 for 6yrs, I have yet to hear of a failure due to temperature.
Tom Fisher
Dallas, TX

Re: Allison temperatures

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 22172
Eric,

I have been watching this thread with interest. IMHO the participants are more concerned with what could happen (possibilities), because of a perceived temperature problem. This appears to be a justified concern if the temperatures are running high. The failures may be "yet to come". And the life of the tranny may be shortened because of the excess temps. Just a thought..

Russ

05 Intrigue
11883

Quote from: Eric Lee Elliott\[br\
] >

Who has a failed Allisons in a CC of your model & year? >

Did it fail due to excess temperature? >

Without those two questions, this thread of discussion has little

value.

Quote
>

It seems some would invent problems to blame on CC. CC is not

President

Quote
Bush, we do not need to accuse CC of creating problems that do not

exist.

Quote
>

Why do people choose to base opinions on SOBs rather than Allison > publications?

Assumptions based on mechanical design of a Chevrolet car are not > relevant to design & operation coach of the model & year of your

coach

Quote
is. Assumptions based on under temperature operation of an Allison

in

Quote
SOB that lacked /controlled/ cooling system are not relevant.

If you could limit your Allison to 100 degrees, it would fail due

to

Quote
water contamination & corrosion.

My personal preference is engine & transmission operation near 200 > degrees to evaporate water & fuel from engine crankcase and water

from

Quote
transmission.

Some of the observations seem to have merit, but without failed

Allisons

Re: Allison temperatures

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 22173
Just for the record:

I like my Inspire
I like Country Coach

I think my Allison tranny is solid, ( as sold to C/C ) I like President Bush

That having been said, I do think there could be a design problem with the Allison tranny and the C9 in the Inspire, 05 and beyond.
Yesterday, I pulled California's notorios Baker grade at 55 mph, and the tranny held around 215 degrees. That seems Ok to me, with the outside temp around 85 degrees.
On the same day, I had to struggle to keep my Allison temp below 235 during traffic slow downs. On other days, I have seen the temp soar to close to 300 degrees with slow maneuvering. THAT CANT BE RIGHT, if those temps are real.
I do think that Country Coach needs to step up to the plate and defend their design, or fix it.
This Allison / C9 combo ( in the Inspire ) is only a little over 2 years old, so not surprising there have been no failures yet. I do think the main concern here is LONGEVITY.
Worse case senario, we have a 5 year and one day transmission.
Ned, everything you said seems to me, to be right on. I thank all of you for your thoughts.

Jim

2005 Inspire 40'
#51225

Re: Allison temperatures

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 22174
All the more reason to switch to Allison Transynd transmission fluid!

Bob

Re: Allison temperatures

Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 22175
I had a similar problem with my MH3000 transmission this past year.
It was overheating very rapidly during slow moving traffic with outside temperatures 75 degrees F or greater. My dash gage was indicating full scale 300 degrees (it was pegged so who knows how hot it really was). The dash gage is the temp for the fluid leaving the transmission going to the cooler. The sump temperature was routinely getting up in the 250 range as reported by the Silverleaf monitor.
During normal cruise conditions the transmission sump temperatures were normally around 205 - 220.

After speaking with Allison I learned that the transmission will not report a overheat condition unless the sump temperature reaches 262 degrees. Mine got to this temperature 3 times and never illuminated transmission warning light. Unfortunately, for the transmission to report a error code you have to let it get so hot that you think you are going to ruin your transmission. Also, unfortunately, the error codes are the only thing that let the techs at CC or Allison understand there is a problem.

After speaking with Country Coach many times, I took my coach to my local Allison dealer who did diagnostic tests on both the transmission and the cooler. The Allison dealer concluded the transmission was operating normally and the cooler was providing inadequate cooling.
After the testing was complete, Allison called CC on my behalf.
Results: I had an auxillary transmission cooler installed last month and so far every thing is running much cooler. I have only driven about 500 miles since it was installed. The temperatures on both the sump and the gage are running about 45-50 degrees cooler.

Kevin

05 Intrigue

Re: Allison temperatures

Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 22177

kevin

If you are interested in learning more about your Allison see the FMCA magizine this month, April 2006. They have a great 4 page article about Allison.

Bill G. 2005 Magna #6425 ( with new trans. cooler )

Re: Allison temperatures

Reply #7 –
Yahoo Message Number: 22179
This is right on the mark for me. I am concerned about the high temperature readings and what this will mean in terms of longevity of my Inspire (Allison) transmission. I have submitted data to CCI and have requested review of said data and an explanation as to why the temperatures are higher than recommended in many situations.
BTW, I happen to ride on a commercial bus that sat idling for about 30 minutes. The tranny temperature gauge did not budge either way while sitting there. Had that been my Inspire the temperature would have been 240 or higher without a doubt. The bus had an Allison tranny, not sure which model but the controls were exactly the same as mine.

Quote from: dosgoldens

Re: Allison temperatures

Reply #8 –
Yahoo Message Number: 22185
Kevin,

Great info, Kevin. Thanks for your post. If no error code is issued until the sump reaches 262 Deg. F, then I will definitely add a sump temp gauge to the dash instruments. This will make monitoring much easier than the "smell and color" test of the transmission fluid.

Dave Hills

2000 Allure 36'
#30444

ccintrigue05 wrote:

Re: Allison temperatures

Reply #9 –
Yahoo Message Number: 22191
Quote from: kary993

Hi Kary,
Interesting thread on Allison Temps. We have a new 06 Inspire with only 3500 miles on the clock to date.

Fortuneately only stuck in heavy traffic once for 30 mins or so and normal 200degr temp crept up to 230 degr.

I have heard moving transmission to neutral while in such traffic helps reduce temps, but not had much chance to practice this yet.

However what I do see is a very rapid rise in temperature from 200 to 230+ degr. every time I have to reverse my rig to park in my home yard.

I have to reverse up a very slight slope with side clearances of only 18" through entrance gate (cannot make this wider). Also house roof is only 18" from roof of rig. This is performed at creeping speed and maybe with a little re-alignment. But can guarantee than within 5 mins temp is up from 190 to 230+.

After which I change into neutral and let engine tickover a 2-3 mins, during transmission temp drops back to around 210.

I have not seen such a rapid temp increase in slow traffic. Maybe not getting airflow in reverse, hence temp increase.

As yet I have not seen 250/260degr.

Tony & Pat D.

o6 Inspire

54554

t this will mean in terms of longevity of
Quote
my Inspire (Allison) transmission. I have submitted data to CCI and > have requested review of said data and an explanation as to why the > temperatures are higher than recommended in many situations.
> BTW, I happen to ride on a commercial bus that sat idling for about > 30 minutes. The tranny temperature gauge did not budge either way > while sitting there. Had that been my Inspire the temperature would > have been 240 or higher without a doubt. The bus had an Allison > tranny, not sure which model but the controls were exactly the same as > mine.

[quote author=dosgoldens" jean@

>

> Eric,

> I have been watching this thread with interest. IMHO the

participants

Quote
are more concerned with what could happen (possibilities), because

of

Quote
a perceived temperature problem. This appears to be a justified > > concern if the temperatures are running high. The failures may > > be "yet to come". And the life of the tranny may be shortened

because
 

Re: Allison temperatures

Reply #10 –
Yahoo Message Number: 22192
Quote from: kary993

Hi Kary,
Interesting thread on Allison Temps. We have a new 06 Inspire with only 3500 miles on the clock to date.

Fortuneately only stuck in heavy traffic once for 30 mins or so and normal 200degr temp crept up to 230 degr.

I have heard moving transmission to neutral while in such traffic helps reduce temps, but not had much chance to practice this yet.

However what I do see is a very rapid rise in temperature from 200 to 230+ degr. every time I have to reverse my rig to park in my home yard.

I have to reverse up a very slight slope with side clearances of only 18" through entrance gate (cannot make this wider). Also house roof is only 18" from roof of rig. This is performed at creeping speed and maybe with a little re-alignment. But can guarantee than within 5 mins temp is up from 190 to 230+.

After which I change into neutral and let engine tickover a 2-3 mins, during transmission temp drops back to around 210.

I have not seen such a rapid temp increase in slow traffic. Maybe not getting airflow in reverse, hence temp increase.

As yet I have not seen 250/260degr.

Tony & Pat D.

o6 Inspire

54554

t this will mean in terms of longevity of
Quote
my Inspire (Allison) transmission. I have submitted data to CCI and > have requested review of said data and an explanation as to why the > temperatures are higher than recommended in many situations.
> BTW, I happen to ride on a commercial bus that sat idling for about > 30 minutes. The tranny temperature gauge did not budge either way > while sitting there. Had that been my Inspire the temperature would > have been 240 or higher without a doubt. The bus had an Allison > tranny, not sure which model but the controls were exactly the same as > mine.

[quote author=dosgoldens" jean@

>

> Eric,

> I have been watching this thread with interest. IMHO the

participants

Quote
are more concerned with what could happen (possibilities), because

of

Quote
a perceived temperature problem. This appears to be a justified > > concern if the temperatures are running high. The failures may > > be "yet to come". And the life of the tranny may be shortened

because