Allison fluid and filter change intervals

[saflyer]

I was just reading the Allison operator manual for my 3000MH transmission. It gives fluid and filter intervals for severe vocation and general vocation. Two things I’m not clear on:

(1) It discusses Transend and non-Transend fluid saying the transmissions are built with a limited amount of Transend and the vehicle manufacturers top them off. They could use either fluid in the top-off stage. How do I know if HR used Transend?

(2) In the notes it says severe versus general vocation for motorhomes is determined by where the coach has a retarder or not. What is a retarder and how do I know if I have one?

Also, the lubrication table speaks of the Main and Lube/Auxiliary filters. Are these external, like the fuel filters for the engine? What is the purpose of the second one?

Ed           
‘05 Holiday Rambler Ambassador         
Cummins ISC 330

Edited October 7, 2021 by saflyer

[JDCrow]

Can’t answer # 1

#2 sometimes retarders are Exhaust brakes. Though there are internal Jacob’s brakes. I’m not sure if there were available on the ISC. 
 

#3 to my knowledge both filters are internal. Just had a service done last year on mine and went with synthetic fluid. Figure I’m now done with the trans, it will out live me and shouldn’t have to mess with it again. 

[vito.a]

Your 2005 should have come from Monaco with Allison Transynd.  It will have a yellow tag on the dipstick under the bedroom floor saying "Service with Transynd".   

Transynd is getting difficult to locate and very expensive.  You can use any TES295 spec trans fluid.   Mobil Delvac 1 is easier to find and less expensive.  Check Summit Racing online.  

The filters are internal in the bottom of the oil pan.  You will see two round covers bolted to the bottom of the trans oil pan.   Remove these bolts and the cover will come off with the filter.  Allison has short and long filters.  motor homes use long. 

I attached the Allison filter change guide.  It is loaded with great info.   

Allison Transmission filter change.pdf

Edited October 7, 2021 by vito.a

[Ivan K]

Allison transmission could have an optional hydraulic retarder at the outputshaft. Not likely that you have it but if you plug your serial number into a place on Allison website, it will tell you what you got. I did before my first fluid change and it told me that I have a shallow pan which was incorrect so I figure that Monaco upgraded it to a deep pan after they received it.

[saflyer]

1 hour ago, vito.a said:

Your 2005 should have come from Monaco with Allison Transynd.  It will have a yellow tag on the dipstick under the bedroom floor saying "Service with Transynd".   

Transynd is getting difficult to locate and very expensive.  You can use any TES295 spec trans fluid.   Mobil Delvac 1 is easier to find and less expensive.  Check Summit Racing online.  

The filters are internal in the bottom of the oil pan.  You will see two round covers bolted to the bottom of the trans oil pan.   Remove these bolts and the cover will come off with the filter.  Allison has short and long filters.  motor homes use long. 

I attached the Allison filter change guide.  It is loaded with great info.   

Allison Transmission filter change.pdf 565.95 kB · 13 downloads

Great information.

Thanks

1 hour ago, JDCrow said:

Can’t answer # 1

#2 sometimes retarders are Exhaust brakes. Though there are internal Jacob’s brakes. I’m not sure if there were available on the ISC. 
 

#3 to my knowledge both filters are internal. Just had a service done last year on mine and went with synthetic fluid. Figure I’m now done with the trans, it will out live me and shouldn’t have to mess with it again. 

I have an exhaust brake. Guess that makes me “Severe vocation”. Makes a huge difference in intervals if you drive a heck of a lot but almost no difference for changing fluid and filters by the calendar.

Thanks

1 hour ago, Ivan K said:

Allison transmission could have an optional hydraulic retarder at the outputshaft. Not likely that you have it but if you plug your serial number into a place on Allison website, it will tell you what you got. I did before my first fluid change and it told me that I have a shallow pan which was incorrect so I figure that Monaco upgraded it to a deep pan after they received it.

Coach or transmission serial number.  Feel dumb for asking but I have to.

Thanks

[Ivan K]

With your Allison tranny serial number below you can get some info here: https://www.allisontransmission.com/parts-service/my-transmission

[Chuck B 2004 Windsor]

Monaco put Transynd fluid in all their coaches transmissions.  Chuck B 2004 Windsor

[Ivan K]

17 minutes ago, Chuck B said:

Monaco put Transynd fluid in all their coaches transmissions.  Chuck B 2004 Windsor

My manual is from 2001 and still indicates Dexron III. Don't remember when Transynd became available.

[Flyinhy]

Is Transynd the only fluid you'd put in yours or would you opt for a different brand so long as it meets the specs?

[Ivan K]

Myself, I used Transynd, don't know if the other ones are any cheaper or not but should be good if approved by Allison. 

[granvillebarker]

I’m like Ivan, I’ll stick to Transynd, I don’t like mixing brands.   As expensive as it is, I typically clean the tranny real well before dropping the filters and catch all the oil in a very clean pan, then reuse as much as possible if it doesn’t get contaminated by anything.   
 

On my dynasty they put a big protective frame bar under the granny that used to have to come off to get the filters out and it was always a pain to get it back on.   The bar drug on the road turning in a campground about 13 years ago, and bent it perfectly so It doesn’t block the filters anymore.

 

—

Granville Barker

05 Dynasty Countess

Edited October 8, 2021 by granvillebarker

[David Pratt]

Allison started shipping all their transmissions with Transynd Synthetic  around 2003-2004. Prior to that DEXRON III was used and recommended by Allison. There are other Brands of Synthetic oil that are approved by Allison and are compatible with Transynd oil.

Dexron III is also compatible with Transynd for emergency's when Transynd may not be available. But, as explained by the Allison Rep in the Seminars at the Monacoers Gathering each year, that if you do mix Dexron III with Transynd that you no longer have 100% Synthetic. Mixing Dexron III will not harm the transmission but it is recommended that to get back to a full Synthetic oil you will have to flush and fill the transmission and change the filters and fill with with Transynd or an Allison approved equivalent.

Also, as stated early in this post, the Allison Rep did explain that Allison recommended that whenever switching from forward to reverse to always switch to neutral first. The reason he explained is that it lessens the Torgue Shift Load from one direction to the other and is much easier on the clutches and servos.

Monaco never built a coach with a Transmission Retarder installed. Any engine/jake brake uses either a solenoid/servo that will close off the exhaust manifold causing back pressure to back up to the cylinders to slow the coach or the engine brake is normally internal in the engine and uses the valve train as a method of slowing the the coach. Engine Brakes are normally two or three position. A two position brake will close off three engine cylinders at each position and a three position brake will close off two cylinders at a time for each position.

The Transmission Retarder is an addition to the transmission and is mounted on the rear/output end of the transmission. The Retarder is commonly used in the high end coaches and buses such as Prevost, Foretravel and Newell. It is operated by a Six Position Joy Stick and give better control in slowing down a coach. It is much more effective than a Jake or Engine Brake and Quiet, no noise. It is virtually a big internal turbine at the back of the transmission that when activated flows the trans oil to it and allows the braking at the driveshaft to the drive axle and does not use the engine. A Transmission Retarder or an Engine/Jake brake cannot be installed together, it has to be one or the other.

I have the Transmission Retarder in our ih-45 and am very pleased with it. Compared to the engine brake I had in my Exec with the DD60 it is much more effective and I like the fact I have more control over the braking with the Six Position Joy Stick. Depending on the amount of use and position selected it will raise the Tranny temperature. On descending many long 6% and 7% downgrades I have seen the tranny temp rise around 20 degrees above normal and when back on level ground and turned off the Tranny will get back to normal temperature rather quickly.

There is no additional maintenance required if the transmission is equipped with the Retarder.