Lost 3 gallons from Tranny, am I screwed

[96 EVO]

In my case, I kneeled down and took a quick look at the pan from the side of the coach, and decided that was no 4".

When my filters for a 2" sump arrived, I 'then' decided to crawl under with a tape measure. 

What Allison call's a 4" sump, is 'really' only a little over 3" at it's deepest measurement ☹️!

Live & learn!

[jacwjames]

So the good news is the transmission is still going strong.  I climbed Wolf Creek Pass in Colorado ~10,800 ft elevatiion, although slow going up and down.  ~35 mph up and about the same going down with the exhaust brake on all the way and me stabbing the brakes BUT we made it.  Temps did OK in this test.

The real test is dropping off the interstate and getting in stop and go city traffic.  Albuquerque my tranny temps got up to ~220F which I start getting uncomfortable at.  And the issue is that when you are stuck in traffic there's not many ways to get temp down.  At stop lights I'd put the tranny in N, it helped but not much. 

So my plan is to install another type of auxiliary cooler when I get home.  

I will still be pursuing some sort of warranty claim against Derale but not counting on any monetary comp. 

I should really be going after CG&J as the radiator is the root cause of the problem.  They did not adequately size the internal tranny cooler.  

[96 EVO]

Yep, been there!

What do you have your idle RPM set at?

[tmw188]

Jim it would be nice to know what the dimensions are what cooler looks like in your radiator. I have pictures of my old cooler and kept it. I’m assuming the new one is the same according to Source Eng. 

[jacwjames]

9 hours ago, 96 EVO said:

Yep, been there!

What do you have your idle RPM set at?

My RPM is ~850

1 hour ago, tmw188 said:

Jim it would be nice to know what the dimensions are what cooler looks like in your radiator. I have pictures of my old cooler and kept it. I’m assuming the new one is the same according to Source Eng. 

No idea, when I first suspected I had a problem with the cooler I contacted CG&J and the rep I talked to had no idea how the tranny cooler was sized.  I tried to look in the lower port but could not tell anything on size. 

I think I am going to buy a slightly larger cooler and just bypass the tranny cooler in the radiator.   This eliminates the risk of failure similar to what you had. 

[tmw188]

16 minutes ago, jacwjames said:

My RPM is ~850

No idea, when I first suspected I had a problem with the cooler I contacted CG&J and the rep I talked to had no idea how the tranny cooler was sized.  I tried to look in the lower port but could not tell anything on size. 

I think I am going to buy a slightly larger cooler and just bypass the tranny cooler in the radiator.   This eliminates the risk of failure similar to what you had. 

The cooler is not very big. I’ll post a couple of pics today just for an idea. It’s a strange looking device. Can you get a air to air one large enough or put two in series I guess. 

[96 EVO]

2 hours ago, jacwjames said:

My RPM is ~850

 

That's high!

Drop it down to 700-725rpm, and you should get less slipping / less heat, in bumper to bumper traffic!

[tmw188]

I have mine at 600, is that too low? When it’s a little higher I have to be careful if I get a little lazy on the brake foot pressure when I’m stopped behind some one, it will start creeping fwd.?

[96 EVO]

8 minutes ago, tmw188 said:

I have mine at 600, is that too low? When it’s a little higher I have to be careful if I get a little lazy on the brake foot pressure when I’m stopped behind some one, it will start creeping fwd.?

The plate on your timing chain cover should state Cummins recommended idle rpm for your engine.

My '07 engine is 700rpm!

[tmw188]

Thanks Ben I look thru some pictures I had and it does state 700. It’s only been set that low for about yr. Glad I asked and thanks for the info. 

Edited October 25, 2023 by tmw188

[jacwjames]

I'll adjust my rpm's but unfortunately I'm seeing higher temps when climbing hills and typical highway driving but the highest temps is when I get off interstate and get stuck in traffic.

I'm on the last leg of my trip and will be heading home tomorrow, ~1400 miles and will probably do it in 3 legs unless I see something of  interest.  No real time table and I believe the worse of the mountain climbing is over.

[96 EVO]

4 minutes ago, jacwjames said:

I'll adjust my rpm's but unfortunately I'm seeing higher temps when climbing hills and typical highway driving but the highest temps is when I get off interstate and get stuck in traffic.

I'm on the last leg of my trip and will be heading home tomorrow, ~1400 miles and will probably do it in 3 legs unless I see something of  interest.  No real time table and I believe the worse of the mountain climbing is over.

Yeah, it's unlikely to change your trans temp when your torque converter is locked up!

My cruise control lamp on my dash is very dim, and I guess I was accidentally increasing my idle speed.

Got into a long bumper to bumper nightmare driving thru Portland OR, and when I eventually checked my trans temp, it was up about 225F.

Few weeks later I found I must have inadvertently been increasing my idle speed, thinking I was setting cruise control!

[tmw188]

Jim try to stop by the Meteor Crater in AZ not to far from Williams. Plenty of room for the rig.

[FLynes]

Wok Creek Pass is one mother of a work out, we went up it in ‘06 with our ‘05 2500 Ram pulling our 31’ Airstream. While our trans temp stayed at around 190°, I was more concerned with what my pyrometer was reading, 1400° at one point…35 MPH up that monster is spot on.

Out of curiosity, do you DP owners use pyrometers?

[96 EVO]

Would be nice, but no, I don't have one!

I do keep my rpm's high on long climbs.

[Dr4Film]

My previous Windsor has a Banks EGT and Boost gauge when they installed the Banks Power Pack back in 2013.

The gauges were working right up just before selling the coach. The Banks people told me to check out the wiring harness between the gauges and the Ottomind Control Module. Never had a chance to do that before the coach was sold.

The Banks is still going strong according to the new owners. Hopefully the Ottomind that is in the coach will last a long time.

There are a number of threads on RV forums where RV owners who had the Banks Power Pack installed had their Ottomind crap out necessitating the need to install the Bypass Plug that came with the Banks kit to restore it back to stock. There is no replacement for the Ottomind.

Edited October 26, 2023 by Dr4Film

[Martinvz]

Frederic, Wolf Creek Pass is not so bad and we did it last year with the LaPalma. I did have the DW drive the car up and down so as not to overburden the coach. The engine temp was slightly elevated but dropped noticeably on the downhill.  

[Dr4Film]

Wolf Creek Pass is a cakewalk compared to climbing the grade at either end to get to the Columbia Ice Field in Jasper NP Alberta. We have done that twice while hauling a 30 foot fully loaded cargo trailer. From the south end you actual circle the side of the mountain called Big Bend. My Windsor at the time was in first gear at 12 mph with the pedal to the floor for over 3 minutes, keeping the rpm's close to 2000. Same thing at the North end but somewhat easier.

[Martinvz]

Hi Richard, WCP is a Cake walk, sure, if you drive an oil burner with a blower on the air intake 😎

Frederic and I each drive a gasoline powered coach, GM 8.1 motor. And at only 2000 rpm the motor might just stall on the way up the hill ☹️ 3500 worked for me

ROFL - trying to write this in a humorous way 

[Dr4Film]

Ahhh, gasser motor-homes, now I understand!

Yes, my first Class A was a 1992 36 foot Airstream Landyacht with a 454 engine.

Driving it home from MO to CA I was on the grade between Flagstaff and Phoenix when I thought I was done for it and they would find me over the cliff at the bottom of the ravine.

After trying to use it for Full-Time RVing for one year, I decided to upgrade to the 2002 Monaco Windsor PBT and have never looked back. Now we are enjoying our 2006 Monaco Dynasty with a two stage engine brake and a chipped ISL-400.

No more coaches in our future. This is our last.

[jacwjames]

4 hours ago, Dr4Film said:

Wolf Creek Pass is a cakewalk compared to climbing the grade at either end to get to the Columbia Ice Field in Jasper NP Alberta. We have done that twice while hauling a 30 foot fully loaded cargo trailer. From the south end you actual circle the side of the mountain called Big Bend. My Windsor at the time was in first gear at 12 mph with the pedal to the floor for over 3 minutes, keeping the rpm's close to 2000. Same thing at the North end but somewhat easier.

We did that with our Windsor but wasn't pulling a car and at that time I did not have the Silverleaf VMSpc and display.  I guess at the  time the saying " ignorance is bliss" comes to mind. 

I do have alarms set up on my Silverleaf but I still glance at it when I know the engine or transmission are being pushed.  Today wasn't so bad, tranny temps got to ~199K driving from Carlsbad NM to Sulfur Springs TX.

[96 EVO]

I pulled my toad up a gravel logging road! Switchbacks and all 😮!

I would guestimate 20-24% grade!

Steep enough it was tough to unhook the toad, and when I did, I backed down for close to 1/2mi, because I didn't dare try turning the coach on the road for fear of rolling!

[jacwjames]

41 minutes ago, 96 EVO said:

I pulled my toad up a gravel logging road! Switchbacks and all 😮!

I would guestimate 20-24% grade!

Steep enough it was tough to unhook the toad, and when I did, I backed down for close to 1/2mi, because I didn't dare try turning the coach on the road for fear of rolling!

Wow, that's steep.

Just visited the Black Canyon NP and the drive down the east entrance was 16%, that was steep, had my Jeep in 1st or 2nd gear. 

I doubt I could have held the motorhome back.  I went down a real steep grade with the Windsor to go to the Cayuga NP, had the exhaust brake on, 1st gear, and stabbing the brakes (or more) to keep the speed down.  When I got to the bottom the high temp on the tire TPMS was sounding off.  I don't think I could have actually stopped if I wanted. 

[96 EVO]

2 minutes ago, jacwjames said:

 

I doubt I could have held the motorhome back.  

When I started backing down, I had the door open in case I started sliding, and had to bail !

Well, first little bump and the door slammed shut 😖!

Couldn't believe how well it climbed that gravel grade though! Like a Billygoat!!

Totally accidental of course! d*** Rand McNally!

[FLynes]

15 hours ago, Dr4Film said:

Ahhh, gasser motor-homes, now I understand!

Yes, my first Class A was a 1992 36 foot Airstream Landyacht with a 454 engine.

Driving it home from MO to CA I was on the grade between Flagstaff and Phoenix when I thought I was done for it and they would find me over the cliff at the bottom of the ravine.

After trying to use it for Full-Time RVing for one year, I decided to upgrade to the 2002 Monaco Windsor PBT and have never looked back. Now we are enjoying our 2006 Monaco Dynasty with a two stage engine brake and a chipped ISL-400.

No more coaches in our future. This is our last.

I always felt bad for the Land Yacht MH owners, as there were too many snobby pull-behind owners who never considered them to be real Airstreams and did what they could to prevent their membership to the WBCCI. It was one of the many reasons why we sold our Sovereign.