Burnt the oil... Is the Allison really hurt?

[DieselBunny]

Just like a kid with a new toy, Play with it too rough and you'll break it, I think?
Been running juice for about a month and after about a week of taking friends for quick zooms around the block the novelity wore off, after all it is my work truck:) over the weekend the truck started shifting goofy 1-2 became long and drawn out and the 2-1 clunk while coming to a stop came back. Checked the fluid and the level was ok but the color was very dark, not the red/orange color of transynd that it should be, didn't smell very good either.
I've asked my local Allison dealer, he said that i probably have a C-2 clutch thats on it way out.
of course my GM dealer says "wait till it quits".
I've got visions of being stuck in a small town someware with the family vaction because I waited till "it quit"
Anyone else had this problem? thoughts .. advise

-->Kevin :confused:

[a64pilot]

I thought the Juice wouldn't hurt the tranny.
Anyway how many miles on the truck? I would try replacing the fluid and filter, can't hurt, may help.

[mackin]

DieselBunny

Do a search you will see some others have had a problem with the 1 st gear start off (not being fully engaged)and roasted his tranny and had it replaced ..... One in paticular is a CT member here, perhaps he will chime in and explain ...

Are you running the regular Juice or Hot level

[DieselBunny]

Thanks Mac ...

Sounds like the Stealer is getting a new tranny brought in from Edmonton (GM w.house in western Canada) for Monday and I'll get the switch then. She is still drivable but I'm going to make sure the Deep pan and Transynd is going in her from the start. Was running juice level one for daily driving and had the tow/haul set to 4 to rip it up from time to time.
Just a note .... my guy at Allison said the were having some trouble with Raybestos clutch packs and have changed to another manuf. at the begining of the year to handle higher tourque numbers, thus fewer failures.
I wonder if that's what ATS's upgrade is?

--->Kevin

[DieselBunny]

Just an update..... Tranny is in the process of being rebuilt. The failure was caused by the output shaft bushing burning up and all those little metal fraggs ended up embedding themselves into the clutch-packs causing slippage and burning the fluid in the process.
Here's the Kicker -- Cost to replace with GM reman in stock $5500 .... and the cost to rebuild with all the updates and improvements $5900. They actually let me make the choice because it'll take an extra day or so to rebuild it. according to the workorder 24 hours labour to put humpty back together again. I'm happier to have them rebuild it because Allison also has a testbench that it will be run on overnight before being installed in the truck. Thier also footing the bill for a full transynd fill seeing as though I had it in there in the first place.

---->Kevin ;)

[Kennedy]

I would ask them to perform ALL ECM and TCM programming updates available at this time as well.

[dmaxalliTech]

WOW, 24 HOURS TO OVERHAUL. I have to go, I am gonna try and get me some of them. thats good money....
ditto with Kennedy, make sure all updates are done and shift adapts are reset before driving.

[DieselBunny]

Getting her back in the morning. I dropped in to the shop and was watching two guy's putting the Allison back together again. Damm .... sure is allota' parts in those things and if the 6 hour test bench/dyno went ok, it'll be back under the truck in the morning. Funny things is.... all the sudden there's that deep pan i've allways wanted installed and ready to go ..... the service manager shrugged and said "found one -- thought you might want it on there--:)"
But it get's better ! Because the tran was rebuilt by Allison and is considered new by thier standerds including a fresh fill of Transynd, For a few hundred bucks I can buy a Warr. package till 300,000 km or 5 yr.
With only 40k left on my GMPP package I think it's money well spent.
Here's a little FYI for you guy's about the failure rates in Canada that I found out. 162 Allison units had been shipped out for replacements from the Edmonton W.house (that serves just western canada) this year. 39 including mine have been rebuilt so far this year. 201 failures in 5 months!. :eek:

--->Kevin

[cowboywildbill]

Well, How does it work? Did they say if it will hold more HP now? Did they know about the juice? I wonder if all of the allisons had the first type of clutch packs in them. Let us know how it goes. But your not home are you? We know your out on the road testing it out. "Ha Ha"

[DieselBunny]

Hey Guy's....
Sorry for taking so long to post the results of the rebuild but work has had me busy after being down for a week. The verdict is positive !! I've put a few thousand km's since the rebuild and put the juice back in after about half that with no problems. Hav'nt ran level 4 yet, I usually use level 2 for day to day driving. They even gave me my old parts back !! including the old converter.... spare parts are a good thing...:) :D
Thanks to all for there input on this problem.

---->Kevin