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01-11-2019, 12:48 PM
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#1
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Member
Alpine Owners Club
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Lincoln, CA
Posts: 47
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Transmission Fluid
I have a 2000 40FDS with an Allison MD3066 trans. Previous owners notes indicate trans serviced at 72,000 miles and the word Transynd. I’m assuming he used Transynd fluid. The question: Does anyone know if these transmissionsori originally had Transynd fluid or did they come with the standard ATF, meaning the 72,000 mile service was a CHANGE in fluid type. It makes a difference inhow I approach the Change/ No change question now, 35,000 miles and 9 years later.
Thanks for any advice or thoughts.
Mike
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01-11-2019, 02:14 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Newmar Owners Club
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Katy, TX
Posts: 841
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Mikanjoy --
Let me provide a "petroleum refinery" manufacturing response. Transynd is a brand of automatic transmission fluid made from 100% synthetic oils. Mobil, Valvoline, Castrol and Royal Purple are some other brands of 100% synthetic transmission fluids. Synthetic transmission fluids offer better lubricity, stability and transmission performance over time than transmission fluids made from crude oil. Use of Transynd and other synthetic transmission fluids does not allow the fluid change interval to increase.
To help assure no problems with your transmission, my suggestion is follow the transmission fluid change timing / mileage prescribed in your owner's manual. Changing transmission fluid and filter per your owner's manual is "cheap insurance" to avoid a major transmission problem and expensive repair.
__________________
Mike & Cindy in Katy, TX
2016 Newmar Ventana LE 4037
2016 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sahara
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01-11-2019, 05:27 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Spartan Chassis
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Reno, NV
Posts: 300
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My 2000 40FDS when I owned it came with non synthetic trans fluid. When I took it to Allison in Irvine ca, for service they asked me if I wanted to switch. I didn't . My 2008 Allison trans came from factory with synthetic. Just FYI.
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01-11-2019, 06:35 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 7,396
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Interesting--if you follow the many threads on the forum from the former Allison Fluid Engineer, and current owner of JG labs fluid analysis services, "properly" tested TranSyd can last almost indefinitely. Given the $30-$40 price per analysis, I see the use of TranSydn as a means to extend change intervals to 4 years [or about 50K miles]. Otherwise, you are resigned to fluid change every year with dino-based fluids?????Here is an insightful link: https://www.allisontransmission.com/...or#cal-results
__________________
Old Scout
2015 IH45 Foretravel
2003 Alpine 40' MDTS [Sold]
New Braunfels, Texas
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01-12-2019, 08:52 PM
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#5
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Member
Alpine Owners Club
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Lincoln, CA
Posts: 47
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Trans fluid
Quote:
Originally Posted by fagnaml
Mikanjoy --
Let me provide a "petroleum refinery" manufacturing response. Transynd is a brand of automatic transmission fluid made from 100% synthetic oils. Mobil, Valvoline, Castrol and Royal Purple are some other brands of 100% synthetic transmission fluids. Synthetic transmission fluids offer better lubricity, stability and transmission performance over time than transmission fluids made from crude oil. Use of Transynd and other synthetic transmission fluids does not allow the fluid change interval to increase.
To help assure no problems with your transmission, my suggestion is follow the transmission fluid change timing / mileage prescribed in your owner's manual. Changing transmission fluid and filter per your owner's manual is "cheap insurance" to avoid a major transmission problem and expensive repair.
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Thank you very much for your thoughtful reply. Certainly, changing fluid now would be the best insurance. Regards, Mike
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01-12-2019, 08:55 PM
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#6
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Member
Alpine Owners Club
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Lincoln, CA
Posts: 47
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Thanks Old Scout. I went to the link and it is very helpful. I guess Allison should know eh? I have seen differing schedules from Allison though, so I’ll pick the most conservative.
Thanks again,
Mike
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01-12-2019, 10:17 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Official iRV2 Sponsor
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 8,305
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mikanjoy
Thanks Old Scout. I went to the link and it is very helpful. I guess Allison should know eh? I have seen differing schedules from Allison though, so I’ll pick the most conservative.
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With all due respect, unless you enjoy throwing money away you should use the Allison maintenance and fluid replacement table for your specific transmission. Using the "most conservative one" doesn't make any sense IMO.
Your MH most likely has an Allison 3000 or 4000 series transmission. With Transynd or other TES-295 fluid the recommended fluid change interval is 150,000 miles or 48 months as shown on the table you can see here:
https://kwds.at/fileadmin//user_uplo...ls-Allison.pdf
Because my mileage was so much less than the 150,000 miles, I chose to replace my fluid after ~6 years but I did sample and test it every year.
I do have my transmission filters replaced every ~4 years.
With all due respect to one of the previous posts, this is a situation in which the manufacturer is fully sanctioning the rather large increase in fluid change interval brought about by the introduction of the TES-295 fluid, but one should keep in mind that this is a hydraulic fluid not a lubrication one so the normal "rules" relative to synthetic lubricating oils don't apply.
__________________
Joel (AKA docj)--
RV Technology Specialist
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01-14-2019, 05:16 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 7,396
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….I pretty much agree with docj--based on what I have read, your choices are: every year[dino]; every 4 years[Transyd][filters every 3?????]; every 6 years???; or indefinitely based on periodic fluid analysis. It really seems to be a test of your pain level. DIYers have an advantage here as cost for just fluid and filters is fairly reasonable. Depending on local labor rates, having it changed is by "others" is a much bigger number of $$$$ to consider. Personally, I am back to 4 years for both fluid and filters. Doesn't make sense to me to be changing filters with used fluid at 3 yrs, then change fluid a year later????? Suspect I am changing out perfectly good fluid at 4 years--waste of money, perhaps/but peace of mind, priceless!!!!
PS--so how often do you change out differential gear oil?
PSS--how often for hydraulic pump fluid?
__________________
Old Scout
2015 IH45 Foretravel
2003 Alpine 40' MDTS [Sold]
New Braunfels, Texas
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01-14-2019, 02:23 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Official iRV2 Sponsor
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 8,305
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Old Scout
PS--so how often do you change out differential gear oil?
PSS--how often for hydraulic pump fluid?
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I did replace my differential gear oil when the coach was ~15 years old simply because no previous owner had ever done it.
The hydraulic pump fluid got drained last summer when a hose ruptured and we lost it all on the highway! I changed the filter when we refilled the system. It took an amazing ~9 gallons of fluid to refill it!
__________________
Joel (AKA docj)--
RV Technology Specialist
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01-15-2019, 12:27 AM
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#10
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Member
Alpine Owners Club
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Lincoln, CA
Posts: 47
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Am I misreading this?. Changing the filter drains the fluid at the same time. So, if the filters are replaced every 4 years the fluid is too, unless you pour back your used fluid.. I interpret Allison’s 150,000 miles or 4 years to mean whichever comes first since there are plenty of trucks on the road that will do well over the 150k in less than 4 yrs. As to the” most conservative” comment, I believe Allison’s recommended schedule is just that. I have read a lot of differing opinions about timing and mileage on this and other sites, much of which is conflicting and would therefore need to be taken with a grain of salt.
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01-15-2019, 07:32 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Official iRV2 Sponsor
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 8,305
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mikanjoy
Am I misreading this?. Changing the filter drains the fluid at the same time.
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No, changing the filters only results in a loss of a couple of quarts of fluid. Most of the fluid remains in the transmission.
__________________
Joel (AKA docj)--
RV Technology Specialist
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