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Mitimet · 10-10-2019, 01:51 PM

Ok I'll try again as all writing yesterday lost. Have a 2000 Alpine Coach 36FDS , 8.3L ISC Cummins. Allison MD3060 WTEC III with 2 inch sump. Specs say 2.625 gal fluid. After drain ing almost 3 gal I changed to Allison High Capacity filter kit, refilling with TranSynd fluid. After initial fill of 2 gal found that trans didn't quite shift right especially downshift to 2nd and 1st with PAC or Jake brake on. After fill of 2 more qrts or 1/2 gal totaling 2.5 gal shifting was much closer to normal. After driving trans temp to 160, leveled and engine at idle Allison pushbutton gave code of oLLO 4 or 4 qrts low so added 2 qrts.. Next day bought more fluid and added 2 more qrts got trans up to 160, level, engine idle, Allison still says oLLo 4.
So specs says 2.625 gal, drained 3 gal for trans service, refill total 3.5 gal; Allison WTEC III pushbutton reads oLLo 4. Thinking of draining 1 or 2 quarts. Going on 250 mile trip Sat, anything to be considered about?
Thanks, Mark

CountryB · 10-11-2019, 04:04 AM

The chart I have says to add about 3 quarts for PTO (if you have one).

You added 2.75 gal (11 quarts), that sounds low to start with. The chart below says it takes 17 quarts on a filter/oil change.

Mitimet · 10-13-2019, 01:56 PM

Thanks for the chart and advice, much appreciate your writing. Since I have the MD 3060 and another chart from Adept Ape on YouTube showed 10.5 quarts for the 2 inch sump as I have I removed 2 quarts and just kept the approx 3 gal amount, which is also what I had drained out.

dbarton291 · 10-15-2019, 10:51 AM

The Allison specs for the amount of fluid required for fill do not account for the oil that drains out of the cooler circuit. Those specs are for the transmission only. You have to add back in whatever additional is required to fill the cooler circuit.
The amount of fluid that is contained in the cooler and cooler lines varies widely from vehicle to vehicle. That's part of why we see this question on here a lot.

Mitimet · 10-16-2019, 01:20 PM

Ah why thank you. Thank explains
how I got closer to 3 gal. at fluid drain vs 2.625 spe My 3 gal container over flowed.
I added a quart more more but trans still shifts kind of hard with PAC brake on downshift to 2nd and especially 1st. Wife thought brakes were touchy. Normally I don't feel 2nd and 1st downshift at all. Maybe that's another question I make ask.
Thanks again for the 2 of you who replied.
Mark

CountryB · 10-18-2019, 06:54 AM

Have you checked using the transmission dipstick?

Mitimet · 10-20-2019, 01:59 PM

Yes I have checked with dipstick. After getting trans up to 160 dipstick said add cold.
Reading some more about Allison trans and dip sticks, they do not supply it as each coach manufacturer methods of install distances were different so Allison had no control over it. They recommend checking at
Allison shift console.
Somewhere I read "don't be a dipstick, don't use the dipstick."
Thanks you for reply.