Community Forums

Jim_HiTek · 03-03-2016, 03:26 PM

I can understand where some of you are coming from, but on RV.net the transmission oil guy who retired from Allison after years with them, an undisputed expert, raves about the restorative, operational, and long life properties of Transynd fluid. Yes, it's $8 per quart and you probably need 20 or more qts, but he says it's worth it. And has the documentation to prove it.

Also, he recommends back flushing once (but I don't recall milage recommendation) to clean the internal filters rather than just draining and pouring in new. He's now running his own company where he tests oils for RV'ers.

Dropping the pan isn't really necessary either because all Allison's have a magnet in there to catch metal filings. And if you get your oil tested, you'll know if there's any metal and whether or not the pan needs to be dropped for an inspection. Or so I recall the experts saying.

I did a backflush and refill with Transynd on my '94 Bounder DP at 136,000 miles and couldn't believe how dark the fluid was they pumped out of there. I could not tell by inspecting the dipstick. It was done with the type of machine that does not mix old oil with the new.

There was amply documentation available about how good the Transynd Synthetic actually is, but I lost all those links years ago so if you're really interested, it's out there somewhere.

Turns out the Allison tranni guy is on this forum too his handle is: hzjcm8

Search the name if you want to read some of his stuff.

B Dubya · 03-03-2016, 03:27 PM

That's interesting Mike. I've almost always tackled my own maintenance in my vehicles, but never anything more than a tranny filter, pan gasket, and whatever fluid drained out. I see no reason why I couldn't do this. Buy some fluid at Wally World, a long neck funnel, some clear hose, and put my wife in the drivers seat. Anyone know what the pan bolts torque value is? I, ahem, seem to over tighten things a lot!!!

B Dubya · 03-03-2016, 03:34 PM

160 bucks is still a lot cheaper than paying someone to do the job at 125 bucks an hour, and definitely cheaper than a new tranny. We do a lot of hot weather driving, up and down I-5, pulling a trailer. I'll pay now so I don't pay later!!!

Pepper2 · 03-03-2016, 03:38 PM

Just had my Ford done last year at 30K. I would do it.

mike brez · 03-03-2016, 03:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim_HiTek

I can understand where some of you are coming from, but on RV.net the transmission oil guy who retired from Allison after years with them, an undisputed expert, raves about the restorative, operational, and long life properties of Transynd fluid. Yes, it's $8 per quart and you probably need 20 or more qts, but he says it's worth it. And has the documentation to prove it.
Also, he recommends back flushing once (but I don't recall milage recommendation) to clean the internal filters rather than just draining and pouring in new. He's now running his own company where he tests oils for RV'ers.

There was amply documentation available about how good the Transynd Synthetic actually is, but I lost all those links years ago so if you're really interested, it's out there somewhere.

Turns out the Allison tranni guy is on this forum too his handle is: hzjcm8

Search the name if you want to read some of his stuff.

Yes he is on here also in the Allison forum

http://www.irv2.com/forums/f125/form...eer-89293.html

mike brez · 03-03-2016, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by B Dubya

That's interesting Mike. I've almost always tackled my own maintenance in my vehicles, but never anything more than a tranny filter, pan gasket, and whatever fluid drained out. I see no reason why I couldn't do this. Buy some fluid at Wally World, a long neck funnel, some clear hose, and put my wife in the drivers seat. Anyone know what the pan bolts torque value is? I, ahem, seem to over tighten things a lot!!!

I have it somewhere I will look. Its 11 ft lbs

TQ60 · 03-03-2016, 06:22 PM

Also a flush machine may not be pure correct.

Out F250 6.0 tranny calls for specific fluid that I cannot remember mercon something and all of the other stuff states hood for everything EXCEPT the mercon stuff.

Found it at ford as tired of hunting and it was 9 bucks a quart and we added the quart just by letting it run down the dipstick...This stuff has a good stickiness to it.

Be certian your tranny is serviced with exactly correct fluid with a process that does not mix...drain old into a pan and refil.

Just check out a service manual.

Or ask for cost for labor and divide by 100 then multiply by 2 and that is how long it will take most folks who can use tools.

B Dubya · 03-03-2016, 06:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TQ60

Or ask for cost for labor and divide by 100 then multiply by 2 and that is how long it will take most folks who can use tools.

That's funny stuff right there!!

TQ60 · 03-03-2016, 08:58 PM

Tranny drain is a rather easy job if one has the service manual or set of instructions.

If it has a drain plug easier as far less mess.

Some even have a spin on filter so even easier.

Above math was meant to be humorous as labor rates are from 80 to 120 per hour so one can guess the rated hours for the work by someone who does it all the time so doubling that time is usually a good guesstimate for diy.

You read the manual to mock it in your head while looking from below to touch every item needed to do the work.

If it makes sense go for it.

Scatterbrain · 03-04-2016, 12:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TonyMac

Be careful of tranny flushes. Most are exchanges where you hey someone else's old fluid mixed in with your old fluid. What did the engineers and geeks recommend? Answer: not a flush. Drain what you can, change the filter, refill with fresh fluid iaw the manufacturers specs, as the university educated engineers and geeks who designed and built the thing advise. They usually recommend maintenance above what testing would indicate to ensure the survival and good reputation of their thing. Or you can take the word of a high school educated mechanic/saleman looking to make a buck. Your choice...

I have never, ever seen a process that mixes "someone else's old fluid" in with your fluid. I've done hundreds of transmission flushes. Why did the engineers and geeks not recommend a flush? I can tell you that in the automotive industry not recommending fluid service reduces the vehicle "ownership" costs (on paper). It doesn't mean that a service shouldn't be done. Just like 100k mile spark plugs. Ever try to pull plugs out of an aluminum head after 90 or 100k miles?
In the 90s when "lifetime" trans fluids started coming out we also started seeing vehicles with lots of random trans issues. Usually at higher mileage (around 70K) after the vehicle was out of warranty and paid off. We started instituting a trans service schedule similar to what we used for older cars and the issues went away (on cars we serviced regularly).
The machinery that I've used for full on flushes (rather than just drain and fills) does not "mix other peoples old fluids" in. The machine has a tank split by a diaphragm. Fresh fluid goes in the top of the tank until full. Then hook the machine up in line of the trans cooler. Fire up the vehicle and let it run, open the flush valve on the machine. Old fluid goes into the bottom of the tank, pushing up on the diaphragm and forcing fresh fluid out of the top. When the fluid going coming out of the vehicle is red and clear close the valve and the job is done. No cross contamination and the vehicles fluid is completely clean, vs. a drain and fill which only removes whatever contaminants were suspended in the fluid that was removed.
Granted if you stay on top of maintenance then drain and fills should be fine.

TQ60 · 03-04-2016, 07:32 AM

So that is how it is done...wondered how...

mike brez · 03-04-2016, 08:36 AM

After having a trans act up after a trans flush I would never ever do one on any of my vechiles again and personally I think a reverse flush is just asking for trouble.

Scatterbrain · 03-04-2016, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mike brez

After having a trans act up after a trans flush I would never ever do one on any of my vechiles again and personally I think a reverse flush is just asking for trouble.

Chances are that the trans was on it's last legs at that point. Also, if it was a car there is the matter of whether or not the computer was reset. Modern automotive transmission computers adapt to the wear level in a trans. When the fluid is flushed the trans may need to be reset, after which it will need to be driven in a specific manner for it's computer to re-adapt. Oftentimes this is something that can only be done by the factory diagnostic software, and it's something that many techs can be oblivious to.

mike brez · 03-04-2016, 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scatterbrain

Chances are that the trans was on it's last legs at that point. Also, if it was a car there is the matter of whether or not the computer was reset. Modern automotive transmission computers adapt to the wear level in a trans. When the fluid is flushed the trans may need to be reset, after which it will need to be driven in a specific manner for it's computer to re-adapt. Oftentimes this is something that can only be done by the factory diagnostic software, and it's something that many techs can be oblivious to.

Yes its in a auto. It's a 2003 Suburban and I still have it. It has 170k on it.