Allison Fluid Level Questions

Dick,

I have the same vintage 4000MH in my coach and have experienced the precise situation you have described. With transmission at operating temperature, on level lot, with countdown completed the Allison control panel would read low 4 quarts. Allison assures users that the panel is accurate so I add a gallon of fluid and check the panel next time I meet all the requirements. Result is still low 4 quarts so I check dipstick which shows I am over full. I removed three quarts and now get panel reading of 3 quarts low.

So, I am convinced that the Allison control unit is not reporting correctly or the level sensor is not reading correctly. Until I can get the coach in to an Allison shop I will use the dipstick. It is bad to run over full.

Good luck.

A good sign of why I go by:
If there is never any trans fluid under the rig, it must be all good.

Thanks for the information Ron!

Bigdog wrote:
Glad to see that I'm not the only one that has made that mistake. Mine was a rookie error though and I corrected it by calling Freightliner help first and then was referred to the Allison helpline, where a tech talked me thru the drain process. I added 5 qts out of the seven I thought it needed and for some reason checked the dipstick and believed it. There two small drain plugs near the filters and the process took a long time. Oh wait, I missed the part about the fact that there is another plug higher up that you can open to allow it to drain faster. No fuss, no muss and no big bill. Just a bit of egg on my face.

After this little mess and with the fluid level right at zero I went back and checked the dipstick....now it says low. Now wonder Allison doesn't recommend using a dipstick and calls it "for reference only".

In thinking about it, that does make some sense. I suspect the dipstick assy is put on as an afterthought by the chassis manufacturer since Allison wouldn't know where it's going to routed.

Glad to see that I'm not the only one that has made that mistake. Mine was a rookie error though and I corrected it by calling Freightliner help first and then was referred to the Allison helpline, where a tech talked me thru the drain process. I added 5 qts out of the seven I thought it needed and for some reason checked the dipstick and believed it. There two small drain plugs near the filters and the process took a long time. Oh wait, I missed the part about the fact that there is another plug higher up that you can open to allow it to drain faster. No fuss, no muss and no big bill. Just a bit of egg on my face.

bluwtr49 wrote:

Ozlander wrote:
You added ATF before you checked the dip stick????

Of course....oh, I just noticed, your TT doesn't have an Allison.

No it doesn't, but I own 9 dipsticks and a sight glass and know how to use them.

I make sure the coach is level and at operating temp. The engine must be running to make the check. When you have questions about Allison trans go here.

http://www.irv2.com/forums/f125/

Ron

imgoin4it wrote:
Per Allison the dip stick is to take a "rough" measurement. And the key pad is to be used for the final and accurate measure. Of course one has to do every other thing accurately

Emphasis on the accurately!!

One can only hope someone else reads this and will learn from my mistakes. Couple of hundred dollars lighter and a 4 hour delay and I'll be on my way.

Per Allison the dip stick is to take a "rough" measurement. And the key pad is to be used for the final and accurate measure. Of course one has to do every other thing accurately

Twomed wrote:
Sounds like maybe you did not wait for the countdown??? After starting the sequence they will count down...some start at 7 some start at other numbers, until the they flash O-L and a number. If it did not do the countdown it probably is overfilled.

Yep, looks like significant operator error (AKA senior moment) so yes it's over full. I'm still in the RV park and called a mobile guy to come out and correct my oversight. Pricey little Oops.

Now the tranny is definitely indicating overfull so here I sit just waiting.