Breakdown Information

I also had a Torque converter blow. We were in Oklahoma about 60 miles from Oklahoma City and the nearest Allison Transmission repair service. Luckily we had Sam's insurance. Cell phone was out of range!! Had to walk approx 1 mile and a good samaritan on her way to a bake sale stopped to pick us up with an admonition to not sit on her pies. She dropped us off at a gas station in a small town. Called Sams and proceeded to explain our predicament. Said we were stalled about two miles south of this small town. They wanted a cross street. Told them there was no cross street only a bridge over a river that I barely had enough momentum to get across. Finally after approximately one hour of explaining where we were and where we wanted to go Sams was able to get a wrecker out to tow us to Oklahoma City (no charge). Wrecker came and we found that the wrecker would not allow us to ride in the cab. Our tow car was disabled also. Anyway to make a long story short we finally convinced the tow driver to allow us to ride in the cab (he said he would lose his license if stopped by highway patrol). We told him we wouldn't tell on him. So after 60 miles with my wife on my lap bouncing along over Oklahomas worst highways we finally arrived at the Allison transmission repair garage. Two days later we were on our way again.

The problem with the Torque converter going out was caused by my own stupidity. I usually drop down in gears when coming to a stop sign to allow the engine to help in braking. When I left the stop sign I accelerated OK in 2nd gear, but skipped a couple and went to neutral and stepped on the accelerator. The engine raced up to some ungodly rpm and in a panic I immediately dropped the tranny into DRIVE which blew the converter. Moral of the story don't rev diesel engine in neutral and then engage transmission.