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Topic: Changing transmission fluid
Posted By: n4hwl on 05/25/17 11:45am

I have an Allison 3000 Transmission in my 2004 Freightliner motorhome. It has synthetic transmission fluid in it now. I'm wondering how much trouble it would be to change the transmission fluid and filter myself on this motorhome. I changed the oil and fuel filter by myself. Any suggestions?
Thanks
Ken

2014 Tiffin Zephyr

Posted By: wolfe10 on 05/25/17 11:50am

Edited to correct "fat finger" quantity. 19 quarts for fluid and filter change is correct. Sorry.

Very simple. Just did it earlier this month.

From Allison, buy a 5 gallon pail of Transynd. Fluid change requires 19 quarts, so you will have one quart left over.

Also, from Allison the appropriate filter kit (depends on sump depth). It comes with instructions.

Also need a 3/8" drive torque wrench.

Start by washing the bottom of the transmission so you don't get dirt in it.

* This post was edited 05/25/17 08:21pm by wolfe10 *

Brett Wolfe
Ex: 2003 Alpine 38'FDDS
Ex: 1997 Safari 35'
Ex: 1993 Foretravel U240

Diesel RV Club:http://www.dieselrvclub.org/

Posted By: msmith1199 on 05/25/17 12:24pm

I can tell you I just had it done at the Freightliner dealer along with some other maintenance, and the tranny part of the bill was $646.

I see wolfe10 saying the Allison 3000 takes 29 quarts and to buy 5 gallons? They charged me for 8 gallons and my math says 29 quarts is 7.25 gallons.

2021 Nexus Viper 27V. Class B+
2019 Ford Ranger 4x4

Posted By: msmith1199 on 05/25/17 12:31pm

Also, you made me do some research on my prices, they charged me $36.71 a gallon for the tranny fluid and it looks like they used Delvac Synthetic. I thought that was expense until I looked at Allison Transynd. The cheapest Internet price I see is about $43 a gallon. The labor portion of my $646 dollar bill was $298. So for me, the $300 is well worth having somebody else do it as I'm not a real do-it-yourselfer for a project like this.

Posted By: lj2654 on 05/25/17 01:10pm

I changed mine out myself and it was quite easily done. Be careful when you install the new filters that you correctly torque the bolts down to the proper torque values.

2001 Beaver Contessa Naples 40
2012 Cadillac Srx
retired AirForce 1979-1992


Posted By: siggyd777 on 05/25/17 04:53pm

Careful now, the Allison 3000 MH with the 4" pan takes 19 quarts
( almost 5 gallons) with the oil and 2 filter change.
DO NOT OVERFILL !
Siggy

Happy Trails
Siggy & Ursula
2011 Dutch Star 4020,ISL 400,Compr.brake,FTL XCR,IFS
Allison MH3000
2015 Jeep Cherokee,4x4 Active Drive II,V6 , Brake Buddy,Roadmaster Sterling,
Camping since 1975 Pop-Up,1986 22Ft.TT,1999 Gas MH,2005 KSDP,
2011 DSDP,FMCA 368283


Posted By: msmith1199 on 05/25/17 05:09pm

The info on the Allison website for the 3000 MH in the motorhome section shows 29 quarts for the deep oil sump and 26 quarts for the shallow oil sump. Like I said, Freightliner charged me for 8 gallons, so I assume mine has the deep sump. But I am going to check that and make sure otherwise they owe me a gallon and a half of fluid if mine is the shallow sump.

Posted By: wolfe10 on 05/25/17 08:20pm

Ya, sorry, FAT FINGERS above.

Five gallon pail= 5 time 4 quarts/gallon= 20 quarts.

20 quarts minus one left over is, as others have posted 19, not 29.

Sorry for the mis-key-- went back and edited it.

Posted By: msmith1199 on 05/25/17 08:51pm

Here is the link to the brochure on specs on the Allison tranny website, I can't make it a clicky because it has a percent sign in it and for some reason this webpage hates percent signs. Open the brochure and go down to the capacities and it says 29 and 26 quarts for the Allison 3000 MH.

Okay, it won't even let me post the link at all because of the percent sign. So go here and the link at the top down loads the spec sheet:

SPEC SHEET 3000 MH

I don't see model years in this flyer so is this new tranny's that take 29 quarts and the older ones only take 19?

Posted By: msmith1199 on 05/25/17 09:02pm

And this is why I pay people to do this stuff! I just downloaded the chassis owners manual from Freightliner and it says the capacity of the 3000 MH is 17.5 quarts for the short pan and then an addition 3 quarts for the deep pan for a total of 20.5.

Posted By: Bruce Brown on 05/26/17 04:27am

When we had our '03 done we got a small amount back from the 5 gallon pail. Makes the 17.5-19 quarts seem about right.

There are 24 hours in every day - it all depends on how you choose to use them.
Bruce & Jill Brown
2008 Kountry Star Pusher 3910


Posted By: rgatijnet1 on 05/26/17 06:04am

On most transmissions, you cannot drain all of the fluid out because of what remains in the torque converter and cooling lines. For this reason, the fluid "capacity" in a manual may not be correct to use as a measurement of how much fluid to put back in when doing a fluid change.
I have a graduated 5 gallon bucket that I use to measure exactly how much fluid is drained and then I replace the fluid with the exact same amount as drained.
This takes care of any fluid that may be in the torque converter, or cooling lines, and I am assured that I have not overfilled the transmission, which is as bad as underfilling your transmission.

Posted By: mike brez on 05/26/17 06:50am

Trans info

Screen shot from above link

[image]


Very easy to do a ladder,funnel and some clear hose helps.

[image]

1998 36 foot Country Coach Magna #5499 Single slide
Gillig chassis with a series 40
02 Ford F250 7.3 with a few mods
2015 Wrangler JKU

Posted By: mike brez on 05/26/17 07:06am

lj2654 wrote:

I changed mine out myself and it was quite easily done. Be careful when you install the new filters that you correctly torque the bolts down to the proper torque values.


X2 on this but 38-45 ft lbs seems to much to me. I torqued mine down using a criss cross pattern tightening a little at a time and felt something let go. I lucked out and got the bolt out hanging on by a thread. After I checked my torque wrench with another and both were the same.

[image]

Posted By: Snomas on 05/26/17 07:10am

I had mine changed and they put in dex 6 fluid and Allison says it will cause seal and rings to go bad. Cost $500 and now I'm going to someone else to do it right.

2006 WINNEBAGO ASPECT 29H Ford E450 Super Duty
2018 F150 Lariat Crew Cab, Coyote 5.0 L RWD

Posted By: Bruce Brown on 05/26/17 08:20am

Mike,
Your screen shot absolutely confirms what rgatijnet stated. Sure the capacity may be 26 or 29 quarts but the refill capacity is 17 to 19 quarts.

On the broken bolt, is that supposed to be 38-45 inch lbs by any chance?

Posted By: mike brez on 05/26/17 08:56am

Bruce Brown wrote:

Mike,
Your screen shot absolutely confirms what rgatijnet stated. Sure the capacity may be 26 or 29 quarts but the refill capacity is 17 to 19 quarts.

On the broken bolt, is that supposed to be 38-45 inch lbs by any chance?



Another screen shot from link

[image]

Posted By: mike brez on 05/26/17 08:59am

Bruce Brown wrote:

Mike,
Your screen shot absolutely confirms what rgatijnet stated. Sure the capacity may be 26 or 29 quarts but the refill capacity is 17 to 19 quarts.

On the broken bolt, is that supposed to be 38-45 inch lbs by any chance?


Bruce that's what I thought when I snapped the bolt. I had to go back and check. I'm hoping when I go to remove them next time there is no issue getting them out.

Posted By: msmith1199 on 05/26/17 09:37am

Bruce Brown wrote:

Mike,
Your screen shot absolutely confirms what rgatijnet stated. Sure the capacity may be 26 or 29 quarts but the refill capacity is 17 to 19 quarts.

On the broken bolt, is that supposed to be 38-45 inch lbs by any chance?


Yup, I do see that now. So once again this is why I pay people to do this stuff! I would have messed it all up. And it looks like Freightliner owes me some money back since they charged me for 8 gallons.

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