Crapped out?

johnbloem1974 · 01-05-2018, 07:09 PM

Well, crap. Was about 5 min from Skooliepalooza and the tranny seems to have cratered out. Didn't want to shift from 3rd to 4th, then basically went out of gear and I coasted off the side of the road. Now it will not go into any gear. Any ideas? I looked underneath and everything looked normal. I had my wife move the shift lever and I could see the linkage moving on the side of the transmission.

1998 DT466E with AT545

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Rusty · 01-05-2018, 07:47 PM

Dang. Nothing, huh? no grinding or engaging at all? You think it's the converter pump?

BowserJournal · 01-05-2018, 08:12 PM

I don't know enough to be of a help other than I remember on one of my cars if the transmission level was low it would not shift properly.

david.dgeorge07 · 01-05-2018, 08:19 PM

Fluid level?

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johnbloem1974 · 01-05-2018, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rusty

Dang. Nothing, huh? no grinding or engaging at all? You think it's the converter pump?

Unfortunately, I don't know enough about transmissions to answer that....

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johnbloem1974 · 01-05-2018, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rusty

Dang. Nothing, huh? no grinding or engaging at all? You think it's the converter pump?

But no grinding or engaging. Move the shift lever and nothing happens at all.

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Twigg · 01-05-2018, 08:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnbloem1974

But no grinding or engaging. Move the shift lever and nothing happens at all.

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When that happened to our Ford Taurus the splined shaft that drives the pump had given up ... wear in the splined bit of the torque-convertor.

Everything worked just fine, but the car wouldn't move.

Unfortunately, it was transmission out to fix it.

Mountain Gnome · 01-05-2018, 08:48 PM

You really need to find the transmission dipstick (rear passenger side of motor on my AT545 with a Cummings). Check the level with the motor running, transmission in park. Pull it out, wipe it off, put it back in, and pull it back out and check the level. It may take several tries. Look at both sides of the dipstick. Pulling it out draws fluid up into the dipstick tube, and will make it look fuller that it really is, after the first time you pull it. Wait a minute or two after pulling it, then re-insert it and pull it again to check the level.

If the fluid is low, add more. If it is black or clear and thin, you need new fluid (along with a new filter). The fluid should be cherry red when in good condition.

johnbloem1974 · 01-05-2018, 10:14 PM

Fluid looked OK. Nice and reddish-pink, didn't smell burnt. Level didn't seem too low. One weird thing is that neither the reverse lights nor the alarm beep goes off when you put it in R.

Just got it towed to a shop in Quartzsite, but they don't open until Monday... at least we have the car and can go hang out...

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EastCoastCB · 01-05-2018, 10:17 PM

I hate having to call a tow!
Wishing you all the best of luck!!!! You're two of my favorite folks on here!

Rusty · 01-05-2018, 10:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnbloem1974

Fluid looked OK. Nice and reddish-pink, didn't smell burnt. Level didn't seem too low. One weird thing is that neither the reverse lights nor the alarm beep goes off when you put it in R.

That sounds like a linkage issue to me. Hopefully cheap $$ fix.

johnbloem1974 · 01-05-2018, 10:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

I hate having to call a tow!
Wishing you all the best of luck!!!! You're two of my favorite folks on here!

Thanks EC! Hopefully it'll be an easy fix. Won't find out until Monday. We're gonna have fun in Quartzsite until then! [emoji3]
Also, the tow was free thanks to the Good Sam roadside service we have. I highly recommend it.

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cadillackid · 01-06-2018, 07:16 AM

pressure issue.. the Reverse lights are the tell-tale sign.. you likely lost the front pump or perhaps something broke and clogged the pickup port and no fluid is making it up into the trans..

the reverse lights operate off of a pressure switch on the transmission, when you throw it in reverse the pressure builds up and activates the reverse light pressure switch.. so when you arent getting the lights, its a tell-tale sign you have very low line pressure (or none)..

remember when checking the fluid you have to do it with the engine running ..

the only way to know for sure is to have a pressure gauge and install it on the test port.

TransDiesel of Cental Florida - Servicing Allison transmissions and parts

-Christopher

joeblack5 · 01-06-2018, 07:45 AM

I do not no anything about the 545 but could you rig up a auxiliary electric hydraulic pump up to the main supply test port and keep it working?
I had a transmission fail on a 1982 mercedes 300D as a result of low pressure and I wonder if I could have bought some time with pulling of a trick like that.

Later J

cadillackid · 01-06-2018, 08:02 AM

somehow you have to pump fluid in the same order and wit hthe same volume thatit goes now.. transmissions wont like backpressure where its not supposed to be.. and there may not be any checkvalve mechanism on that pump since its supposed to always spin.. the fluid would likely just backfeed back to the pan.. plus what failed? we dont know if its simply the pump? or did the bearings go out and the vanes grind off causing metal to go through?

always a possibility that he burnt up the 3-4 CLutch-pack, sent material into the pan and clogged the pickup filter.. but id expect darker colored fluid from a burned up clutch pack..

the converter couldve gone bad, input shaft broke (not likely since it exhibited a no-shift from 3-4 before it quit altogether)..

at the very least it cant hurt to drop the pan and see whats in there.. that can be done at the campground in quartzite..

or wait? its at a shop isnt it..

ultimately the first steps to determining what happened, are put on a pressure gauge and see if there is low or zero pressure..

-Christopher

BurlKing · 01-06-2018, 08:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnbloem1974

Thanks EC! Hopefully it'll be an easy fix. Won't find out until Monday. We're gonna have fun in Quartzsite until then! [emoji3]
Also, the tow was free thanks to the Good Sam roadside service we have. I highly recommend it.

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holy shittttt! tows for that bus can cost a grand or more! your insurance was well worth it if its free!

johnbloem1974 · 01-06-2018, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cadillackid

somehow you have to pump fluid in the same order and wit hthe same volume thatit goes now.. transmissions wont like backpressure where its not supposed to be.. and there may not be any checkvalve mechanism on that pump since its supposed to always spin.. the fluid would likely just backfeed back to the pan.. plus what failed? we dont know if its simply the pump? or did the bearings go out and the vanes grind off causing metal to go through?

always a possibility that he burnt up the 3-4 CLutch-pack, sent material into the pan and clogged the pickup filter.. but id expect darker colored fluid from a burned up clutch pack..

the converter couldve gone bad, input shaft broke (not likely since it exhibited a no-shift from 3-4 before it quit altogether)..

at the very least it cant hurt to drop the pan and see whats in there.. that can be done at the campground in quartzite..

or wait? its at a shop isnt it..

ultimately the first steps to determining what happened, are put on a pressure gauge and see if there is low or zero pressure..

-Christopher

It is at a shop, but they are closed until Monday, so were just sitting outside the closed gate, but at least we have an extension cord they let us plug into so we still have juice...

I'm going to check the fluid (now that it's light out) and see how it looks. I checked the linkage last night and could see it moving the lever on the transmission body, so that appears to be OK.

Could it be something as simple as fluid? That would be sweet. Only downside is that the driveshaft was removed for the tow, but it seemed to come out pretty easily and I bet I could get it back on myself. He said he marked it so it would like up right...

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EastCoastCB · 01-06-2018, 09:51 AM

Why didn't the tow driver reconnect the driveshaft?

johnbloem1974 · 01-06-2018, 10:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

Why didn't the tow driver reconnect the driveshaft?

He said he was only "allowed" to disconnect it and that someone else has to reconnect it. Probably a liability thing?

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EastCoastCB · 01-06-2018, 10:30 AM

I'm bet its a lazy thing.
My driver had mine reconnected in less than a couple minutes.

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