Allison Trans filter tension and fluid amount.....?

[sbreaux0]

Hi All,

I just changed my Allison transmission filter over the weekend and need to compare with others. First I went to the local Auto Zone and then another parts house and noticed the filters there listed for the transmission are very light and cheap feeling compared to the heavy little filter at the dealer. It may be $22.00 at the dealer compared to $16.00 at the parts house but there is a very noticably difference in quality of the factory versus Wix filters I held. I purchased the factory one and put the ticket in the glove box in case.

My question though is in order to put the filter on as described on the filter (one complete turn upon contact), I had to use my filter wrench to turn the filter a little to get the full turn. Was I wrong or is this ok? There is a large gap if I didn't do this. Seems the filter needs to sit up in the grove more. Also I needed to add a little more (just barely) than 16 ounces of Dex III. Is this the norm for most. On the transmission I only changed the spin on. I changed all filters hot (oil and tranny spin on).

I also wanted to post I switched to synthetic this time on engine oil (13210 miles) and am getting 1/2 MPG more consitant. I drove over 300 miles this weekend, city and highway and the 1/2 MPG stayed. I was at 17.9 and now am at 18.4.

Steve

[eggsack]

I need to help you out on this one.

First off the Allison transmission comes from the factory with Synthetic Transmission oil. Now, they have quit selling the Castrol GTX synthetic oil that you could buy over the counter at your local Auto Zone type store, so that means you will have to buy it from GM dealers or Allison dealers or if there is some other place that still has stocks of the Castrol Synthetic. Amsoil sells a great Synthetic Trans oil for the Allison and it is a lot less money.
YOU MUST USE SYNTHETIC IN THE LLISON TRANNY!!!! If anything happens and they find regular oil in the tranny, it will void your warranty. It states this in the Supplemental manual included with your truck on oil types and quantities etc..

The filter for your tranny should be a Hastings, Wix, or Napa or one from Allison or the GM dealer. NO ONE ELSES FILTERS COME CLOSE TO THESE IN QUALITY. These companies also include a magnet in those filters, that is why they cost more. Change it every 5,000 miles like clockwork and the internal filter every 50,000 for added insurance.

[Grumpy1957]

I don't know where your getting your info, but both my owners manual and dip stick say to use DEX III. Mine is an 04.5 lly D/A 2500.

[DuraBeast]

Egg Sack, I too do not know where you are getting your info. My 2002 came with DexIII. The filter on the Allison has a magnet that came from the factory. As many times as I have changed my tranny filter, there was NEVER a magnet included withthe new filter.

[2005GMC]

I have a 2005, the owners manual, GM's dealer web sight, ect, tell you to use Dextron III w/ the "H" suffex, I purchase my filter from Penn Detroit also an Allison dealer and the magnet doesn't come with the new filter. I have read if you purchase the GM extended warranty, GM suggest changing over to synthetic?

[2005GMC]

Document ID# 654209
2005 GMC Truck GMC K Sierra - 4WD


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Transmission General Specifications
Name
Allison 1000 Series

First Range Ratio
3.10:1

Second Range Ratio
1.81:1

Third Range Ratio
1.41:1

Fourth Range Ratio
1.00:1

Fifth Range Ratio
0.71:1

Reverse Range Ratio
-4.49:1

Transmission Fluid Type
DEXRON® III

Maximum Gross Combined Weight (GCW)
11 800 kg (26,000 lb)*

Maximum Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW)
9 000 kg (19,850 lb)*

* Or Vehicle Manufacturers Chassis Rating, whichever is less

[jgreenlees]

The 2500 and 3500 allison doesn't have synthetic, the 4500 up is an option for synthetic that gives you a 300,000 mile warranty from allison. G.M. did not pay allison for the warranty on the light duty trucks.

[eggsack]

Dexron-III is a GM licensed name. Trans Synd is a registered name of the fluid that Castrol Makes for the Tranny. It is full synthetic that comes from the factory to you. If you add fluid it is ok to put non synthetic fluid to top off after a filter change or from evaporation or whatever, but if you do a full change, you must run the full synthetic. A GM dealer knows this if they have proper Deisel techs on staff. Allison does not screw around with information. I was told when I bought my truck back in Nov of 2001 that is what I needed to do.

here is a link to a page that you can read from Allison and the series 1000 trannys.
http://www.allisontransmission.com/s...5&DownloadID=8

[sbreaux0]

Anybody help on the original question about tension on the tranny spin on filter and amount of tranny oil after spin on change out. I would really appreciate and comparisions to those who have changed out their tranny filter and added oil back. I am curious if everyone has the same questions and what the answers could be. My original post has the detail.

Thanks...Steve

[Grumpy1957]

All I do is clean the magnet, fill the filter completely and go one full turn like it says. The trans holds 24 total qts, I don't think a couple of ounces is going to make all that much difference. The trans comes with Dex III from the factory and if you want the extended warrenty a complete change to SYN fluid is required. I've bought three WIX trans filters and find them to be good quality. I also drop the seven quarts of trans fluid and trans spin on, each time I do the engine oil change. I changed my oil three times in the first 10,000 miles along with the trans and did the differential (GM grape smelling gear oil $35. a quart!)at 10,000 miles. I am a long term vehicle owner. I wonder what GM would say to you if you needed warrenty work and they found out you still had the same engine oil in for 40,000 plus mile?

[eggsack]

I did have warranty work done on my truck engine and yes the GM regional warranty paper read my documentation on my Amsoil system and my changes of filters. He sampled the oil himself and then proceeded to sign the papers covering my injector problem, which like he said was irrelevant to the injectors anyway. He also held in his hand my plugged in Edge Juice and asked for my opinions on the performance of this unit and how long I had had it. He really liked the K & N generation II filter kit and said they should be stock from the factory with a GM version.

Sometimes people go too far in trying to make you think you have to do or that in order to comply. But the words right from his mouth said that if every D Max owner did wht I did, they would not have to worry about warranty claims on the engines mechanics.

GM can not recommend Synthetics like Amsoil, hell they are stock owners in all the oil companies so why would they hurt their profits that way too? It is a conspiracy, you all just have to face the music and understand this.

[ob_1jr]

Originally Posted by eggsack

Dexron-III is a GM licensed name. Trans Synd is a registered name of the fluid that Castrol Makes for the Tranny. It is full synthetic that comes from the factory to you. If you add fluid it is ok to put non synthetic fluid to top off after a filter change or from evaporation or whatever, but if you do a full change, you must run the full synthetic. A GM dealer knows this if they have proper Deisel techs on staff. Allison does not screw around with information. I was told when I bought my truck back in Nov of 2001 that is what I needed to do.

here is a link to a page that you can read from Allison and the series 1000 trannys.
http://www.allisontransmission.com/s...5&DownloadID=8

According to that page, TranSynd is just a recommended fluid. Dexron-III is what came in the trucks. If TranSynd came in the trucks from the factory, why do the most dealerships not carry that fluid??? (you have to go to an allison dealer in most cases to get that stuff) The only synthetic fluid that my dealership carries is Mobil 1 Synthetic. That is just a service tip for COMMERCIAL trannys. Maybe the new trucks that are coming out have synthetic in them, but I highly doubt it.

[ob_1jr]

Originally Posted by sbreaux0

Anybody help on the original question about tension on the tranny spin on filter and amount of tranny oil after spin on change out. I would really appreciate and comparisions to those who have changed out their tranny filter and added oil back. I am curious if everyone has the same questions and what the answers could be. My original post has the detail.

Thanks...Steve

All I did when I changed my filter was fill the filter and screw it on just like an oil filter. I'm not sure how much of a turn I got on it, but it never leaked. I think the gap that you are talking about is just the gasket. As long as it isn't leaking, I wouldn't worry about it. As far as the amount of fluid I used, maybe half a quart if that...whatever the filter took to fill up. Typically I wouldn't use a filter wrench to tighten a filter. Hand tight is all you need as long as you lube the gasket first. That is the way I was taught and it has never failed me.

[ballpeen]

I was told by the Service Tech to Change the filter at 7000 mile, no need to replace any fluid at that time. It would be so minimal.

[EagleClaw]

24 quarts?????????????? holy crapp!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!