allison transmission

[Bob Dugard]

Hi

This might be a silly question but here goes.
We bought our Gulf Stream in November drove it home and parked it for the winter.
Getting it ready for trip oin April and I can't move it, I release the parking brake put it into gear and shifter light flashes. Am I missing something? It is an Allison transmission.

BobnJude

 

[Alfa38User]

Chassis, engine, deisel, gas????? Details, we need details!!!!

 

[Bob Dugard]

Oops thanks for the reply

Thought I had said something to piss people off.
It's a 1999 Gulf Stream 330 cumin's diesel with a 6 speed Alison.
It's new to me happened once before to me was something stupid I had done but for the life of me I can't remember what it was.

BobnJude

 

[Iron Horse-WO]

Check the air pressure gauges. Takes about five or so minutes for air to build up. You should have two gauges and both should be above 60 to 75 psi, and build to about 120 psi. Just a thought.
Bill

 

[WILDEBILL308]

Iron Horse has a point. You have to have air pressure up. Also don?t let it idle at slow speed very long. You can bump up your idle speed with your cruise control. Check and see if that helps. Also check and see if the transmission is flashing any fault codes.
Bill

 

[Bob Dugard]

Thanks Bill
Only light flashing is on cruise control when I rev engine up.
I have played with cruise figuring out how to set fast idle can I clear it somehow?

BobnJude

 

[WILDEBILL308]

Thanks Bill
Only light flashing is on cruise control when I rev engine up.
I have played with cruise figuring out how to set fast idle can I clear it somehow?

BobnJude

Turn it off or step on the brakes. Did your air pressure come up so you could get it in gear? Are your jacks up? What model of Allison do you have?
Just so you know I would reset the parking break as the Allison does not have a ?park? position and your coach can roll I you don?t have the parking break on.
Bill

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Re "shifter light flashes"... is that just once or continuous while it is in gear? From the description so far, I can tell if you are in gear buy unable to move (park/emergency brake still engaged) or the transmission is refusing to go into gear. The former is a brake system problem, while the latter is a transmission problem.

Have you tried Reverse gear as well as Drive? Is the transmission warm? Sometimes after a long rest, they don't like to get into gear until they are nice and hot and the fluid is circulating to all points inside.

 

[Bob Dugard]

HI All

Ok got it figured out. I live in North Bay On. Canada it had been about -30 that's Celsius
for about 2 weeks. Starting thinking about transmission fluid so I chocked wheels took off max break and left it in neutral for 10 minutes running. Happy to say it worked. Now its just waiting for it to get warm enough to summarize and pack up to go in April!

Thanks all.

Cheers
BobnJude

 

[WILDEBILL308]

Bob just be shure when you let it idle keep it on fast idle with the cruis controll.
Glad you got it to work.
Come on down it was 82 today but a cool front will drop it down to the mid 70s tomorow. Headed to Bandera Texas Tuesday.
Bill

 

[Iron Horse-WO]

If there are any records that have been kept on your motor home you need to see if the filters have ever been changed in the transmission. They can be dirty and thick hydraulic oil won't flow when it's cold. They are super filtration and it doesn't take much dirt to stop them up.  Could even damage the tranny.
Just a thought.
Little Bill

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Good advice from Iron Horse. Changing the filters in the Allison is important maintenance. You can go a long time between fluid changes if you need to keep up with the filter changes. Since it's a 1999, you probably don't have synthetic fluid, so the filter change interval is 25,000 miles or 12 months.