03-01-2014, 09:34 AM
Normal start-up, warm-up, drive 4 or 5 miles to get from campground to interstate, enter the on ramp, get up to speed, 63 mph, scan normal, set cruise, economy mode on selector panel, engine temp 145, Trans temp, 143, oil psi 56. After a few miles the "Trans Stop" red annunciator on steady and the tranny selector panel is flashing zeros. Reduce speed, pull to the side of the road, attempt to shift into neutral, no beep indicating a selection was made and no shift to neutral took place. Set parking break. Executed normal turbo cool down, shut down engine. Restarted engine through normal start checklist, indication remains, panel still flashing zeros, intermittent indication of neutral and zeros. Located the Tammy ECU and the tranny vehicle interface control box located in the R/H front bay just aft of the generator fan bay. Could hear relays in the interface control box engaging at the same cycle rate of the flashing zeros on the tranny control panel. Checked tranny fluid level, ok, no smell, color clear.
Called Newell service department, they indicated that they had never heard of that before. Attempted to obtain a fault code and fluid level from the control panel by pressing both arrow keys at the same time, no beep and no diagnostic indication, flashing zeros. They advised I call a Detroit service center. They indicated that there should be one close by and would call back. While waiting for Newell to call back, the control panel stopped flashing and the tranny shifted to neutral, "Trans Stop" light out but just for a few seconds, back on, control panel flashing and tranny now rapidly shifting in and out of gear. Normal engine shut down. Normal start up, indication of 2nd gear but steady, decided to attempt to relocate off interstate 44 to next exit in second gear very slowly. There was a truck stop at the exit, just as I entered the exit to make a left turn, the control panel started flashing and the tranny shifted to neutral, no beep or control to engage a gear. After some sightseeing in that intersection for what seemed like a very long time, the tranny shifted into a gear, no beep and no indication and for a few seconds I was able to move out of the intersection and coast down to an area off the road. Several folks in that intersection may have been late for work that morning.
I did an internet search and called Central Power Systems & Service of Springfield MO. They asked several questions, no fault codes were obtainable so they sent a technician on the road to meet me. Newell called back and said to call Central Power Systems & Service, I did not call them again. Technician checked the connections to the ECU, interface control box, relays and got under the coach to get the tranny serial number. We got in his truck and traveled all the way back to the shop (less than a mile) and got a new ECU. Plugged it in and everything worked. Normal start, relocated to his shop. Old computer could not be checked on the bench, flashing control panel, no brain. He down loaded the basic setup information and a basic shift pattern from Allison to the new computer and reinstalled it. We went for a test drive with his computer connected to the tranny port R/H side of control column. During the 20 mile test drive we performed a series test shifts and commands, the tranny continued to "learn" normal shift patterns and got smoother as we progressed. Total shop time 3.5 hrs. They didn't charge for a road call because I was less than a mile away however they could have (Tech was the lead Allison guy and made that call) labor was $366.00, software charge $3.88, ECU MAX p/n 29517003 $2599.41 for a total of $3167.14.
Got back on the road and made it another 200 miles when the "Trans Stop" indicator cam back on and the tranny went into 3rd gear. Pulled into a parking lot, shifted to neutral (beep) set the brake and called Central Power Systems & Service. They called the Tech at home and he called me right back. By his instruction, pushed both arrow keys simultaneously and got into the diagnostic mode. The panel went through a count down, indicated 2 on the left and 2 on the right then "Cat Eyes" technical term for a - on the left and a - on the right. Normal shut down, wait a few minutes, normal restart, fault eliminated. Tech indicated that fault code 22 indicates a missing speed reference. Tech indicated that the tranny entered into "Limp Mode" when it lost its speed reference. Probable cause could be bad connection at computer, sending unit connection, wiring, or bad tranny out put shaft sending unit. Spent the night in hopes that it would all heal with a good nights sleep. Started out very early in the morning after not being able to sleep and drove for an hour and got another very brief "Trans Stop" indication, no interruption from normal service, completed the 8 hr drive without further abnormal indications.
Next steps will be to check all connections again and change the sending unit.
Called Newell service department, they indicated that they had never heard of that before. Attempted to obtain a fault code and fluid level from the control panel by pressing both arrow keys at the same time, no beep and no diagnostic indication, flashing zeros. They advised I call a Detroit service center. They indicated that there should be one close by and would call back. While waiting for Newell to call back, the control panel stopped flashing and the tranny shifted to neutral, "Trans Stop" light out but just for a few seconds, back on, control panel flashing and tranny now rapidly shifting in and out of gear. Normal engine shut down. Normal start up, indication of 2nd gear but steady, decided to attempt to relocate off interstate 44 to next exit in second gear very slowly. There was a truck stop at the exit, just as I entered the exit to make a left turn, the control panel started flashing and the tranny shifted to neutral, no beep or control to engage a gear. After some sightseeing in that intersection for what seemed like a very long time, the tranny shifted into a gear, no beep and no indication and for a few seconds I was able to move out of the intersection and coast down to an area off the road. Several folks in that intersection may have been late for work that morning.
I did an internet search and called Central Power Systems & Service of Springfield MO. They asked several questions, no fault codes were obtainable so they sent a technician on the road to meet me. Newell called back and said to call Central Power Systems & Service, I did not call them again. Technician checked the connections to the ECU, interface control box, relays and got under the coach to get the tranny serial number. We got in his truck and traveled all the way back to the shop (less than a mile) and got a new ECU. Plugged it in and everything worked. Normal start, relocated to his shop. Old computer could not be checked on the bench, flashing control panel, no brain. He down loaded the basic setup information and a basic shift pattern from Allison to the new computer and reinstalled it. We went for a test drive with his computer connected to the tranny port R/H side of control column. During the 20 mile test drive we performed a series test shifts and commands, the tranny continued to "learn" normal shift patterns and got smoother as we progressed. Total shop time 3.5 hrs. They didn't charge for a road call because I was less than a mile away however they could have (Tech was the lead Allison guy and made that call) labor was $366.00, software charge $3.88, ECU MAX p/n 29517003 $2599.41 for a total of $3167.14.
Got back on the road and made it another 200 miles when the "Trans Stop" indicator cam back on and the tranny went into 3rd gear. Pulled into a parking lot, shifted to neutral (beep) set the brake and called Central Power Systems & Service. They called the Tech at home and he called me right back. By his instruction, pushed both arrow keys simultaneously and got into the diagnostic mode. The panel went through a count down, indicated 2 on the left and 2 on the right then "Cat Eyes" technical term for a - on the left and a - on the right. Normal shut down, wait a few minutes, normal restart, fault eliminated. Tech indicated that fault code 22 indicates a missing speed reference. Tech indicated that the tranny entered into "Limp Mode" when it lost its speed reference. Probable cause could be bad connection at computer, sending unit connection, wiring, or bad tranny out put shaft sending unit. Spent the night in hopes that it would all heal with a good nights sleep. Started out very early in the morning after not being able to sleep and drove for an hour and got another very brief "Trans Stop" indication, no interruption from normal service, completed the 8 hr drive without further abnormal indications.
Next steps will be to check all connections again and change the sending unit.
Bob Miller
Previous owner of #390
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