Help! 1994 Pete with Allison Auto won't go in reverse

Discussion in 'Trucks [ Eighteen Wheelers ]' started by beltzseptic, Nov 27, 2011.

  1. beltzseptic

    beltzseptic Bobtail Member

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    Nov 27, 2011
    Gainesville, FL
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    If anyone can help us it would be so very appreciated. We own a septic service and have a 1994 Peterbilt with a CAT 3306 and Allison automatic (mechanical) tranny. The truck suddenly doesn't seem to know what gear you have it in. It won't go at all in reverse, and it drives in neutral. We checked the fluid and it's fine, then pulled linkage out and tried to pull it down into reverse manually and it still won't go in reverse. Any help would be wonderful. This is our only truck and we are up a creek without it.

    Thank you.
     
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  3. dave26027

    dave26027 Road Train Member

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    Sep 10, 2009
    Dallas, Texas
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    It needs a shop- the good news is that it's not shift-by-wire. If you have the time, try to find a shop that specializes in Allison Autos. If you do, the repairs could be faster and cheaper- the techs will be familiar with it.

    Good Luck..
     
  4. beltzseptic

    beltzseptic Bobtail Member

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    Nov 27, 2011
    Gainesville, FL
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    Well here's my favorite part...there is a shop that specializes in Allison trannys about 35 miles south of us but their answering service told me yesterday that they wouldn't work on it because it has a CAT engine and they only work on Detroit Diesels and Allison Trannys...why does that matter? I'm not asking them to work on the engine.
     
  5. chalupa

    chalupa Road Train Member

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    Houston,Texas
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    I'm thinking you have the HD series, Probably a variant of the 700 and a cable shift yes? If so then it sounds like the cable slipped.

    Can't speak to the Cat thing however I can say this...... back when Daimler bought Detroit and Freightliner they promised to honor all warranty claims past and present. My bud runs a KW shop and had to eat over 40k in unpaid claims when Daimler backed out of their promise..... hence you couldn't pay him to work on a Detroit and you still can't. ( Unless YOU want to cough up the 40k )

    Did you ask why not? Might be same idea.....
     
  6. Sparkz

    Sparkz Light Load Member

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    Jul 10, 2011
    New Zealand
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    I would contact them again and try to talk to the service manager.
    Do they work on Detroits with Roadrangers behind them?
     
  7. Heavyd

    Heavyd Road Train Member

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    Sounds like the shift cable has stretched or something like that.
     
  8. bender

    bender Road Train Member

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    Don't Kid Yourself
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    I would drain the trans and drop the pan. You'll find what's broken in the pan and you can then inspect shift mechanism when the pan is off.
     
  9. beltzseptic

    beltzseptic Bobtail Member

    4
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    Nov 27, 2011
    Gainesville, FL
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    Update: The truck is now in Jacksonville at Progressive Power Products. I called five shops yesterday and noone impressed me at all with knowledge or helpfulness until I got to this guy. He knew the transmission and knew what the symptons meant and explained what is going on and what needed to happen to fix the problem. Apparently the transmission works by engaging different clutches to go into different gears and right now the clutch that controls forward won't release. Unfortunately it means rebuilding the tranny, but at least we got to someone who seems to be awesome. It will take about a week before we can get it back and I will let you know how it goes.
     
  10. Heavyd

    Heavyd Road Train Member

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    Shifter cable would have been cheaper, to bad...
    Glad you found someone!
     
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