Fuller Ultrashift 2009 Unique Problem Cont

Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by jaxwinner, Feb 2, 2019.

  1. jaxwinner

    jaxwinner Light Load Member

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    Sep 6, 2017
    Barton Arkansas
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    I'm having a problem with my transmission. (2009 KW T660 with a Cat C-15 Acert and a Fuller 10-sp Ultrashift.

    Two months ago I broke down in an intersection because the truck would not go into gear. It had previously stalled a few times where it would not go into gear after coming to a stop at a stop sign or intersection. I would wait 15-45 min and it would then go back into gear usually near the end of the day. I had to have it towed to Crowe's Truck Center near Memphis.

    They looked at it and said the clutch was burnt up and replaced the clutch and rear seal for $6000. (motor mounts and an exhaust leak also)

    I drove it three weeks and then one day pulled into a receiver at the end of the day moved it to line it up with the dock and it would not go into gear after I put it in neutral to open my doors. If I put it in drive or reverse it would only flash the down arrow and gear but would not move (disconnecting the batteries didn't help). I let it set for a couple of hours and it went into gear again and over the next few hours I was able to wiggle it into the dock to be unloaded the next morning. After getting unloaded I drove it to a shipper and checked in and when I came out the same problem it would not go into gear but only flash the down arrow and show the gear. No error codes on the transmission.

    I took it to a shop near Atlanta but the guy didn't sound convincing that he knew what the problem was and lied in that he would have me in the shop first thing in the morning so at 1 pm I drove it 5.5 hours to Batesville MS. I got to an intersection to make a left turn and it went into neutral on its own and then would not go into gear. I sat there an hour and a half with the Batesville MS police blocking the intersection waiting on a tow truck. Just as the tow got there the truck went into gear and I moved it to the shoulder which was on an incline. Luckily I didn't get a tow bill or a ticket. It wouldn't go into gear again off the shoulder but i let it roll back just a little and it went into gear.

    I drove it to Crowe's the next morning on the 31st day after them replacing the transmission clutch. They looked at it and said they couldn't find anything they did that was wrong but there was a J1939 problem that they didn't have the equipment to read. I then took it to Rush Truck Center in Memphis where it is now.

    Rush replaced the batteries, fixed brakes and brake drums, and an intermittent abs issue and said it was fixed. I asked them to test drive it again and it wasn't fixed. They replaced the transmission harness and said it was fixed. I drive the hour and a half over there and drive it around Memphis and nothing was fixed. I took it back to Rush and asked for the mechanic that did the work and the manager came out to the truck. I told him to get in the drivers seat and put it in gear. He did and the truck did not go. He put it in reverse and it would not go. He put it in drive and it would not go. So there it sits now while the manager tries to talk to Eaton Fuller Monday.

    So the issues:
    intermittent abs
    being knocked out of cruise
    truck won't go into gear when transmission warms up after being put in neutral on a flat surface
    if the truck is on a hill and can roll slightly forward or reverse it will go into gear
    truck idles rough if idled up to 1000 rpm
    no transmission codes (Rush says they rode around in it Friday and had fixed it being knocked out of cruise because the brake pedal was loose and that they had the computer hooked up and there were no codes)

    Things that have been fixed:
    transmission harness
    complete new batteries
    new transmission clutch
    two computer updates on the transmission
    rear seal on transmission
    motor mounts
    exhaust leak
    new drums and brakes
    cab leveling valves both replaced
    rear vehicle speed sensor

    Questions: My home mechanic found a bit of oil in the line when he replaced the cab leveling valves and said that both the abs and the transmission have an air governor. Crowe's also said there was some oil in the air tanks when they took the transmission out to put in the clutch. Would a fault in the air governor cause these issues because as I understand it the transmission needs about 90 psi of air to function correctly?

    With it going into gear when on an incline could this be a clutch brake issue and would it have anything to do with the clutch being replaced?

    Does an Fuller Ultrashift work like a car transmission... could simply changing the fluid and the filter (isnt there a filter inside the oil pan) fix the problem?

    Sorry for the long post but I hope I've been thorough.
     
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  3. Expeditor

    Expeditor Medium Load Member

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    Mar 5, 2018
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    You might have a bad speed sensor or input or output sensor. That transmission has about 4 to 5 sensors on it. the one on top of trans is the input sensor. Had that same thing happen to me. I changed all the sensors. Also I had transmission not going into high gear, that was the high/low switch. Hope this helps.
     
  4. Lazer

    Lazer Road Train Member

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    Jan 22, 2017
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    You do not have an 'automatic' transmission like a car, you an 'auto-shift' transmission.
    the transmission itself is the same as one with a clutch pedal. only difference the pedal is removed, and there is box mounted on top of the tranny where the shift tower was, and that box has a yoke that moves the gearshifting. there also a box in the clutch houseing bell the engages and disengages the clutch. your problem is the box on top of the tranny is malfunctioning.
    you would have been money ahead to remove the shifter box from the tranny, install a shift tower, remove the box from the clutch housing and bought the linkage and clutch pedal and have a manual transmission truck.
    that conversion would cost less than $3000.00
     
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  5. nasriza

    nasriza Road Train Member

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    Feb 1, 2013
    Chicago, IL
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    Most likely the speed sensor are going or not giving the right signals have them replace speed sensors and it should be fine need to check more on the abs fault being that it might not be related could be something as simple as a brake switch not being adjusted properly.
     
  6. bigdad7

    bigdad7 Road Train Member

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    Jun 6, 2010
    ks
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    Had this issue exast same 2009 t660 with a cat and uptra shift started slipping in 10th so swapped out clutch ...then no dice truck dead in water
    I thought it was bad clutch but after towing it to peterbilt it turned out the inertia brake failed if it goes you can't get into gear it mimics a bad clutch 2000 for the part plus labor but it bills on bottom of the tran
     
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  7. Tombstone69

    Tombstone69 Road Train Member

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    Dec 20, 2018
    Jersey shore
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    I've been looking at the service manual and your transmission is just a 10spd trans with electronic controls.What I mean is your trans still uses the same air operated controls that they've always used.That being said a problem that is common to those transmissions is when you get any kind of contamination in the air system(you did say you had oil coming out of the airride leveler)it can cause a malfunction in the air shift valves on the back of the trans, specifically the one that shifts the trans from low to high range.If it doesn't shift completely ,the truck won't move.I'm not saying this is your problem as I have no experience whatsoever in electronic shifting trans, but it's food for thought. I don't even know how to shift that trans and no offense but I don't think I'd feel good about driving that way, but that's just me.Cant teach an old dog new tricks,lol.
     
  8. jlafume

    jlafume Light Load Member

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    Jan 6, 2011
    Victorville,Ca
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    Have u changed the inertia brake
     
  9. Tombstone69

    Tombstone69 Road Train Member

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    Dec 20, 2018
    Jersey shore
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    I was just reading that about the inertia brake as I was curious myself.If the inertia brake doesn't stop the input shaft from spinning, the computer can't tell if it's supposed to shift, it works like a clutch brake would.A human can make the distinction when a clutch brake goes bad,but the computer can't, therefore it doesn't know to shift. Makes perfect sense.Learn something new every day. I would think they would have replaced or at least diagnosed that first before they installed a new clutch for 6k.I wish my body would allow me to do that kind of work, that's where the money is.
     
  10. Flat Earth Trucker

    Flat Earth Trucker Road Train Member

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    Nov 19, 2018
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    If horses can be put down for breaking a leg then tractors like this one should also be eligible to be put down.

    I'm sorry you're having such a nightmarish time with this tractor.
    Horror stories like these make me thank my lucky stars that I've only been broke down once on the road for eight days.

    I mean your problem is like the Energizer bunny from hell running nonstop through a Roman wilderness of pain.
    My deal was just awaiting repairs due to a manpower shortage.

    I wish you the best in having your tractor repaired.
     
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  11. Makeajump

    Makeajump Medium Load Member

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    Apr 19, 2014
    Texas
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    Thank You Lazer! If I ever see one of these Ultrashift in a truck, I'll run the other way fast! But that would be the fix, Just put it back to manual mode......
     
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