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Topic: I Learned Something About Our Transmission Today (Read 1654 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: I Learned Something About Our Transmission Today

Reply #25 –
Quote from: Mike McFall –
Do any of you find much improvement in the mileage in Economy mode vs power? When should you and when should you not use the Economy Mode?

Thanks




Mike

Mike,

There  can not be any standard answer here, as it is highly dependent on where you are driving.  On flat ground-- say I-10 in Louisiana there is no difference in MPG, as your transmission is not down/up/down/up shifting whether in economy or power mode. Continue west on I-10 to the Texas hill country and it can make a significant difference.

Depending on engine and GCW, in the hill country your transmission may downshift on each grade from 6-5, then back to 6 after you crest the hill.  In economy mode, you are able to climb all/most of these grades in 6th gear.  WOT in 5th gear burns a LOT more fuel than WOT in 6th.

Brett Wolfe
Brett Wolfe
EX: 1993 U240
Moderator, ForeForum 2001-
Moderator Diesel RV Club 2002-
Moderator, FMCA Forum 2009-2020
Chairman FMCA Technical Advisory Committee 2011-2020

Re: I Learned Something About Our Transmission Today

Reply #26 –
Thanks Barry,,,,,,,just what I was looking for....Your right, great writeup!!

Thanks Brett, I got 'cha....
Mike

Re: I Learned Something About Our Transmission Today

Reply #27 –
First question:  Yes.  Maybe .5 MPG
 
Second question:  all sorts of answers available.  Some earlier replies to this topic suggest being more pro-active.
 
When in hills/mountains  we do this -- 2nd gear 20s  3rd gear 30s    4th gear 40s
George Stoltz.  Retired from full-time living in a great Foretravel and now are back to living in a traditional sticks and bricks in Florida.

Re: I Learned Something About Our Transmission Today

Reply #28 –
Quote from: Barry Beam –
Quote from: Mike McFall –
Do any of you find much improvement in the mileage in Economy mode vs power? When should you and when should you not use the Economy Mode?
Thanks
Mike
Here is a a good write about the Mode Button.
http://beamalarm.com/Documents/allison_mode_button.htm

Thank you very much for this write up.  It is very informative.
Morris and Janice
1997 U270 36'

Re: I Learned Something About Our Transmission Today

Reply #29 –
My display says "mode on" when I press the mode button.  I have been told that the default may be power or economy mode on startup, depending on what the factory programmed?
David in VA
1994 Unihome Grand Villa U280

Re: I Learned Something About Our Transmission Today

Reply #30 –
Quote from: David Smith –
My display says "mode on" when I press the mode button.  I have been told that the default may be power or economy mode on startup, depending on what the factory programmed?

David,

That is correct.  The default mode is part of the Allison programming and can be set to the OE's specs-- with either mode being the default mode. 

BUT I have never seen an RV with anything but POWER mode as the default mode.  That means you have to push the mode button each time you start the coach if you want to select ECONOMY mode.

Brett Wolfe
Brett Wolfe
EX: 1993 U240
Moderator, ForeForum 2001-
Moderator Diesel RV Club 2002-
Moderator, FMCA Forum 2009-2020
Chairman FMCA Technical Advisory Committee 2011-2020

Re: I Learned Something About Our Transmission Today

Reply #31 –
My transmission default at startup is economy. I have to press the button to get power mode. Shift control panel says power on it next to the led to indicate the the power mode is on.

Mark
The selected media item is not currently available.
Mark and Tanya
Milton , Florida
US Navy Veteran (DV)
1999 U270 Special 40' CAI , 2015 Jeep Wrangler Sahara

Re: I Learned Something About Our Transmission Today

Reply #32 –
To confirm which mode you are in:

In POWER mode, accelerate from 0-50 or so at WOT (Wide Open Throttle).  Note highest RPM in each gear before it up-shifts to the next gear.

Repeat in ECONOMY mode.

The "real" economy mode will show lower RPM's before upshifting to the next gear.

Were it me, I would choose ECONOMY mode as the default as well-- heck that would save me one "button push" each time I start the engine.


Brett Wolfe
Brett Wolfe
EX: 1993 U240
Moderator, ForeForum 2001-
Moderator Diesel RV Club 2002-
Moderator, FMCA Forum 2009-2020
Chairman FMCA Technical Advisory Committee 2011-2020

Re: I Learned Something About Our Transmission Today

Reply #33 –
Brett,
    I already verified that it is defaulted to economy. It came that way when new. The control panel is labeled "POWER" next to the led for the mode switch instead of reading "ECONOMY". Led illuminates when I press the mode button to put it into the power mode. I can take a picture if you would like.

Mark
The selected media item is not currently available.
Mark and Tanya
Milton , Florida
US Navy Veteran (DV)
1999 U270 Special 40' CAI , 2015 Jeep Wrangler Sahara

Re: I Learned Something About Our Transmission Today

Reply #34 –
Ours (99 U270) works the same way - starts in economy mode, but the LED is off.  The button is labeled "Economy".  Press the "Economy" button, and the "Economy" LED lights up and it's in Power mode.  It's definitely in Power mode.  Revs right up, shifts down right away when you go up a hill or step on the loud petal, etc. 

Just read a TSB summary in http://www.compnine.com/research.php?tsb=1&tsbmake=FORETRAVEL&tsbmodel=FORETRAVEL&tsbyear=9999    (ref in a msg from Barry Leavitt (Barry and Cindy)
That states:
19990313   103100 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM, PCM)   20000531   THE TRANSMISSION ECU IS REPROGRAMED FOR THE MODE ON TO BE ECONOMY NOT POWER. ALL 3066'S PRIOR TO THISMODE IS POWER.

So sounds like the switch function got reprogrammed in the Allison TCU sometime in the 1999/2000 period.
Dave and Nancy
1999/2013 U270 36' Xtreme
Motorcade # 16774
2013 Subaru Outback
KD0NIM

Re: I Learned Something About Our Transmission Today

Reply #35 –
Mark and Dave,

Thanks very much for the update and TSB reference. 

I knew earlier ECU's were programmed with POWER as the default mode.

Glad to see the newer ones default to ECONOMY.

Most SOB's never made the switch.

So, my write-up on the Mode Button in Barry's link applies as is to earlier coaches and one has to understand that on newer coaches you are in ECONOMY mode each time the engine is started unless you push the mode button.
Brett Wolfe
EX: 1993 U240
Moderator, ForeForum 2001-
Moderator Diesel RV Club 2002-
Moderator, FMCA Forum 2009-2020
Chairman FMCA Technical Advisory Committee 2011-2020

Re: I Learned Something About Our Transmission Today

Reply #36 –
Quote from: wolfe10 –
So, my write-up on the Mode Button in Barry's link applies as is to earlier coaches and one has to understand that on newer coaches you are in ECONOMY mode each time the engine is started unless you push the mode button.
Brett, My 2003 starts in "power mode" and I always put the mode button on as the extra step when starting to put it in Economy mode.
The selected media item is not currently available.Barry BEAM #16014
2003 U320 40' AGDS
Beamalarm, Foretravel technical help and specifications
"Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve"

Re: I Learned Something About Our Transmission Today

Reply #37 –
Barry,

OK, that may suggest that everyone do a simple test  to determine how their Allison ECU is programmed-- i.e. whether the default mode is POWER OR ECONOMY.


To confirm whether your default mode is POWER or ECONOMY:

Start the engine.  Do NOT push the mode button. Accelerate from 0-50 MPH or so at WOT (Wide Open Throttle).  Note highest RPM in each gear before it up-shifts to the next gear.

Push the MODE button on the Allison shift pad.

Accelerate from 0-50 MPH or so at WOT (Wide Open Throttle).  Note highest RPM in each gear before it up-shifts to the next gear.

The transmission will up shift at lower RPM's in ECONOMY MODE.



Brett Wolfe
Brett Wolfe
EX: 1993 U240
Moderator, ForeForum 2001-
Moderator Diesel RV Club 2002-
Moderator, FMCA Forum 2009-2020
Chairman FMCA Technical Advisory Committee 2011-2020