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Topic: Successful replacement of King Control (Read 683 times) previous topic - next topic - Topic derived from Re: ECM, TCM, EIEIO

Successful replacement of King Control


Does anyone know someone who has successfully replaced their king control with an air throttle.  I lost mine in 2019 on a trip to Florida. I have a 1998 U270  with 8.3 Cummins and an MD3060R transmission. A trucking company in St. AUGUSTINE Fl. Installed an air throttle I purchased out of California. Total price $4500.00. I asked about the fact that the transmission was electronically controlled and the engine was mechanically controlled.  The said don't worry the tranny will figure it out. They were wrong obviously and shortly after I arrived at Space Coast I figured that out and installed a tips. It sifted better but still not right. When returned to Maryland had Johnson and Tower reset the counts and it was shifting as it sould however it would stick in first gear occasionally and would not release unless you shut down the engine and restart. Returning from Forida in 2020 we lost the transmission.(hole in side of the case). $9000.00 later with a replacment rebuilt transmission we were back on the road but transmision was shifting all over the place. Got it back to Annapolis and had local Allison dealer reset the parameters and was told to drive it locally in stop and go traffic. Having done this for an hour or so it figured out appropriate shift points. However it still gets stuck in first gear after initial start  and is an enigma to all so far. I'm sorry for such a lengthy description of my woes. Does anyone have a idea what's causing this condition?  I've talked with John Kopaluk and he said the codes I'm throwing don't suggest he can help me. I've taken off the connectors at the pad and ECM, cleaned and replaced them. No change. Ive also replaced the outspeed sensor which is the origin of most of my codes.  HELP

Re: Successful replacement of King Control

Reply #1 –
At this point, you either need to pay for, or do the reading, to find out what electric signal the transmission is looking for from the throttle position.  Once you know that little piece of information, we can write the specification for, what will probably be, a potentiometer, tracking throttle position, and it's supporting cast.  Tedious, yes.  Difficult, no.
1992 Foretravel Grand Villa
U225 SBID Build No. 4134
1986 Rockwood Driftwood
1968 S.I.A.T.A. Spring
1962 Studebaker Lark
1986 Honda VF700C
1983 Honda VF750C
Charlie, the Dog was broken out of jail 24 Oct 2023
N1RPN
AA1OH (H)e who must be obeyed.

Re: Successful replacement of King Control

Reply #2 –
Quote from: JohnBest –
Returning from Forida in 2020 we lost the transmission.(hole in side of the case).
I can't help with the shifting problem - above my technical knowledge level.

BUT, I sure would like to hear the story behind the hole in the transmission case!

1993 U280 SE 40' WTBI, Build: 4359
C8.3 300hp, 6-Speed, Exhaust Brake
960 watts on the roof (6 x 160)
Sorento (or BOLT) on a Kar Kaddy SS
"Nature abhors a vacuum"

Re: Successful replacement of King Control

Reply #3 –
Quote from: JohnBest –
Does anyone know someone who has successfully replaced their king control with an air throttle. 
See thread linked below for post by jor on this subject.

Air Throttle How-To

1993 U280 SE 40' WTBI, Build: 4359
C8.3 300hp, 6-Speed, Exhaust Brake
960 watts on the roof (6 x 160)
Sorento (or BOLT) on a Kar Kaddy SS
"Nature abhors a vacuum"

Re: Successful replacement of King Control

Reply #4 –
Hi Chuck.
 It seems that my transmission was weeping fluid on our trip to Florida that year. I couldn't find a leak and thought that the oil was from the slobber tube. It seems that whenever I have someone else change my oil they over fill it by 4 quarts. It has happened to me three times. I have caught it twice and took it back and had them drain it out. However that time I missed it and had to drain it out at my camp site at Dave's Cabins in Explore PARK  in Roanoke Va.  I cleaned off the transmission and checked all fluids and they seemed at correct levels. When we got to Florida the car had a thin  film on it but i couldn't find the cause. Transyn was at correct level so I thought it was a residual from the engine overfill.  Returning home the transmision lost most of it fluid and would not move. I had a gallon of Transyn so I put it in and slowly pulled onto the off ramp at Roanoke Rapids, Va. AS A got me in touch with a` Allison tech and he told me to get A few gallons of Dextron 3 and drive it the 10 miles to Lake Gaston RV. I disconnected the car and drove to a auto parts store and bought 3 gallons of Dextron3. Put 2 gallons in to fill it and drove to the RV repair place. Sadly enough there were no truck repair places within 100 miles willing to look at a RV. We got to Lake Gaston RV after hours so we parked in their driveway and spent the night.  They looked at the transmission and said I had a whole in the casing that seems to have corroded and finally blown out. It was leaking like a sieve. Tranny was useless and had to be replaced.  They located a rebuilt MD3060R and replaced my useless one. The process took about 5 weeks. We picked it up and drove it back home to Annapolis but the shifting was anything but smooth. Called the RV repair facility to get their input. They said usually will even out after a couple hundred miles keep driving it. Well it didn't get much better so I took it to an Allison dealer in Annapolis and had them reset the parameters. I drove it locally for hours and it settled down.  However it gets stuck in first gear upon start up and sometimes just as I arrive at my destination as if it could read my intentions.  I'm at a loss hear. Nope this wasn't to much information.

John

Re: Successful replacement of King Control

Reply #5 –
Some how the transmission needs to know the throttles position. When I had my King Control
out for a rebuild I drove it with wire pulling the throttle and it shifted horribly as the throttle
positioner is built into the King Control.
Peter and Frieda Morin
1999 36ft. U320 Foretravel
Build # 5436
1998 Suzuki Sidekick Sport

Re: Successful replacement of King Control

Reply #6 –
Hi Peter,

 I installed a Allison TPS 2 years and another transmission ago. Had the counts set by Allison dealer. It ran great for awhile but would occasionally stick in first gear. I should add that since I have owned this coach I have yet to be able to shift it manually thru its gears. Another mystery.

John

Re: Successful replacement of King Control

Reply #7 –
One thing I might add is that my speedometer never record a correct speed, never going past 40 mph. It does not register at all now.  Foretravel has a replacement for the original but according to Brad, has a lot more wires needing attachment and no one there has done one.  Another mystery.

John

Re: Successful replacement of King Control

Reply #8 –
If you haven't done it already
maybe a good idea to check all chassis grounds and plug in connections.
Doug W.
96 36' U270 CSGI #4946
04 Toyota Tacoma 4x4
PNW

Re: Successful replacement of King Control

Reply #9 –
Quote from: JohnBest –
Does anyone know someone who has successfully replaced their king control with an air throttle.
https://www.foreforums.com/index.php?action=media;sa=media;in=4916

1993 U280 SE 40' WTBI, Build: 4359
C8.3 300hp, 6-Speed, Exhaust Brake
960 watts on the roof (6 x 160)
Sorento (or BOLT) on a Kar Kaddy SS
"Nature abhors a vacuum"

Re: Successful replacement of King Control

Reply #10 –
John, did you get anywhere with this? I'm having a similar issue right now. See this post.
1998 U295 36' No slides
Towing 2018 Jeep Wrangler
Previous rigs:
  1995 26' Fleetwood Flair
  1998 34' Fleetwood Bounder
  1997 40' Bluebird BMC
  1999 24' Winnebago Minnie Class C