Allison 2000 for AT545 swap

[dave diamond]

i only weigh 20k and i was geared at 4.44 so the std 190HP 5.9 was ok
but i have added a TST powermax fuel box which allows me to adjust it
on the fly to upwards of 300 HP, the reason i wanted the stronger
tranny.
dave diamond

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, PM7088@... wrote:
>
> What does your rig weigh?
> I'm surprised that motor would be happy with a step overdrive that
you have.
>
> Pete
>
>
> -------------- Original message --------------
> From: "dave diamond"
> Mine is not a wanderlodge. I have a 30' bluebird front engined
> schoolbus shell bought new and immediately converted to a motorhome
> by a bus converter. It is a 1999 model with the Cummins ISB 5.9
> engine. I bought it from the original owner summer before last. it
> had only 18K miles on it when i got it.
> dave diamond
>
> --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Dorn Hetzel"
> wrote:
> >
> > What flavor bluebird did you put this on?
> >
> > Dorn Hetzel
> > 77FC35
> > Hogansville, GA
> >
> > On Fri, Mar 28, 2008 at 11:26 AM, dave diamond
> wrote:
> >
> > > A couple of folks have asked so:
> > > Following up on an old thread i have my trans working well now.
> > > took it for a short 100 mile round trip the other day and i
think
> it
> > > is going to be everything i wanted it to be. My main concern was
> > > reducing noise ( my cummins is in the front) it has done that
very
> > > well. the engine noise at 65 mph (about 1800 rpm versus previous
> > > 2500) is no longer an irritation for me. My next most important
> > > objective was to get a stronger transmission that would handle
> more
> > > than the 240HP that the at545 is rated for, the 2000 is rated
for
> > > 300HP. In addition, it looks like my fuel mileage will be at
least
> > > 10% better, i think i can get 15% increase with a little more
> > > tweaking and a little more experience. i know that the locking
> > > torque converter will give me better engine braking for
mountains
> but
> > > don't know how much better until i get a chance to take a trip
> > > there. I love the way my bus shifts and drives now. very glad i
> did
> > > this and i highly recommend it.
> > >
> > > the mechanical part of the installation was very simple. the
2000
> is
> > > only . 75 inch longer than the at 540 series so most likely you
> will
> > > have enough travel in your slip joint to accomodate it. i have
a 3
> > > piece drive shaft with 2 carrier bearings. the carrier bearing
> > > brackets were slotted but i had to lengthen those slots by .75
> inch.
> > > I removed the flexplate adapter ring from my at545 and bolted
it
> to
> > > the torque converter of the 2000 and it fit both there and to
the
> > > flexplate on the engine with no modification required. Now it
was
> > > time to jerk out the old one and bolt in the new one.
> > >
> > > my parking brake is on the rear of my transmission. i was able
to
> re-
> > > use it but the fulcrum for the activating lever on the 2000 is
> built
> > > into the tailshaft at the 3 o,clock position instead of 12
> o'clock on
> > > the at540 series. you will need to buy or build some new
> bracketry.
> > > ordered 2 brackets from bluebird for a total of $28 and was
able
> to
> > > re-use everything else. I also bought a dipstick and tube from
> blue-
> > > bird ($70)
> > >
> > > I built a very simple bracket for my transmission shift cable
> clamp
> > > out of a short piece of 1.25" square tubing and 1.5" angle. i
> bolted
> > > that bracket to the 2 frontmost bolts on the pto cover plate. i
> > > bought a clevis from a local hardware store and cut off one
side
> and
> > > put it on the end of the trans shift cable rod and used this to
> > > connect to the existing shift arm on the 2000. This clevis must
> have
> > > 1/4X28 threads (1/4" fine threads)I. had previously tried to
just
> > > use the arm off my at545 but found that the connecting hole in
the
> > > at545 arm was too far from the fulcrum and kept me from having
> enough
> > > travel to get both park and 1st gear. I drilled a new hole
closer
> > > to the fulcrum but still couldn't get it to adjust correctly,
by
> the
> > > way, if you try to drill the old arm you will have to heat it to
> > > take out the temper before you can drill a hole in it. the 2000
> arm
> > > has a shorter throw so less travel is required at the selector
to
> get
> > > all gears selected.
> > >
> > > that is about all that is required mechanically for the swap
> assuming
> > > you buy a used trans that has the correct converter housing.
for
> my
> > > 5.9 cummins i needed the sae3 housing and mine came with the
sae2
> > > housing even though i was assured twice that it had the sae3. i
> > > bought a used housing and all the gaskets and o-rings i needed
> from
> > > TKTsales.com for less than $200 and i shopped around until i
> found an
> > > allison transmission repair specialist that did the labor and
> checked
> > > their work on a dynamometer for $200. the salvage yard that
sold
> me
> > > the trans agreed to reimburse for changing out the housing, so
> this
> > > was all at their expense.
> > >
> > > Since my trans is a model 2400, it has a parking pawl so i
spent
> an
> > > additional $200 at bluebird on a shift selector with the park
> > > position to take advantage of this feature. My old shift
selector
> > > did not have a park position on it.
> > >
> > > i contracted with TKTsales.com for a Transmission Control
Module
> with
> > > the appropriate programming and the wiring harnesses for the
> > > transmission and a J1939 data harness to allow engine and
> > > transmission to communicate. Ted at TKTsales also provided
loads
> of
> > > advice (he is an allison dealer). If you have an older non-
> > > electronic engine, you would not need the data harness but you
> would
> > > probably need to buy a throttle position sensor (about $300) to
> > > communicate with your transmission control module. You will
have
> to
> > > negotiate the price of the control module, programming, wiring
> > > harness, etc. with Ted.
> > >
> > > If you have an electronic engine, you will need to get a couple
of
> > > parameters changed in the computer for it. In my case, i only
> > > needed to change 2 parameters. Changed top gear ratio from 1.00
> > > to .74 and next gear down to 1.00. I took my ECM off and took
it
> to
> > > a diesel engine shop and they made the parameter changes for
$45.
> > > The nearest Cummins dealer said they would charge me a minimum
of
> > > $225 to do this.
> > >
> > > I paid $1600 for my used transmission delivered and the total
cost
> > > of the swap was less than $2800. This was about twice the price
> of a
> > > differential gear change and much better in my opinion as i
still
> > > have my old gears for mountain climbing and i have the
overdrive
> that
> > > will allow me to go 80MPH if i want plus i have a locking torque
> > > converter for better engine braking and i have a trans that is
> rated
> > > for more power. I also have a very lightly used AT545 with 42K
> miles
> > > on it that i will eventually sell to recoup some of this
> > > cost. .before i started i asked for quotes on a turnkey swap
and
> was
> > > quoted $12-15K.
> > > dave diamond
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
>