Max retarder temps?

[Don Bradner]

Do you only have one gauge? The Allison Op manual says that you should not
exceed 270 at the sump, which is where the transmission gauge normally reads
from. 330 is the normal max for the retarder.

I have both gauges, and I can tell you that when the retarder is at 300 the
transmission is way, way lower than that.

Don Bradner
90 PT40 "Blue Thunder"
My location: http://www.bbirdmaps.com/user2.cfm?user=1

On 5/18/2009 at 8:57 AM Wayne Kotila wrote:

>Ryan; I was told by Allison that the tranny could handle going over 300
>deg. F. for breif periods so when my tranny guage just passed up the 300
>deg mark I would turn off the retarder and rely on the brakes tell it
>cooled back down then I would turn the retarder back on. This worked great
>for years then one day my tranny failed on a trip and after an expensive
>towing and about another $8,000.00 I had a new rebuidt tranny. The
>mechanic that did it told me my tranny had been severly overheated
>and that it looked all burned up in side. I was the third owner of the
>coach and I have no idea how the prvious owners used the retarder but I
>followed what the Allison tech told me. After that experience I would not
>let the tranny temp get much over 250 deg.
>Wayne
>1985PT40