Allison® transmission owners are being
held hostage. They are being forced to purchase a transmission
fluid that is costing more money than they should be spending.
They do, however, have options.
Allison® transmission has established
the Technical Engineering Specification 295 (TES 295)
for automatic transmission fluids. When TES 295 products
are used in Allison® transmissions and according to Allison®
recommendations as outlined in Allison® Service Information
Letter 10-TR-99, Rev. B, the service life of these oils
can be extended several times that of mineral oils. This
extended drain recommendation saves money for Allison®
transmission owners.
The only oil on the market, however,
that is formally identified by Allison® as a TES 295 product
is TranSynd® Automatic Transmission Fluid, which happens
to be sold by Allison® in partnership with Castrol®. Other
companies seeking TES 295 approval are faced with formidable
obstacles. Allison® has not made its stationary test stand
available to the competition and has not established formalized
field trial protocol. Outside companies, therefore, without
unreasonably heavy investments in an ambiguous test program,
are locked out of the market. And Allison®, by positioning
itself as the only player, is able to charge exorbitant
prices for their product. As a result, Allison® transmission
owners who want to benefit from the potential savings
realized through extended drain intervals are being taken
advantage of.
In response, AMSOIL closely examined
TranSynd® and developed a cost-effective replacement product
named Torque-Drive™. Torque-Drive™ is a premium synthetic
transmission fluid based on the same type of chemistry
as TranSynd®. This is supported by the infrared (IR) scan
and physical data comparisons included here. Clearly,
the testing shows no measurable performance differences
between Torque-Drive™ and TranSynd®. They do, however,
differ in cost. Allison® transmission owners save money
with Torque-Drive™.
The Allison® extended warranty states
that Allison® will only cover repairs in which the transmission
had been operated with TranSynd® or an equivalent fluid
which meets the TES 295 specification. Torque-Drive™ is,
in fact, based on the same type of chemistry as TranSynd®
and is, therefore, recommended by AMSOIL as a replacement
for TranSynd® and for use in all TES 295 applications.
And because it is not specifically designated by Allison®
as a TES 295 product, the AMSOIL warranty is in place
to cover all lubricant related failures.
All Allison® transmission owners would
be wise to reevaluate their use of TranSynd®, as well
as their investment in the Allison® extended warranty
program. There is no justification for paying the high
cost for TranSynd® when an equivalent product is available
for less.
PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
Engineered to eliminate the deficiencies
common to all conventional, petroleum ATF's, AMSOIL Torque-Drive
Synthetic ATF provides superior performance and protection
against thermal and oxidative degradation, sludge and varnish
formation, viscosity shear down, cold temperature oil thickening,
poor friction stability, high component wear and shortened
oil life. Automatic transmission operating expenses can
be directly linked to transmission fluid quality. Poor quality
oils need frequent changes and they reduce the effective
service life of transmissions. Delivering the ultimate in
oxidation resistance, wear control and friction performance,
AMSOIL Torque-Drive extends lubricant life up to six times*
and provides protection beyond that possible from conventional
ATF's. Vehicles stay on the road longer, unnecessary labor
and maintenance costs are reduced, and the return on costly
transmission investments is maximized. Immediate financial
benefits are realized upon the installation of AMSOIL Torque-Drive.
* Depending on duty cycle, local conditions,
oil analysis and/or OEM recommendations.
Thermal and Oxidative Stability
Hot weather and operating conditions
are no excuse for poor transmission reliability. By delivering
a slower than normal oxidation rate, AMSOIL Torque-Drive
prevents sludge that blocks small valves, prevents varnish
that restricts component movement and reduces oil thickening
that slows down shift times. AMSOIL Torque-Drive lasts
longer than conventional ATF's, protects better than conventional
ATF's and extends transmission life beyond that possible
with conventional ATF's.
Shear Stable
Conventional automatic transmission
fluids use petroleum oils with viscosity index (VI) improvers
added to increase the oil's operational temperature range.
Over time, VI improvers shear down, promoting premature
wear by leaving only a thin base oil to protect vital transmission
components. AMSOIL Torque-Drive does not contain VI improvers,
which means no VI shear down regardless of the operating
environment. The unmatched film strength of AMSOIL Torque-Drive
prevents wear, significantly increasing the transmission
service life.
Friction Durability
Oxidation by-products destroy
the sensitive friction characteristics of transmission fluids,
resulting in the rapid degradation of shift quality. The
thermal and oxidative stability inherent in AMSOIL Torque-Drive
assures consistent, smooth clutch engagement with no harsh
shifting throughout the life of the fluid. AMSOIL Torque-Drive
maintains proper coefficients of friction, prevents clutch
glazing and prevents elongated shift times.
Extreme Temperature Performance
Transmissions operate in temperature
extremes. In hot temperatures, the synthetic construction
of AMSOIL Torque-Drive virtually eliminates oil evaporation
and delivers a better lubricating film than conventional
oils for better overall protection of vital components.
Oil consumption is reduced and transmissions require less
maintenance.
In cold temperatures, AMSOIL
Torque-Drive easily flows, as it does not contain the wax
found in conventional ATF's. Cold temperature fluidity allows
for the proper operation of small, delicate, electronically
controlled solenoids that affect gear changes. Unlike conventional
ATF's, transmissions using AMSOIL Torque-Drive have quick
response times during cold operations and can be used immediately
upon start-up.
Product Applications
AMSOIL Torque-Drive is recommended
as a direct replacement for Allison® or Castrol® TranSynd®
Synthetic ATF in heavy duty, on and off highway automatic
transmissions manufactured by Allison®, General Motors®,
Voith® and Ford® or wherever the standards TES-295, C-4,
Dexron® III or Mercon® are specified. Examples of operations
that benefit from using AMSOIL Torque-Drive include municipal
or transit buses, garbage haulers, motor homes, delivery
vans, emergency vehicles, school buses, dump trucks, utility
vehicles, cement trucks, line haul trucks and tow trucks.
Where extended drain intervals
are not specified by the original equipment manufacturer
(OEM), it is recommended that AMSOIL Torque-Drive be evaluated
with oil analysis at standard OEM drain intervals or more
frequently to establish proper drain interval. Where extended
drain intervals are recommended by the OEM, follow that
recommendation. This includes the recommendations set by
Allison® in document #10-TR-99 Rev. B, January 2002, for
TES-295 quality fluids.
 |
| AMSOIL Torque-Drive™ Synthetic
Automatic Transmission Fluid is based on the same type
of chemistry as TransSynd®. This fine, infra-red
scan (IR), revealing a chemical "picture"
of both products, shows no measurable differences. |
| PHYSICAL DATA |
|
AMSOIL Torque-Drive Synthetic
ATF
|
| Physical Data |
Torque-Drive |
TranSynd® |
|
Viscosity @ 100°C, cSt
|
7.41 |
7.36 |
|
Viscosity @ 40°C, cSt
|
37.14 |
37.29 |
| Brookfield @ -40°C (cP) |
8411 |
8400 |
| Density @ 60°F (lb/gal) |
7.038 |
7.047 |
|
Flash Point °C (°F) (ASTM D 92)
|
230 (446) |
232 (450) |
|
Pour Point °C (°F) (ASTM D 97)
|
-55 (-67) |
-55 (-67) |
Four Ball Wear Test
(40 kg, 75°C, 1200 rpm, 1 hr) |
0.45 |
0.45 |
|
Copper Corrosion (150°C, 3 hr)
|
1B |
1B |
| |
| Spectrographic Analysis |
Torque-Drive |
TranSynd® |
| Boron (ppm) |
133 |
136 |
| Calcium (ppm) |
28 |
29 |
| Phosphorous (ppm) |
230 |
235 |
AMSOIL Torque-Drive™ Q&A
Allison transmission company manufacturers
heavy-duty transmissions and recommends maintenance practices
for those units. Allison establishes transmission fluid
quality levels through fluid specifications such as the
popular C-4. Allison established another specification for
high quality oils called Technical Engineering Specification-295
(TES-295). Operators using TES-295 oils can extend drain
intervals according to Allison recommendations in bulletin
1099C, and operators are eligible to purchase the Extended
Transmission Coverage (ETC) warranty. ETC is an additional
warranty beyond the standard Allison warranty.
What is TranSynd®?
TranSynd® is the only TES-295 licensed
synthetic transmission fluid formula available. It is manufactured
by Castrol® and marketed in conjunction with Allison.
This formulation is also being made available through other
marketers under private label as well.
Why are there not other products licensed
as TES-295?
Competing lubricant companies seeking TES-295
approval for their own formulations are faced with formidable
obstacles. Allison requires a test to be run on a specialized
test stand, which it has not made available to other lubricant
companies. Furthermore, Allison requires a field trial but
has not established formalized field trial protocol. This
effectively locks out competing oil companies and allows
Allison and Castrol to charge exorbitant prices.
How can AMSOIL claim Torque-Drive™
as TES-295 quality without having run the tests?
Because Allison did run the tests on TranSynd®
and AMSOIL successfully "reverse engineered" TranSynd®,
creating a fluid based on the same type chemical technology.
Both contain PAO. Both contain ester. Both contain enhanced
additive systems. Neither contains VI improvers. Not even
sophisticated laboratory analysis can accurately measure
the differences between these two products. The only difference
customers will notice is the price. Torque-Drive™ at
commercial pricing is considerably lower than TranSynd®.
How will the use of Torque-Drive™
affect the warranty coverage?
The use of Torque-Drive™ will not
affect the standard Allison warranty for defects in material
or workmanship and may only be challenged if there is clear
evidence of a lubricant related failure, in which case AMSOIL
provides full warranty coverage. Torque-Drive™ does
not fulfill the Allison warranty requirements for those
customers who have already purchased ETC. This is a separate
contract that binds the parties according to its terms.
Customers who are considering purchasing
ETC should give this careful consideration. ETC can be very
costly ranging from $235 per unit for one year in school
busses equipped with a 1000 model transmission to as much
as $4,000 per unit for three years in transit busses equipped
with a B500R. Allison customers need to ask themselves where
the savings are if they have to pay big dollars for additional
warranty coverage which forces them to use the most expensive
transmission fluid available. If Allison customers consider
Torque-Drive™ as an alternative, they will find that
the standard Allison warranty for defects in material and
workmanship is not compromised and AMSOIL provides additional
warranty coverage for lubricant related failures indefinitely.
How does Torque-Drive™ compare to
AMSOIL Synthetic Transmission Fluid (ATF)?
Torque-Drive™ was created to satisfy
the concerns of customers currently using TranSynd®,
and it carries with it the confidence to be used for the
intervals established by Allison. AMSOIL ATF is a more advanced
product with universal applications such as Mercon V and
ATF +4. AMSOIL does not recommend draining or switching
to Torque-Drive™ unless the Allison customer intends
on following the extended drain interval recommendations
of Allison.
What are the key performance benefits
offered by Torque-Drive™?
AMSOIL Torque-Drive™ provides superior
performance and protection against thermal and oxidative
degradation, sludge and varnish formation, viscosity shear
down, cold temperature thickening, poor friction stability,
high component wear and shortened oil life. Conventional
oils require frequent changes and reduce the effective service
life of transmissions. AMSOIL Torque-Drive™ extends
lubricant life and provides protection superior to conventional
ATF's.
|
