My thoughts on lubrication...

[AlisoBob]

It seems everyone is really on the "Synthetic" / "Amsoil" bandwagon around here.. and dont get me wrong, its good oil.

That said, let me give you a little background info on myself... I have 25 years in the crane / heavy equipment industry.

In my vehicles, I use either Mobil 1 ( gas motors) or Shell Synthetic Rotella T diesel motors) in the engines.

In the remainder of the vehicles, I use good old dino-oil.

Why?

"The soultion to poultion is dilution"

In the axles, transfercase and powersteering system, there is no filtration to remove wear causing particles, replacing the lubricant is the only answer.

The quality of the oil, no matter how good, cannot overcome the wear induced from the particles suspended in it.

For the cost of one Amsoil oil change, you could service these systems several times, removing the debris with each servicing.

What about the transmission? Thats a grey area I'll leave up to you. Yes, its filtered, and yes the temps suggest synthetics are warrented... but I stick with dino oil here too.

I change it with every oil change, its cheap. I also pull the pan one a year to swap out the internal filter.

I know what Allison says about "Once every 100k miles"

No way.

The filter is $30, and takes 30 minutes to change. I'll do it once a year.

$300 "Deep" transmission pans also seem to be money mis-spent. You can either add an additional cooler, or really double up on the servicing for that money...

I know some of you will strongly disagree, but in 30 years of vehicle ownership, I've never lost a major component on a vehicle. My current ride, a 2002 Silverado 1500 has 188k, and the ONLY non factory part is the "in tank" fuel pump that was replaced ( pre failure) at 150k miles as a precaution.

I predict my new Duramax will last quite a while on a diet on synthetic Rotella T, and dino oil for everything else...

[Durallymax]

Our trucks come with synthetic in the rear. I know on engines its neverssuggested to switch back to dino due to the fact that it will eat up the seals. But in the rearend there arent too many.

You can add a magnetic drain plug or dipstick to attract the particles.

As for the Allison. Servicing more frequently does not compare with a deep transmission pan. A Deep tranny pan adds up to 5 more quarts of capacity which lowers temps no matter what. No amount of servicing can do that. You also HAVE to run a deep pan with a built transmission.

A Deep transmission pan is only $80. The pretty ones are $270. II went with the pretty on because I didnt have to pay for it and it offers 5 quarts of additional capacity and has cooling fins. The $80 pan is the factory allison deep pan which holds and extra 3 quarts but is basically the same as the stock pan just deeper.

In my Engine I will be running Cen-pe-co oil changed every weekend. It truely is the best oil out there especially for the cost.

On our farm we run some cheap dino oil that works fine. Those old cummins motors in our tractors dont care what you put in them.

[snoclo]

Synthetic definitely has a place in conditions where it is high temp/high load.
Since my truck came with it, I'll stick with it. The info with my truck states that the motor, tranny, transfer case, & rear diff all came with synthetic.
As far as adding capacity to lower temps, that is false!
You will have a longer period to reach upper temps, but actually the end result will be more hot oil. Not any cooler-just more of it.
I'm sure the finned pan helps reduce temps though, just as a trans cooler/radiator helps-because your flowing over or thru a device that has surface area to dissapate the heat.

The key to longevity- quality of oil/s, frequency/intervals it is changed,& reduced temps.

Adding another cooler or increasing the size of your existing 1 will give you the most for your $$$money$$$

[AlisoBob]

Originally Posted by Durallymax

A Deep tranny pan adds up to 5 more quarts of capacity which lowers temps no matter what. No amount of servicing can do that. You also HAVE to run a deep pan with a built transmission.

Adding volume dosent equal a cooler transmission, it only creates more of a buffer to absorb heat. It will eventually reach the sane temp, given enough time.

[n0useforaname]

Either way though, the tranny will stay cooler longer than it would with a small pan. And if you run your truck a lot, it will spend more time cooler than hotter. Either way for me....I always hear of diesel trucks running 300,000 + miles. And most of those diesels are older trucks that ran regular oil... With todays engine upgrades, I don't see why a diesel truck won't last just as long....Synthetic or not.....as long as it's maintenanced properly

[daddysLBZ]

Never tried the synthetic stuff myself..Not that i don't trust the protective qualities,just I like to have the peace of mind drainin every 5k miles.That's just my opinion,synthetic oils have been proven to be superior in most cases..I use the

oil....Mobil 1 Delvac 1300 15-40
Filter....Mobil 1 ex perf..M1-303

[Durallymax]

well i sand corrected on the deep pan. I woner why you are supposed to run one then with a Stage IV tranny??

I need it for the co-pilot too so it doesnt matter, its going on. It has to for my tranny to funtion properly.

[BigRedChevy]

Originally Posted by Durallymax

well i sand corrected on the deep pan. I woner why you are supposed to run one then with a Stage IV tranny??

I need it for the co-pilot too so it doesnt matter, its going on. It has to for my tranny to funtion properly.

I ran my stage IV for quite some time with the original pan. The only problem i have was that it heated up fast on the track.

[daddysLBZ]

Originally Posted by AlisoBob

Adding volume dosent equal a cooler transmission, it only creates more of a buffer to absorb heat. It will eventually reach the sane temp, given enough time.

Right!The fluid will heat up sooner or later,but,the reasoning behind the pan is MORE to get hot/op temp.Deeper pan will cool a tad better,because it jus has more air flow on it.But good point pal!

Originally Posted by Durallymax

well i sand corrected on the deep pan. I woner why you are supposed to run one then with a Stage IV tranny??

I need it for the co-pilot too so it doesnt matter, its going on. It has to for my tranny to funtion properly.

If you are having cooler trans temps cause of the deep pan,then you go boy!!They recomend it for a reason,cause it works,and the cooling fims do function,otherwise what would be the point of SC requiring the pan??You have done the right thing IMO..If your trans is fine,then you have ZERO to be sorry for.Deeper pans also help the windage problems high perf trans encounter also[sloshing,not bein able to pick up fluid under hard corners,and rapid acc etc.]...The fluid can also stay fresher longer if there is more of it,nothing scientific about that..^^but don't tell him that..

[Durallymax]

The factory deep pan doesnt have cooling fins. Its the same pan as the one on our trucks just deeper.

I needed the pan for th co-pilot because it will drain the stock pan.