Allison 6sp: Swap Allison for???
- Thread starter D-MAX Mafia
- Start date
I'm probably wrong, but I would think that rather than reinventing the wheel, you make the existing wheel better. Fix the couple weak spots in the Allison, and then do something different for a controller.
When I pressed them, the guys at PCS admitted that their trans controller would control an Allison, but since it lacks any adaptive logic you would have to tweak every little parameter over the entire operating temp range, and re-tweak it as the trans ages. They won't help you or support the Allison, but they will give you the software to make it work. The fact I would have to frequently screw with it turned me off for a stand-alone conversion, but for a race only setup it would probably actually be the ticket.
When I pressed them, the guys at PCS admitted that their trans controller would control an Allison, but since it lacks any adaptive logic you would have to tweak every little parameter over the entire operating temp range, and re-tweak it as the trans ages. They won't help you or support the Allison, but they will give you the software to make it work. The fact I would have to frequently screw with it turned me off for a stand-alone conversion, but for a race only setup it would probably actually be the ticket.
The PCS controller has been used with an ALLISON, and fro mwhat I have gathered all of those trucks have switched back over to ALLISON controllers for them as the PCS was just to un predictable. I read about randomnly going to neutral or even reverse going down the road, inconsistent shifts, and just all around didn't work well with it. If it wasn't for the sales contract between ALLISON and GM, then you could get an ALLISON dealer to go in with his DOC software and custom tune the ALLISON TCM to work. As it was explained to me by 2 large ALLISON dealers though, they can't even hook up to a 2500/3500 truck with there software without it popping up a warning on there software and disabling it from doing anything(don't know this for fact, just what I was told). Now if it was a 4500+, they could do just about anything I wanted for me.
I talked at length with the head guy at PCS a while back. All those stories about going into reverse and neutral are bogus. There were even stories about it applying all clutches at once, which isnt even possible with the way the VB works.
According to him, the main problem was that their controller had to be tweaked too much for good shifting, and as the trans aged or the temps changed a lot it had to be tweaked more. It was a support nightmare that they didnt want to deal with. They do still have a few Allison trucks running around with their controller from th eearly days, and their software still has all the stuff for running an Allison, but he said they WILL NOT support it in any way.
Bullshit.
Their controller went into reverse at high speeds.
Destroked uses their controller with no problems. Scott at Destroked made it work just fine. ATS shit canned it. Wonder whos truck went into reverse?
I couldn't imagine having a trans going into reverse at high speed while your accelerating!
Scared the shit out of the ATS driver. I had this happen a few years ago on a 700 hp mustang with a C6. The low sprag was installed backwards and when the 1/2 shift tried to happen at full throttle, I was all over the road hanging on. :rofl: I can laugh now, but my shorts got soiled at the time.
If it did, then someone screwed the pooch when they set up the programming. It was probably the 4-5 shift, and instead of deapplying the C solenoid and leaving the E applied, it applied the D solenoid. That would of been the fault of whoever set it up at ATS. Oops
If it did, then someone screwed the pooch when they set up the programming. It was probably the 4-5 shift, and instead of deapplying the C solenoid and leaving the E applied, it applied the D solenoid. That would of been the fault of whoever set it up at ATS. Oops
It wasn't just the ATS truck that had problems with the PCS controller, that much I do know. When I did my conversion I was origanally going to go with a P pumped 24 valve and an ALLISON behind it to be unique, so I researched ALOT of different avenues when it came to what would work and not work with what. There's a reason DESTROKED stayed with the ALLISON controller, it's the ONLY one that can reliably control the ALLISON without all kinds of wierd shit happening. Head over to pirate 4X4 and read about the EXTREME 4X4 SUBURBAN GORILLA and all the trouble he had with his PCS controller and why he had FLEECE convert the truck over to stock electronics(including getting rid of the BANKS fuel controller), that was just another one that had troubles with them. Others tryed it and had trouble with the 2-3 going to neutral, trim circuit not being controlled like programmed, and so on.
Hear you there. There would have been black marks from the tires and brown skid marks from my a$$hole in my underware as it tried to pucker!
Stupid question then .... what's the difference between the TCM in a 4500 and the 2500/3500's? Does GM put a Duramax in the 4500's? If so, are there any ways to either reflash a 2500/3500 to a 4500 or vice versa? Trying to think if any of these would be possible with any of the vintages of Duramax's out running around (LB7 / LLY / LBZ / LMM).
The 4500/5500 was offerred with a DURAMAX in it and teh ALLISON 1000(but with a manual parking brake atatched to the trans as DOT requires it for medium duty trucks). Some have used teh KODIAK tune in there pick-ups, the downside is it is locked into tow/haul mode all the time.
Would that be one of those things (T/H) that the Allison dealer could fix for you? Just trying to think outside the box of ways to address some of the issues with the TCM's.
Who knows, maybe this is how Suncoast was able to make the 5 speed TCM into a 6 speed TCM in their 6 speed kits?
Allison dealers will not touch your GM truck. They are only allowed to program stock reflashes into medium duty ( non GM ) trucks.
Since the sale of Allison by GM; these two companies do not get along at all. My new Allison DOC program will no longer support GM trucks.
that's what my Allison dealer told me in '09 but recently told me now they don't care what vehicle it's in, and will work on my truck. 24hr turnaround on a rebuild, but they don't install non-Allison parts... ie try to get them to install a Stage 3 etc.
Wally
Wally
If all goes well I might be ditching the Alli and going with a 4L80E w/ a manual valve body. Any advice on this swap Mike?
Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk
Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk