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Bob Lawrence

Well, I decided to change to synthetic fluid.
The shop I took it to (M&M)in Tacoma put Amsoil in it, changed the
internal filter and the external filter.
Drove off down the road also after getting the engine oil changed and
noticed rig wouldn't change gears.
Tried for several blocks..no luck.
Took it back..they dropped the pan and found the pickup tube that had
an o ring replaced had a cut in it. This it turns out let the fluid
from the tranny get picked up and returned to pan without getting into
the tranny.
They replaced the o ring and the filter again (10 blocks on new fluid).
They had to replace the filter and Amsoil again at their cost.
I think with the second flush in 3 hours that most of the old ATF would
have been removed.
Anyway, problem solved.
Amazing that an o ring can cause the tranny not to pick up fluid.
The Amsoil cost $15 bucks a quart.
Cost of $450 for tranny fluid change and $300 for oil change. Not cheap.
Bob Lawrence
84 PT36
Tacoma, Wa. (Where still raining)

John Suter

Hi Bob,

Sounds to me like you got a free flush job, albeit
at some trouble, and now you'll be off for the full
ride in mileage and time.

Can't tell if your $450 and $300 included or
excluded the fluids and filters, generator, nor what
labor rates are in your area. For a future guide, 4.5
to 5.5 man-hours can get Engine, Gen, Coolant, Trans
and Lube. Many shops will quote max hours, though
they're not crazy about doing it. In Dec, paid $10/Qt
for bulk TranSyn but had to fight tooth and nail, and
think I gave back some of that in another area.

Has anyone in the group tried a "mobile" oil change
service that comes to you? Last fall I received two
very attractive quotes and I am tempted.

John Suter




--- Bob Lawrence wrote:

> Well, I decided to change to synthetic fluid.
> The shop I took it to (M&M)in Tacoma put Amsoil in
> it, changed the
> internal filter and the external filter.
> Drove off down the road also after getting the
> engine oil changed and
> noticed rig wouldn't change gears.
> Tried for several blocks..no luck.
> Took it back..they dropped the pan and found the
> pickup tube that had
> an o ring replaced had a cut in it. This it turns
> out let the fluid
> from the tranny get picked up and returned to pan
> without getting into
> the tranny.
> They replaced the o ring and the filter again (10
> blocks on new fluid).
> They had to replace the filter and Amsoil again at
> their cost.
> I think with the second flush in 3 hours that most
> of the old ATF would
> have been removed.
> Anyway, problem solved.
> Amazing that an o ring can cause the tranny not to
> pick up fluid.
> The Amsoil cost $15 bucks a quart.
> Cost of $450 for tranny fluid change and $300 for
> oil change. Not cheap.
> Bob Lawrence
> 84 PT36
> Tacoma, Wa. (Where still raining)
>
>
>
>


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mbulriss

Bob,

I was going to send this to you offline to prevent inflaming the
syn/non-syn forces, but in reviewing the info I decided it was general
information pertinent to all, so decided to post it here.

While I personally agree with your synthetic choice, I would look for
a less expensive (and more careful) shop. You said the Amsoil cost
$15 bucks a quart. I thought that sounded real high, so I pulled my
new catalog and looked it up. The good news is they got to do it
twice, so you got nearly a full flush and it cut your cost per quart
down by about half, or slightly under suggested list price.

I don't know if they sold you the Amsoil ATF or the Torque Drive
(Transynd substitute) but the published list price on those is
$8.65/qt for the ATF and $35.90/gal (or approx $9/qt) on the Torque
drive. Their actual cost was in the $6-6.50/qt range in the smallest
purchase quantities available and in the $5/qt range purchased in the
smallest 1-2.5 gallon container quantities. The Amsoil preferred
customer program would allow you to purchase at those lower prices.
At their prices, they still made money.

Did you go with synthetic in the motor also?

Mike Bulriss
1991 WB40 "Texas Minivan"
San Antonio, TX


--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Bob Lawrence"
wrote:
>
> Well, I decided to change to synthetic fluid.
> The shop I took it to (M&M)in Tacoma put Amsoil in it, changed the
> internal filter and the external filter.
> Drove off down the road also after getting the engine oil changed and
> noticed rig wouldn't change gears.
> Tried for several blocks..no luck.
> Took it back..they dropped the pan and found the pickup tube that had
> an o ring replaced had a cut in it. This it turns out let the fluid
> from the tranny get picked up and returned to pan without getting into
> the tranny.
> They replaced the o ring and the filter again (10 blocks on new fluid).
> They had to replace the filter and Amsoil again at their cost.
> I think with the second flush in 3 hours that most of the old ATF would
> have been removed.
> Anyway, problem solved.
> Amazing that an o ring can cause the tranny not to pick up fluid.
> The Amsoil cost $15 bucks a quart.
> Cost of $450 for tranny fluid change and $300 for oil change. Not cheap.
> Bob Lawrence
> 84 PT36
> Tacoma, Wa. (Where still raining)
>

Bob Lawrence

Hi John,
Yes, the $450 and $300 included all filters and labor for engine and
tranny. Amsoil put in tranny at $15 a quart. Didn't have gen set
worked on as that is the next thing to be handled. Gen set fluid has
been changed by me. I'm going to have them pull the fan on the gen
set and put in a 12v electric fan with thermometer put in the
radiator. This should cut down the noise level (hopefully a lot)
Bob Lawrence
84 PT36
Tacoma, Wa.


> Can't tell if your $450 and $300 included or
> excluded the fluids and filters, generator, nor what
> labor rates are in your area. For a future guide, 4.5
> to 5.5 man-hours can get Engine, Gen, Coolant, Trans
> and Lube. Many shops will quote max hours, though
> they're not crazy about doing it. In Dec, paid $10/Qt
> for bulk TranSyn but had to fight tooth and nail, and
> think I gave back some of that in another area.
>
> John Suter
>
>

Jay Darst

Bob,

I have heard that the 12V fan doesn't provide sufficient cooling.

Only "heard", not tried ;~}

Please post the results of this crucial noise reducing update for
PT's.

Thanks
Jay Darst
85PT40
Springfield, IL

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Bob Lawrence"
wrote:
>
> Hi John,
> Yes, the $450 and $300 included all filters and labor for engine
and
> tranny. Amsoil put in tranny at $15 a quart. Didn't have gen set
> worked on as that is the next thing to be handled. Gen set fluid
has
> been changed by me. I'm going to have them pull the fan on the gen
> set and put in a 12v electric fan with thermometer put in the
> radiator. This should cut down the noise level (hopefully a lot)
> Bob Lawrence
> 84 PT36
> Tacoma, Wa.
>
>
> > Can't tell if your $450 and $300 included or
> > excluded the fluids and filters, generator, nor what
> > labor rates are in your area. For a future guide, 4.5
> > to 5.5 man-hours can get Engine, Gen, Coolant, Trans
> > and Lube. Many shops will quote max hours, though
> > they're not crazy about doing it. In Dec, paid $10/Qt
> > for bulk TranSyn but had to fight tooth and nail, and
> > think I gave back some of that in another area.
> >
> > John Suter
> >
> >
>

Jay Darst

Bob,

Been kinda looking into a 2-speed motor to replace the current motor.

Not done with research.

Need to know what the current motor rpm is...

Have found only 3-phase 2- speed motors, but just started looking-
I'm slow, but usually sure ;~}

Jay


<SNIP>
>I'm going to have them pull the fan on the gen
> set and put in a 12v electric fan with thermometer put in the
> radiator. This should cut down the noise level (hopefully a lot)
> Bob Lawrence
> 84 PT36
> Tacoma, Wa.
>
>
> > Can't tell if your $450 and $300 included or
> > excluded the fluids and filters, generator, nor what
> > labor rates are in your area. For a future guide, 4.5
> > to 5.5 man-hours can get Engine, Gen, Coolant, Trans
> > and Lube. Many shops will quote max hours, though
> > they're not crazy about doing it. In Dec, paid $10/Qt
> > for bulk TranSyn but had to fight tooth and nail, and
> > think I gave back some of that in another area.
> >
> > John Suter
> >
> >
>

Tom Warner

Wonder if you connect a thermostat in series with the motor you could
cycle it on and off just like my Horton air fan on the 1982FC35? The
fan stays off until the coolant temperature gets to 205 degrees when
it turns on, cools the coolant down and then shuts off. Driving on
the road it never goes on, just when pulling a grade or stopped in
heavy traffic.

tom warner
Vernon Center,Ny
1982 FC35
1985 PT40

At 08:07 PM 4/9/2006, you wrote:
>Bob,
>
>Been kinda looking into a 2-speed motor to replace the current motor.
>
>Not done with research.
>
>Need to know what the current motor rpm is...
>
>Have found only 3-phase 2- speed motors, but just started looking-
>I'm slow, but usually sure ;~}
>
>Jay
>
>
><SNIP>
> >I'm going to have them pull the fan on the gen
> > set and put in a 12v electric fan with thermometer put in the
> > radiator. This should cut down the noise level (hopefully a lot)
> > Bob Lawrence
> > 84 PT36
> > Tacoma, Wa.
> >
> >
> > > Can't tell if your $450 and $300 included or
> > > excluded the fluids and filters, generator, nor what
> > > labor rates are in your area. For a future guide, 4.5
> > > to 5.5 man-hours can get Engine, Gen, Coolant, Trans
> > > and Lube. Many shops will quote max hours, though
> > > they're not crazy about doing it. In Dec, paid $10/Qt
> > > for bulk TranSyn but had to fight tooth and nail, and
> > > think I gave back some of that in another area.
> > >
> > > John Suter
> > >
> > >
> >
>
>
>
>
>
>
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bobloomas

----- Original Message -----
From: Bob Lawrence
To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sunday, April 09, 2006 6:56 PM
Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Re: Changing tranny fluid to synthetic


The person that owned my coach before me installed a 12 volt fan for the
generator.
I had to change mine back to the 220 motor inorder to keep the gen set from
shuting
down on over temp.If you can stay in a area that does not get over 70 dgrees
and keep
the generator out of the sun it may work.
Bob Loomas 1985 PT 36



Hi John,
Yes, the $450 and $300 included all filters and labor for engine and
tranny. Amsoil put in tranny at $15 a quart. Didn't have gen set
worked on as that is the next thing to be handled. Gen set fluid has
been changed by me. I'm going to have them pull the fan on the gen
set and put in a 12v electric fan with thermometer put in the
radiator. This should cut down the noise level (hopefully a lot)
Bob Lawrence
84 PT36
Tacoma, Wa.


> Can't tell if your $450 and $300 included or
> excluded the fluids and filters, generator, nor what
> labor rates are in your area. For a future guide, 4.5
> to 5.5 man-hours can get Engine, Gen, Coolant, Trans
> and Lube. Many shops will quote max hours, though
> they're not crazy about doing it. In Dec, paid $10/Qt
> for bulk TranSyn but had to fight tooth and nail, and
> think I gave back some of that in another area.
>
> John Suter
>
>







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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Bob Lawrence

Hi Mike,
Thanks for your imput..this is the first time I have ever bought
synthetics.was regular synthetic atf..looked like I overpaid big time.
I agree with your assesment of careful workmanship.
I will probably look for another shop for future work. They have had
a turnover in help...seems it's hard to get good help.
I went with regular 15-40 in engine.
Bob Lawrence
84 PT36
Tacoma, wa

> While I personally agree with your synthetic choice, I would look
for
> a less expensive (and more careful) shop. You said the Amsoil cost
> $15 bucks a quart. I thought that sounded real high, so I pulled my
> new catalog and looked it up. The good news is they got to do it
> twice, so you got nearly a full flush and it cut your cost per quart
> down by about half, or slightly under suggested list price.
>
> I don't know if they sold you the Amsoil ATF or the Torque Drive
> (Transynd substitute) but the published list price on those is
> $8.65/qt for the ATF and $35.90/gal (or approx $9/qt) on the Torque
> drive. Their actual cost was in the $6-6.50/qt range in the
smallest
> purchase quantities available and in the $5/qt range purchased in
the
> smallest 1-2.5 gallon container quantities. The Amsoil preferred
> customer program would allow you to purchase at those lower prices.
> At their prices, they still made money.
>
> Did you go with synthetic in the motor also?
>
> Mike Bulriss
> 1991 WB40 "Texas Minivan"
> San Antonio, TX
>

Bob Lawrence

Jay,
Sure, be glad to post results...will be in a couple of months.
Bob Lawrence
84 PT36
Tacoma,Wa.
>
> Bob,
>
> I have heard that the 12V fan doesn't provide sufficient cooling.
>
> Only "heard", not tried ;~}
>
> Please post the results of this crucial noise reducing update for
> PT's.
>
> Thanks
> Jay Darst
> 85PT40
> Springfield, IL
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