Allison Trans Econo Mode Button?

[rebelsbeach]

Originally posted by Lucchese1:
On my last few trips I have been hitting the econo mode button on the trans shifter to better my mileage...

Ben,as Lucchese1 posts,It's the "mode" button on your shift panel...

 

[Big Ben-WO]

Thanks for the reply.Should it say econo in the window or???? Don't know if I'm slow or just cautions. Do you push it just once?

 

[rebelsbeach]

When "econo" mode is on there will be a red light....I'll try and find the online pdf and post it here from Allison...

HERE is the pdf download.

Ben,if you also go back and re-read this topic from the beginning,you'll get some good advice too...

 

[Big Ben-WO]

That is a big help. When I push the button the red light comes on but there is nothing in the window. I'm wondering weather it had a econo mode programed in it.
When we left Florida this year I did try it with just the light on. It was the worst mileage we had ever got,7.25 mpg. At that point I ran it the way I always had and the mileage went back up to 8mpg.

 

[cbeierl]

Does the word 'Economy' show up in the 'Mode ID' window just above the 'Mode' button on anybody's control panel? I get the mode light, but no label in the ID window (I made up a little 'Economy' label to stick to the window since it doesn't light up for me).

 

[MrTransistor]

Hi Chris,
Light only (˜Alternate Mode' on or off). The window will show highest gear desired or ˜6' (normally) if you have pressed ˜D'. Using the down arrow will decrease the ˜6' to a ˜5' to a ˜4' etc. Obviously it won't let you select 2nd gear while going 60 MPH or the like. Pressing the up arrow will increment back up. Pressing ˜D' will set desired highest gear right to ˜6'.

After another round trip to Alamogordo, I am left with only the vaguest feeling of any difference between the two modes. It may be that I always drive 60 MPH or less, and almost never put my foot to the floor. Hence I am never aware of a difference in the shift pattern. I've not seen any change in MPG either. Generally 9.00 MPG no wind. With a good tail wind this goes up to 10 or better and with a head wind, it drops to as low as 8. My CAT engine reports that the total fuel used divided into the total miles driven yields an overall average of 8.34 for over 40,000 miles.

Still waiting for someone in the know to tell us the specific programming parameters for the Allison 3000MH transmission in both ˜Performance' and ˜Economy' modes. According to the manuals, this features programming is specified by the OEM when the transmissions are ordered from Allison. That would be Freightliner? Or does Winnebago make this request? Either way, someone should know how these things are programmed. If anyone from Freightliner is reading this, perhaps they will let us know how to obtain this information.

 

[cbeierl]

Light only (˜Alternate Mode' on or off). The window will show highest gear desired or ˜6' (normally) if you have pressed ˜D'.

Actually, the window I was talking about isn't the gear indicator window, but the little rectanglar window just above the mode button and below the "Digital Display" where the selected gear is shown, labeled 'Mode ID' in the Allison docs.

 

[MrTransistor]

Hi Chris,
That is the little area where a label would go that would say ˜Economy' if Winnebago or Freightliner had chosen to actually put a label for it.

 

[CaptChet]

Having had more years operating Motor Vessels than Motor Homes, I learned to use the Tachometer for most operations, speed and economy.
I was brought into the fold of using the MODE switch a few months ago. I noticed immediatley that where I used to run at 2000RPM and get 73 MPH in 6th gear, I can now, in MODE red light on (Economy) run my 350 Cat at 1750 RPM and get the 73 MPH.
In 5th speed, 2000 RPM = 65MPH regular MODE off
In 5th speed, 1750 RPM= 65 MPH MODE Economy on.
We have not been out for any substabtial long run yet so do not know the Miles Per GALLON in Economy Mode.
Our MPG in regular red light out is 8.3 MPG.
We got 8.3 at 65 in 5th and at 73 in 6th because the engine RPM were at 2000 in each case.

 

[Ecker]

Originally posted by cbeierl:
Does the word 'Economy' show up in the 'Mode ID' window just above the 'Mode' button on anybody's control panel? I get the mode light, but no label in the ID window (I made up a little 'Economy' label to stick to the window since it doesn't light up for me).

Q: What does the MODE button do?
A: The MODE button may allow the driver to enable a secondary shift schedule or other special function that has been previously programed into the electronic control unit at the request of the OEM. For example, the OEM for a motorhome may have provided a secondary shift schedule for improved fuel economy. The name of the special function (ECONOMY) should appear on the MODE ID label adjacent to the MODE button. Pressing the MODE button activates the ECONOMY shift schedule and illuminates the MODE INDICATOR (LED).

 

[Pusherman]

Having just returned from a trip from Upstate NY to Central PA, where the hills are rolling, my observation of the Econo mode is as follows:

When in the standard mode (Mode off= economy off) the transmission was more agressive in shifting to a lower gear, keeping me at 65 mph going uphill. Once I noticed this (I have the new Allison window which shows you both the selected gear and the actual gear) I selected the mode 'on' which is the economy mode. I then noticed that going up hills the transmissioni would stay in 6th gear at 65 mph, but slowing more than before. This would result in better fuel economy.

For me, I would prefer the economy mode for this condition.

 

[vicsryd]

I'm blown away. When I press the Mode button it does not light and there is no noticable difference in shift patterns.

When I first got this coach I read in the Allison manual about the mode button and a disclaimer that it may or may not be programmed depending on the specific application.

I asked the FTL service guys about it. They say they researched my s/n and said this XC chassis didn't have Econo mode programmed. So I left it at that.

Now I read this thread there are others with Winnie's just like mine where the Mode button does work.

Time to start calling Winnie and FTL again.

 

[Pusherman]

Jon,

A first call might be to Freightliner help (800) 385-4357 to ask whether or not this mode should be enabled or not (I believe all Allison 3000 series transmissions should have this feature).

My guess is that this is a customer select feature, meaning it is programmed as a choice in the transmission features. For some reason, your's may not be enabled.

Only Allison can reprogram your transmission, so your second call should be to your closest Allison service location.

While you are there, you might consider having your engine brake mode reprogrammed from shifting down to 2nd gear to a higher gear (3rd or 4th) when the engine brake is enabled. I have yet to do this on mine, but I talked to Allison, and this is customer selectable via reprogramming. The technician was willing to do this for me, and work with me to decide to select downshift to 3rd or 4th as a function of how I felt the transmission downshifted in a simulated situation. I find that the engine brake scenerio shifting down to 2nd gear is too severe.

 

[Ecker]

Originally posted by Pusherman:
Jon,

to 3rd or 4th as a function of how I felt the transmission downshifted in a simulated situation. I find that the engine brake scenerio shifting down to 2nd gear is too severe.

The tranny doesn't shift to second (even though the indicator shows it in 2nd) until the engine RPM is acceptable i.e. it works its way down through all the gears as the RPM comes into proper range for each gear. You may not want to have it go so far as to 2nd which is what can be programmed.

 

[Pusherman]

Agreed. I find that when coasting to a stop that when the RPM's allow, it will shift down to 2nd gear, which I find too agressive. Any experience in having it reprogrammed to only go to 3rd or 4th?

 

[vicsryd]

I called FTL Help yesterday. The information my Freightliner dealer gave me last January on this matter was incorrect. The service support tech confirmed that all XC chassis Winnebagos with the Allison 4000 tranny are supposed to have the Econo Mode feature programmed/operational.

They said the Freightliner dealer should have no problem reprogramming the Allisaon PCM (they are listed in the Allison service directory too). If the dealer still doesn't then I'm supposed to have them call the FCCC service support guys.

I'll combine this effort with the field campaign to replace the muffler J-bracket.