New to Aisin auto tran. How to maintain? what to look for?

[zzman]

New to me 2011 3500 cab & chassis with the 6 speed Aisin transmission, 68k miles.



Truck had 63k mi when I got it. Do not know when the last time the tran was serviced.

I have seen 175 degree tran temp when towing, not sure if this is good or bad.

The fluid looks real red from the dip stick, so I don't know nothing about this thing.

It does have a drain plug (looks like) on bottom of pan. How much fluid and what is the best to use

if drained from plug?



All my auto tran experiance was best if you just left them alone. I think not with heavy towing.



Any advice would be great for me to start another knowledge base, I'm getting too OLD for this new stuff.

Thanks

 

[HBarlow]

Ron,

It would have been better to start your thread in the cab and chassis forum where other C&C owners are more likely to see it.

Start with reading your owners manual. The specified service intervals for your truck are listed there.

My '08 cab and chassis calls for Aisin transmission service at 40 or 45k mile intervals. You MUST use JWS 3309 spec transmission fluid.

http://thelubricantstore.com/mobil-atf-3309-12x1.html

Do not experiment with other bs products claiming magical advantages. The Aisin requires a specific filter different from the MOPAR automatic used in pickups and also requires a specific atf different from the MOPAR automatic.

I think Genos sells the filters.

Ram cab and chassis trucks are tough and reliable workhorses. Mine has 120k miles and has been perfectly troublefree.

 

[zzman]

Thanks Harvey,
I thought the book said to change the oil every 30k miles, but I don't recall the filter change.
That filter is not cheap, wow. I can't get the dealer to find when it was changed last. The last owner seen to have all the work performed at the dealers.
The car-fax report just says "service performed", not what was done.

Can I just drain from the plug and re-fill? I searched a little for the fluid and found that "Mobil multi-vehicle ATF spec. 3309" was a good fluid to use.
What to you think (I don't know). I can't find the Mobil stuff at any of my local stores.

Ooopps, got to run, work calls.
Thanks again.

 

[zzman]

Thanks Harvey,

I thought the book said to change the oil every 30k miles, but I don't recall the filter change.

That filter is not cheap, wow. I can't get the dealer to find when it was changed last. The last owner seen to have all the work performed at the dealers.

The car-fax report just says "service performed", not what was done.



Can I just drain from the plug and re-fill? I searched a little for the fluid and found that "Mobil multi-vehicle ATF spec. 3309" was a good fluid to use.

What to you think (I don't know). I can't find the Mobil stuff at any of my local stores.



Ooopps, got to run, work calls.

Thanks again.

 

[mwilson]

Thanks Harvey,

I thought the book said to change the oil every 30k miles, but I don't recall the filter change.

That filter is not cheap, wow. I can't get the dealer to find when it was changed last. The last owner seen to have all the work performed at the dealers.

The car-fax report just says "service performed", not what was done.



Can I just drain from the plug and re-fill? I searched a little for the fluid and found that "Mobil multi-vehicle ATF spec. 3309" was a good fluid to use.

What to you think (I don't know). I can't find the Mobil stuff at any of my local stores.



Ooopps, got to run, work calls.

Thanks again.

zzman,



You may have to find a local oil distributor for the 3309 oil. Most parts stores do not carry it. I see that you have AutoZone and O'Reillys close by and it looks like they do not stock it at all.



http://www.mobil.com/USA-English-LCW/carengineoils_products_car-care_mobil-atf-3309.aspx



You have a distributor in town, Marlow Oil. Give them a call, they should have it or be able to get it fairly easily. Be aware that you will have to buy a full case of 12 quarts doing it this way as they will not break the case open.



Phone Number is 972-563-3233. Location is 108 North Rockwell Street. Ask for "Mobil ATF 3309 quarts".



Mike.

 

[HBarlow]

As long as the atf is 3309 it's the right product. Mobil has changed the product name back and forth a couple of times and I've used both products.

I would not do a simple drain and refill without changing the filter as required. You don't know the truck's history and it seems to me a bad idea to put it to work without knowing it was properly serviced. The Aisin transmission comes with a long warranty making the service records even more important.

 

[zzman]

Thanks Mike that is some great info, I will check with Marlow Oil.
Harvey I agree about the drain, the upkeep on this vehicle seems to be pretty good. I meet the previous owner at the dealer.
She traded it in on a new one a few days earily. She pulled a horse trailer with rodeo horses. She bought it new from the same selling dealer,
Elder Dodge in Athens TX. Elder Dodge and another dealer in Palestine TX seem to do all the maint. on it.
When I was under the truck, it looked like the edge of the pan gasket was clean and faily new looking. I think they may have changed or did the 60k
mile maint. on it.
The engine crank case vent filter looked new too.

How much oil does it hold and how do you drain it completely?
Just got back from a run and I saw 189 degree temps on the tran. What is "HOT" for this tran?
I know the engine sure runs HOT, is 225 too much? The fan works good for sure. And it was only in the low 90s today.

I'm trying to keep this truck stock (engine wise) and see if it works good. I HATE the mpg, seems about 3 or so mpg off from the 08 (non stock).

This is my first automatic transmission to use on the Hot Shot rig, the G56 couldn't take much, we'll see how well autos are these days.

Thanks guys

 

[HBarlow]

Either one of the dealers the previous owner used should be able to look in their computer and tell you exactly what service was done. If they refuse I'd have it serviced by another dealer.

TDR member and skilled diesel mechanic Mike Mullenax is the Cummins tech at Elder in Athens. Do you know Mike? Make it a point to know him.

189° is nothing. Don't worry about it. That's a normal atf temp range. Mine does not run at 225°. Another TDR member reported buying a new cab and chassis two or three years ago that ran at that temp. I don't know why. Don't think any significant changes in hardware or programming were made between my '08 and later C&C trucks.

I don't recall how many quarts of atf the Aisin holds but all I do is a simple drain and refill for each service. Whatever drains out is what I put back in it. I see no need to worry about draining the torque converter, cooler, and lines each time. My Aisin and fluid have never been hot.

Remember, a cab and chassis with a CM bed weighs around 10k. It's not going to set any fuel economy records but may set service life records. TDR member EB bought one of the first ones built and uses his for oil field hotshot hauling. Last he reported his '07 cab and chassis had over 450k miles with little more than routine service. His Aisin transmission has had nothing but routine service. Leave the truck as Ram built it and it will do the job for you for many years.

 

[Cummins12V98]

Either one of the dealers the previous owner used should be able to look in their computer and tell you exactly what service was done. If they refuse I'd have it serviced by another dealer.

TDR member and skilled diesel mechanic Mike Mullenax is the Cummins tech at Elder in Athens. Do you know Mike? Make it a point to know him.

189° is nothing. Don't worry about it. That's a normal atf temp range. Mine does not run at 225°. Another TDR member reported buying a new cab and chassis two or three years ago that ran at that temp. I don't know why. Don't think any significant changes in hardware or programming were made between my '08 and later C&C trucks.

I don't recall how many quarts of atf the Aisin holds but all I do is a simple drain and refill for each service. Whatever drains out is what I put back in it. I see no need to worry about draining the torque converter, cooler, and lines each time. My Aisin and fluid have never been hot.

Remember, a cab and chassis with a CM bed weighs around 10k. It's not going to set any fuel economy records but may set service life records. TDR member EB bought one of the first ones built and uses his for oil field hotshot hauling. Last he reported his '07 cab and chassis had over 450k miles with little more than routine service. His Aisin transmission has had nothing but routine service. Leave the truck as Ram built it and it will do the job for you for many years.

I have never understood changing only part of the trans fluid. To me no different than changing only part of the engine oil.

 

[EDKtrans]

I have an 08 C&C that I use for hotshotting, based in the Denver area. The truck has a little under 300,000 miles on it and I'll be doing the third transmission fluid change probably tomorrow, if I don't get called out tonight. A local dealer who works on a lot of C&C work trucks told me that they have no issues with these transmissions with 100,000 mile fluid change intervals. I think the warranty papers call for 60,000 intervals and I believe it may have been the Aisin site (could be mistaken) that lists a 120,000 interval. There has been a lot of confusion on these transmissions, Harvey I remember spent a goodly amount of time tracking down the right fluid specs. Some dealers will tell you to use ATF+4. Don't believe it, find the right stuff as mentioned above. Royal Purple also makes it and is what I use. Works great, that transmission is a beast.

My temps range from around 175 up to 220 or so depending on the load and the speed I travel. Hauling a heavy load up a steep slow dirt lease road with the reduced air flow across the transmission cooler will cause a serious spike in the running temp. I've been tempted to install a manually controlled electric fan for just these conditions. If you keep your road speed up though the temps should stay below 200. Just today, in mid 90 air temps I hauled a trailer weighing around 26000lbs out to a rig east of Denver. The entire run was on relatively flat roads, no mountains, and my transmission temps stayed in the low 190s.

 

[zzman]

Friday I ran the truck pretty hard. Water temp hit 230 one time but mainly ran between 215 to 225.
Tran temp spiked at 201 in slow traffic but on the highway it ran between 170 to 190.
I run about 260 miles loaded grossing about 34k with a bad wind catcher 8' wide by 10' tall, on the trailer 13' tall.
Ran on tow/haul mode and got about 5. 5 mpg. 50 to 65 mph was all I could do and still feel safe. It was 96 degrees outside.
I think the truck did good but I hate the mpg. The power was a lot less than the 04 or 08 that I had, but the transmission made the most with the power
and kept it friendly to drive.
I haven't changed the tran fluid yet, still trying to find the Shell AFT 3309. A service center said to use Amzoil, I just haven't found any comments
on the web about Amzoil. My local oil shop hasn't even herd of the Shell 3309 ^%$@# RED FLAG.

I like the sound of 100k mile intervals on changes, that keeps me in good there. I think I'm going to order the filter from Geno's and change it when
it comes in, as long as I find the Shell 3309.

Now I blew a oil seal on the trailer and broke a spring, so if it ain't one thing it's the other. Are we having fun yet?

 

[mwilson]

Friday I ran the truck pretty hard. Water temp hit 230 one time but mainly ran between 215 to 225.

Tran temp spiked at 201 in slow traffic but on the highway it ran between 170 to 190.

I run about 260 miles loaded grossing about 34k with a bad wind catcher 8' wide by 10' tall, on the trailer 13' tall.

Ran on tow/haul mode and got about 5. 5 mpg. 50 to 65 mph was all I could do and still feel safe. It was 96 degrees outside.

I think the truck did good but I hate the mpg. The power was a lot less than the 04 or 08 that I had, but the transmission made the most with the power

and kept it friendly to drive.

I haven't changed the tran fluid yet, still trying to find the Shell AFT 3309. A service center said to use Amzoil, I just haven't found any comments

on the web about Amzoil. My local oil shop hasn't even herd of the Shell 3309 ^%$@# RED FLAG.



I like the sound of 100k mile intervals on changes, that keeps me in good there. I think I'm going to order the filter from Geno's and change it when

it comes in, as long as I find the Shell 3309.



Now I blew a oil seal on the trailer and broke a spring, so if it ain't one thing it's the other. Are we having fun yet?

zzman,



You are mentioning "Shell 3309".



It is Mobil 3309.



Harvey and I have been around with this at distributors before. I'm going to give you the product code, this is Mobil's identification for the 3309.

If this doesn't work for them let me know.



Product Code is 98GX57.



Mike.

 

[zzman]

Thats right Mobil 3309,
Thanks Mike

 

[EB]

You can also get the Mobil 3309 from The Lubricant Store "AV Lubricants" on the internet and have it delivered to your house by the case. It will take about 9 qts with the filter change. You can also get the filter, not a Dodge filter, but a filter for the Aisin A425 transmission which is the same transmission with some differences as far as the PTO goes. I've used them for several years and haven't had any problems. They cost around $30 plus shipping. I'm over 485,000 miles with no problems. Grossing over 34k last week the transmission temp was 165-185 on the big hills west of San Antonio with the temps in the mid 90s. Like I said, no problems.