Allison® transmission owners are being held hostage. They are being forced to purchase a transmission fluid that is costing more money than they should be spending. They do, however, have options.
Allison® transmission has established the Technical Engineering Specification 295 (TES-295) for automatic transmission fluids. When TES-295 products are used in Allison® transmissions and according to Allison® recommendations as outlined in Allison® Service Information Letter 1099C, the service life of these oils can be extended several times that of mineral oils. This extended drain recommendation saves money for Allison® transmission owners.
The only oil on the market, however, that is formally identified by Allison® as a TES-295 product is TranSynd® Automatic Transmission Fluid, which happens to be sold by Allison® in partnership with Castrol®. Other companies seeking TES-295 approval are faced with formidable obstacles. Allison® has not made its stationary test stand available to the competition and has not established formalized field trial protocol. Outside companies, therefore, without unreasonably heavy investments in an ambiguous test program, are locked out of the market. And Allison®, by positioning itself as the only player, is able to charge exorbitant prices for their product. As a result, Allison® transmission owners who want to benefit from the potential savings realized through extended drain intervals are being taken advantage of.
In response, AMSOIL closely examined TranSynd® and developed a cost-effective replacement product named Torque-Drive™. Torque-Drive™ is a premium synthetic transmission fluid based on the same type of chemistry as TranSynd®. This is supported by the infrared (IR) scan and physical data comparisons included here. Clearly, the testing shows no measurable performance differences between Torque-Drive™ and TranSynd®. They do, however, differ in cost. Allison® transmission owners save money with Torque-Drive™.
The Allison® extended warranty states that Allison® will only cover repairs in which the transmission had been operated with TranSynd® or an equivalent fluid which meets the TES-295 specification. Torque-Drive™ is, in fact, based on the same type of chemistry as TranSynd® and is, therefore, recommended by AMSOIL as a replacement for TranSynd® and for use in all TES-295 applications. And because it is not specifically designated by Allison® as a TES-295 product, the AMSOIL warranty is in place to cover all lubricant related failures.
All Allison® transmission owners would be wise to reevaluate their use of TranSynd®, as well as their investment in the Allison® extended warranty program. There is no justification for paying the high cost for TranSynd® when an equivalent product is available for less.
AMSOIL Torque-Drive™ Synthetic Automatic Transmission Fluid is based on the same type of chemistry as TransSynd®. This fine, infra-red scan (IR), revealing a chemical "picture" of both products, shows no measurable differences.
Product Description
Engineered to eliminate the deficiencies common to all conventional, petroleum ATF's, AMSOIL Torque-Drive™ provides superior performance and protection against thermal and oxidative degradation, sludge and varnish formation, viscosity shear down, cold temperature oil thickening, poor friction stability, high component wear and shortened oil life. Automatic transmission operating expenses can be directly linked to transmission fluid quality. Poor quality oils need frequent changes and they reduce the effective service life of transmissions. Delivering the ultimate in oxidation resistance, wear control and friction performance, AMSOIL Torque-Drive™ extends lubricant life up to six times* and provides protection beyond that possible from conventional ATF's. Vehicles stay on the road longer, unnecessary labor and maintenance costs are reduced, and the return on costly transmission investments is maximized. Immediate financial benefits are realized upon the installation of AMSOIL Torque-Drive™.
* Depending on duty cycle, local conditions, oil analysis and/or OEM recommendations.
Thermal and Oxidative Stability
Hot weather and operating conditions are no excuse for poor transmission reliability. By delivering a slower than normal oxidation rate, AMSOIL Torque-Drive™ prevents sludge that blocks small valves, prevents varnish that restricts component movement and reduces oil thickening that slows down shift times. AMSOIL Torque-Drive™ lasts longer than conventional ATF's, protects better than conventional ATF's and extends transmission life beyond that possible with conventional ATF's.
Shear Stable
Conventional automatic transmission fluids use petroleum oils with viscosity index (VI) improvers added to increase the oil's operational temperature range. Over time, VI improvers shear down, promoting premature wear by leaving only a thin base oil to protect vital transmission components. AMSOIL Torque-Drive™ does not contain VI improvers, which means no VI improver shear down regardless of the operating environment. The unmatched film strength of AMSOIL Torque-Drive™ prevents wear, significantly increasing the transmission service life.
Friction Durability
Oxidation by-products destroy the sensitive friction characteristics of transmission fluids, resulting in the rapid degradation of shift quality. The thermal and oxidative stability inherent in AMSOIL Torque-Drive™ assures consistent, smooth clutch engagement with no harsh shifting throughout the life of the fluid. AMSOIL Torque-Drive™ maintains proper coefficients of friction, prevents clutch glazing and prevents elongated shift times.
Extreme Temperature Performance
Transmissions operate in temperature extremes. In hot temperatures, the synthetic construction of AMSOIL Torque-Drive™ virtually eliminates oil evaporation and delivers a better lubricating film than conventional oils for better overall protection of vital components. Oil consumption is reduced and transmissions require less maintenance.
In cold temperatures, AMSOIL Torque-Drive™ easily flows, as it does not contain the wax found in conventional ATF's. Cold temperature fluidity allows for the proper operation of small, delicate, electronically controlled solenoids that affect gear changes. Unlike conventional ATF's, transmissions using AMSOIL Torque-Drive™ have quick response times during cold operations and can be used immediately upon start-up.
Product Applications
AMSOIL Torque-Drive™ is recommended as a direct replacement for TranSynd® Synthetic ATF in heavy duty, on and off highway automatic transmissions manufactured by Allison®, General Motors®, Ford®, Voith® and ZF® or wherever the standards TES-295, C-4, DEXRON® III, MERCON® or ZF® TE-ML 14C are specified. Examples of operations that benefit from using AMSOIL Torque-Drive™ include municipal or transit buses, garbage haulers, motor homes, delivery vans, emergency vehicles, school buses, dump trucks, utility vehicles, cement trucks, line haul trucks and tow trucks.
Where extended drain intervals are not specified by the original equipment manufacturer (OEM), it is recommended that AMSOIL Torque-Drive™ be evaluated with oil analysis at standard OEM drain intervals or more frequently to establish proper drain interval. Where extended drain intervals are recommended by the OEM, follow that recommendation. This includes the recommendations set by Allison® in document #1099C, for TES-295 fluids.
