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Bus Discussion => Bus Topics ( click here for quick start! ) => Topic started by: Highway Yacht on November 01, 2010, 06:13:18 PM

Title: How Do I Tell What Transmission I Have???
Post by: Highway Yacht on November 01, 2010, 06:13:18 PM
Stupid question here.. Hows the best way to tell what transmission I have? I thought I had a 4 speed auto but noticed it shifts 5 times.. Could I possibly have a 5 speed or will the 4 speed feel like it shifts 5 times?? The shifter is a 5 speed shifter but the only gears that the shifter will physically go in are 2 thru 5. That is the reason I thought I had a 4 speed transmission with a 5 speed shifter. If I start off 5 it will change into 5 different gears. This bus originally had manual transmission but was switched out to an auto before I purchased it.
Title: Re: How Do I Tell What Transmission I Have???
Post by: luvrbus on November 01, 2010, 06:38:24 PM
Look above the oil pan on the drivers side in the middle of the transmission there you will find a id plate the backup light switch will be close to id plate 


good luck
Title: Re: How Do I Tell What Transmission I Have???
Post by: RoyJ on November 01, 2010, 08:22:50 PM
Quote from: Highway Yacht on November 01, 2010, 06:13:18 PM
Stupid question here.. Hows the best way to tell what transmission I have? I thought I had a 4 speed auto but noticed it shifts 5 times.. Could I possibly have a 5 speed or will the 4 speed feel like it shifts 5 times?? The shifter is a 5 speed shifter but the only gears that the shifter will physically go in are 2 thru 5. That is the reason I thought I had a 4 speed transmission with a 5 speed shifter. If I start off 5 it will change into 5 different gears. This bus originally had manual transmission but was switched out to an auto before I purchased it.

Well, be careful, one of the "shifts" you feel is probably the converter locking. IIRC, the Allison 740 shift sequence is as follow:

1C, 2C, 2L, 3L, 4L

The 2 converter, to 2 locked, will feel like a shift.
Title: Re: How Do I Tell What Transmission I Have???
Post by: thomasinnv on November 01, 2010, 09:52:00 PM
I have a 740 and it locks up at the top of 1st, just before shifting to 2nd.  Now if I let it shift itself, it just mushes along  (mushy, slushy...know what i mean vern?).  I always shift manually though.
Title: Re: How Do I Tell What Transmission I Have???
Post by: bruceknee on November 02, 2010, 03:22:41 AM
Do you have 2 or 3 pedals?
Title: Re: How Do I Tell What Transmission I Have???
Post by: TomC on November 02, 2010, 09:37:47 AM
If you don't have any kind of production identification plate, it is relatively easy to tell the difference between the 4 and 5 speed 600 or 700 series transmission.  If you look at the transmission case at the rear, the 4 spd has the tail shaft housing attached to the main case.  On the 5 spd, you'll see the main case, then going back the 5th gear addition (about a 5 inch increase) then the tail shaft housing bolted to the 5th gear housing.  If you have an output retarder, that too will be attached to the rear of the transmission, but will have cooling fins on it with two hydraulic hoses going to a trans cooler.  If you have an input retarder, then you have an additional housing between the bell housing and the main transmission case with two hydraulic hoses coming out of it to a cooler.  Good Luck, TomC
Title: Re: How Do I Tell What Transmission I Have???
Post by: Highway Yacht on November 02, 2010, 02:06:05 PM
The ID plate is there but I can't make out any of the numbers. Here is a picture of what the transmission looks like. Can anyone tell what transmission it is by the picture?



(https://busconversionmagazine.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi783.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fyy114%2FHighwayYacht%2FMC-9%2FParty015.jpg&hash=652d4236703e280dfe7f5f1eca0d0069225f6c3d)
Title: Re: How Do I Tell What Transmission I Have???
Post by: luvrbus on November 02, 2010, 02:20:03 PM
The old reliable 740   



good luck
Title: Re: How Do I Tell What Transmission I Have???
Post by: Highway Yacht on November 02, 2010, 02:22:51 PM
Quote from: luvrbus on November 02, 2010, 02:20:03 PM
The old reliable 740   



good luck

Thanks for the help....
Title: Re: How Do I Tell What Transmission I Have???
Post by: Mike in GA on November 03, 2010, 07:29:07 AM
Yep, that's a 740.
    The 750 series is longer and has a band of protuberances around its circumference that resembles a bandolier or belt of ammunition (at least to me).
    Next week I am swapping out my trusty 740 for a rebuilt 750 close ratio. I do a fair amount of suburban and secondary road driving where 45-50 mph is easier to maintain with that extra gear.
Mike in GA
Title: Re: How Do I Tell What Transmission I Have???
Post by: brettpearson67 on April 29, 2019, 02:41:16 PM
I just bought a new bus, a 1985 MCI 96A3, and I could've sworn it shifted 4 times, at 10, 22,28, 42ish, but it certainly looks like the 740, not the 750.
What could make it feel like a 5 speed?

Thanks
Brett
Title: Re: How Do I Tell What Transmission I Have???
Post by: richard5933 on April 29, 2019, 02:53:54 PM
Are you perhaps feeling the toque converter going into lock-up mode?
Title: Re: How Do I Tell What Transmission I Have???
Post by: brettpearson67 on April 29, 2019, 03:54:29 PM
Well, I suppose that could be it. I don't know anything about these trannies.
Is it that noticeable?
Title: Re: How Do I Tell What Transmission I Have???
Post by: Iceni John on April 29, 2019, 07:41:07 PM
Quote from: brettpearson67 on April 29, 2019, 03:54:29 PM
Well, I suppose that could be it. I don't know anything about these trannies.
Is it that noticeable?
Yes!   When my 740 locks, there's more jerk than when it shifts between gears.   It almost seems like there's also more RPM drop when locking, but maybe I'm just imagining it.

John
Title: Re: How Do I Tell What Transmission I Have???
Post by: TomC on April 29, 2019, 10:19:30 PM
That is an HT740. The HT754CR has an extra gear bolted on the back of the transmission-of which this transmission pictured does not have.
Typically the normal shift pattern is- 1st converter, 2nd converter, 2nd torque converter lockup, 3rd locked up, 4th locked up. Good Luck, TomC
Title: Re: How Do I Tell What Transmission I Have???
Post by: brettpearson67 on April 30, 2019, 02:45:55 AM
Quote from: TomC on April 29, 2019, 10:19:30 PM
That is an HT740. The HT754CR has an extra gear bolted on the back of the transmission-of which this transmission pictured does not have.
Typically the normal shift pattern is- 1st converter, 2nd converter, 2nd torque converter lockup, 3rd locked up, 4th locked up. Good Luck, TomC
Ok. That explains why I thought I might have a 5 speed.
Thanks.
Title: Re: How Do I Tell What Transmission I Have???
Post by: TomC on April 30, 2019, 08:29:28 AM
On my 3spd V730, I can make it feel like a 5spd. By pulling the shifter to 1st, I can get 1st gear lockup around 20mph with less than full throttle. So I get 1st converter, then 1st lockup. Then right before shifting into 2nd, I floor the gas pedal and the transmission drops back into converter shifting to 2nd, then a little later it will lock back up in 2nd.
I can get 1C, 1L, 2C, 2L, 3L-feeling like 5 gears from a 3spd! Good Luck, TomC
Title: Re: How Do I Tell What Transmission I Have???
Post by: daddysgirl on April 30, 2019, 08:54:55 AM
Stupid question alert!
Why does my 740 look different? This is a old picture but...

Title: Re: How Do I Tell What Transmission I Have???
Post by: TomC on April 30, 2019, 10:30:41 AM
Can't tell-not enough of the transmission pictured.