Why won't B500 with WTEC III shift into gear from shift pad?

[belfert]

I flew out to look at a 1999 Dina about ten days ago.  However, the transmission on the bus no longer goes into drive.  I took the bus out for a twenty or thirty minute drive where everything was working fine.  I parked the bus back at the car lot, and turned it off.  They wanted me to back up the bus into the spot it had been sitting.  I backed up a ways, but I needed to pull forward because they wanted it over further.  The bus would no longer shift into drive.  I turned it off, and started it again to no avail.  The bus hasn't moved from that spot since I left as it won't shift into drive anymore.  They got someone to replace the front brake chambers as one of the Rotochambers was leaking air bad.

I am pretty sure this B500 has a WTEC III.  Any ideas why a B500 with WTEC III won't shift from the shift pad?  Could there be an interlock with the entry door, or with the entry step?  I am going to look over the wiring diagrams.

I am starting to wonder if this is a sign I shouldn't buy the bus.  I already spent almost $500 on a plane ticket, but I would rather throw away $500 than spend $5,000 on a bus that I can't drive due to transmission issues. 

[belfert]

I have been looking at the electrical schematics for my Dina.  My schematics are dated 1997 so not sure if anything changed with the WTEC III.

Anyhow I see the Telma electric brake switch is connected to the WTEC.  I suspect the Telma has been taken out.  I turned on the electric brake while on my test drive, and may have left it on.  Any chance the electric brake switch being on is causing issues?

[belfert]

Fixed!  The guy at the car lot was so curious if it was the electric brake switch that he went over to the lot and looked at the bus.  He found the electric brake switch to be in the on position.  He turned the electric brake switch off, and the transmission works fine after that.  He was able to go forward and reverse with no issues.  I am planning to fly out to get the bus on Sunday.  I already delayed my trip from last weekend as the front brake chambers were not replaced yet.  The front brake chambers are replaced now.  (I was able to change my flight with no change fee.)

I am almost certain now that the Telma electric brake has been removed.  I recall seeing the same drive shaft as my bus, and not thinking anything of it at the time.

[CrabbyMilton]

Sometimes it pays not to draw conclusions too soon. We look forward to some pictures at some point.

[belfert]

No sane person would ever think that turning on the electric brake would kill the transmission.  It was only after poring over the electrical schematics that I realized that the electric brake switch goes through the transmission.

I was reasonably sure I left the switch on so I figured it couldn't hurt to try turning the switch off.

[luvrbus]

They bypass the Telma when it goes bad by removing the electromagnets I have a pack from the retarder in the Junk, it goes through the B-500  when applied it shifts the transmission to neural turn it off the transmission engages again . I don't why it didn't go into neutral when you were driving it and flipped the switch ,on the 740 you had to shift it to neutral   

[belfert]

It turns out the electric brake switch was not the issue.  Just coincidence.  The shift pad is bad.  If you rub your finger on the D button it eventually goes into gear.  I hope it still works until I get home tomorrow.

It appears new shift pads on EBay are about $250.

[luvrbus]

I will search for the name but a place in MN rebuilds the pads, it is where I send mine and they come back looking and working like new

[belfert]

There was a place in Hibbing, MN, but no idea if they still exist.  It seems like a new one for $250 might be around the same price as a rebuild.

[luvrbus]

I heard Allision owns it now, watch the stuff on Ebay they sell the Chinese knock off pads for $250.00 a new OEM pad from Allsion OEM is going to cost you $1200 to $1500.00,you will notice most of honest sellers will tell you it replaces a Allison number and they are not in a Allision package and they don't have the Logo or Allison name on the Pad,you can buy those for $175.00 I bought one it lasted a little over a year

[belfert]

It sounds like repair may be the better option.  I suspect the company you are thinking of is Jultech in Nashwauk, MN.  I am going to contact them with my part number.  Nashwauk is right down the road from Hibbing.

The company I was thinking of is DMR Electronics in Hibbing, MN.  I still have a voicemail from them from 2009.  They repaired Allison electronics back then, but not sure they do that anymore as they are part of Detroit Diesel.

[belfert]

Jultech is $840 to refurbish shift pad.

[luvrbus]

That is 1/2 the price of a new Allison pad ,buy a couple of the knocks so you have a spare they are all made by the same company in China.I never could make the fluid check with the knock offs on the pad and never could change the driving mode ,they would bring up some flash  codes for the engine,I wouldn't pay $250.00 for one ,$175.00 maybe

[belfert]

There is a seller on EBay who is selling used WTEC III shift pads for $175.  They are pulls from buses.  I might just buy two to have a spare.

[belfert]

Transmission Instruments will do a rebuild for $350.  Two year warranty.