Allison MD3060 Transmission: Specs, Manual, Oil, Codes, Cost
One of the things you will find out is that the longer you own a vehicle, the harder it is to get parts. That is because manufacturers stop making parts after so many years. When they do that, parts are hard to come by and you have to search high and low for key replacement parts.
This is the situation with the MD3060. Allison no longer makes the WTEC 2 controllers for this transmission. What they do make costs $5000 and is only supposed to be sold to owners of emergency vehicles. You can be in a pickle if this is the part that goes bad.
To learn more about this transmission, just continue to read our article. It has the information you want to know about before you buy. Knowing the whole story may help you get a great transmission or avoid one that can’t be readily fixed.
Allison MD3060 Transmission
Complete Allison MD3060 Specs
The best spec sheet that can be found is over at a website that only allows previews. If you sign up you get to view the 2-page document it has posted online. The information on the first page should provide all the important specs for this transmission.
You can access that preview page by clicking this link. Most discussion forums only talk about a few spec numbers and do not cover everything about the transmission.
The best way to get all the specs without signing up for a free trial would be to contact Allison directly. They should have the spec sheet on this transmission and should be able to send it to you.
Or you can contact this outfit that rebuilds these transmissions. They say to contact them for more info. That may be your other best bet to get the complete specs. Your local transmission shop should have this information if they still work on that model of transmission.
Or try this link and see if that PDF file answers any and all of your questions.
How Much Towing Capacity Does The Allison MD3060 Have?
The best information we have at the moment is that this transmission may be rated for roughly 50,000 pounds. One owner stated he was towing over 52,000 pounds but we take that information with a grain of salt.
Another owner said he had no problem at 32,000 pounds and a third said their total weight was in the 30,000-pound range. So it seems that this transmission can handle a heavy load.
We have seen other high figures as well. If in doubt check with an Allison dealer to see if they have the tow rating on a transmission that dates back to the 1990s.
Since this is a relatively old transmission all the details may be lost due to time and the focus on the newer transmission models. This specific model was produced in 1991 and only lasted till 1996 that we can find out.
That does not include any upgrades to the model that may have been added over that 5-year run. Your towing rating may be different for 1995 than for 1991.
What Gear Ratio is Allison MD3060?
This is one of the pieces of information you will find in that free trial link we provided earlier. The ratios go like this:
First-- 3.49:1
Second- 1.86:1
Third- 1.41:1
Fourth- 1.00:1
Fifth- 0.75:1
Sixth- 0.65:1
Reverse- -5.03:1 and ratio coverage for forward was 5.34. These gear rations do not cover or include torque converter multiplication.
The torque converter ratios or multiplications are found directly above the gear ratios so that information is easy to find. If you need more information we suggest you sign up for the free trial or check out the other two links before going to the dealer or transmission repair shop.
If your transmission controller fails on you you may only get a rebuilt model from a third party and not directly from Allison. We are talking about 30-year-old parts here and it may be very difficult to find the key ones anymore.
Allison MD3060 Oil Capacity
The oil capacity may be tricky. The manual for this transmission may say that it only needs 2.65 gallons or just about 10 quarts of fluid. But that is not the whole story when it comes to replacing the transmission fluid in this transmission model.
This is where the tricky part comes in, you may drain out more transmission fluid than the manual says it requires. That is because the manual does not cover the amount of fluid that is in the cooler circuit.
You may be draining almost 3 gallons or 12 quarts o fluid when you want to change it. That is higher than the 2.65 gallons the manual says is inside. Then if you do not compensate for this fluid difference you may be seeing an error light about the fluid being too low.
At 2.5 gallons, you may be shifting close to normal, but you still need to put more fluid inside to get the right amount. Another tricky part of this already tricky situation is that the amount of fluid in the cooler circuit varies from vehicle to vehicle.
That will confuse some owners when they ask friends or other members of the discussion forum they are on. You may only get the answer according to what their vehicle’s transmission requires and not yours.
Allison MD3060 Transmission Fluid Type
Before you go out and shop, you may want to read this link first. Allison has provided a list of approved fluids for its transmissions. They have divided the required fluids into two categories. One is for on-highway driving and the other is for off-highway driving.
It is recommended that you read these web pages first so you have the information you need to find the right fluid. The on-highway category is the one you want to read as it covers all Allison transmissions from the 1000 series on up.
As you look at the approved brands, you will see numerous brands of transmission fluids you can use. The brand does not matter as much as the type of fluid you buy.
Keep in mind that the transmission fluid that was available in the 1990ish may not be available today. It may be found in non-famous transmission brands but those won’t be the best options to use.
The minimum type of fluid you use must meet TES 295 certification. You will see 4 categories on the on-highway web page and the TES 295 is one of those 4. You shouldn’t have any problems finding the right fluid for your MD2060 transmission.
MD3060 Filter Change
One of the problems with the above transmission fluid type is that these Dextron II compatible newer fluids may not be the best thing for the old seals in the MD 3060. You may need to call Allison to get some answers to any questions this information brings up.
The changing of the filter should have you using an Allison filter but if those are too expensive, you should find a compatible brand. One thing to watch out for is how deep is your sump. You will need a 6” filter for the 4” sump.
The size of the sump will also determine how much fluid you will buy. Watch out for the dust and dirt. When you are changing the filter, dirt can easily get inside so make sure you have some ground cover to prevent that from happening.
If you are thinking of doing a power flush, don’t do it. Allison has said that will damage the seals.
Allison MD3060 Wiring Diagram
We tried doing a screen shot for you but it did not work out. The location of the wiring diagram was coming from our go-to manuals website and they seem to block any action outside of their prescribed payment route.
However, the diagram can easily be viewed at this link and this one. These links are to the MD 3060 and other transmission models' trouble shooting manual. You cannot get any better diagrams than these.
We checked the diagrams online at other websites and we could not guarantee that they were labeled correctly or actually displayed the right wiring diagram. If you want to get a more specific wiring diagram we suggest that you contact Allison directly and see what they can send you.
This manual was published in 1998 so it should be very accurate. It is also a very clear diagram so you should be able to see everything without any problems.
MD3060 Allison Transmission Parts Breakdown
It is best to just provide a link to an ideal web page instead of trying to copy and paste an image here. The reason this is so for this particular topic is that the document we found comes with a lot more information you will need than just an exploded diagram.
This link takes you to 4 pages that have been excerpted from a 180-page manual. It shows all the parts involved in the MD 3060 transmission plus it provides 2 pages of parts numbers.
Those numbers should make it very easy to find the replacement parts after all these years. The diagrams also provide illustration numbers and line them up with the correct part. You can see what you are looking at as well as jot down any part number you may need.
The diagrams are also fairly clear, not as clear as the wiring diagrams but still, you should see the parts and what their design is without too much trouble.
Common Allison MD3060 Problems
The following list may apply to all Allison transmission models, not just the 3060 one.
1. Service indicator light remains on- this will happen even though nothing is wrong with the transmission or there are no fault codes. You just have to reset the light by shifting in this pattern N – D – N – D -N – R – N with the ignition on but the engine off.
2. Worn out or damaged gears- you will feel a slipping, shaking, or grinding sensation when the gears begin to wear down. The fix is to replace those gears.
3. Delay in response- when you get a delay after shifting into a gear, that tells you that there is a problem with the fluid. You may have to change the fluid to get the response back to normal.
Or it is a problem with the computer and you need to shut the engine off for 30 minutes to reset it.
4. Weird noises- you may hear whining, clunking, and humming noises coming from your transmission. This usually indicates a problem with your fluid as well. The fluid may be breaking down and not doing its job.
The fix for this is to replace the fluid. If you do not take care of this problem quickly, it can turn into a major problem very soon.
5. Burning odor- the transmission overheated due to a breakdown in the fluid. This will require more repairs than simply replacing the fluid.
This is just the start of the list. You can experience slipping gears which is a problem with the computer or you may find that the transmission is leaking. That would be a seal problem. Both of these problems will need an experienced mechanic to handle the situation correctly.
Allison MD3060 Fault Codes
In the trouble shooting manual, we linked to above, you will find that starting on manual page 40 the start of the fault codes. Or as Allison calls them diagnostic codes.
These codes start at #13 and go well beyond #54 and there are several pages of them. After the code list, you will see different diagrams which also show the location some of the codes are pointing to.
It is best to click here and look through the troubleshooting manual to get the exact information for the codes you are seeing. That link takes you to page 40 of the manual and if you see some blank pages, that is normal. Just click the arrow again and you will get to the next code page.
The main codes have several sub-codes with them so make sure to read your codes correctly so you can find out what they mean. For example, main code 51 has 15 sub-codes to it and they will spill over to the next page.
Allison MD3060 Won't Shift Into Gear
This could be a problem with the WTEC 2 controller and it is a sign that it is failing. The problem with this part failing on you is that they are not made anymore. You would have to find someone who rebuilds them and order from them.
They will usually want the core with your purchase. One place that we know of that does the rebuilding of this controller is called Transmission Instruments. Just click on their name to go to their website.
Another source would be damaged wires. You would need to inspect the wiring to see if this is the case. Also, your transmission fluid may be low and that would cause the transmission to stop shifting gears. Check your fluid level to make sure.
Allison MD3060 Does Not Shift Light
This could be a wire connection problem, or it could be a computer problem. Or it could be a low voltage situation, a bad battery, blown fuses, and so on. You would need to check your electronics to make sure you can find the source of this warning light.
If the idle is too high the transmission TCM will detect that and will not allow the transmission to shift into gear. This is a problem that may need an experienced repairman to diagnose. It is not one for a novice
There are too many technical sources involved that can have you ruin the system if you do the wrong repair or make a mistake.
Allison MD3060 Rebuild Cost
Like any similar question for any similar project, the cost you will end up paying will vary. The factors involved will be the labor charges the shop applies. These vary from state to state.
Another factor is what parts were replaced. Since it is getting harder to find certain parts, you may have to pay more. Also, many shops will not quote a price until they see the amount of work that needs to be done on the transmission.
What we have seen is that different rebuilt 3060 transmissions are selling between $800 and $1400 approx. That should give you something to go by but remain flexible as the rebuild can be as low as $500.
Is The Allison MB3060 Transmission Any Good?
Yes, but it may have its limitations. Since it is a computer-controlled transmission you may not find it as reliable as it could be. But they are also very rugged and solid pieces of equipment
Being rugged and solid means that they are going to be heavy. So far during our research on this topic, we have not come across anyone saying to run away from a vehicle with this transmission in it. Like they do with the 53 block from Cummins.
No one has any really bad things to say about this model except for the fact that Allison does not make that WTEC 2 controller anymore. Your only option there is a rebuilt model.
In other words, you could do better and you could do worse. Their tow rating seems decent enough and no one is telling horror stories about this transmission.
Allison MD3060 Reliability
The word is that this model is not the most reliable of the 3000 series of Allison transmissions. But that is not saying that much as many people do not seem t have a lot of trouble with this model.
Being the least reliable may mean that it is still better than other transmissions you can buy. Then this transmission is recommended by different experts. It seems that the features of greater fuel economy, lower RPMs, higher road speed, and most importantly, more lock-up gears impress many experts.
They will be as reliable as the computer will allow.
Download The Allison MD3060 Manual
We have given you a link to one manual already. It is the troubleshooting manual which seems to be the standard manual option. Here is a link to another website if you do not want to deal with our go-to manual website.
This website will cost you $10 to download the manual so you may want o look around the internet some more and find a better deal. One more website to check out is at this link. It has a list of manuals to choose from so even if you do not have the MD 3060, you can find a manual you do need.
We do not know how much it charges for its services.
Finding an Allison MD3060 For Sale
This is not hard to do and you know the usual places where they may be on sale. Your first place to check may be eBay as they sell all sorts of products at that marketplace.
Then you can check the classified ads to see if any transmission rebuilding shops have them on sale. But the best place to look for that outlet is online. During our research for this article, we found quite a few of these shops advertising this transmission for sale.
You should search them out to find one close to you. The final place to look will be the classified forums on the many truck and RV discussion forums. This transmission seems to be popular.
Some Final Words
The Allison MD 3060 may be an older transmission but it seems to still have some life left in it. While it is difficult to get parts for it, you can get some good rebuilt models that will work just as well.
This is a reliable transmission that should hold up and survive your driving habits.
