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.
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PHYSICAL DATA
AMSOIL Torque-Drive Synthetic Transmission
Fluid
|
Physical Data |
Torque-Drive |
TranSynd® |
Viscosity @ 100°C, cSt |
7.41 |
7.36 |
Viscosity @ 40°C, cSt |
37.14 |
37.29 |
Brookfield @ -40°C (cP) |
8411 |
8400 |
Density @ 60°F (lb/gal) |
7.038 |
7.047 |
Flash Point °C (°F) (ASTM D
92) |
230 (446) |
232 (450) |
Pour Point °C (°F) (ASTM D
97) |
-55 (-67) |
-55 (-67) |
Four Ball Wear Test
(40 kg, 75°C, 1200 rpm, 1 hr) |
0.45 |
0.45 |
Copper Corrosion (150°C, 3
hr) |
1B |
1B |
Spectrographic Analysis |
|
|
Boron (ppm) |
133 |
136 |
Calcium (PPM) |
28 |
29 |
Phosphorous (PPM) |
230 |
235 |
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
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
#10-TR-99 Rev. B, January 2002, for TES-295 fluids.
AMSOIL Torque-Drive™ Q&A
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