• Automatic Transmissions: Care and Repair
• Tips for Automatic Transmission Care
• Do I Need a Transmission Fluid Cooler?
Automatic Transmissions: Care and Repair
[From the Better Business Bureau of Eastern Pennsylvania]
Repair of an automatic transmission can mean a considerable expenditure for the car owner. Since a transmission is a concealed item, most customers never see the work that is done, and probably wouldn't be able to evaluate it anyway.
Therefore, it is wise to give your transmission proper maintenance, and to be an informed customer if and when repairs are needed.
Purpose of a transmission
A transmission is only a coupling between the engine and differential and its purpose is to transmit engine torque to the driving wheels. This is done through a number of reduction gears and the use of a torque converter (fluid clutch). Transmission performance can only be as good as the power supplied to it (engine), and the driving members to which this power is transmitted (drive shaft, differential). A ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE CAN ONLY RESULT IN A ROUGH SHIFTING TRANSMISSION.
What is inside your transmission?
All automatic transmissions use a combination of friction materials (similar to paper or cardboard) bonded to metal plates and bands, rubber or neoprene seals, and bushings. These parts are considered soft parts, and will eventually wear out from normal usage. When these seals lose their flexibility and the friction materials and bushings become worn, slippage and other malfunctions become apparent. If these conditions are not corrected, more serious wear then occurs to the hard parts (metal drums, gears, and pumps) of the transmission.
Tips for Automatic Transmission Care
DO - Change your transmission fluid every year or every 15,000 miles.
DO - When you stop for gas, check your transmission fluid for level and color. If any discrepancies are noted, take your vehicle to a reputable transmission repair center for a closer look.
DO - Check your driveway or garage floor for signs of transmission fluid leakage. If you notice any leaks, have them repaired immediately. Driving your vehicle with low transmission fluid will cause serious transmission damage.
DO - If you notice irregular transmission performance such as slipping between shifts, erratic shifting, no shifting, no reverse, hesitation in the morning when the transmission is cold, loss of power in forward gears, or unusual noises such as grinding or whining, have your transmission checked by a transmission specialist. The longer you drive your vehicle with a malfunction, the more you will damage your automatic transmission.
DO - If you pull a trailer or carry heavy loads, or if you continually go on long trips, or if your engine has a tendency to run hot - consider having an external transmission oil cooler installed.
DO NOT - Shift into reverse until your vehicle has reached a complete stop.
DO NOT - Shift into park until your vehicle has reached a complete stop.
DO NOT - Rock your vehicle back and forth if you get stuck in mud, snow or sand.
DO NOT - Hot rod! Forcing gears to shift at maximum acceleration is just asking for trouble.
Do I Need a Transmission Fluid Cooler?
A transmission fluid cooler helps prevent heat from destroying your automatic transmission. It can cost $1000 or more to repair an automatic transmission. And 90% of all automatic transmission failures are caused by heat. The hotter automatic transmission fluid becomes, the more quickly it breaks down. This allows increased friction on transmission parts and creates even higher operating temperatures inside your transmission. The end result is an expensive repair bill.
Today's down-sized cars and trucks, with their smaller engine compartments and cooling systems, generate much higher engine and transmission operating temperatures. But a transmission fluid cooler reduces automatic transmission fluid temperatures by up to 20 degrees. That's why many automobile manufactures have recently started installing auxiliary transmission fluid coolers on selected new models. If you don't currently have an automatic transmission fluid cooler on your car, you may need one. It's a relatively small investment that can help prolong the life of your transmission and avoid costly transmission repair bills.
You may wish to consider installing a transmission fluid cooler if:
- * You own a front-wheel drive vehicle.
- * You own a truck or down-size car.
- * you do a lot of stop-and-go city driving.
- * You drive in hot climates (temperatures reaching in excess of 90 degrees).
- * You drive in snow.
- * You drive in hilly or mountainous terrain.
- * You regularly carry loads in excess of 600 lbs.
