Sometimes the simplest things in the world can lead to the biggest of headaches. I’ve known of many people, including myself, that will build ZFs, Mercedes...
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Changes in technology keep many of us awake at night. The constant updates and changes have an effect on everyone, even if they don’t realize it at the...
The longer I’m around, the more I realize the importance of the basics. How many times have you tackled a complex vehicle issue, only to find the problem was...
Jatco has been making CVTs since the early 1990s. The list of makes and models throughout the world that use a Jatco CVT would take up at least four magazine...
The Dodge RFE transmission series began in 1999. It was first introduced as a 4-speed and called the 45RFE. A few years later Dodge modified the computer...
Let’s talk about the AS69RC, which is in the family of the AS68RC. There are many existing differences among the two transmissions. The AS68RC has a totally...
Building late model transmissions seems to be easier than building some of the earlier model 4 speed units, at least mechanically. Once you learn the do’s...
Things that seemed impossible just a few short years ago are now common place in our industry. Eight, nine, and ten speed units as well as Hybrid and Dual...
There are many different types of communication protocols in today’s vehicles, depending on the manufacturer and system. These include CAN, Flex CAN, UART...
In this edition of Fun with Transmissions we’re going to check out the new 9T50 from General Motors (figure 1). We’ll take a look at some interesting...
Coolant contamination has become a lot harder to identify on many of today’s transmissions. You may have to do more than just look at the fluid to find it...
Over the years, torque converters have come in many shapes and sizes. From the huge, bolt-together cast iron powerglide converters (anyone beside me remember...
Whenever I can, I like to get off the ATRA Hotline and do some hands-on diagnosing on a live vehicle, and there are a few shops in town where I get the...
The approach to diagnosing a transmission problem isn’t always clear. It can be due to a lack of information or that the problem is intermittent, making it...
In this issue of Keep Those Trannys Rolling, we’re going to look at the 2015 Honda CRV all-wheel drive systems and what it takes to keep them rolling down...
Today’s domestic all-wheel drive (AWD) systems are designed to operate in conjunction with many of today’s vehicles’ on-board systems, such as the engine...
Building the A5HF1 and A5MF1 units have become almost second nature to builders in larger, metropolitan areas. These units are more predictable than their...
A look at an uncommon problem with a common unit
The RE5R05A made its debut in 2002 in the Infiniti Q45. Since then, it’s become standard equipment, an...
There was an iconic scene in the 1980’s horror movie called Poltergeist where a child is in front of a television screen that was left on but not tuned to a...
The GM 6L series transmission is quickly becoming the most popular attraction in the shop. As we all know, this unit is plagued by a handful of common issues...
There has always been a need for perfect pump alignment, on most if not all units, there are exceptions. Many, require a special tool to align the body to the...
In the March 2016 issue of GEARS, we examined a previously unmentioned problem with 400 and 4L80 transmissions: component float. We saw what causes this float...
It’s no secret that the parts margin on some transmissions is higher than it should be. On the 5R110, parts can get expensive real fast, such as the coast...
In 2013, when I presented the Honda 6-speed at Expo in Washington, D.C., I speculated that Honda was pushing their traditional helical gearset design to the...
Over the years I have heard several different philosophies when it comes to flushing and cleaning solenoids. Most hydraulic solenoid test machines have either...
Winter has always been a boon for transmission shops. Burned up transmissions and broken cases from getting stuck in the snow are commonplace. Snowplows that...
There’s always a bit of mystery the first time you work on a Jatco CVT about how to take the pulleys apart. Everyone’s heard about the very strong spring...
The Toyota A340E transmission has been around since 1985. The transmission was used behind four- and six-cylinder engines. It is not uncommon for this...
We’ve all felt challenged about problems with transmissions we’re unfamiliar with, and CVTs top the list. As different as these transmissions seem, there...
Normally, when a road trip is planned, it’s planned out using some form of map or GPS. Imagine going on that trip without the use of either. There’s a...
The first one-way clutch was designed in 1869 for use in a bicycle. In the years since, we have seen this technology advance and now one-way clutches are used...
In the last issue of GEARS, we explored testing techniques for failing digital sensors, and covered a sound diagnostic plan of attack. In this issue, we’ll...
The 10L1000 was introduced in 2020. It replaced the Allison LCT 1000, which has been around for more than 20 years. The LCT 1000 is an excellent transmission...
What we’ve known as the Neutral Safety Switch has changed over the years and has had various names such as the Park Neutral Position Switch, Internal Mode...
Knowing how a transmission works is the most important part of the diagnostic process, followed closely by having the right diagnostic equipment. Scan tools...
A common call to the ATRA HotLine has to do with solenoid circuit problems. Most of you have been dealing with these types of problem for years. Many of you...
As mechanics, we all like to fix cars and solve problems. When we get a car in the shop, that’s when we start our investigation. We get the customer’s...
Technology continues to change the nature of automatic transmissions. With Continuously Variable Transmissions (CVTs) and Direct Shift Gearboxes (DSGs)...
The A5HF1 has been on the road for some time now and there really isn’t a lot of tech info available for it. This unit appears in 2006–up Hyundai and...
It’s hard to be surprised anymore with all the possible things that can go wrong inside a transmission: circuit leaks, solenoid malfunctions, valve body...
In the last issue of GEARS we looked at oxygen sensor testing, and it brought up some interesting questions about fuel trim. As a result, we’ll spend the...
In previous issues of Keep Those Trannys Rolling, we looked at the Magna Performance MP3010 transfer case control system and the diagnostic routines needed to...
The procedure for disassembling the 845RE is relatively simple, if you’re familiar with the tricks and special tools necessary. Covers the tools you’ll...
The automotive engineering world took notice when ZF came out with the first rear-wheel drive 8-speed transmission in 2008. Soon afterward, other manufacturers...
Jatco CVT transmissions have always had a belt to transfer power from one pulley to the other. The belt has worked out in light cars with small engine torque...
Many transmission technicians are hesitant to tackle hybrid and electric transmission repairs. But those repairs may not be as difficult as you might think.
As...
An overview of GM’s ETRS system: a shift-by-wire electronic shifter that’s just begun to show up in 2017 Buicks and Cadillacs. Covers how the system works...
Let’s take a look at some of the changes GM made with the Aisin 8-speed FWD.
One of the first things that’s different is GM integrated the park neutral...
The Toyota/Lexus U880E was first introduced in the 2013 Lexus RX350 Sport. Since then, it’s become quite popular: It’s currently being used by BMW since...
For decades, we’ve seen mass airflow sensors (MAF) on the vehicles that we service every day. Most technicians are aware of the function of the MAF sensor...
The ZF 8-Speed transmission is a well-balanced unit that seamlessly fits into powertrain management systems. With a blend of shift quality, gear ratios, unit...
Remember when louvers were an add-on to make your car look cool? Of course, in sunny regions, they keep the interior of the car cool and the sun off the backs...
Auto start-stop systems have been around for a while now and they are coming out of the warranty period and showing up in our shops now.
In this issue of Fun...
The Magna Powertrain model 3010 (MP 3010) transfer case (figure 1) has been the heart of GM’s four-wheel drive truck line since it was introduced in 2011 to...
CVTs have been around for some time but there’s always been one nagging part that keeps people from working on them: Getting the parts. Sure, the information...
Many technicians today still don’t have to deal with ethanol. Others do, but they aren’t usually the ones who get caught with their pants down when it...
The Harsh 2-1 Down Shift With Lexus… It’s The ECM
Over the last two years I’ve been keeping track of this harsh 2-1 downshift complaint on Lexus...
In this article, we’re going to take a look at some of the basic diagnostic and repair procedures for GM’s AF50 transmission. As always, having the right...
Recent years have seen a rapid growth in automatic transmission use in European countries, but it took a long time to get there.
According to a 1997 article...
A couple of years ago, I introduced you to the GM VT40 CVT (CVT250), used in multiple applications such as the Chevrolet Malibu, some Chevrolet Trailblazers...
Many articles and bulletins have been written on Ford’s rear-wheel drive 10-speed units. However, there is more to report. While the transmission has proven...
The 6L series of transmission was introduced starting in the 2006 model year. Since then, it has become one of the most commonly repaired transmissions in...
The Mitsubishi DSG (often referred to as the Duonic) is the first fully automated transmission from Mitsubishi for medium-sized trucks (20,000 lbs and up) and...
I was doing some research at a local shop one day while they were working on a late model Toyota Camry equipped with a 2.5L, 4-cylinder engine and a U760E...
Up Your Business is an exclusive GEARS Magazine feature in which I share stories, insights, and reflections about real business and life challenges.
When...
Ford’s 6F35N transmission is popular in Ford light to medium-duty front-wheel drive applications. They have logged several millions of miles and have proven...
Leave it to Honda to create a transmission that the world has never seen before. Ever since the H2 Hondamatic transmission was introduced in 1973, Honda...
This is for the guys who work on the big boys: trucks of course. But you can apply this technique to any vehicle; this one is just a big truck. So we’re...
The 62TE has been around since 2007. In this edition of Fun With Transmissions, we are going to check out the 62TE compounder unit. We’ll look at how it...
Backprobe or pierce? That’s a philosophical question that has plagued technicians for years. Turns out there may be a real benefit to piercing wires instead...
In this issue of Keep Those Trannys Rolling, we’re going to take a look at a 2013 Dodge/Ram R2500 that was towed into the shop with a “no move”...
Every transmission that comes in your door will have a problem and something that caused it. Sometimes the problem is outside the transmission, sometimes its...
VACC’s Technical Advisory Service has been receiving regular calls for information on Hyundai ix35 (Tucson) shift lock problems. There seems to be some...
For years, we rebuilders have made changes to transmission functionality by either interchanging parts, installing upgrades, or making valve body...
For many years, the front pump in all automatic transmissions has been in the front behind the front seal, which the engine drives via the torque converter...
The 6F35N is standard equipment for a ton of small engine Ford products and they are starting to hit shops across the country. We have identified a few problem...
I recently received a call from a friend, Pat, who runs a transmission remanufacturing company. He was frustrated as he said, “Man, Dennis, we have got these...
We’ve been talking a lot lately about the new, 9-speed offering from Chrysler: the 948TE. Back in the May, 2015 issue of GEARS Magazine, Mike Souza explained...
In this issue of “Keep Those Trannys Rolling,” we are going to take a look at a 2019 Chevrolet Silverado K2500 that was experiencing a Service 4WD message...
Lockup in automatic transmissions has been with us for better than a half-century. However, lockup strategies have significantly evolved. With...
A friend of mine recently called me on a 2012 dodge charger with a NAG 1, aka, 722.6 in it. The customer stated the check engine light was on, and he found a...
In the last two issues of GEARS Magazine, we covered engine mechanical testing using high current probes for relative compression testing in conjunction with...
Just when one thinks they have a handle on all of the weird stuff that happens in the world of transmissions, in rolls an issue you have never seen. With the...
We’re starting to see CVT transmissions coming to our workbench. One of the most common is the JATCO CVT7 platform JF015E called the RE0F11A in Nissan...
One of the most common problems with the Jatco JF506E transmission is when they won’t go into reverse. This can be all the time, intermittent, or only when...
So here we go again. Today we will look at Kia/Hyundai vehicles. To be more specific, this is a Genesis A8LR1 Transmission. If it wasn’t bad enough to deal...
Since the days of the A40 and A340 units, I had engraved this image of Toyota rear-wheel drive transmissions in my mind. From the long, rectangular oil pan...
The ZF6HP21 has been around for some time. If you haven’t seen one yet you’re sure to see it soon. This transmission uses other names like the 6R60, as...
In last month’s article we covered the basics of module programming. From this point forward we will delve into individual manufacturers. Each of these...
In our last article about overdrive clutch failure on a 68RFE, we left off at surface damage where the valve body contacts the case. Your next step is to...
A bolt just 2mm too long created a problem that nearly cost a customer the price of a new 6L80 transmission.
When a vehicle comes into your shop right after...
When you first start to diagnose a new model of transmission, you can sometimes be overwhelmed with all of the information you need to learn. A CVT...
A freshly rebuilt transmission comes back with a no movement. The customer says they were driving around and then suddenly there was a loss of power and then...
Sometimes life throws you a curve… and those curves get even tougher to hit when the last time you faced this pitcher was so long ago you have a hard time...
W hen a transmission job comes into your shop, you probably begin work immediately to get everything prepared to diagnose, repair, and deliver the vehicle in a...
The 10R80 ten-speed rear-wheel drive transmission has become a standard for the Ford Motor Company. While they were an exception a few years ago, the...
For more than 50 years, the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) has been in charge of making sure the vehicles you repair meet all the federal emissions and...
So many times we run into this type of problem. We diagnose the transmission, determine it needs a solenoid, replace it and we still have the concern. So then...
Get in, buckle up and hold on is what a friend told me as we went for a drive in his 2021 Corvette. Zora Arkus-Duntov, the father of the Corvette, made a...
It’s easy to know the right thing to do after the problem’s fixed; it’s a little more difficult to track down the actual problem to begin with...
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