BC (before covid), I was in shops on almost a weekly basis. I always make a point to visit with not only the builders and diagnosticians, but also with the...
Popular Articles
It’s no surprise that, over time, converters have become more complicated and challenging to build. In this issue, we’ll look deep into the 6-speed 6L45/50...
A customer has brought a vehicle to you with a shudder at speed. The customer describes it as “a feeling like driving on the rumble strip.” Most...
This month, we’ll look at how to use scan data to help identify a misfire. For an engine to run correctly, it needs three main things: compression, spark...
Well here we go again, I feel like Steve Harvey from the Family Feud show: “Hello folks, boy do we have a good one for you today.” The only difference is...
This is part two of the scope comparison series and in this article, you’ll see how the gold-standard Pico 4425, the mid-line Autel MS-408, the less...
In this issue of Keep Those Tranny’s Rolling, we’re looking at a 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee that’s experiencing a lack of power and no upshift concern at...
Each year we see manufacturers adding more gears to familiar transmissions, all in an effort to coax more miles out of each gallon of gas. In 2013...
In this issue of “keep those trannys rolling,” we are going to look at several “quick fix” tips that should make your day a little bit easier.
Quick...
The 8L90 is quickly becoming one of the most popular units making their way into shops today. Whether we are talking about a dealership or an independent shop...
Circle track racing is a very competitive sport, with races often won or lost by less than a tenth of a second. With this in mind, even the smallest...
Last month we covered a relatively universal method of narrowing potential causes for misfire using scan data.
The timing of the article’s publication was...
Through years of experience in the transmission industry, our lessons in the field often help us get to the problem quickly, fix it, and get it out the door...
When I was younger, a lot younger, one of the first college classes I attended was a physics class. I learned tons about our world and why things work as they...
Overlooking body ground checks may be a costly mistake during a difficult electrical diagnosis. Here’s what you should know about inspecting and testing body...
When you’re playing a sport, sometimes it’s necessary to go back to basics to achieve your best performance. This applies to other things in our life as...
In this edition of Fun With Transmissions, we’ll take a look at speed sensor diagnosis. We’ll also see how and why a speed sensor delivers an AC voltage to...
Small sports utility vehicles and cars with all-wheel drive capability are becoming more commonplace. Every major auto manufacturer has its version. High-speed...
It looks like Electric Vehicles (EVs) will be a more common sight on Australian roads, which will require workshops to have a good understanding on their...
Welcome once again, to another edition of Clash of the Classics, our travels take us back to 1955 for this month’s showdown between two classic titans of the...
The AC60 transmission is Toyota’s answer to providing its rearwheel drive vehicle line with a lightweight but sturdy option for light to medium-duty...
A Look at the New Dynamic Fuel Management System and How it Affects Your Transmission
Product changes; some technicians love them, some technicians hate them...
In this issue, we’re going to look at Ford’s Hill Descent Control system, found on the new 2017 Ford F150 SVT Raptor. Ford has been using Hill Descent...
Ford is doing its part in the EV and Hybrid markets these days. Full-EV plug-in models include the Mustang Mach E and the F-150 Lightning. Ford offers several...
As technicians, we rely heavily on our scan tool. DTCs, output controls, resets, special functions, and datastreams guide our decisions on how to diagnose a...
Automobile manufacturers are exploring every way possible to make vehicles more fuel-efficient. Powertrain management strategies are tailored with this in...
If you’re a diehard GEARS reader, the name Transolution might be a familiar one: We visited Transolution Auto Care Center in Missoula, Montana, when we were...
In this installment, Programming Part IV, we will take a stab at Chrysler vehicles. The FCA programming process is not as forgiving as Ford or GM as described...
The blueprints of a dual-clutch transmission are 84 years old and go back to 1935. Unfortunately, the transmission never made it into production, but the idea...
Honda/Acura transmissions have evolved quite a bit over the past couple decades. When looking back to the five-speed transmissions from the early 2000s...
In this issue of Keep Those Trannys Rolling, we will look at a 2020 Chevrolet Silverado K1500 truck, equipped with a 5.3L engine and an 8L90 transmission, that...
I hear it at every seminar, and from most of the shops I visit inside and outside of North America, “this stuff is getting harder and harder to fix!”. It...
Does your Torqshift fail immediately after a rebuild? Do you have multiple pump failures after working on Ford diesel transmissions? Do you find yourself...
When a vehicle comes into your shop with multiple codes, it is usually tricky to figure out where to begin. Sometimes electrical and mechanical faults are so...
Design engineers can be a strange lot. Almost all manufacturers purchase other manufacturers’ vehicles and components to evaluate what it is that their...
When we mention the terms all wheel drive (AWD) and four-wheel drive (4WD), you might immediately think of a truck or SUV that’s capable of sure-footed...
The most difficult problems I have ever experienced in all the years I have been in this industry are the intermittent ones. My most favorite one of all was a...
If you’ve been reading my articles in GEARS Magazine, you are probably aware that I love scopes. I think they provide a deep look into the operation of a...
In this issue of Keep Those Trannys Rolling, we are going to take a look at a 2020 Ford F150 XL 4X4 equipped with a 5.0L engine, a 10R80 transmission, and...
One of the difficulties in dealing with people from around the world — and even sometimes just over in the next county — is that people often identify...
It isn’t unusual to have a car come in with harsh shifts, particularly a harsh 1-2. Any number of transmission conditions can set the transmission computer...
Have you ever had a misfire where you wanted to do a compression test on a cylinder that was buried underneath an intake manifold? Or worse, gone through all...
Virtually every manufacturer is offering its own version of an automatic/manual gearshift system, and Mazda is no exception. The Mazda system is called the...
A lot of transmission shops now offer general repairs to help serve their customers and supplement their businesses. And many shops rebuild their own torque...
The topic of engine crankshaft thrust bearing failure creeps up from time. I’ve written about it twice, once in 1998 and again in 2015. Unfortunately, these...
Durability and performance have always been a concern for anyone building transmissions. The same can be said for torque converter rebuilders. Though there are...
The RE5R05A was first introduced to the market in 2002 in the Infinity Q45. Several other vehicles used it in later years with some models such as the NV...
In this issue of “Keep Those Trannys Rolling”, we’re going to take a look at a 2017 Ford F150 Raptor that was experiencing a “rumble” sensation at...
It seems as time marches on, more and more of what we do is driven by government rules and regulations. The government requires and monitors automotive and...
When the 10L80 came out in 2018, the 8L90 had its share of problems in the aftermarket. I wanted the ten-speed units to replace the 8L series units. However...
One of the most frustrating things about repairing vehicles is when you receive a call regarding that small puddle/spot of oil, fluid, or antifreeze the owner...
This past October, I presented a class at the ATRA Powertrain Expo in Las Vegas. The event was amazing! I’d personally like to thank everyone who was...
In this issue of Keep Those Trannys Rolling, we’re going to take a look at a 2016 Lincoln Navigator Sport. It’s equipped with a 3.5L engine, a 6R80...
Commercial airliners don’t leave the ground without a pilot and a co-pilot at the controls. They work together as a check-and-balance to ensure that...
Allison transmissions have long been the standard for truck and off-highway vehicle applications worldwide. However, like everything else in our industry...
The Controller Area Network (CAN) is a communication protocol that allows modules to share data across a twisted two-wire circuit. It’s a common network that...
When a vehicle comes into our shop for repair, we make several routine checks before we get into our diagnostic routine. Checking the battery and charging...
A customer came into the shop with a 2016 Dodge Challenger with a 3.6L motor and an 845RE transmission with a no-shifting complaint. He owned the vehicle from...
Most transmission shops purchase their torque converters from one of their local suppliers, while many transmission remanufactures rebuild torque converters in...
Ever start going one way, only to end up somewhere completely different? But once you get there, you realize that where you ended up turned out to be way...
The conversation always starts the same way, but the person asking the question can be involved in vehicle service at any level, from vehicle owner to shop...
In part 1 of this series, we explored how to use fuel trim to help determine whether a problem is in the engine or transmission. In part 2 we focused on engine...
The aftermarket automotive service industry has been pushing scope usage for decades. Driveability shops have invested thousands of dollars into PC based...
Circle D Transmission of Houston, Texas was founded by Dennis and Patricia Sehorn on June 6th, 1976. From its inception, the company has successfully navigated...
As today’s vehicles continue to become more complex, the problems we face also tend to increase in complexity. Several years ago I wrote an article about the...
Many years ago, GM would take its top 10 ranked performers in service and host a multi-day conference with corporation executives to discuss issues with...
Probably the toughest kinds of problems to fix are the ones you can’t see. Sometimes the actual cause of the problem is buried or hidden where you can’t...
Back in the ’70s, G. Roland Dickason built a name for himself as an expert in automotive repairs. In 1974, he opened his first shop, Your Car Specialist...
Torque converter technology has evolved along with advances made inside the transmission. While manufacturers preserved the basic function of a torque...
When you walk onto the production floor at ETE REMAN, it isn’t quite what you’d expect of a typical manufacturing site. The facility is brightly lit with...
Sometimes everyone jumps into a repair without reading all of the appropriate service information; I’m guilty of this, too. Usually, when a vehicle “bites...
Under normal circumstances, this article would have been an industry profile about Precision International. Instead, the good folks at Precision asked us to...
Almost every system on today’s vehicles requires the use of a scan tool for diagnostics or reprogramming. Which leads to a common question: “What scan tool...
Building most six-speed units has become routine. Your diagnostician hands you a work order with the symptoms, findings, and recommendations. Then, you develop...
2A lot of technicians just aren’t comfortable with the newer format that many manufacturers use to display wiring information on their a schematics. It...
Up Your Business is an exclusive GEARS Magazine feature where I share stories, insights, and reflections about business and life. Who hasn’t had to eat a...
Pressure switch systems have been around for a long time now, and in case of confusion, the main purpose is to signal the controller when a specific clutch...
This week I ran into a 9T application that experienced a slipping condition when in a forward range. The vehicle would not move unless you applied a lot of...
Back when the first quick lube facility started showing up, my first thought was that this is going to affect our business. Customers will go these shops to...
Wolves howl for many reasons, but when it’s for a missing member of the wolfpack, it’s a distinct cry – a long, sad, haunting harmony that carries...
If you’re an experienced reprograming tech or new to it, there’re a lot of changes to the programming scene. Changes in OEM software, OEM purchasing...
In this issue of Keep Those Trannys Rolling, we’ll take a look at a 2014 Infinity QX60 with a RE0F10E CVT transmission experiencing a never-ending transfer...
In the transmission industry, there’s something new to learn every day. Some of the simplest things can be challenging, but that’s what we enjoy: fixing...
Welcome, once again to Doc’s Clash of the Classics. Typically, in our features, we contrast and compare two vehicle models from the same model year. Today...
It never fails; no matter how long you have been in the business, you’ll always run into that one vehicle that will leave you standing there scratching your...
Park-by-wire systems consist of input from the driver, such as a knob or button (more on this later), an internal mechanical piston attached to the park rod...
Dr. Spencer Johnson, author of Who Moved My Cheese? and co-author of The One Minute Manager , once invited me to collaborate with him on a new book titled Yes...
Allison transmissions are some of the toughest and most reliable transmissions produced worldwide. The Allison 1000 and 2000s are used by various manufacturers...
Almost all newer vehicles use a Driver Information Center (DIC) to provide messages regarding vehicle operation to the driver. Sometimes, those messages can be...
Welcome back for part 2 of beyond the valve body for the U880E. In the January/ February issue, we disassembled this unit down to the C-1 clutch.
One piece of...
Noise diagnosis is more challenging than it might seem. That is, until you figure out a few key tips. Understanding these tips is a lot better than the...
Gone is the LCT1000, and in its place is the 10L1000 transmission. GM has fully embraced its new 10-speed unit as the high torque capacity option and placed it...
Introduced in the 2007 model year, the 6L80E (code JMBX) created challenges for rebuilders’ right out of the gate. Such as friction failures, cracked...
If you have been in this profession long, one thing is certain, you have likely gotten fooled a time or two when it comes to what is wrong with the vehicle you...
We’re more than just rebuilders,” says Ron Shaw, owner of A-Affordable Transmission Centers, with two shops in the Denver, Colorado area. “We understand...
For many of us who’ve been in the transmission industry, perhaps longer than we’d like to admit, Slauson Transmission Parts has been with us for our entire...
If you work on Subarus and like to save money, this article is for you. We have a very simple solution to a very expensive problem.
Lately it seems as though...
When you think “WIT,” your first thought is probably “parts supplier.” That’s not a stretch: WIT has been a leading transmission parts supplier for...
Most transmission shops don’t have the facilities to cut open a converter to see what’s going on in there. There’s the odd occasion when you send a...
Many years ago I took an electrical course at ATRA. One of the things they instilled in us was the importance of “checking the grounds.” Of course, that...
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