Company profile: Precision International marks 50 years
Most certainly one of the pioneers of the transmission aftermarket, Precision International founder and CEO Dennis Marshall recalls the formative days of his company, and for that matter, the industry we know today. Precision International is soon to celebrate a legacy of 50 years serving the powertrain aftermarket. The company opened for business as Manufacturing
Dealing with the increasingly common pin-fit problem
I want to talk a little bit about a common diagnostic misstep or overlooked problem that is prevalent in the automotive repair industry and seems to be on the rise. Pin-fit or tension can deal us a fit sometimes (pun intended), especially if we do not have the proper tools to determine if this mode
Shift Pointers: Shift rod displacement in a luxury car
When owning a luxury vehicle, one cannot be faint-hearted when the time comes to pay a repair bill. Even if you bought a used luxury car at a very good price, this doesn’t change the price of new components required to make that repair. Such was the case with Kevin at Sampson Transmission. It began
Podcast: Talking CVTs with Transtar, part 2
Following part one of Andrew Markel’s discussion of the ins and outs of continuously variable transmissions (CVTs) with Dave Hritsko of Transtar, part two of Andrew and Dave’s conversation gets more in depth on the topic, including a discussion on programming transmission modules for CVTs. Tune in to their conversation in the video above.
Podcast: Talking CVTs with Transtar, part 1
CVTs, or continuously variable transmissions, have long been a hot topic in the transmission repair industry, but we can safely say they’re here to stay. So what do you do when one shows up at your shop? In this podcast, with Dave Hritsko of Transtar as featured guest, we dive in to the ins and
Back to square one: When a transmission replacement doesn’t fix the problem
The subject of this article is a 2002 Ford Ranger with a 3.0L V6 engine and 5R44E transmission. There were 191,622 miles on the vehicle when it arrived at our shop. The owner said that the transmission was not shifting correctly and the OD lamp was flashing. I performed the initial evaluation and road test,
Tips for success with the GM transmission fast learn process
This article is about failure, something we all experience from time to time. If you are attempting to perform a fast learn process on a GM eight-, nine-, or 10-speed transmission, you may have that temporary feeling of failure, as this process can bring on frustration quickly. Let’s talk about what the fast learn process
Shift pointers: Tricky sensor situations
Sometimes you’re the windshield and sometimes you’re the bug—a phrase many of us have heard and experienced. It’s inevitable. The idea is to be the windshield as much as possible. Shane from Cottman Transmissions had a helluva day but in the end, he was the windshield. In his shop he had a 2016 Explorer using
Integration becomes synergy for Sonnax and Rostra
Klynt Baker, the recently appointed president of Sonnax and Rostra, says that his responsibilities aren’t two aftermarket companies owned by Marmon Holdings. Baker says that Sonnax and Rostra have integrated their operations to the point that there are indeed two brands encompassed in a single business. The Marmon Automotive Aftermarket Group is a subsidiary of
Look for the little details: Three transmission repair case studies
Below are three examples of trucks that came into transmission shops, yet either did not have a transmission problem, or had a simpler issue than it originally seemed. Read on for the stories. Case study 1: Chevrolet 2500 HD Our first example features a 2006 Chevrolet 2500 HD 2WD. It has 76,257 miles on the
CVT maintenance basics
On the maintenance side, a continuously variable transmission (CVT) requires more or the same frequency of fluid and filter changes as a conventional automatic transmission, and many of the basic procedures are the same. On the diagnostic side, a CVT transmission is less complicated internally than a six- or nine-speed transmission. Like any automatic transmission,
Troubleshooting RFE overdrive clutch failure: Three key areas to check
Fighting overdrive failure in Chrysler RFE transmissions can be a frustrating task. You build the unit, and a week later, it’s back with the overdrive clutches burned up again. It happens with every one of them, from the 45RFE, 545RFE and 65RFE to the 66RFE and 68RFE. You have replaced the valve body and double-checked
