A mysterious shudder: Locating a problem with no fault codes
It was a dark stormy night… well, not really; it was just an ordinary Tuesday. On that ordinary Tuesday, a customer came into our store very distraught. He had been to several shops with concern of feeling a shudder while driving his vehicle uphill. None of the other shops or the Toyota dealership could give
Chrysler ZF8 generations 1 and 2 identification guide
In 2019, some Chrysler/Ram/Jeep applications that utilize the ZF8HP transmission moved to a second-generation unit with a new designation and numerous changes for better performance and durability. Gen. 1 units are classified as 8HP45, 8HP70 and 8HP90; while Gen. 2 are classified as 8HP50, 8HP75 and 8HP95. Internally, the Gen. 2 transmission had numerous hard
Photo gallery: TCRA Annual Meeting 2023
On April 13-15, one of the transmission industry’s most notable events took place, as members of the Torque Converter Rebuilders Association (TCRA) had their annual meeting. For this year, which was the 25th time this gathering has occurred, the meeting took place in Charlotte, N.C. As always, it served as an occasion for industry friends
California’s Rohnert Park Transmissions is a multi-generational success story
Fernando Gomez’s dad got into the business after being in the Army. “It was what he always wanted to do,” Fernando says. But that wasn’t the case for Fernando at first. “My dad needed an apprentice and he was a pretty tough guy to work for, so they were having trouble finding somebody to be
When a transmission problem isn’t a transmission problem
Let’s take a look at three examples of times when a car’s issue seems to be a transmission problem, but a closer look reveals another culprit. Case study 1: Ford 5R44E A 2009 Ford Ranger 2WD 2.3L with a 5R44E transmission and 110,000 miles on the odometer comes to the shop with a concern of
Breaking parts: Pressure regulator valve and bore blues
One of our ATSG members, Bob at Trans Tek, recently shared with us an experience he encountered with a 2011 GMC 3500 Mini School Bus with a Duramax diesel engine in front of a 6L90 transmission. It came in to the shop slipping, along with having no second or sixth gear. After the transmission was
Transmission fluid hydraulics
To understand why using the correct transmission fluid is necessary, you first have to know how the transmission fluid flows inside an automatic transmission. Fluid paths The journey starts in the pan. The transmission fluid is drawn from the pan through a filter by the pump that is behind the torque converter. The fluid level
As cars keep aging, what will the future look like?
We always talk about the average age of a vehicle crossing the 12-year mark. But, I think the more interesting number is the average age of a vehicle that is scrapped. This is a difficult number to obtain due to title laws in the different states, but it has been estimated by some at 22
TCM trouble and the importance of being certain about parts replacement
It’s a tale as old as time. A vehicle comes in and, despite having been recently repaired by another shop, the vehicle owner’s concern is still present. In the case of this story, the vehicle came from a local shop we work closely with. The truck in question is a 66,000-mile 2006 Chevrolet Silverado 2500
GM 6L series no-movement conditions: Analysis and repair tips
I am certain that many have experienced a no-movement forward, no-reverse or abnormal pressure condition with a GM 6L series transmission, especially since they are one of the most popular unit families in shops today. So, let’s examine some conditions and causes along with a few diagnostic tips for troubleshooting. We’ll go through a few
2023 State of the Powertrain Industry
The Transmission Digest Annual Survey of Retail Shops has served as benchmark and planning tool for the industry now for the past 37 years. Charts and tables in this study are based on a survey that was conducted early this year. Where differences are obvious, we separate the responses of transmission specialty shops from general
Powertrain industry directory and buyer’s guide 2023
This is the latest in TD’s annual series of directories for the powertrain industry. Companies that supply products to the powertrain aftermarket are listed in alphabetical order. Because data changes frequently, only organizations that have updated information with Transmission Digest in the recent past are included. Every precaution has been taken in the preparation of
