Dual-Clutch Transmissions – the Future Is Here Now
The automatic transmission equipped with a torque converter has been the mainstay of conventional drivelines since World War II. A great deal of research, improved designs and advanced transmission technology have brought us excellent five-, six- and seven-speed automatics that perform extremely well. Manual transmissions are still more efficient from the fuel-economy standpoint but depend on the driver’s skill and ability to drive in a fuel-efficient manner. The EPA does not like manual transmissions because they shift at closed throttle. Automatics shift at open throttle and make control of emission levels much easier.
Interrelated Vehicle Systems
With the steady advance of technology, motor vehicles have become safer, more fuel efficient, less polluting and much more complex. This will continue to make very large demands on the people who work at repairing them and must learn how these systems work and how they relate to each other. Failure to do so will be a career-threatening move.
The Fine Points of the BorgWarner 4411 Transfer Case
One of the best-selling vehicles produced by Ford Motor Co. is the Ford Explorer/Mercury Mountaineer SUV. These vehicles started production using the BorgWarner 4405 transfer case and had a huge production run.
Generations of Transfer Cases: The New Venture 244 Gen II
With the introduction of the Dodge Durango to Chrysler’s SUV models came the 244 transfer case. From 2001 to 2003 the 244 transfer case was an evolution of the NV 242, which was a full-time/part-time unit.
Getting to the ‘Core’ of the Problem
Cores and core charges have been part of our industry since the beginning. What is a core? There can be many definitions, but for the purpose of this discussion we will label it as a used or worn/damaged component or assembly being replaced by a remanufactured component or assembly that is identical to the one being replaced.
Tremec’s New 6060 Six-Speed
The T56 six-speed transmission has been around for many years now. Originally designed by BorgWarner for the GM F-bodies (Camaro/Firebird), the design has been refined since Tremec bought the BorgWarner manual-transmission business. The T56 is now the six-speed of choice for the Ford Mustang, Chevrolet C5 and C6 Corvettes, Pontiac GTO, Cadillac CTS-V, Dodge Viper and Sidewinder, and Aston Martin Vanquish.
2008: Will It Be Great, or Will It Be Too Late?
I have always believed that to be successful one must have a positive outlook on life. Whatever you do should be done with passion and excitement, and to the best of your ability. If you don’t enjoy what you are doing, it is time to make a change and get into something new. An old quote says, “If you love what you do, you will never work a day in your life.”
Diagnosis of Electronic ‘Active’ Transfer Cases
This is the fourth article in a series devoted to diagnosis of manual transmissions and transfer cases. Electronic “active” transfer cases cause 70% of the tech calls we receive.
Diagnosing Noises in Manual Transmissions
Continuing with our third article in the series on manual-transmission diagnosis, we now concentrate on noise. Noise is a difficult and time-consuming problem if you do not follow a prescribed step-by-step diagnostic process. Every rotating or moving part in a vehicle creates some noise. The vehicle itself moving through the air creates noise. Tires, exhaust, and suspension parts create noise as part of their normal operation.
Advanced Manual-Transmission Diagnostics
In last month’s article we started this series on manual-transmission diagnostics. We continue here with a more-advanced discussion. We covered the absolute need for all technicians to understand the theory of operations and power flow of the units they are working on so they can successfully diagnose problems. The topic addressed in this month’s article is shift problems, their causes and fixes. The next chapter will deal with diagnosing noises, and we will close the series with advanced electronic and function diagnosis of electronic and active transfer cases.
Manual-Transmission Theory: Back to Basics
On automatic transmissions, engine-related computer problems can affect transmission operation. Computer-controlled vehicles have very complex electronic circuits and multiple computers, all of which need to work together. That being the case, we will start with the basics of rear-wheel-drive manual-transmission function and proceed to more-complex diagnostic issues with transfer cases and front-wheel-drive manual transmissions in the next series of articles. Transmission designs may vary in size, shape and appearance, but all the units function in the same manner.
Understanding the Tremec 3650 5-Speed Transmission
The T5 was one of the most widely used transmissions in history. Ford replaced it for the Mustang with the T45, which was used in the Pony cars until 1991. Tremec then designed and got accepted by Ford the Tremec 3650, which replaced the T45 in Ford Mustangs in 1991 and is being used in 2007 production. Figure 1 shows other vehicles in which the 3650 is used.
