Up to Standards
The cliché “What you don’t know can’t hurt you” is way out of date. The single most-important commodity in the world we operate in is knowledge. Information – and that means good, factual information – is the only thing that stands between us and expensive failures. Our quest for information will include a good working knowledge of the operation of the complex systems that comprise the modern motor vehicle and their relation to one another, feedback from the customer to fully understand their problem and the results they want you to achieve, and a thorough and complete observation of the vehicle you are working on.
Advancing Clutch Technology
Last month we discussed pioneering new technology for differentials. Here we look at the cutting edge of manual-transmission clutch technology.
Identification Guide to BorgWarner Transfer Cases
One of the most time-consuming and annoying problems associated with manual-transmission and transfer-case repair is unit identification. It is difficult to diagnose, buy parts or remanufactured units, and create a correct estimate for the customer when you cannot identify which unit you are working on. All units leave the factory well marked with decals, metal ID tags or both, but through use, weather and previous repairs, many of these ID devices become illegible or non-existent.
A First View of Borg Warner’s Interactive Torque Management System
The quest for better technology never rests. The cars being produced today are perhaps the best ever for durability, emissions control, fuel efficiency, handling, braking and power. You don’t have to be in our industry for very long to realize that, across the board, the manufacturers are building great products. If the car owner follows the prescribed maintenance schedules, there is an excellent chance that his vehicle will easily exceed 100,000 miles without a major component failure.
Solving Difficult Problems: Think Outside the Box
It is easy to lose one’s way and become embroiled in solving problems that actually do not exist. This is where the development of a proper diagnostic method of thinking a problem through before actually turning a wrench is a must. We as technicians are always guilty of attacking the unit when any number of external forces can create the problem that has shown up while it’s under warranty.
Where Do We Go from Here?
The start of a new year is a time for reflection on the current state of business and a time to formulate a business plan for the next 12 months. For most shops in our industry the past few years have been difficult, and many have closed, sold out or changed the way they do business. Twenty-some-odd years ago there were about 24,000 transmission shops in the country, and at this point the latest estimates are less than 10,000 shops that do nothing but transmission work. This is consolidation on a grand scale.
A Guide to the NV 246 Transfer Case
This transfer case is one of the so-called “automatic transfer cases,” or “active transfer cases.” This description results from the fact that the 246 has an “automatic 4WD function,” a 2WD position, a 4WD High function, neutral and 4WD Low position. Driving the vehicle in 2WD has all torque flowing through the transfer case to the rear driveshaft, and the vehicle operates just like a 2WD vehicle.
The Chain of Command
There are many parts that technicians take for granted and replace routinely without understanding the technology and engineering necessary to produce these parts. One of the most-common replacement items used by our industry is the drive chain. Once limited to transfer-case designs, drive chains were a natural way to transfer power between parallel shafts in front-wheel-drive automatic transmissions.
Where the Rubber Meets the Road
About 75% of the technical calls we handle are dealing with transfer-case problems, usually occurring after a transfer case has been disassembled and repaired, or another reman or new unit installed. The conversations range from, “I took the transfer case apart and can’t find anything wrong with it” to “This is the third transfer case we put in the vehicle and I still have the problem,” or “The reman transfer case I just bought from you is doing the same thing.”
New Venture Gear Transfer Cases
In the manual-transmission market, stick-shift transmissions make up roughly 20% of the vehicle population, with automatic transmissions grabbing the lion’s share of the market. The transfer-case market has exploded with the variety of SUVs and crossover vehicles being added to the market and the fact that whether the transmission is manual or automatic, a transfer case must be involved to obtain four-wheel drive.
Advanced Clutch Diagnostics
Clutch replacement is a common shop repair that is a profitable and relatively simple job if you follow proper inspection and installation procedures. About 50% of all manual-transmission failures or wear-related problems begin with a worn or damaged clutch.
Broken Brakes: Answers to Some Parking-Brake Problems
Bolt-on parking-brake assembly on some ZF manual transmissions requires careful handling.
Ford light-duty trucks have been equipped with ZF five- and six-speed manual transmissions since 1987. The ZF S542, S547, S547M and S650 have been used behind gas and diesel engines and are manufactured in two- and four-wheel-drive versions.
