Manual Transmission Vehicle Repair
Bucking the Trend, or How to be Successful in a Down Market

Trends in our business have changed dramatically so that customers can price-shop or buy parts or reman units on the Internet and then seek someone to install them. This puts a lot of pressure on price as the most-important factor in the business equation, with quality becoming a less-important factor in the decision. It is very easy to get caught up in this squeeze between what cheap is and what good is. There is a difference between spending less money on repairs and buying a better-quality job. That difference is “value added,” and it is vital that you know and understand the difference and explain that to your customers, and that you practice the same policies in your business purchasing.

Can You Say ‘Derailleur’?

A newly designed type of automated manual transmission (AMT) that is touted as the world’s fastest-shifting AMT has been developed by Zeroshift Ltd. in Milton Keynes, England, by a man named Bill Martin.

Magna Powertrain MP3023 & 3024 Transfer Cases

This is the last of a three-part series on the Magna Powertrain MP 3023 and 3024 transfer cases. These are electronically controlled “active” transfer cases (ATC).

The Magna Powertrain MP3023/3024 NQH

In last month’s article we discussed two of the three new models of transfer cases from Magna Powertrain, the MP1222/1225/1226 NQG and the MP1625/1626 NQF. This month we will discuss the operation and mechanical functions unique to the MP3023/3024 NQH. Figure 1 breaks down the identification code for the MP3023. These are active transfer cases (ATC) with sophisticated advanced electronics.

The Latest Models of Transfer Cases from Magna Powertrain

In the ever-changing world of automotive technology, we must keep up with an endless supply of new car models and their components. We will look at a new family of transfer cases manufactured by Magna Powertrain.

Advanced Diagnostics: Thinking ‘Outside the Box’

As automotive technology and design have reached new levels of sophistication, the role of the diagnostician has risen to critical levels. It is possible to replace transmissions and transfer cases with factory or aftermarket new or remanufactured units with relative ease. The shop needs only a qualified installer to make the swap.

Lubrication

One of the things often neglected is lubrication of the transmission, transfer case and differential. As with the automatic transmissions there are now dozens of specified lubricants that a professional shop must have available. What used to work no longer does, and putting the wrong lube into a late-model unit will result in spoiling a good rebuild. You must use the correct fluid for the unit you are working on. It sounds logical, but if you understand why, it will go a long way toward preventing shift complaints and outright failure under warranty due to incorrect lube fill.

Building a Better Mousetrap

Rebuilding and remanufacturing of a host of parts have been going on almost as long as the manufacture of automobiles. It has always been economically sound policy to refurbish a used part and give it a new life, in most instances less expensively than the purchase of a new one. A good percentage of the steel being produced for new products comes from scrap, and the same is true for gold, silver, copper, aluminum etc. Production of raw materials and their transportation to the various refiners is quite expensive. and it is more economical to recycle the used parts into a usable commodity.

Survival in an Age of Economic and Moral Stress

The lines between dedicated transmission-repair shops and general-repair facilities have become blurred, as trans shops are now doing more general-repair work than in previous times to help cover their overhead and the general-repair shop is now swapping transmissions and other components available through aftermarket rebuilders for the same reasons. It seems that nobody wants to turn away any work that will bring in more cash. This is a natural transition to the change in the repair business that is ongoing but also creates some new problems for suppliers and repair shops.

The BorgWarner 4473: Unlocking the Mystery

Through the BorgWarner 4473 transfer case, which is full-time all-wheel drive, there is a 35%/65% constant torque split front to rear. The 4473 is a relatively simple transfer case that uses a viscous coupling to control a planetary differential to split the torque. The planetary uses straight-cut gears for the planet pinions and the sun and annulus gears, which means that there is little or no thrust load on the internal components.

How to Be a Clutch Hitter

The clutch-driven vehicle will be here for the foreseeable future. The good news is that driver skills have declined, which makes clutch replacement a bigger share of your business.

Up to Standards

The two most-glaring issues start with “captive product.” The auto manufacturers of today have become efficient by building fewer of the components that go into the complex and sophisticated product that is today’s automobile. Tier 1 suppliers provide many components that go into the car. Although the car manufacturer may make the sheet metal and engines and be responsible for the design and process engineering to produce the vehicle, Tier 1 suppliers like BorgWarner, Tremec, Aisin, ZF, New Venture Gear, American Axle, Dana and Eaton manufacture the transmissions, transfer cases and differentials for the driveline. Other companies produce the interiors, steering, HVAC, fuel injection and other components.