Belonging – How Important Is It?
When employees feel as if they belong, they tend to give a lot more. They’re part of the cause, not separate from it. They’ll usually work to the limit of their capabilities. When they don’t feel like a member of the tribe they don’t get comfortable enough with their surroundings to be willing to give it their all. Employees who are treated like outsiders quickly get the idea that they won’t be welcome at the company very long so they work with one foot out the door and their bags always half packed.
Self-Examination in the Great Recession
Many factors have reduced the number of vehicles we have to work on, resulting in a two-thirds reduction in the number of dedicated transmission shops nationally. The automakers have created lower leasing costs and longer vehicle warranties, which keep a large number of vehicles from needing our services. Government programs such as “Cash for Clunkers,” which was basically a gift to the automakers, removed about 750,000 vehicles from the market that we deal with. The improvements in manufacturing quality and design have produced vehicles across the spectrum that last longer and require less service.
October 2013 Issue
In This Issue
Dodge Caliber CVT glitch – or a non-transmission issue?
Jatco JF613E FWD 6-speed
September 2013 Issue
In This Issue
Automatic transmissions in three-wheel vehicles
DCT 02E: erratic engagements, no-start condition
Mercedes 722.9: poor shift quality
Adaptations Critical to Proper Shifts
In previous articles I have explained the important part that adaptations play in the shift quality and proper operation of a transmission. I have corrected many shift complaints from other shops that just could not get the transmission to shift properly simply by resetting the adaptations.
In this article I’ll use the VW 01M 2-3 shift to explain the hydraulic part of the adaptation. Let’s use the most-recent case I had, a ’99 VW New Beetle with a 01M transmission that had a slight binding feel on the 2-3 shift.
Train Me!
Shop and small-business owners, in general, fill positions by hiring people who come with credentials. The assumption – and it’s the wrong one most of the time – is that they’ve already been trained and know their jobs well. One problem is that they had never worked for you. The way you do things in your shop may be far removed from the way they were done in the last shop at which this employee worked. If nothing else you have to train people to do things according to your credo and mission statement. Another problem is that employees sometimes lie about their accomplishments and skill level to get a job, hoping to fake their way in until they actually learn to do it right.
Lepelletier Planetary System
When it became apparent that four speeds weren’t enough, the games began by adding more gears. ZF stepped up to the plate in the early ’90s by launching several new-design five-speeds that involved a lot of stuff. Ford took a simpler approach by turning an A4LD (4R55E) into a 5R55E, mainly by computer strategy cycling the OD section on twice.
Without a significant change in thinking, though, stepping up to six or more speeds would have resulted in a transmission weighing a ton. The answer to the problem was the Lepelletier planetary system.
Hard Shift Remains after Reset of Shift Adapts
We recently received a 2002 Volkswagen Jetta, with a 09A five-speed automatic, with a complaint that it would not move. I determined that the fluid was burnt and black, indicating an internal failure. The check engine light was on and it had codes 00652 – gear monitoring not a plausible signal intermittent; 01045 – Tiptronic switch (F189) not a plausible signal intermittent; and 18032 – MIL request signal active (check TCM for errors) P1624. I drove the vehicle, and the transmission would slip and whine for about a block and then the vehicle would quit moving.
Nissan Versa Vies for Title of ‘America’s Least-Expensive Car’
The Nissan Versa and Hyundai Accent have been battling it out for the title of “America’s Least-Expensive Car” for a while. Hyundai retired from that race for 2012, leaving Nissan as the low-cost champion. But is the Nissan Versa a car you would actually want to fix or is it too cheap to bother with?
Vacuum Testing ZF 6HP19/26/32 (Gen 1), Ford 6R60/6R80
From the TASC Force we reprint a series of in-depth test instructions for checking the serviceability of valve bodies.
Smile, Wave, and Make the Sale
I’m a pretty good salesman. One of my strengths is in knowing how to tip the odds in my favor. In other words, I will use every advantage to ensure that a prospect sees the value in doing business with us.
I’m also realistic. As good as I am, I’m not the best salesperson in the company. Our factory (and our people) are. When I can persuade a prospect to come visit us in Milwaukee, my job is very easy.
Toyota A750E/F Small Parts
Toyota A750E/F
There are some pitfalls that can trip you up with this valve body.
