G56: Last of a dying breed
Manual transmissions are in a continuing decline in volume. Most current manual transmissions in domestic vehicles are relegated to the sports or “muscle-car” segments of the market. Of the “Big Three” domestic manufacturers, only Ram options a manual trans for purchase; Ford and GM do not. Part of this decline is a lack of skill and talent in the driver population, who are used to automatic transmissions so that nothing interrupts their ability to text while driving. The EPA does not like stick transmissions because they cannot control the throttle opening during operation.
Lay It on the Line: Guard against comebacks with easy driveline inspection techniques
In the transmission business, overlooked driveline problems are a cause of comebacks that are not related to your build but can still hurt a shop’s reputation. Making some basic checks of the vehicle while it’s still in the shop can get ahead of many driveline-related issues and help reduce comebacks.
November 2015 Issue
In This Issue
Mustang 6R80 high-gear starts
Cooler line fitting upgrades
Late model 6R80 drain back issue
Honesty, Here’s My Wallet
If I encounter a sales rep who even remotely sounds like he’s trying to feed me B.S., I’ll take my money elsewhere – simple as that. Once trust in the individual is broken, it makes you question the honesty of the company – and products.
How Fortunate We Are!
Did you ever stop to think about how fortunate we are to live in a place where we can ply our trade with only minor guidelines imposed by government agencies, a place where we can get what we need so quickly that we get bent completely out of shape if we call the local parts store for a delivery and the driver doesn’t show up within 20 minutes with the exact right part in his hand? We tend to take all that for granted, but there are many places in the world where that kind of luxury just doesn’t exist.
Toyota Camry U250E Harsh Coast Down
Although the transmission upshifted well and had a good lockup apply, at times when the vehicle came to a stop a bump would occur that felt like a rear end collision. The speed at which it came to a stop would dictate whether the transmission would downshift smooth or harsh. Normally, when coming to a regular stop, everything functioned well; however, coming to a quick stop was a different matter.
Problem or Process?: Surge may be byproduct of ‘displacement on demand’
Recently a 2006 Chevrolet Impala came into one of our retail locations with a surge complaint while cruising on the highway between 60-65 mph. I drove the vehicle with the customer to verify the concern and was able to duplicate the circumstances in which the vehicle acted up. While watching the tachometer I noted that there was a noticeable 150-200 rpm surge while TCC was applied. It felt like a typical TCC surge as a result from a leak in the TCC regulator circuit, so additional diagnostic steps were in order. We discussed this with the customer, and he authorized the additional time. At this point I was fairly convinced that we were going to need to go inside the unit.
