September 2014 Issue
In This Issue
4L80-E: overdrive failure after rebuild
CD4E: erratic garage shifts into reverse
62TE: sealing-ring wear
FNR5 TCC slip and/or shift solenoid E stuck off
The FNR5 transmission can be found in most Ford and Mazda front-wheel-drive vehicles and has been with us for a while. One of the most-common calls we get on this transmission in the tech center at Valve Body Pro is for a code P0741 TCC slip and/or P0771 shift solenoid E stuck off. Recently we had a 2008 Ford Fusion with this problem. Figure 1 shows the SSA (SSPCA) increasing the modulation but no drop in rpm slip.
Vacuum Testing A340E/F
From the TASC Force we reprint a series of in-depth test instructions for checking the serviceability of valve bodies. Part 2 covers Type 4, EPC Style. Type 3, EPC Style was covered in the August issue.
Serviceability Report: Toyota Highlander
Once more we will examine a new model that has just been re-engineered. Is fixing and maintaining a 2014 Toyota Highlander less difficult than fixing and maintaining the earlier model? Were technicians considered at the design stage? Let’s find out. Let’s examine the 2008 Highlander V 6 all-wheel-drive (AWD) system and compare it with the current 2014 model.
Check Tire Sizes on AWD/4WD Vehicles
We have all had our ‘feel good’ moments about maximizing our customer relationships by going above and beyond when we diagnose a customer vehicle with the goal of saving them money during their visit to our shop. Minimizing their expense, getting them back on the road in a timely manner and providing a pleasant service experience influence them to sing our praises to friends and thus increase our sales revenues from “word-of-mouth” advertising. Sometimes cost-cutting measures can end up costing more in the end.
E4OD/4R100 Component Upgrade: Mix and match is not an option
E4OD/4R100 Component Upgrade: Mix and match is not an option
Technically Speaking
Author: Mike Riley, Technical Editor
Unit: E4OD/4R100
Vehicle Application: Ford trucks
Issue: Component changes
The Transmission-Repair Twilight Zone
I have written an awful lot of technical articles over the years, and I thought it might be fun to go over some of the strange events that every transmission-repair shop experiences with customer relations, strange technical issues and the feeling at times that you are in the Twilight Zone. The important issue in handling weird events is to realize you are not alone, that everyone in our business has some similar experiences. It starts with ordinary everyday activity that soon descends into strangeness. Some of these tales are created by the human behavior that we need to deal with every day, whether it involves customers or others who hold themselves out to be professionals.
Are You an Order Taker or a Salesperson?
There’s an argument going on and it’s time for me to weigh in. For years I’ve heard managers complain that their salespeople are “lazy order takers.” I’ve witnessed teammates jab at one another by delivering the lowest of all low-blow insults: “You’re nothing but an order taker.”
Employee-Turnover Damage-Control Plan
The old saying “The successful people surround themselves with successful people” is easier said than done. Recruiting and hiring is one of the most-important duties a shop owner has, because the way the owner goes about hiring employees can dramatically affect his labor costs. Everyone wants to be successful, but recruiting and hiring is a hard job that is time consuming as well as expensive. That is why a lot of busy shop owners settle for the employees they have right now and put off recruiting until someone walks off. Unfortunately, this recruiting strategy creates what I call “panic hiring” and costs the shop more than you know.
Run It like You Know How
It’s a common occurrence in our trade that the most-talented and highly skilled technicians at some point believe they can take on the monumental task of owning and operating their own automotive- or transmission-repair business. It’s a noble goal and often is attained by those who have enough drive and the ability to secure the necessary funding to get started. These men and women take a huge leap from being a highly skilled and qualified employee to an uncertain business owner.
