Clutch Technology – the Real Deal
One of the most-common repairs performed by transmission and general-repair shops is clutch replacement. The clutch is a high-wear item that must engage and disengage hundreds of times a day. It is subject to a lot of driver abuse; vehicle overloading; wear and failure of linkage, hydraulics and powertrain mounts; and contamination from oil leaks in the engine or transmission.
Domestic-Truck Transmission Identification Guide
One of the difficult problems facing most transmission shops is the identification of manual transmissions. To be able to order parts and create a valid sales quote for a customer, the shops have to know what they are working on. Stick-shift transmissions comprise about 20% of the market; so most shops are very familiar with automatic units and have difficulty with manual-trans identification. The following guide provides some basic information to lead you in the right direction as to which transmission you are working on. Space limitations do not allow us to list every manual transmission you may encounter, but those listed here are the most-common units in domestic trucks and sport/utility vehicles.
It Ain’t Just Oil
One thing we have seen that is consistent in the repair industry has been an unprecedented explosion of new and changing technology. An amazing number of new transmission and transfer-case designs soon will be appearing in your shop. The ever-increasing use of computer and electronic controls has made all the units more sophisticated, and diagnosis is becoming a stand-alone specialty.
Synchronization: A Study in Timing
Manual-shift transmissions have been manufactured with synchronized gear train for decades. The early designs were three-speed transmissions with 2nd and 3rd gears synchronized, and as transmission design progressed, four-, five- and six-speed transmissions were developed. At this point all forward speeds were commonly synchronized, and as the purchase costs of the vehicles increased and customers became more demanding, reverse was synchronized in most late-model vehicles. Synchronizers remain the most-misunderstood components in manual transmissions and transfer cases and therefore cause a great number of diagnostic headaches and comebacks.
The Road to Hell is Paved With Good Intentions
Dynamic emissions testing on chassis dynamometers can be disastrous for all-wheel-drive transfer cases
In my distant youth, my mother often said to me, “The road to Hell is paved with good intentions.” During those years it never dawned on me how true those words were, but as I aged it became clear how smart my mother really was.
Where Do We Go From Here?
There is an old Chinese blessing that says, “May you live in interesting times.” As far as the auto-repair and automobile-manufacturing industries are concerned, these are very interesting times. The balance of this year and the next few years will bring about some profound changes in these interdependent industries.
Solving a Tough Problem With the Tremec T45 Transmission
The T45 five-speed transmission was introduced in the Ford Mustang in the 1996 model year and continued in production through the 2001 models. Tremec Transmissions Corp. in Mexico manufactures this transmission for Ford.
The BorgWarner 44-11 Transfer Case, Chapter 2
In last month’s article we looked at the mechanical operation of the BorgWarner 44-11 automatic all-wheel-drive transfer case, which replaces the BW 44-05 transfer case and is used in the Ford Explorer, Ranger and Mountaineer and Lincoln Aviator models. This month’s article is devoted to the electronic functions of this transfer case.
Taking a Look at Ford’s New Transfer Cases
One of the best-selling and most-popular vehicles is the Ford Explorer and its cross-brand clones, the Mercury Mountaineer and the new Lincoln Aviator. These SUVs have been the volume leaders in their class and as such have provided us with lots of repair work as they have aged. Most of these vehicles were equipped with a BorgWarner 44-05 transfer case, and a lesser number were equipped with the BW 44-04 all-wheel-drive transfer case.
Time = Money; Waste=Loss: A Survival Guide
The economy is in a terrible slump, and for the first time people in our industry are beginning to realize that we are no longer recession proof. Zero down with 0% financing has transmission shops around the country losing jobs to new-car purchases or leases. The carmakers have become major competitors for vehicle-repair dollars with sales of reman and new units at competitive prices. General-repair shops are now doing transmission work that they used to farm out to transmission shops.
Understanding the New Venture Gear 226 Transfer Case
In the previous issue we discussed the theory of operations of the New Venture Gear 226 transfer case, which is found in the GMC Envoy, Chevrolet Trailblazer and Oldsmobile Bravada. This chapter is devoted to helping you to get familiar with the electronic functions of this “active” transfer case.
The New Breed of Active Transfer Cases – the New Venture Gear 226
The newest design level in the active transfer case is the NVG 226. GM introduced the Trailblazer, Envoy and new Bravada models that feature a newly designed straight six-cylinder engine. This engine has very high horsepower and torque output and is arguably the smoothest-running straight 6 ever produced. In order to complete this almost vibration-free package, GM chose the NVG 226 transfer case.
