Why Your Transmission Needs To Be A Part Of Your Auto Maintenance
Your car’s transmission plays a vital role in how your engine functions and also helps to determine your car’s efficiency.
Every transmission requires regular servicing in order to keep your auto maintenance in top shape. The good news is that transmissions don’t typically fail over a day or two and allow plenty of warning time before things get serious. Here’s why you should be servicing your transmission regularly.
Keep Your Car Moving
Your transmission is responsible for changing the gears of your engine.
It plays the important role of transferring your engine’s power to your car’s wheels which is what keeps it moving. Without a transmission, your car won’t be going anywhere and is essentially what makes your car move.
When transmissions aren’t maintained properly, they can have trouble engaging and staying in gear.
Protective Lubrication
Transmission fluid is what keeps your gearbox running smoothly.
It acts like an oil and keeps all the parts of your transmission lubricated and cool. Over time, transmission fluid deteriorates and loses its effectiveness. It doesn’t lubricate as well and loses its ability to maintain recommended temperatures. A warning sign is when it begins to lose its color and becomes brown.
An authorized mechanic will be able to determine if your transmission fluid needs replacing. Preventative maintenance is the key to keeping your transmission fluid working effectively. Not only is it cheaper to replace than engine oil, but it also requires replacement far less frequently.
Prevent Delayed Shifting
This is another issue that is transmission fluid-related.
If your transmission struggles to get into gear, it could be that you have low transmission fluid levels. Low transmission fluid levels can lead to overheating which can damage the components of your transmission. In order to prevent transmission failure, it’s best to keep on top of the quality of your transmission fluid.
Silent and Smooth
A healthy transmission helps your engine and gearbox to operate smoothly.
In the same way, the transmission itself should run smoothly and silently. In fact, it should be virtually silent. A noisy transmission serves as a warning sign that something is wrong. Combined symptoms such as shaking, banging, vibrating, and grinding noise are all associated with a troublesome transmission. You may even notice a burning smell which could also be a tell-tale sign that something is wrong.
Whining And Driving
Another noise-related issue tends to happen on automatic transmissions.
An automatic transmission is equipped with a torque converter that makes use of needle pins. When these pins begin to wear out, they start to make a whining noise when the vehicle isn’t moving. If you suspect this is happening, its best to get it checked out.
Be Fanatical About The Filter
Transmission filters are positioned above the transmission pan and catch any excess fluid.
They are also situated below the pickup tube which connects to the oil pump. This tube helps to regulate the fluid pressure in the transmission. The filter plays the role of a sieve that collects different contaminants such as dirt and debris. It prevents these contaminants from reaching the transmission itself.
It’s important to get your transmission filters changed regularly in order to protect your transmission from these contaminants.
Preventative Maintenance Is Key
By ignoring these warning signs you could well be on your way to facing a hefty repair bill.
Transmission repairs can close to $3000. It’s a good idea to keep your transmission maintained by an experienced team of mechanics. At Foreign Affairs Motorsport we specialize in transmission maintenance and have a heritage of experience to back up our service. You could be saving yourself thousands of dollars by scheduling an appointment for your car at our service center.