The transmission experiences a lot of strain. The grit you see in used transmission fluid is actually bits of metal that wear off the gears in the transmission. In addition to that, the transmission operates at very high temperatures. Usually, it’s 110 to 160 degrees higher than engine temperatures. Those high temperatures eventually cause the transmission fluid to start to break down and lose efficiency.

As the fluid gets older, it gets muddy and doesn’t lubricate and cool the transmission as well – leading to even more wear. The fluid can actually get sludgy and plug up the maze of fluid passages inside the transmission. At best, your transmission won’t operate smoothly. At worse, it could lead to expensive damage.

When your transmission is running properly, it transfers more power from your engine to the drive wheels and enhances fuel economy. That’s why manufacturers recommend changing your transmission fluid at regular intervals. Your owner’s manual has a schedule for transmission service and, of course, your service center can tell you what the manufacturer recommends.

Hot and dirty conditions; towing, hauling, stop and go conditions and jackrabbit start all increase the load on the transmission and its internal temperature. That means you need to change the fluid more often. A good rule of thumb is every 35,000 miles, 55,000 kilometres or two years. If your manufacturer suggests more frequent intervals or if you’re driving under severe service conditions, you will need to change it more often.

Most service workshops have the ability to perform a transmission maintenance service while you wait and the cost is quite inexpensive. It’s downright cheap when you think about how much a major transmission repair can cost! Your service mechanic will know the right type of transmission fluid to use. If it’s getting to be time to have your transmission serviced, do your car a favour and have it done. If not this time, then on your next service stop.

Things You’ll Need

1. Rag
2. Transmission fluid
3. Owner’s manual or Service Manual.
4. Transmission funnel

Part 1

Checking The Fluid

1

• Start the car. In order to get an accurate transmission fluid reading, you will need to check the level while the transmission is running and the fluid is warm. Keep the car in park with the handbrake on while you check the transmission fluid. Note that some vehicles are checked in the neutral position. Reference your owner’s manual for the proper position of your car’s shifter.
• If you’ve just finished driving your car for 30 minutes or longer, it’s a good idea to let your engine idle a few minutes before you check the transmission fluid. This will allow the temperature of the fluid to normalize.
• Note that some cars may also have a “cold” reading on the transmission dipstick. Even if this is the case in your car, you should still start the engine and get the transmission fluid heated up in order to get an accurate reading.

2

• Without actually driving the car, depress the brake and run the transmission through all the gears, including Reverse and Overdrive. If you check the transmission fluid cold — i.e., not having driven anywhere and not having run through all the transmission gears — inspection of the transmission dipstick will give you an inaccurate reading. It will appear as if you have far too much transmission fluid in your car. To avoid this, cycle through all the gears in your car to help circulate the transmission fluid evenly.

3

• Park your car on a flat, horizontal surface. This will help assure that you get an accurate reading.

4

• Open the hood and locate your transmission dipstick. Remember to set the parking brake, especially if you’re leaving the car in neutral. On some cars, it is easy to mistake the transmission dipstick for the crankcase oil dipstick, so make sure you are clear on the location of your transmission.
• Look towards the back of the engine, near the firewall. This is where the transmission is located on most cars with rear-wheel drive.
• On cars with front-wheel drive, the transmission dipstick is usually located near the front of the engine, connected to the transaxle. This isn’t universally true, however, so you should look at your owner’s manual or for labels around and on the dipstick to positively identify that it is the right dipstick.

5

• Pull the dipstick out and wipe it with a rag. This will help give you an accurate reading.

6

• Stick the dipstick back into the transmission fluid and lift it out again for the reading. You should now be able to see what level your transmission fluid reaches. Remember to compare your fluid level to the “hot” marking on the transmission fluid dipstick.

Tips :

• Use your transmission fluid dipstick to check your levels. If the dipstick reads “add fluid” or “low” setting; then you know you need to add ATF. Some symptoms of low transmission fluid are hard shifting, a clunk noise when shifting into reverse and/or loss of HP.
• Ask your mechanic to check your transmission fluid whenever you have your car serviced. If you are not comfortable adding transmission fluid on your own, ask your mechanic to do it.
• Some transmissions do not have a dipstick to check and fill the transmission. These are what the manufacturers call tamper-proof. The manufacturer only wants the fluid checked and filled during major service intervals. Some manufacturers do not want fluid changed at all. Follow your manufacturer’s recommendations for checking and servicing of your transmission.
• Follow the transmission change intervals recommended in your owner manual.

Part 2
Adding the Fluid

1

• Keep the engine idle with the transmission in park and the parking brake set. Your car’s engine should be running when you add fluid to the transmission, but you should have the transmission in park and the handbrake activated for safety.

2

• Check the owner’s manual for instructions on selecting the correct transmission fluid for your vehicle.
• Your owner’s manual will tell you what type of transmission fluid to us and whether there are special instructions for adding fluid.
• The transmission dipstick itself might also tell you what kind of transmission fluid the transmission takes. Note that there are several different kinds, each with specifications that make it favourable for that engine’s transmission.
• Also, look for instructions on how frequently to change your transmission fluid. While you can add fluid when it gets low, many car manufacturers recommend a transmission fluid change every 50,000 to 160,000 km, depending on the make and model of your car.

3

• Place a funnel in the dipstick hole of the transmission. Most cars need a longer “transmission fluid” funnel.

4

• Pour the correct fluid slowly into the funnel. Add a little at a time so you do not overfill. How much transmission fluid do you add to your vehicle? It depends on what you’re doing:
• Are you topping off fluid levels? If you notice the transmission fluid is a little low on the dipstick, start with a half a quart to a quart of transmission fluid. Recheck the level and add ¼ quart (or less) at a time until the level is up to the full or max mark.
• Are you doing a transmission service where you drop the pan and replace the filter? This kind of service usually needs 4 to 5 quarts of transmission fluid in order to replace what was lost in the pan.
• Are you replacing all the transmission fluid? It could take anywhere from 9 to 13 quarts of transmission fluid to replace the old transmission fluid.

5

• Depress the brake and run the transmission through its gears with the car idling. This will help circulate the transmission fluid and make sure you’re getting the correct reading.

6

• Check the fluid level once more. You may not need to add more transmission fluid but, if you do, you’ll want to add the fluid a little at a time. At this point, most vehicles will not need more than 1 pint (0.5 litres) of additional fluid.

7

• Return the dipstick to the transmission dipstick sleeve and make sure it is seated well. You may need to turn it until it locks or presses down a latch on the top of the dipstick to lock it into place.

Warnings

• Consider having your mechanic look at your transmission if you notice yourself adding fluid regularly. If you regularly lose transmission fluid, you may have a leak.
• Make sure you do not pour the wrong type of fluid into your transmission. Doing so can damage your vehicle and the repairs will likely not be covered by your warranty.
• If you do not flush your transmission at the recommended intervals. you risk your transmission wearing out prematurely. If you are hard on your transmission or regularly pull heavy loads, consider changing the transmission fluid more frequently.

Routine maintenance is the key to durability for any machine. This statement of fact is especially indispensable for cars, trucks, and SUVs that cruise the highways and byways across Canada daily. While most of us are pretty good about having the engine oil changed, radiators flushed, and tires rotated, one routine service often overlooked is the transmission flush. In fact, it’s common for many car owners to ask whether a transmission flush is a necessary or just good practice.

Having a transmission flushed every 50,000 to 80,000 kilometres is essential, especially if you drive a car with an automatic transmission. Let’s take a look at the top 4 reasons why having the automatic transmission fluid flushed as recommended is indeed necessary.

How Automatic Transmission Fluid Works
There is often some confusion as to how an automatic transmission works. Simply put, an automatic transmission is a hydraulic system that relies on a consistent flow of transmission fluid levels to supply hydraulic pressure in order to operate. Transmission fluid is different than engine oil — it is designed with a specific viscosity and a combination of additives that help reduce expansion as the fluid is heated. This keeps the vehicle’s transmission fluid consistent, which permits it to flow efficiently through each hydraulic line inside the transmission. Over time and with continued use, the additives will begin to wear out, which causes the fluid to thin and become more susceptible to expansion due to heat. Dirty transmission fluid needs to be replaced with new fluid for ideal performance.

Why is a Transmission Flush Required?
A transmission flush is similar to other car fluid changes. When you or a mechanic perform an oil change, it’s a rather simple process. They’ll remove the oil pan bolt, remove the oil filter, and let the old fluid drain until it stops flowing. However, it doesn’t fully remove all of the engine oil. Inside the engine block and cylinder heads are a series of galleys that keep a small portion of oil to lubricate moving parts until the new oil is circulated through the engine. An automatic transmission’s fluid is kept inside the hydraulic lines, so it needs to be ‘flushed’ or pushed through the lines to drain effectively. This also serves a secondary purpose. The transmission flush also pushes debris and other small particles that develop from the transmission filter’s worn out fibres.

Here are 4 reasons why this process is so important for those with automatic transmissions:

1. It extends the transmission lifespan: If the transmission’s internal hydraulic lines are clogged, it can cause inner seals to break, which creates internal leaks and can lead to complete transmission failure. By having the fluid flushed and filters replaced every 30,000 to 50,000 miles, you significantly reduce the potential of damage and can extend its lifespan.
2. It improves smooth-shifting: When transmission fluid is replaced and the fluid is flushed, it improves the efficient flow of transmission fluid throughout the system. The end result is that the transmission will shift smoother.
3. It is vital to protect warranties: Most new cars, trucks, and SUVs come with a powertrain warranty — which protects the engine, transmission and drive system components. However, if those systems are not maintained as recommended, it can void the most extended warranties and cost you a significant amount of money if you need to replace them.
4. It can improve fuel economy: A smooth-shifting transmission is also critical for the efficient operation of your engine. If the transmission slips or shifts higher than the engine is set, it can and often will burn more fuel inside the engine than it should. A transmission fluid change can contribute to optimal fuel mileage.

You’ll notice in the information above that we haven’t mentioned transmission flushes for CVT or manual transmissions. These cars operate differently and have their own recommended service intervals. The best way to clarify what you should have done for your vehicle is to contact a professional mechanic, your automotive dealership or investigate your service, repair or owner’s manual for a transmission service maintenance schedule. This will tell you when all the recommended services are required and suggested to keep your vehicle running safe, stable, strong and protect those warranties.

Serpentine belts are especially sturdy. They can last for years and go for tens of thousands of kilometres. But, with time they wear out. If the belt breaks while you are driving, everything will come to a halt within seconds. You have to stop the car or it will overheat, potentially causing major engine damage. And it probably won’t be at a convenient time or place. You might even need to get your car towed to an automotive service center. That is why manufacturers recommend a belt replacement on schedule. You really should get it done on schedule because a belt failure will definitely take you off the road.

If you hear a squeal when accelerating or a slow, slapping sound at idle, you should have the serpentine belt looked at. Your mechanic will visually inspect the belt to see if it needs to be changed sooner than scheduled. If the belt has more than three or four cracks an inch, has deep cracks that penetrate half the depth of the belt, is frayed, is missing pieces or has a shiny glazed look, it needs to be replaced regardless of age or mileage.

Serpentine belt replacement is relatively cheap, especially compared with the cost and inconvenience of being stranded or getting a disabled vehicle to a service center for repairs.

Just remember, if your engine squeals in the morning when you first start it up, take a look at your serpentine belt under the hood. Any cracks, glazed areas, or visible threads mean that you need to replace it. Let it go too long, and your belt will eventually break -which can cause damage to your engine components.

An ounce of prevention is worth a tone of cure.

You Can Replace The Serpentine Belt By Yourself.

Part 1 of 2: Removing the old belt

Materials Needed

1- (⅜) inch ratchet
2- New serpentine belt

• • Note: Most tensioners have a ⅜-inch drive that you slot into and pivot to relieve tension on the belt. Use a ratchet that has a long handle to increase your leverage. If the ratchet is short, you may not be able to use enough force to move the tensioner spring.
  • Note: There are special tools available to make this job easier, but they are not always necessary. They can help when you need a lot of leverage or when there isn’t much space to fit a normal-sized ratchet.

Step 1: Let the engine cool down. You’re going to be working around the engine and don’t want to hurt yourself on any hot parts, so let the engine cool down for a few hours before starting the job.

Step 2: Familiarize yourself with how the belt is laid out. There is usually a diagram towards the front of the engine that shows how the belt is supposed to loop through all of the pulleys.

The tensioner will usually be identified in the diagram, sometimes with arrows indicating how it moves.

Take note of the differences between systems with and without an air conditioning (A/C) belt. Make sure you are following the correct diagram if there are multiple images for different engine sizes.

• • Tip: If there is no diagram, draw a picture of what you see or use a camera to take pictures that you can reference later. There is only one way the belt is supposed to go on. You can also find the diagram online, just make sure you have the correct engine.

Step 3: Locate the tensioner. If there is no diagram, you can find the tensioner by pulling on the belt at various locations to look for the piece that moves.

The tensioner will typically have an arm with a pulley at the end that applies pressure onto the belt.

Step 4: Insert your ratchet into the tensioner. Pivot the ratchet to create slack in the belt.

Hold the ratchet with one hand and use your other to get the belt off of one of the pulleys.

You only need to get the belt off one pulley. Then you can slowly bring the tensioner to a resting position.

• • Warning: Make sure you have a firm grip on the ratchet. Letting the tensioner slam can damage the spring and components inside.

Step 5: Remove the belt completely. You can pull it up through the top or let it drop to the ground.

Part 2 of 2: Installing the new belt

Step 1: Make sure the new belt is identical to the old one. Count the number of grooves and pull both belts taut to make sure they are the same length.

Very minute differences in length are acceptable as the tensioner can make up for the difference, but the number of grooves has to be the same.

• • Note: Make sure your hands are somewhat clean when handling the new belt. Oil and other fluids will cause the belt to slip meaning that you’ll have to replace it again.

Step 2: Loop the belt around all pulleys except for one. Typically the pulley that you were able to get the belt off originally will be the last one that you want to pull the belt over.

Make sure that the belt and pulleys are lined up correctly.

Step 3: Loop the belt around the last pulley. Pivot the tensioner to create slack and loop the belt around the last pulley.

As before, use one hand to hold the ratchet firmly while positioning the belt. Slowly release the tensioner so that you don’t damage your brand new belt.

Step 4: Inspect all pulleys. Before we start the engine, double-check and make sure that the belt is looped around correctly.

Make sure the grooved pulleys contact the grooved surface of the belt and the flat pulleys come in contact with the flat side of the belt.

Make sure the grooves are lined up nicely. Check that the belt is centred on each pulley.

• • Warning: If the flat surface of the belt contacts a grooved pulley, the grooves on the pulley will damage the belt over time.

Step 5: Start the engine to test the new belt. If the belt is loose it will most likely squeal and sound like it is being slapped around while the engine is running.

If it is too tight, the pressure can damage the bearings of the components connected to the belt. It is rare for the belt to be too tight – but if it is, you will likely hear a humming noise without vibration.

With the serpentine belt replaced, you can rest assured that you will not be stranded in the middle of anywhere.

Gasoline engines used to have a hose that let the toxic fumes vent out into the air. But starting in 1963, laws mandated that these toxic gases be recaptured. Manufacturers began installing PCV systems, which recycled the gases into the air intake system where they could be mixed with fuel and sent to the engine to be burned. However, diesel engines are not required to have these valves.

The Positive Crankcase Ventilation, or PCV, valve routes crankcase vapours through a hose and back into the air intake system where they are re-burned in the engine. Fresh, clean air is brought into the crankcase through a breather tube. It’s really a pretty simple system but does a remarkable job. The re-circulating air removes moisture and combustion waste from the crankcase, preventing sludge. This prolongs not only the life of the oil but the engine as well. The PCV releases pressure in the crankcase and then preventing oil leaks.

Eventually, the PCV valve can get gummed up. Then it can not move enough air through the engine to keep it working efficiently. If the PCV valve is sticking enough, you could have oil leaks, excess oil consumption and a fouled intake system. If you encounter a delay or surging or an oil leak, it may be a sign of PCV value problems. Your Service or owners’ manual may give a recommendation for when the PCV valve should be replaced – usually between 32,000 km and 80,000 km. Unfortunately, some car manufacturers don’t list a recommendation in the manual, so it can be easy to overlook.

Many PCV system problems can be diagnosed with a visual inspection. Fortunately, PCV valve replacement is both quick and cheap. Decent oil changes will greatly increase the life of the PCV valve. Skipping a few recommended oil changes can allow varnish and gum to build up in the valve, reducing its efficiency. So now when your mechanic tells you its time to replace the PCV valve, you will know what he’s talking about. Check the video below to learn more about it.

Answer:
Hi there. Over time, the components that connect the shifter to the gearbox will wear out and eventually break. A certified mechanic would be able to remove the gearbox to inspect the linkage and replace anything that has been damaged. Take care driving the vehicle as the temporary fix could fail at any time leaving you stranded.

Answer:
As bad as that sounds, it could be as simple as a worn bushing which would cause the cable to come loose from the linkage. It may have also been a broken shifter cable. So the first step would be to verify that you are actually shifting the transmission. If your cable and shifter check out, now you would look at the transmission by checking fluid level and the condition of the different transmission components. If nothing obvious is seen then your problem would most likely be internal to the transmission. I recommend having a mechanic, such as one from YourMechanic, inspect your vehicle’s transmission to see what needs to be repaired.

Answer:
All three problems may be related. You will have to get the computer scanned to see if you have a bad speed sensor. The speed sensor will sense the speed in which you are going; the computer will use this to change the gears of the transmission and the speedometer will use it to display the speed.

A mechanic can scan and diagnose the check engine light to see if this is your problem.

Tip

If you’re in a pinch, Honda does allow you to use 5W-20 or 0W-20 engine oil as manual transmission fluid (don’t try this in an automatic, though).

Driveline, Drivetrain, Powertrain
Technicians sometimes refer to driveline, drivetrain and powertrain interchangeably when referring to the drivetrain system of an automobile. This can cause confusion, but in essence, all of these terms describe the same system within the vehicle.

The powertrain in a vehicle is composed of everything that makes the vehicle move. This includes everything from the engine to the transmission to all the parts that allow the power from the engine to get to the wheels. A vehicle’s driveline consists of all of the powertrain’s components except for the engine.

The drivetrain is the part of a motorized vehicle that connects the engine and transmission to the wheel axles.

The driveline includes everything in the chain from the engine to the drive wheels, but the drivetrain consists of everything after the transmission — all driveshafts, axles, joints, differentials and wheels.

The Drivetrain

The drivetrain includes the transmission, the driveshaft, the axles, and the wheels. Simply put, it works in connection with the engine to move the wheels. This complex system includes the transmission, driveshaft, and axles and sometimes other parts depending upon the vehicle. The drivetrain system is an essential component of a vehicle and the transmission is an integral part of the drivetrain. You must always buy an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) drivetrain with a drivetrain warranty.

While it’s unusual for all of these parts to malfunction or break down at one time, time takes its toll and you may someday find yourself in the position of having to replace one or more of the drivetrain parts. But how can you ensure that the new components will fit properly together and endure over the long haul?

Parts of a Drivetrain
The drivetrain is comprised of a collection of components in a vehicle that transfers power from the transmission to the wheels/drives it forward. These components include the driveshaft, CV joints, the differential, the axle shafts and the U-joints.

• A driveshaft is a long tube of steel that is linked to a car’s transmission at one end and the wheels at the other. It transfers the mechanical power from the transmission to the other components of the vehicle.
• A U-joint, or universal joint, is a flexible pivot point that transmits power allowing for varying angles of the driveshaft.
• CV joints, or constant-velocity joints, are part of the driveshaft. These joints are designed to be able to bend in any direction while continuing to turn the drive wheels at a constant velocity.
• The differential is where the power makes its last stop before spinning the wheels (see ‘How Differentials Work’).
• Axle shafts are a single rotating shaft, on either side of the differential, which delivers power from the final drive assembly to the drive wheels.

Somethings to look out for to make sure you’re getting a high-quality drivetrain include:

Transmission: When it comes to the transmission, this component is costly and hard to fix. Rebuilds are common because a new one can run into thousands of dollars. Just be sure to verify the reputation of the professional mechanic who does the rebuild. And don’t forget to get a warranty.

Make sure the driveshaft is OEM or OE-replacement rated: These are normally made of steel and should have high-quality CV joints attached, with CV boots made of high-quality materials like neoprene for maximum moisture protection.

Choose one-piece axle construction over two-piece: These are more durable and long-lasting. Avoid friction-welded two-piece axles at all costs, as they tend to break much more easily than forged welds.

Reputable brand: If you go with aftermarket parts, try to get them all in the same (high quality, reputable) brand for the best possible fitment.

Warranty: Shop around for the most trustworthy warranty – not only on the drivetrain parts but on the workmanship as well. These parts are costly items and you don’t want to toss away your money on unreliable parts or labour.

Repairing or replacing the drivetrain is a significant task, you should let a professional mechanic tackle this work for you.