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Motorists Maintain Service Automatic Transmissions
Ask your neighborhood mechanic how many of his customers come in for routine hydraulic transmission fluid changes on a regular basis
. The answer most likely is a big zeroThe components of the transmission can be simply considered in three parts
1) the clutch
2) the gearbox
3) the final drive
Regardless of the layout of your vehicle, whether it is a front wheel drive unit with its engine , gearbox and final drive as one complete unit or a less common rear wheel drive model with the engine at the front driving the rear wheels the function of the transmission system remains the same in essence.
First of all when it comes to vehicles with manual transmissions ( as opposed to automatic), the clutch comprises three parts, a thrust bearing, a pressure plate and lastly a drive plate. The action is all in all very simple. When the clutch pedal is depressed the thrust bearing is pushed directly against the pressure plate. This compresses the springs so taking the tension off the drive plate and prevents power from being transmitted from the engine to the gearbox.
Upon releasing the clutch pedal the springs force the driven plate against the flywheel and allow drive to be transmitted from the engine to the gearbox.
The clutch drive plate is positioned between the engine flywheel and pressure plate , which is so called because it is fitted with heavy springs which force the drive plate onto the flywheel. The friction material ensures that both the drive plate and the flywheel move in unison at the same speed, so that as long as the drive plate is "sandwiched" between the pressure plate and flywheel by the force of the springs in the pressure plate, power is transmitted to the gearbox. Over periods of time intervals, the friction material on the driven plate, which is similar to that used in standard regular brake linings , wears away. Modern clutches are most often, if not always , self adjusting to compensate for this lining wear over time and mileage. This is passed from the engine where it is produced.
The final drive - this comprises the final drive gear and differential unit. The final drive gear ratio of the gearbox can be a straight or direct connection between the engine and the final drive. This is done to minimize power loss.
More uncommon in American made domestic cars but evident in some imports and "foreign" cars are semi-automatic transmission setups. A semi-automatic system includes a clutch and gear box. The driver is still able to select the required gear but without having to depress a clutch pedal. Its a halfway compromise between auto and manual transmission setups favored by those who want a quirk a bit different from the standard norms. One might say that semi-automatics are basically an automatic clutch setup. Automatic transmissions are the most popular and prevalent type of transmission unit installed in most cars and most vehicle owners and motorists may well think "What else is there". Manual transmissions of course.
On many fully automatic transmission systems, it is possible to fully override the automatic gear changing systems, so as to provide a "hole' or a lock in a given or particular gear or gearing. This is particularly useful to motorists and truckers when towing trailers or traveling in hilly districts and terrain - that is all you do is place the gear shift in "D" for drive and drive forward.
Since automatic transmissions seem to run all by themselves - automatically few motorists and automobile owners give due consideration to lubrication and maintenance of their drivetrain units. Don't neglect your drive train. Consult your owner's manual and follow routine maintenance and upkeep to a tee.
by: Terry S Vostor