When it comes to their car, most people don’t give their transmission much thought or even know the true purpose of the transmission. Aside from the engine, it is probably the second most important part of a car and if not properly maintained, a transmission can be very expensive to repair or replace. Now you may know what a transmission is, but do you know what it does and how it works? Transmissions can be either automatic or manual. In a vehicle with a manual transmission, the driver has to shift from one gear to the next to control the speed and torque of the engine and wheels. The driver uses the shift level and clutch inside the vehicle to move the gears from one to another. In an automatic transmission, the transmission automatically shifts through different gears based on the use of gas and brakes from the driver.
Without a transmission, cars would be limited to a one gear ratio, and that ratio would have to be selected to allow the car to travel at the desired top speed. If you wanted a top speed of 80 mph, then the gear ratio would be similar to third gear in most manual transmission cars. The transmission uses gears to make more effective use of the engine’s torque, and to keep the engine operating at an appropriate speed. When towing or hauling heavy objects, your vehicle’s transmission can get hot enough to burn up the transmission fluid. In order to protect the transmission from serious damage, drivers who tow should use vehicles with transmission coolers. The maintenance of a vehicle’s transmission is vital to its performance. The most effective and easiest way to maintain your transmission is to ensure the transmission fluid is replaced regularly. If you can’t remember or don’t know the last time you replaced your transmission fluid, then call us today!