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Transmission fluid is a slippery liquid that acts as a lubricant for all of the moving parts inside your transmission. In an automatic transmission, this fluid also serves as a coolant and a viscous fluid that transmits power from the engine to the transmission.
A variety of fluids are used for different transmissions. Automatic transmissions use something called — shockingly — automatic transmission fluid. Manual transmissions use a variety of oils: regular motor oil, heavyweight hypoid gear oil or even automatic transmission fluid in some cases. Your owner's manual will tell you what your transmission calls for.
Yes, definitely, regardless of whether you have a manual or an automatic transmission.
Manual: Most manufacturers recommend that manual transmission fluid be changed every 30,000 to 60,000 miles. Under heavy-duty use, some manufacturers suggest changing transmission fluid every 15,000 miles.
Automatic: Service intervals for an automatic transmission vary from every 30,000 miles ... to never. The typical service interval is 60,000 to 100,000 miles. Changing it more often does no harm.
Manual: In a manual transmission, the problem is not so much the fluid degradation, but rather fluid contamination. This contamination occurs over time as the synchronizers, bearings and gears in the transmission wear out. The resulting metal particles then float around in the lubricant. And we all know that oil with microscopic particles of metal in it does not lubricate as well as clean oil. So if these contaminants are not drained out, they will shorten the life of your transmission.
Automatic: Because more heat is generated in an automatic transmission, automatic transmission fluid actually degrades and breaks down with use.
In addition, like in a manual transmission, automatic transmission fluid will also become contaminated with worn bits of the transmission. If these contaminants are not drained out, they will shorten the life of your transmission.
If you don't change the transmission fluid on schedule, you'll be lubricating your transmission with metal shavings and other contaminants. This will shorten the transmission's life. The result could be a hefty boat payment to your mechanic. In other words, changing your transmission fluid at the correct interval is a good investment.
Yes. It's important to regularly check the transmission fluid level between service intervals. Letting your car run low on transmission fluid can cause the transmission to shift improperly — or not at all. It also can harm the internal parts of your transmission, which will not be properly lubricated. Unfortunately, you may not hear any noises or have other clues that your transmission is low on fluid, until it's too late. So it's important to get it checked.
Here's how you can check your transmission fluid level:
Manual: Checking the transmission fluid in a manual transmission can be difficult. A few thoughtful manufacturers have included a dipstick, but that's the exception rather than the rule. If you own a car with a manual transmission, we suggest that you ask your mechanic to check the fluid level when your car is up on the lift during an oil change. It takes just a minute.
Automatic: If you own a car with an automatic transmission, your car will have a dipstick for this purpose. Be careful not to make the common mistake of confusing the transmission dipstick with the crankcase dipstick.
For most cars, checking the automatic transmission fluid consists of pulling the transmission dipstick out while the engine is warmed up and running and with the transmission in park. We suggest that you check your owner's manual, however, since some manufacturers may have a different procedure.
Of course, always check your fluid level if you notice a leak of any kind.
Car Talk Tip: Unlike engine oil, transmission oil doesn't burn up. So if you're low on transmission fluid, you almost certainly have a leak.
Courtesy: cartalk.com
The Environmental Protection Agency has released official fuel economy ratings for the 2013 Buick Verano Turbo. When equipped with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine and a six-speed manual gearbox, the sedan returns 20 miles per gallon in the city and 31 mpg highway. More importantly, it manages 24 mpg combined. Those figures put it at exactly 1 mpg behind the base model's naturally-aspirated 2.4-liter four-cylinder and its six-speed automatic in every category.
The Verano Turbo also ties the larger Regal GS with the same drivetrain in city and combined mileage, but loses out to its bigger brother on the highway front by 1 mpg. That's despite the fact that that the Regal Turbo tips the scales at a full 371 pounds heavier than the forced-induction Verano. The slimmer waistline on the Verano does pay dividends in the 0-60 sprint, however. The smaller Buick clicks off the run in 6.2 seconds, a full half-second quicker than the Regal GS.
Courtesy: autoblog.com
Coolant is the fluid that absorbs heat from the engine and then dissipates it through the radiator. It is also dissipated through the heat exchanger in the passenger compartment when you crank your heat in the winter.
Coolant, which is commonly called antifreeze, is a mixture of ethylene or propylene glycol and water, usually in a 50/50 ratio.
Servicing the coolant involves draining and/or flushing your car's cooling system and then replacing the old coolant with fresh coolant.
Yes. Draining out the coolant and refilling the system removes dirt and rust particles that can clog up the cooling system and cause problems in winter and summer.
Because it is operating in a hot, hostile environment, coolant will break down over time. Most importantly, the coolant's rust inhibitors get used up, leaving the small cooling passages in your engine and radiator vulnerable to corrosion. Even with these rust inhibitors, some corrosion will inevitably take place, contaminating the coolant with debris.
If the rust inhibitors stop working, the cooling system will rust from the inside out. The biggest source of rust in a car's cooling system is the engine block.
In time, these bits of rust will also clog the tiny passages within the radiator and heater, causing your engine to overheat. When an engine overheats, the result is a bonus yacht payment to your mechanic that someone else should be making.
Check your coolant level periodically. Your owner's manual will have a recommended interval in which to check the coolant level.
If you check your coolant level when the engine is cold, the coolant should be at or above the "minimum" or "fill" line on the transparent refill container. If you check your coolant level when the engine is hot, the coolant should be at or just below the "max" line.
Disappearance of coolant could be caused by either an external or internal leak, the latter being more expensive. Either one should be addressed quickly, since running low or out of coolant can lead to catastrophic engine failure and many boat payments to your mechanic.
If you live where the temperature dips below freezing, we suggest that you ask your mechanic to check the concentration of the coolant. Coolant that's diluted or weak can freeze when the temperature drops below 32 degrees Fahrenheit.
Check your owner's manual to see if your car uses "long-life" coolant. For the first 100,000 miles, it is necessary to check the coolant level simply to be sure you're not leaking or burning coolant.
Car Talk Tip: Antifreeze has a sweet aroma and taste, which pets find particularly appealing. As little as a half teaspoon of the stuff can kill an average-size cat, and eight ounces will do in a 75-pound dog. There's no substance that you can add to antifreeze to make it less appealing to animals, but antifreeze made with propylene glycol instead of the usual ethylene glycol is about a third as toxic. Propylene glycol is sold under the brand names Sierra, Prestone Low Tox and Texaco PG.
Courtesy: CarTalk.com
