Transmission Flush

Archive for August, 2010

Owning a car entails for great responsibility as well as setting aside funds for additional expenses that goes on maintenance and repairs. The car contains at least six types of fluids which need to be periodically replenished or replaced namely engine oil, transmission fluid, anti-freeze/coolant, windshield washer solvent and fuel. The number six on the list is brake fluid which is often the neglected one. You’ve known about topping off brake fluid but changing it may be new to most car owners.

According to Car Care Council, the brake fluid of a typical vehicle is prone to contamination in two years time or less. This is because the fluid absorbs moisture which finds its way through the hydraulic system. During heavy braking conditions such as those encountered when driving in mountainous or hilly roads or when towing a trailer, the moisture in the overheated fluid vaporizes resulting to reduction on the braking efficiency.

Such condition can also happen even under normal driving circumstances especially if the brake fluid is seriously contaminated. There are actually two things that can happen. The first one is for the contaminated fluid to vaporize and second it has the ability to also freeze up either way the result is the same which is reduced braking efficiency.

Brake fluid must maintain a stable viscosity throughout its operating temperature range. If it’s too thick or too thin; it would impaired the braking action of the vehicle. Beyond the vaporization hazard moisture creates an additional problem for owners of vehicles especially those equipped with anti-lock braking systems (ABS) since ABS components often get rusted. A rusted and corroded ABS components is never good news since it’s very expensive to replace.

So how would a car owner know when its time to change their car’s brake fluid? Car Care Council recommends changing brake fluid every two years or for every 24,000 miles traveled. Plus, the Council also suggests a change in brake pads or shoe replacement. The brake system to choose would depend on your car make say if you own a Volkswagen then it is only sensible that you purchase Volkswagen brakes system. And in between as preventive measure, a professional brake technician should check the condition of the fluid with an accurate fluid test safety meter that is inserted into the master cylinder reservoir to record the fluid’s boiling point.

Volkswagen, the Company

Volkswagen is considered to be an icon of the 20th century due to the countless legendary cars it has produced. Volkswagen is a German word for people’s car. It started as a concept formed by Ferdinand Porsche in 1934. He wants to produce quality but affordable transport for the German people. He produced a working prototype in just a year.

Ferdinand Porsche has created a masterpiece in the form of a beetle-shaped sedan that was later on called the Volkswagen. The Beetle because of its unique design and aesthetic appeal has become very popular as a fact it has become the best selling car of all time.

Volkswagen was born in an era that is said to be designed for the privilege few and the vehicle has provided the German people would something to look forward to.

By the year 1942, 70,000 Volkswagens were produced. Three years after in a swift recovery after the war, Volkswagen was able to produce 2,000 vehicles but this time it was not for public sale but especially manufactured for the Allied Forces and the new German Post Office. The next production of Volkswagen was after three years again, 1948, wherein it produced a total of 25,000 vehicles from its production lines in Wolfsburg. It was also during that time when Beetles for export to the US was built. The following year 1949 and additional 25,000 Volkswagens were built including the Karmann convertible which became the best selling convertible in the world.

The year 1955 signaled the growth of Volkswagen into a world corporation when it produced a million Volkswagens. It was also on that year when the automaker started building factories and working communities in United States, Brazil, and Canada. The German automaker has not forgotten to also help its fellow countrymen; it has built working communities in major centers in Western Europe.

Less than two decades later The Beetle which was a people’s car was able to overtake Ford’s famous Model T. For the last fifteen years of the millennium Volkswagen has emerged as a true global force in the auto industry. Its acquisition and redevelopment of popular brands like the Audi, SEAT, Skoda, and Lamborghini has strengthen further its standing as one of the largest automaker in the world.

There was a time that when you filled your gasoline tank, a friendly, knowledgeable and efficient attendant cheerfully checked your oil, coolant, and transmission fluid. He cleaned your windshield, checked your wiper blades and sometimes even your tires. But with the advent of the self-service gas station, this person has slowly become extinct. At most stations, the only available human is the cashier whose knowledge is limited to the price of the gasoline.

Although checking fluid levels is not something you want to take your car to the repair shop to have done, it is a very important task and if neglected, can result in major maintenance problems. So it has now become something you need to do yourself. Fortunately it isn’t difficult.

To check the engine oil, first park your car on a level surface and be sure the parking brake is engaged. Wait for a while, and then raise the hood. Look for the dipstick. It normally reads, “engine oil.” Your owner’s manual should have a picture, if you have difficulty.

Pull the dipstick and wipe it with a clean rag or paper towel. Then replace it; ensuring it goes all the way back down. Now pull the dipstick again. At the very bottom you see a series of marks and the word “full.” Your oil should be on the full mark.

Look at the color. It should be transparent. If it is black, you need an oil change immediately. When it is dark brown, you don’t need to change it right away but you will need to do so very soon. If it has the appearance of coffee laced with milk, you have a problem. Your coolant is mixing with your engine oil due to a mechanical mal-function. You need to take the car to a repair shop.

If your oil is low, you need to add more oil. Do this a little at a time, waiting for the oil to go down, and checking the dipstick after each addition. Be very careful not to overfill it as this can damage your engine.

On most cars you check your transmission fluid with the shift in park and the engine idling. However, you should first check your owner’s manual to be sure this procedure is proper for your car. The owner’s manual will also show you where the transmission dipstick is located.

Pull the dipstick and wipe it with a clean rag free of lint. Then replace it ensuring that it settles all the way down into place. Pull it again and check. If your car has just been driven and is warm, the fluid will register at the upper end of the “hot” mark. If the engine is cold, then the fluid level should be within the cold marks.

If you have to add fluid, be sure you use the fluid recommended in the owner’s manual. If you don’t do this, you can damage your transmission. If adding fluid, add only a small amount, wait a few minutes and check the dipstick. Do not overfill.

To check coolant, look at your coolant overflow tank. If the level is between the “low” and “full” marks, it is okay. If it is low, pour some coolant into the overflow tank until you reach the “full” mark. Be careful not to open the coolant overflow tank or the radiator when the engine is warm. Wait for it to cool off completely.

Maintaining proper levels of all fluids is essential to prevent costly mechanical problems.

Shopping for a hybrid car is quite different from shopping for a regular car. You know that the hybrid will be easy on your budget and great for the environment but what else do you need to ask yourself? Here is a list of questions you need to answer to be able to find your ideal hybrid car.

Do you drive mostly on the highway or do you stick to city roads more? Many hybrids are great for highway driving but others are better when it comes to city roads. Figuring out what kind of driver you are is key to picking the right hybrid to meet your needs.

Do you need to save a lot of gas? The Honda Civic and the Toyota Prius hybrids are both excellent hybrids when it comes to saving a lot of gas. There are also many others who will run a close second to these cars.

Ar you interested in a sedan or would you rather have an SUV? As of today the hybrid car buyer is limited to one or the other but come the year 2009 you will also be able to choose from a full-sized pickup truck. Both the Chevy Silverado and the GM Sierra will be available in a hybrid.

Do you require a lot of space? Once you start shopping for a hybrid you will notice that many of the cars that were once roomier in a regular car are not as large on the interior now that they are a hybrid. If you require a lot of room you might want to make sure you throughly check to see if the hybrid you want has enough leg and head room to accommodate you comfortably. Don’t forget to think about traveling. Many new hybrids are short on storage space.

Are you interested in a hybrid that is less or more dependent on it’s battery pack? With hybrid cars some use the battery pack more than others will. They have the ability to switch from the gas engine while coasting or at very low speeds. If your interested in a hybrid like this then the Toyota Camry, Toyota Prius or even the Honda Civic is the one to check out.

Do you have the ability to pay for a hybrid? Hybrid cars cost more than regular cars by about $3,000 to $6,000. This increase can greatly effect what cars you are able to afford and whether you can have any extras.

Did you know you can receive a tax credit from purchasing a hybrid? The New Energy tax credit is give when less than 60,000 units of any hybrid have been sold. This credit is up to $3,400. Once 60,00 units have sold the government will begin reducing the credit. Ask your dealer for more information.

People buy hybrid cars for many reasons. Once you have decided why your purchasing a hybrid it will make the choice in which hybrid to purchase that much easier.

In order to maintain you car in a good shape, to offer you the safety as well the performances it was designed for in the first place, taking care of your vehicle’s transmission is a vital thing you should take care of. Modern cars have very complex drive trains, and the transmission being one of the most important elements of it, repairing it because of the in-proper use can be very costly. The most serious operations on a car’s drive train can only be executed in specialized shops, but the casual maintenance operations you can make them yourself.

The biggest enemy of the vehicle’s transmission is heat. There are many causes for the heating of the transmission’s elements, and many are related to operating your car under difficult conditions. Racing with your vehicle, towing a load, or repeatedly putting it in drive and reverse for exiting heavy snow or mud can contribute to the overheating of its ensembles.

If you often are forced to operate your car under these circumstances, you can benefit greatly from adding additional cooling to your transmission. Such a cooler will be mounted on the radiator and it will cool the transmission fluid. Because many SUV owners use them to tow heavy vehicles, they came equipped from the factory with such auxiliary transmission coolers.

In the following paragraph you will find a series of tips about properly maintaining your car’s transmission.

The most important aspect is to have your transmission fluid checked on a regular basis. Also check for its color. It should be red. If it had turned brown or it has a burnt smell should be changed at once.

Before buying transmission fluid, check with your car’s owner’s manual to se the exact type the manufacturer recommends. Never mix two different types of fluid of fluids coming from different manufacturers.

The recommended period to replace it is every 2 years or every 24,000 miles, which ever condition occurs first.

When you want to put your car in reverse, come to a complete stop first. Changing from drive to reverse while the vehicle is still moving will harm your transmission.

In order to protect vital transmission elements, put the cark into park after you have pressed the brake pedal and pull the emergency brake. By doing this, less stress is applied to the drive train.

Always change gears from park to drive only when your engine is at idle.

When towing a very heavy load or when you are climbing abrupt terrain, be sure to disengage the overdrive feature, if your car is equipped with such a option, as it will prevent the car from repeatedly changing gears from and to overdrive. Overdrive is the highest gear in the transmission and it used to allow that vehicle to run at highway cruising speeds with a reduced revs, in order to mainly save fuel and reduce noise. If the automatic gear in your car has a 4-speed transmission with overdrive, the overdrive refers to the 4th gear. The same is with cars with 5-gear automated transmission with overdrive. There is the possibility to have a smaller car, with a 4 or 5 way automated transmission, but without the overdrive function.

You spend thousands of dollars on buying the vehicle, but now you are just flushing that hard earned money by being careless. If you feel that you have been doing your part for your car by taking it for servicing twice a month, then let me put a check there. This is not enough… a few tips would definitely help in a smoother drive and longer lifeline of the car. Follow these tips that include some Do’s & Dont’s…

1. The Right Start Obviously it is something very common but most of us never give it a thought. Turning on the car accessories before the car starts, wears down the engine. While starting the car, just turn off different accessories like music system, climate control, air conditioner or climate controller, etc. Increase the lifeline of the car – Don’t Put Pressure On The Engine.

2. ‘Warm Up’ – But The Right Way During Winters, you must be revving the engine to warm up the car. You never cracked your brain to the thought that when you rev the engine, the oil has not reached the system thus forcing the engine to work without any kind of lubrication. Rather than warming up your car, you are just heating it. So next time, you intend to warm up your darling vehicle, do it the right way – Let It Sit Idle For Around 60 Seconds.

3. Use The Emergency Brake It is always advisable to use these emergency brakes that are commonly known as hand brakes or parking brakes. These would help in keeping the vehicle motionless without putting the pressure on the parking pawl and consequently on the transmission system. Why trouble the transmission of the car, when you can do without it easily. Therefore remember – Always Use Parking Brakes.

4. Let The Car Stop Completely & Then Drive This is what we always do and that is right from the parking we shift to drive before the car stops moving backward. I hope you would be honest to admit it. This will ruin your vehicle. Remember to let the car stop from going backward before you start driving. If you don’t obey this, you are risking the gears, drive shafts and the entire transmission of the car. Avoid a worn out transmission – Let the car stop before shifting to drive.

5. Listen to Your Car’s Needs Paying immediate attention can reduce the aggravating problem. I am not suggesting you to be tensed about the driving – rather just be alert to any unusual sound of the car.

A small check yourself would help you identify the cause easily.

Hybrids are hot nowadays. Hybrid cars use 2 engine, one for the traditional fuel, while the other uses the energy from a rechargeable battery. The recent years had car manufacturers scrambling to rollout a entire spectrum of hybrid Cars from the most popular brands to the more obscure. What then is or guarantee that we are protected from too much hype, instead of an honest advertising?

Hybrid Cars according to Consumer Reports.

There are many hybrid cars information available, especially on their features, engine specifications, designs, colors and much other dizzying information. Information from the manufacturer’s website are also good source of needed preliminary knowledge n hybrid cars. But such sites are good for information gathering, and much more comparison activities should be done before buying your hybrid cars.

The Pros. “These hybrid systems have been very reliable,” declares David Champion, senior director of Consumer Reports’ auto test center, influential consumer survey. This center, collects individual consumer reports on hybrid cars, and uses the statistics to come up with a talk paper. It also accords “awards” to car with the best review report. However, some automobile experts and analysts have criticized the hybrid car powertrain, as flamboyant in that two engines are being used for one purpose. Consumer Reports on the other hand, disagreed. Champion explained that the electric motor adds power to the engine. Prior to the award proper, Consumer Report conducts a testing, by applying some actual expectations of consumers to hybrid cars. The Accord hybrid for instance, achieved superior fuel efficiency unsurpassed by its conventional counterparts.

The Cons. But as in other endeavor, consumer reports on hybrid cars also impartially advises from a different perspective. An alternative consumer view from the same center posed the question: “Considering a hybrid car? Don’t rush out to the dealership just yet.” The center asserts that they are not against the protection of environment and it also insisted that they are supportive for burning less fossil fuel. Their concerns, essentially stems from some financial experts arguments that hybrid drivers may be paying a higher price for an automobile that offers marginally better fuel efficiency than the other economy cars already on the road.

These are but only few of the literature that deals with consumer reports on hybrid cars. It is, ultimately, depends on the consumer, to peruse on many information regarding hybrid cars.

Visit my site for more details on Environmentally Friendly Cars and more.

With the cost of both recreational and service vehicles consistently on the rise, in addition to the escalating cost of fuel, purchasing high quality parts that protect and extend the life of your transmission can prove to be a tremendously worthwhile investment. Mag Hytec is an industry leading manufacturer of superiorly designed transmission pans and differential covers that can help eliminate costly repairs and extend the life of your transmission.

Those who own and operate vehicles that are subject to heavy usage know how important it is to properly maintain their vehicles in order to keep them in good working order and avoid costly repairs. The transmission, also commonly referred to as the gearbox, of any vehicle is one of the many hard working and critically important vehicle parts. With heavy usage it is normal for axles and transmission parts to no longer perform at optimal levels and simply wear out. Transmission pans and differential covers make it possible to maintain the original performance standards of your transmission and increase its functional life span.

These parts are highly regarded in the automotive industry. The differences between Mag Hytec products and those provided by the competition are both aesthetic and functional. Mag Hytec differential covers and transmission pans are both manufactured in A356-T6 aluminum and enhanced with a textured, jet black powder coat finish. Machined cooling fins ensure appropriate temperatures are maintained while magnetic drain plugs filter out any metallic debris that could potentially become embedded within the transmission fluid and reduce its effectiveness.
From differential covers to transmission pans, their heavy duty construction and intuitive design are hard to beat and have always been extremely beneficial.

Although there are various types of transmissions, they all operate according to the same basic principle. The primary function of a vehicles transmission is to synchronize power and speed in order for the vehicle to operate efficiently and effectively under various operating circumstances and terrain conditions. This is true of both automatic and manual transmissions of varying sizes and gears. As a vehicles speed is increased the engine is required to spin more rapidly, increasing the amount of power generated in order to move the vehicle and anything that may be in tow capably. The engine does not require as much power when it is being driven at a consistent speed on a primarily level surface. The transmission regulates the ratio between the speed and power required by the engine under different driving circumstances. It will utilize a higher ratio when a lot of power is required at reduced speeds, as would be the case when climbing a hill, and a lower ratio when more speed and less power is necessary, such as during highway cruising.

A constant and safe operating temperature is maintained through the use of transmission fluid which lubricates and cools moving parts. The heat generated throughout the normal course of operations causes the transmission fluid to break down and requires regularly scheduled replacement of the fluid. In addition, the heat generated throughout the course of normal usage causes the transmission parts to wear down, resulting in the mixture of this metallic debris with the transmission fluid. The magnetized transmission covers and pans attract and filter out the debris, resulting in transmission fluid that runs cleaner and extends the life of the transmission and its components.

The construction of Mag Hytec transmission components and products, including their transmission covers and differential pans, are designed to compliment and enhance the cooling process required to keep the engine and transmission running at the ideal temperatures regardless of particular circumstances.