[V2]

Do we have an automatic transmission expert here?
I was stuck in trafic and wandering what I should be doing.
Lets say the car in front of me do 100 feet and stop, wait 5 seconds and go fro 200 feet and stop again....for 15 minutes
if I don't want to burn my transmission is it better to:

A-) don't give any gas, just play with the gap between the cars by braking, so I never really stop
B-) stop and go like the other guy in front of me.
C-) switching from Drive to Neutral every time we stop.

In case A there is prabably a bunch of clutch that might slip agains each other cause heat build-up
In case B I will probably shift between gears for nothing. what happens when we are stopping the truck in "drive" for a long time, since we start to move as soon as we let go the brake pedal, there must be some kind of clutch slipping somewhere?

 

[Trooperz2.6]

Not that I know anything about auto tanny's but I would put it in first and then neutral when you are stopped. That way you aren't putting the clutch through much of anything. To me, if you are sitting there in gear you are putting unnessessary(sp?) stress on the clutch. BUT as I said I don't really know anything about auto tranny's. Hopefully someone here does. :lol:

 

[¡Oracle!]

There is no "clutch" in auto trannies.

My personal opinion on this is to simply take it easy on the gas *AND* the brakes and leave the thing in gear. Heat is the big killer of an automatic tranny. If you are towing or packing a lot of stuff in your car on a daily basis then you need to get a tranny cooler.

Sitting at idle at a stop should put very little strain on your tranny. Accelerating and braking hard in stop and go traffic puts a lot of strain on the tranny.

 

[Trooperz2.6]

See... Told you I didn't know anything about autos... LOL

 

[2eyefishclaw]

THERE IS NOT A SINGLE CLUTCH BUT THERE ARE A SERIES OF CLUTH PACKS WHICH CONSIST OF CLUTCH DISC AND STEEL PLATES SO YES THE CLUTCHES CAN AND WILL WARE THERE ARE A NUMBER OF TRANNY ADDITIVES ON THE MARKET THE ONE THAT I USE IS ON MADE BY BG PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS. I AM A FIRM BELIVER IN ALL OF THEIR PRODUCTS SEE YOUR LOCAL DEALER THEY MAY CARRY THESE PRODUCTS

 

[rubo]

Could you please turn your "CAPS" off.

rubo

 

[wrenchmonster]

Howdy folks. Slight difference of opinion here....

Hey guys. 2eye is correct in that there are a number of wet clutches and steel discs. However, the auto trannies are made to stop at stoplights without having the driver put the tranny in neutral. There is also a piece called a torque converter that comes before the tranny. It's job is to act as the "clutch" (consists of a turbine and pump inside), and actually it's made to "drag" if you will. In other words, eventhough the torque converter is turning, the input shaft to the auto tranny will not turn until the torque converter "sees" that there is enough rpms on your motor to activate the turbine in the torque converter and the valve body and engage 1st gear via a clutch pack. So don't worry about sitting at a stoplight (unless you're there for more than 30 minutes), your car is made to do this.

In terms of what kills automatic transmissions, it is HEAT. A torque converter and automatic transmission do share the same fluid, and at a stoplight, your fluid will heat up. Heat is the killer here. If you want longevity in your transmission, install a tranny cooler. There are many aftermarket kits. Many automatics already have this, some are in the radiator, and some are run externally. (If you install your own make sure you compensate for the extra fluid you will need) On the same note, always make sure you have the proper fluid level and that you are using the correct fluid. Not all types of auto tranny fluid are the same.

I can't speak of additives, as I have never used them for trannys or engines or any other system. I don't have any faith in the "mechanic in a can". My 2 cents.

-Kevin

 

[Randy from Utah]

2eyefishclaw,
Why are you yelling? Turn the CAPS off please.
Thanks...Randy

 

[JTK]

The easiest way to GREATLY increase the service life of your AT is regular ATF changeouts. Coolers and external filter kits are great life extenders as well, but i've seen too many cases where improperly installed, designed, or incompatible coolers & filters restrict ATF flow too much & burn up AT's. The plumbing for cooler & filter kits can also be prone to leaks & catastrophic failure- so you want to use the highest quailty fittings, solid tubing or SS braided hoses. IMHO- adding the extra hardware increases your chances of problems for your dailey driver. Just swapping out most of your ATF every 15-25Kmi will likely double the life of an AT.
G/luck
Joel

 

[wrenchmonster]

Howdy. Good point Joel. He's right folks, regular changes will increase the life of your tranny, as it will with any system that uses fluid. My grandpa had an old Caprice Classic with a 350 Turbo Trans. It did have a factory cooler, but with regular changes he was able to get 270K before his first rebuild. Pretty good for 1970s technology. Also, if your tranny has a plug on the torque converter, make sure to change out this fluid as well. If you ever have to replace your transmission, also replace the torque converter as dirty residual fluid in the converter can ruin a new transmission.

Also, on the coolers, Joel is right again at these things being installed incorrectly. This is very true and I have seen similar problems with coolers. Remember that many times there are test ports that tranny techs use to take pressure readings from. You cannot simply hook up the cooler to whatever ports you want to. If you don't have the time or knowledge to do this job properly, it's probably best left to the professionals. Furthermore, if you are still under warranty, you could void your warranty by installing one of these.

-Kevin

 

[Rover_rob]

:shock: :shock:

I sit in traffic and I mean TRAFFIC 2 times a day 7 days a week. I have a 20 mile commute each way. It takes me an hour and a half to go 20 miles.
:evil:
How long do you think my tranny will last?

I scoff at your Canadian Traffic! :roll: :lol:

:wink: I LOVE LA!
8)

 

[Amigo-2k]

I sit in traffic and I mean TRAFFIC 2 times a day 7 days a week.

Flush your tranny yearly!

 

[Rover_rob]

Thats not all that gets flushed 1 a year. :lol:

8)

 

[2eyefishclaw]

Sorry about the CAPS guys I will watch for that