Tranny Fluid Rap
By Ed Newman

This article appeared in National Oil & Lube News, October 2004

My first car was a 1961 Mercury Meteor. (I'm not bragging, just stating a fact.) I think it's fairly common for guys to remember their first cars with a special fondness, not unlike their first girl friends.

I remember a lot about that white Merc. My dad, frugal and wise as he is, picked it up on the cheap because the front right end was crunched in. It had hit a wall, he was told, but the frame and radiator were sound.

The first thing we did was drive up to the end of Roger Avenue, chain it to a telephone pole, and pull her out. A replacement headlight and blinker, a little hammering out the metal, and she was good to go.

Having your first car leads to a lot of other firsts, such as learning how to change a hose, how to check the oil, and all that jazz. Each problem became a learning experience and in those days engines were not all that complicated. There was lots of space under the hood to work in, and with a little guidance you could pretty much figure things out.

My first tranny problem happened like this. I was driving through nearby Pluckemin, NJ and found that although the engine was running and gears were whirring, the car simply didn't go. Well, as luck would have it, I was walking distance from a gas station. I asked the attendant if he could tell me what was wrong and he said it sounded like the transmission. "Have you checked the fluid level?" (This was back in the days when gas stations had employees who were also mechanics.)

I had not, of course, but a quart of transmission fluid soon had me on my way. Within a week or two the same thing happened again and I fixed it with another quart of fluid. I then bought a half dozen quarts, threw them in the trunk and thought my problem was fixed. (Don't laugh. You've probably done something similar.)

Unfortunately the interval between refills started shortening. Fifty miles, forty miles, twenty miles.... We put in a quart at the grocery store and drove into the hills near Basking Ridge only to have the car lose its power between two hills a few miles later. This time, when I poured the ATF into the car it ran straight out onto the asphalt. It turned out to be a hole in front of the trans. Cost to repair: six dollars.

"Why didn't you get it fixed right away?' someone might ask. Well, I'd been led to believe that when the transmission goes, it's time to get a new car.

I share this story for three reasons. First, because not every tranny problem requires an expensive overhaul. Second, because it says something about how essential transmission fluid is to the operation of the trans. And third, because it ties into a couple key ideas I wanted to share about today's transmissions.

SOME THINGS CHANGE
Today's transmission pretty much serves the same function as before, but now there are more components. In addition to clutch packs, plates, gears, valves, and bearings, we have solenoids and sensors, and a lot more orifices where contaminants can cause blockages that interfere with performance. One thing that has not changed is that transmission fluid remains a necessary "component" of the transmission. And fluid quality is more important than ever before.

This differs from fluid levels in the radiator. If your water is low you may not have use of the heater, but the car will run. Even if your rad fluid is absent the car will still actually run a few minutes. True, without water in the radiator the heat will cause the engine to seize or warp the heads and even blow the engine, but initially the car will start and will run.

Transmission fluid is different. If you remove the ATF (automatic transmission fluid) from the transmission, it will not operate. The fluid is essential. ATF not only cools working parts and reduces wear, it also serves as a hydraulic fluid to actuate valves used for shifting. An argument can be made that no other component is as important as the ATF.

WHAT ELSE IS NEW?
The requirements placed on that fluid have changed in other ways as well. Because of the aerodynamics in many of today's vehicles, the overall drivetrain is simply not getting cooled off the way it used to. For this reason, transmissions run hotter, so hot in fact that interior carpets have caught fire during some tests where SUVs were pulling heavy loads.

Furthermore, because of the sensors and solenoids, fluid cleanliness has become an absolute requirement. Debris and gunk in the transmission fluid will cause interference and literally do damage in ways that less sophisticated transmissions never experienced before.

The biggest change in today's transmissions comes from the fact that the shifting is no longer driven by mechanical action, but rather is controlled by electromechanical hydraulic solenoids (valves). The result is that the smallest amount of debris can clog or restrict solenoids causing them to not work properly or even burn out. In the past it was the clutches themselves that physically wore out, but now the tranny can fail prematurely while everything else is fine because clutches aren't getting the correct pressure to keep from slipping. Or even worse, the computer brain signals instructions for two competing gears to engage at the same time. For this reason you need a high quality synthetic ATF that has a better additive package to hold material in suspension. And by reducing friction this synthetic fluid reduces wear so that less wear material is left floating around in there.

Add to this the fact that the cost to repair transmissions these days is at least 40% more. One thing that has not changed is that the need for a transmission overhaul often leads to getting rid of a vehicle, as in days gone by. And according to friends who work in the business, they are seeing more transmission failures than ever because fluids need to be changed more often to operate properly.

THE SYNTHETIC SOLUTION
As with the engine, so with the transmission.... synthetic automatic transmission fluids offer superior protection, as well as cleaner and cooler operation. The heat issue cited above is a very real problem. Synthetics reduce friction and keep transmissions cooler.

With regard to cleanliness, synthetic fluids are less vulnerable to oxidation and breakdown. They keep orifices clean, and the tranny experiences smoother operation. This is something I have heard over and over again, that you can actually feel the difference in shifting.

As for the cost, my mechanic brother-in-law has indicated that in his 30 years experience, eight out of ten transmission failures can actually be fixed simply by switching to a premium synthetic ATF.

CLOSING THOUGHT
If your lube operation is involved with transmission fluid changes, be sure you consider synthetics as the way to go. A premium synthetic ATF will go double the lifespan of conventional, and will make a huge difference in the performance of your customers vehicles.

This is an oft neglected area where it really pays to get educated. Most motorists do not realize how vital these drivetrain fluids are for keeping their vehicles on the road. Especially SUVs and light trucks that are used to haul all manner of recreational and powersports equipment.

As in most areas of life we either pay now or pay later. Synthetic ATF is a small price to pay when you can gain 100,000 extra miles at the other end of the service life of your car or light truck.

Ed Newman is Marketing & Advertising Manager for AMSOIL INC.