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Honda and Acura use a very special automatic tranmsission fluid..

After writing about the popularity of Honda cars in general, and the civic specifically, I wanted to discuss something very important to both Honda’s and Acura’s in terms of what automatic transmission fluid to use or request during your normal maintenance.

This will not take long. Without question, the replacement fluid to use in a Honda or Acura (Acura uses Honda drive lines) only comes from the dealer…No company makes an additive that turns conventional AFT or synthetic AFT into Honda ATF...

Honda fluid is very specific to the vehicle. You can put any fluid you want to in your Honda and it will work. The main problem being that the transmission will shift like a dragster without Honda ATF. Why? Because the fluid is specifically blended to work with the clutch plates (soft parts) in a Honda transmission.

The composition of the clutch plates inside the clutch pack drum is such that without the exact additives put in OEM (original equipment manufacturer) Honda fluid, the transmission will not shift properly and more important it kills the transmission life.

BTW, The Honda transmission has an internal automatic transmission filter. It can not be changed unless you pull the transmission out of the car and take it apart. Typically a Honda transmission filter only gets changed during a rebuild. Don’t forget to dispose of your waste transmission fluid legally.

When you get your Honda fluid changed, my advise is to bring your own fluid, right from the dealer. Pay the fair price on labor. Need more info on transmissions? Read more of our GotTransmissions.com Blog. It is free and full of money saving tips.

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Honda makes a durable yet sensitive transmission….

The phones were very active at GotTransmissions.com last week. More calls for Honda Civic transmissions than usual. This transmission has always been popular, mostly because the Civic is one of Americas best values in a vehicle. The Honda Civic is not only affordable, it also gets incredible gas mileage and they last a along time with the proper maintenance.

Honda’s use Honda automatic transmission fluid. Buying it anywhere other than the dealer is a BIG mistake.

A lot of loyal Honda owners know that Honda builds a great transmission and engine. Ask almost anyone about their Civic and you will get an answer like, this cars engine and transmission will last over 300,000 miles with good care.

Why do we sell so many Honda Civic transmissions since they’re such a great engine. When I examined the details, i was surprised that the Civic has been around since 1973…Wow, I must be getting old. It sure doesn’t seem like this car has been out since the early 70’s.

Keeping in mind this vehicle has a die hard history of loyalty with their owners, it’s no wonder why so many people replace the engine in these vehicles and keep them. Why trash a good car for a bad motor, it is not economically feasible.

Well, anyway, we’ve got a ton of these Civic transmissions to choose from…rebuilt, remanufactured, used, you name it. If something out of the norm puts your Honda Civic transmission out of commission, give us a buzz Toll Free at 866-320-1182. Feel free to read more about Honda’s on our GotTransmissions.com Blog. Subscriptions are free.

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Additional thoughts on broken T-440 drive chain..

Last week I answered a question from a reader regarding a broken chain in the transmission of his 1997 Buick Le Sabre. The question was asked in the comment area of the above post in the GotTransmissions.com Blog.

A few more thoughts came to mind on the subject. The thing I preach the most I forgot to recommend. Diagnosis. Figure out why the chain has broken for the second time. I find that it somewhat troubling that two chains have broken in this transmission.

The only exception would be if the car has been abused or the owner has been towing or pulling a heavy weight. Delivery vehicles, especially pizza delivery can kill a small car transmission with all the start and stop driving. The above reasons stretch then break the chain. Maintenance is the key to long life for delivery vehicles.

A detailed examination of the internal parts of the transmission is necessary, specifically the hard parts. I would be looking for a planetary gear that is binding up at times or the differential portion of the transmission. It is possible something was missed the first time around on a rebuild or it may have been a cheap aftermarket chain after all.

This type of transmission (T-440 ,T125) is a true trans-axle, meaning the transmission internal parts and differential assembly are all in the same housing. As opposed to a transmission that is connected to a differential, by a drive shaft or is directly bolted together. The older T-325, T-3254L and T425 transmissions all were front wheel drive transmissions that bolted to a differential, these tranny’s had no differential in the main housing. they are not transaxles…

Speak with a qualified representative at GotTransmissions.com for more information on this matter or any matter for that matter! 866-320-1182.

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Buying a used car? Have a competent repair shop examine it first..

What we are going to talk about today is the art of buying a used vehicle. In this case I will use a motor home as an example. My neighbors are selling a 1993 32′ General Motors chassis MH. They have a potential buyer, someone who is making a great decision on making sure his money is well spent.

The buyer of this vehicle has a good strategy put together, it is almost like he has read some of the motor home articles we already put on the GotTransmissions.com Blog site. If you are interested in those articles, take a tour of our blog, I am sure you will find something new and interesting.

The ‘buyer’ is taking no chances. He put a deposit on the vehicle and took it to a competent shop, which is having one of their qualified mechanics go over it from head to toe. His having such things as the engine compression checked. A great idea to have this test performed. It tells one a bunch about how healthy the motor is. You have low compression, or a larger than a 10% difference in the compression in any cylinders, well you might as well write this name and number down now. GotTransmissions.com at 866-320-1182.

Compression testing is great idea for any buyer of a used vehicle. But that is where it starts. The gentleman who is buying this home on wheels is having the complete braking system checked, including the shoes and pads, cylinders and calipers, brake lines-hoses and wheel bearings.

The steering gear and alignment are getting a look see and he is having the transmission pan lowered and inspected for excessive contaminants. If it looks good he will have the fluid and filter changed, using synthetic automatic transmission fluid. FYI, I upgraded this transmission when I owned my tranny shop. We (the seller) both know that the tranny is healthy.

Personally, this is a great time to add an auxiliary, external add on transmission cooler.

Obviously a vehicle that is about 15 or 16 years old has to show wear in some areas, but with the best of maintenance and staying on top of any problems that occur, most vehicles will last longer than one might expect and be reliable as well. I’m a believer in this type of care for my cars. I still drive my 1988 GMC 1 ton pickup I bough brand new. It runs perfect and I plan on keeping it for a while longer.

The point here is that spending a few hundred bucks on an examination may save thousands of dollars down the road.

Before I end my post, you may like to know that I also own a mint 1970 Porsche 911(I got it second hand from a neighbor who bought it new), it has always had meticulous care and runs perfect. I have three Harley Davidson’s, the newest being a 1985 Dresser, all run like the day I bought them new. I have no secrets, I just follow the advise I give in the GotTransmissions.com Blog. So should you… Enjoy.

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Automatic transmission chain breakage in a T-440 or T-125-C..

Question asked to GotTransmissions.com:

Question: I own a 1997 Buick LeSabre with 205,000 miles; my transmission is chain-driven, and the chain broke. The original was replaced by a Goodwrench equivalent several years (and owners) ago. There is no label on it. I understand that 2 different transmissions, the 284-F17 and 306 FW2, were used for 1997 models. How do we figure out, without removing the current transmission, which I would need as a replacement? I was told that this could be determined by the VIN…but how? Thanks!

A common problem with chain driven front wheel drive transmissions. What you have in common terms, is either a T-440 or a T-125C. The 440 is a computerized 4 speed automatic overdrive with a lock up torque converter. The 125C is a 3 speed automatic without overdrive, but with lock up.

Both units use chains. As they stretch the first thing you may notice is the slippage of the chain. Very noticeable. Realistically speaking if you encounter this slippage noise, take it right to a reputable transmission shop and get it fixed before it breaks and causes real damage.

We need the vin or Vehicle Identification number, which is not provided to decide what trans is in it. The ID numbers in the question don’t mean anything to me, but you have a 3 speed automatic or a 4 speed overdrive transmission. Call GotEnines.com at 866-320-1182, perhaps they can ID your tranny, it is their job you know.

You have a legit question on where the chain came from. When I owned my transmission shop from 1981 to 2006, which i sold 3 years ago, we always used factory Delco chains that came in a Delco box from my supplier. Yes, many after market chains are available. Made in China, Mexico and places I have never heard of.

It is very fashionable to use a cheap after market chain. Actually you can buy all the hard parts in a transmission in inferior brands if you choose. Yes they work, usually. But no they don’t last as long.
They will make it out of warranty, which suits certain shops well. I think it is cheating the customer. As far as I’m concerned, the transmission should be built to last way longer than a warranty.

That was our paradigm, to do the best job we could with a 3 year warranty and charge what it costs to prepare the transmission that way. We charged exactly what it was supposed to cost, not a penny more or less. I’m not saying we were an inexpensive shop, but we gave you value, which in the long run saves money.

I recommend requesting a factory made chain if you get it fixed and making sure you want all original equipment parts quality or better parts with the proper upgrades built into the transmission. Both units especially the T-440 need updates.

The only way I can assure you a good used unit would be to buy it from GotTransmissions.com. They have the tools to identify the good units. If you buy a rebuilt unit from GotTransmissions, you can bet money they know the rebuilding company used good old factory parts.

Hopefully our GotTransmissions.com Blog helps this person and more understand why some used and transmissions last longer than others. Be an educated consumer. It will save a lot of hassles down the road, not mention money..

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Explanation of an automatic transmission clutch pack..

The explanation or function of an automatic transmission clutch pack is much the same in every automatic transmission. The post is a courtesy of GotTransmissions.com

An automatic transmission clutch pack consists of multiple alternating disks that fit inside a metal clutch drum (Hard Part) . Half of the disks are steel and have splines that fit into groves on the inside of the drum. The other half have a fiber friction material (Soft Parts) bonded to their surface and have splines on the inside edge that fit groves on the outer surface of the adjoining hub.

There is a piston inside the drum that is activated by automatic transmission fluid pressure provided by the transmission pump that applies fluid ( hydraulic) pressure (80 to 150 PSI) at the appropriate time to squeeze the clutch pack together so that the two components become locked and turn as one. Rubber lip seals seal the piston to the drum and return springs push the fluid out of the drum when it is no longer in use to release the clutch plates.

Automatic transmissions come with multiple clutch packs. Meaning that there may be one clutch pack per speed or shift. Automatic transmissions use bands also to make certain gear ranges, bands are less popular now due to technological advances. However, we will discuss them too in the future.

A clutch plate is a soft part. It has a thin metal plate that has a fibrous material bonded to it. The fiber is about .030 to .050 thick and is made of a material that is environmentally friendly and enjoys being soaked in ATF all the time. We call these wet clutch packs.

The last thing to mention about fiber clutch plates is that they are very allergic to water or antifreeze. Should you develop a radiator problem where the coolant gets into the transmission, or perhaps your area was flooded and water entered the transmission through the vent hole, get the fluid changed and flushed ASAP or sooner. Any type of liquid such as water or coolant is death to a tranny, especially an older one.

Because automatic transmissions use soft parts, maintenance becomes more important to your ride. The additives in the ATF break down with time, even if you don’t drive a lot. The bottom line is it takes less time out of your life to have your transmission serviced regularly and much less money. A transmission failure may tie up your cat for a week and cost thousands of bucks.

Take our advise on maintenance. That is why GotTranmsission.com writes this Blog. To help prevent transmission problems and provide an education on how to stay away from unnecessary problems..

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Pontiac may be gone, but Pontiac transmissions will live forever…

For many of us the name Pontiac brought back a lot of great old memories from the ’60’s and 70’s. Those were the muscle car days. An era we will never experience again. Speaking about more modern times, Pontiac was extremely competitive in Nascar racing for many years. However, Nascar does not use G.M. transmissions, they use Jerico Transmissions.

I like Nascar, but I used to love it. When Joe Gibbs, who was the Hall Of Fame Washington Redskins coach became involved in Nascar in about 1992, I became involved. Gibbs at the time ran Pontiac’s for years on the tracks. Simply put, with his genius as a great organizer, his team won 3 Nascar titles in 13 years. Not to bad since most drivers never even win a race. It took Michael Waltrip 500 some races to even win one. Joe Gibbs won Three Super Bowls with the Redskins in 12 years…Clearly a genius..

None of us including GotTransmissions.com has anything to worry about. Pontiac built enough cars that there will be many that experience transmission problems and failures. There is no lack of abundance of used, rebuilt and new engines available for Pontiac cars and I see no shortage in supply or demand for years to come.

Basically, Pontiac transmissions are the same as the other General Motors transmissions. Pontiac uses the same bell housing pattern as Oldsmobile, Cadillac and Buick. This allows a wide range of possibilities for you.

When I was being a rowdy teenager in the ’60’s and ’70’s, Pontiac had a couple of bad rides. The GTO was their most souped up model. They also built a few Firebirds that were very cool. I really liked the Firebird GT model, it had a turbocharged inline 6 cylinder engine that would do a number on many hot V-8 cars running around at the time.

We had no emission laws to contend with and gas was about 30 to 40 cents a gallon for hi-test. Muscle cars ran wild all over the place. We don’t have time to list every muscle car made in that era. The choices were mind boggling. We now have to deal with the aspect of ‘going fast‘ in a new way.

Emissions and fuel economy have taken a bite out of the real muscle car image. The ‘new’ muscle cars just don’t have it. Suffice it to say, if you are going for a ride in a 1966 GTO with the 389 cubic inch engine with three deuces and a 4 speed standard transmission for the first time, wear your rubber pants!

BTW, I had a 1966 Vette, which used the same Muncie T-22 Rock Crusher 4 speed transmission. (Called a Muncie because it was made in the Muncie, Indiana G.M. plant) I broke those transmission with regularity. Believe me when I say it had nothing to do with a lack of maintenance!!

Obviously the demand for newer model Pontiac transmissions is still at a peak and should remain there for years. The men at GotTransmissions.com know their Pontiac tranny’s very well. Every transmission sold, regardless of whether it is a good used low mileage transmission or an upgraded rebuilt transmission (you want an upgraded transmission in an early Pontiac muscle car), you can bet it has been pre-tested on an transmission dynamo-meter first, and then hooked to to a scan tool and certified to be in perfect working order. FYI, this pre-testing procedure lasts about 45 minutes. They want to make sure it has not heat related problems too.

No reason to get exited, the GotTransmissions.com Blog will always have Pontiac transmission features for you Pontiac freaks. We also have informational articles on repairs and how to choose the correct replacement transmission in our blog too. Enjoy.

PS. Here are a few pet names for the GTO that makes a GTO lovers not like you anymore:

Get the Tools Out

Garbage Truck with Overdrive

Gas, Tires, Oil

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Much needed young blood entering the automotive repair field.

When I read about young people working and competing to be automotive mechanics, I get a good feeling. I was telling Brian of GotTransmissions.com that the average age of a mechanic is 43 years old. Infusing new, intelligent young mechanics in the field is of prime importance. It sure has changed a lot since the days of being called a grease monkey. We play with computers to research problems and get to use really cool high tech diagnostic equipment. Tools that require extensive training classes and years of practice to use.

High school juniors and seniors in Alaska are geared up for the “America’s Next Top Auto Technician” contest on Saturday.

Students from five schools across the state competed in the state finals at UAA. They raced the clock to identify and fix problems intentionally installed on cars.

Organizers say there’s a shortage of good, trained auto techs in Alaska and throughout the whole country.

This contest gives the Ford Motor Co. a way to recruit new technicians.

The winner will actually receive a quite sizable scholarship from Ford Motor Co. to go through their training program, and at the end of that training program they’ll be a fully fledged trained Ford technician.

After fixing the cars, students had to drive their vehicles across the finish line, where judges take a look at accuracy and workmanship.

GotTransmissions.com Blog loves to hear about young people invading the auto repair industry and bringing some smart, young people into it. Like I said, a mechanic is way more than being a grease monkey now. Wrenching on modern transmissions is now different than becoming a doctor. Realizing there are less learning institutions for mechanics make it even more difficult. Don’t sell a good mechanic short. He may be as smart, well trained and just as good as using his hands as a surgeon. It pays well too.

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What is a lock up torque converter chatter?

A lock up chatter can happen to any car that uses a lock up torque converter. Except for a very few truck models, every thing has a lock up in it nowadays, even big trucks..

The TF-604 is notorious for developing lock up problems in the converter. The Caravan which uses a TF-604 turns the engine light on and has a code P-0740 stored in the computer when you have a lockup problem.

The most common indicator of a lock up torque converter problem is a feeling of running over a washboard in the road at 40 to 55 miles per hour. Some cases are so harsh you feel like your teeth are being shaken out of your head. A lock up chatter has fooled many people. Most folks immediately think the engine has a miss in it. I don’t blame them for it, that is a real problem too, somewhat more common than a torque converter chatter.

The expert that speaks with you at GotTransmissions.com will ask you if you had your car diagnosed first. They do not want to sell you something you don’t need.

The other lock up condition not seen as much any more is when you are coming to a stop, the lock up mechanism does not release and it feels like you are driving a standard transmission and forgot to push the clutch in when you come to a stop. It lugs the engine very hard, than violently stalls the engine. In most cases that type pf converter problem is not really the converter but the lockup solenoid.

That being said, once you have had the problem diagnosed, if it turns out to be the first problem, a washboard effect, the first thing that should be recommended is to lower the transmission pan as in a maintenance and inspect it for contamination. If there is not enough contamination to worry about, in most of the cases a transmission fluid change using genuine original equipment factory automatic transmission fluid is my first move.

What is happening is the clutch in the torque converter is slipping and setting up a chattering feeling. Most of the time, at least if the pan is clean of debris, doing a maintenance is the best avenue to take. The factory ATF has all the proper additives in it to eliminate the problem if nothing is damaged. The deal about using factory fluids is that they have the proper additive in it. In this case the additive is a friction modifier. And more than likely the additive is worn out, meaning the fluid needs to be changed.

The point of this blog, presented by GotTransmissions.com Blog is to get you in the habit of performing transmission maintenance on time, therefore never experiencing this problem and possibly never having a transmission problem at all.

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TF-604 automatic overdrive transmission is very unique…

The Chrysler TF-604 transmission is a one of a kind design. Yes it is hydraulic like all automatic transmissions and it has a torque converter with lock up too. but theoretically speaking, it has a few unique features in terms of the way it operates.

I need to say that this transmission was a real trouble maker for the first 3 or so years of production. I think 1989 was the first year. The factory worked out many of the problems and, of course, with a TransGo upgrade kit all of the problems are solved. Which in turn makes an excellent working and very reliable transmission. Don’t forget to use Genuine Chrysler Synthetic ATF, no substitutes…

What it is missing mechanically is any type of sprag clutch elements or bands. It compensates for this by working off of the computer and the input signals from various switches and sensors to make shifting decisions. It is based around what we call shift timing. It is a complicated and sophisticated way of operation. But, an excellent transmission, once it is upgraded.

Don’t take maintenance lightly either. All Mopar overdrive transmissions, both front wheel drive and rear wheel drive are very sensitive to having the ATF changed regularly with the proper ATF.

Chrysler also makes a very similar front wheel drive unit called the TF-606, which works off the same principles.

I wanted to introduce the function of this transmission today to you and let you know that Got Transmissions.com only sells the upgraded rebuilt TF-604 and TF-606 transmissions. You never have to worry about the integrity of a transmission purchased from them.

I want to provide more “vibe” on this unit in the next GotTransmission Blog post. stay tuned, we hope you come back tomorrow for more theory and function on this unique transmission.

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