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A Complete Course on Automatic Transmissions
The
modern automatic transmission is by far, the most complicated
mechanical component in today's automobile. Automatic
transmissions contain mechanical systems, hydraulic systems,
electrical systems and computer controls, all working together
in perfect harmony which goes virtually unnoticed until there is
a problem. This article will help you understand the concepts
behind what goes on inside these technological marvels and what
goes into repairing them when they fail. This article is broken down into five sections:
The transmission is a device that is connected to the back of the engine and sends the power from the engine to the drive wheels. An automobile engine runs at its best at a certain RPM (Revolutions Per Minute) range and it is the transmission's job to make sure that the power is delivered to the wheels while keeping the engine within that range. It does this through various gear combinations. In first gear, the engine turns much faster in relation to the drive wheels, while in high gear the engine is loafing even though the car may be going in excess of 70 MPH. In addition to the various forward gears, a transmission also has a neutral position which disconnects the engine from the drive wheels, and reverse, which causes the drive wheels to turn in the opposite direction allowing you to back up. There are two basic types of
automatic transmissions based on whether the vehicle is rear
wheel drive or front wheel drive.
On a
rear wheel drive
car,
the transmission is usually mounted to the back of the engine
and is located under the hump in the center of the floorboard
alongside the gas pedal position. A drive shaft connects the
rear of the transmission to the final drive which is located in
the rear axle and is used to send power to the rear
wheels. Power flow on this system is simple and straight
forward going from the engine, through the torque converter,
then through the transmission and drive shaft until it reaches
the final drive where it is split and sent to the two rear
wheels. |
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There are a number of other
arrangements including front drive vehicles where the engine is
mounted front to back instead of sideways and there are other
systems that drive all four wheels but the two systems described
here are by far the most popular. A much less popular rear drive
arrangement has the transmission mounted directly to the final
drive at the rear and is connected by a drive shaft to the
torque converter which is still mounted on the engine. This
system is found on the new Corvette and is used in order to
balance the weight evenly between the front and rear wheels for
improved performance and handling. Another rear drive system
mounts everything, the engine, transmission and final drive in
the rear. This rear engine arrangement is popular on the
Porsche. The modern automatic transmission consists of many components and systems that are designed to work together in a symphony of clever mechanical, hydraulic and electrical technology that has evolved over the years into what many mechanically inclined individuals consider to be an art form. We try to use simple, generic explanations where possible to describe these systems but, due to the complexity of some of these components, you may have to use some mental gymnastics to visualize their operation. The main components that make up an automatic transmission include:
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The basic planetary gear set consists of a sun gear, a ring gear and two or more planet gears, all remaining in constant mesh. The planet gears are connected to each other through a common carrier which allows the gears to spin on shafts called "pinions" which are attached to the carrier . One example of a way that this system can be used is by connecting the ring gear to the input shaft coming from the engine, connecting the planet carrier to the output shaft, and locking the sun gear so that it can't move. In this scenario, when we turn the ring gear, the planets will "walk" along the sun gear (which is held stationary) causing the planet carrier to turn the output shaft in the same direction as the input shaft but at a slower speed causing gear reduction (similar to a car in first gear). If we unlock the sun gear and
lock any two elements together, this will cause all three
elements to turn at the same speed so that the output shaft will
turn at the same rate of speed as the input shaft. This is like
a car that is in third or high gear. Another way that we can use
a Planetary gear set is by locking the planet carrier from
moving, then applying power to the ring gear which will cause
the sun gear to turn in the opposite direction giving us reverse
gear. The illustration on the right shows how the simple system described above would look in an actual transmission. The input shaft is connected to the ring gear (BLUE), The Output shaft is connected to the planet carrier (GREEN) which is also connected to a "Multi-disk" clutch pack. The sun gear is connected to a drum (YELLOW) which is also connected to the other half of the clutch pack. Surrounding the outside of the drum is a band (RED) that can be tightened around the drum when required to prevent the drum with the attached sun gear from turning.
The clutch pack is used, in
this instance, to lock the planet carrier with the sun gear
forcing both to turn at the same speed. If both the clutch pack
and the band were released, the system would be in neutral.
Turning the input shaft would turn the planet gears against the
sun gear, but since nothing is holding the sun gear, it will
just spin free and have no effect on the output shaft. To place
the unit in first gear, the band is applied to hold the sun gear
from mo Many more combinations are possible using two or more planetary sets connected in various ways to provide the different forward speeds and reverse that are found in modern automatic transmissions. Some of the clever gear arrangements found in four and now, five-speed automatics are complex enough to make a technically astute lay person's head spin trying to understand the flow of power through the transmission as it shifts from first gear through top gear as the vehicle accelerates to highway speed. On newer vehicles, the vehicle's computer monitors and controls these shifts so that they are almost imperceptible.
A
clutch pack consists of alternating disks that fit inside a
clutch drum. Half of the disks are steel and have splines that
fit into groves on the inside of the drum. The other half have
a friction material b
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A one-way clutch (also known as a "sprag" clutch) is a device that will allow a component such as ring gear to turn freely in one direction but not in the other. This effect is just like that of a bicycle, where the pedals will turn the wheel when pedaling forward, but will spin free when pedaling backward. A common place where a one-way clutch is used is in first gear when the shifter is in the drive position. When you begin to accelerate from a stop, the transmission starts out in first gear. But have you ever noticed what happens if you release the gas while it is still in first gear? The vehicle continues to coast as if you were in neutral. Now, shift into Low gear instead of Drive. When you let go of the gas in this case, you will feel the engine slow you down just like a standard shift car. The reason for this is that in Drive, a one-way clutch is used whereas in Low, a clutch pack or a band is used. A band is a steel strap with friction material bonded to the inside surface. One end of the band is anchored against the transmission case while the other end is connected to a servo. At the appropriate time hydraulic oil is sent to the servo under pressure to tighten the band around the drum to stop it from turning. On automatic transmissions,
the
A
torque converter is a large doughnut shaped device (10" to 15"
in diameter) that is mounted between the engine and the
transmission. It consists of three internal elements that work
together to transmit power to the transmission.
With the engine running, transmission fluid is pulled into the pump section and is pushed outward by centrifugal force until it reaches the turbine section which starts it turning. The fluid continues in a circular motion back towards the center of the turbine where it enters the stator. If the turbine is moving considerably slower than the pump, the fluid will make contact with the front of the stator fins which push the stator into the one way clutch and prevent it from turning. With the stator stopped, the fluid is directed by the stator fins to re-enter the pump at a "helping" angle providing a torque increase. As the speed of the turbine catches up with the pump, the fluid starts hitting the stator blades on the back-side causing the stator to turn in the same direction as the pump and turbine. As the speed increases, all three elements begin to turn at approximately the same speed. Since the '80s, in order to improve fuel economy, torque converters have been equipped with a lockup clutch (not shown) which locks the turbine to the pump as the vehicle speed reaches approximately 45 - 50 MPH. This lockup is controlled by computer and usually won't engage unless the transmission is in 3rd or 4th gear.
The transmission oil pump (not to be confused with the pump element inside the torque converter) is responsible for producing all the oil pressure that is required in the transmission. The oil pump is mounted to the front of the transmission case and is directly connected to a flange on the torque converter housing. Since the torque converter housing is directly connected to the engine crankshaft, the pump will produce pressure whenever the engine is running as long as there is a sufficient amount of transmission fluid available. The oil enters the pump through a filter that is located at the bottom of the transmission oil pan and travels up a pickup tube directly to the oil pump. The oil is then sent, under pressure to the pressure regulator, the valve body and the rest of the components, as required.
The
valve body is the brain of the automatic transmission. It
contains a maze of channels and passages that direct hydraulic
fluid to the numerous valves which then activate the appropriate
clutch pack o The most important valve, and one that you have direct control over is the manual valve. The manual valve is directly connected to the gear shift handle and covers and uncovers various passages depending on what position the gear shift is placed in. When you place the gear shift in Drive, for instance, the manual valve directs fluid to the clutch pack(s) that activates 1st gear. it also sets up to monitor vehicle speed and throttle position so that it can determine the optimal time and the force for the 1 - 2 shift. On computer controlled transmissions, you will also have electrical solenoids that are mounted in the valve body to direct fluid to the appropriate clutch packs or bands under computer control to more precisely control shift points. The computer uses sensors on the engine and transmission to detect such things as throttle position, vehicle speed, engine speed, engine load, stop light switch position, etc. to control exact shift points as well as how soft or firm the shift should be. Some computerized transmissions even learn your driving style and constantly adapt to it so that every shift is timed precisely when you would need it. Because of computer controls, sports models are coming out with the ability to take manual control of the transmission as though it were a stick shift, allowing the driver to select gears manually. This is accomplished on some cars by passing the shift lever through a special gate, then tapping it in one direction or the other in order to up-shift or down-shift at will. The computer monitors this activity to make sure that the driver does not select a gear that could over speed the engine and damage it. Another advantage to these "smart" transmissions is that they have a self diagnostic mode which can detect a problem early on and warn you with an indicator light on the dash. A technician can then plug test equipment in and retrieve a list of trouble codes that will help pinpoint where the problem is. Governor, Vacuum Modulator, Throttle Cable These three components are important in the non-computerized transmissions. They provide the inputs that tell the transmission when to shift. The Governor is connected to the output shaft and regulates hydraulic pressure based on vehicle speed. It accomplishes this using centrifugal force to spin a pair of hinged weights against pull-back springs. As the weights pull further out against the springs, more oil pressure is allowed past the governor to act on the shift valves that are in the valve body which then signal the appropriate shifts. Of course, vehicle speed is not the only thing that controls when a transmission should shift, the load that the engine is under is also important. The more load you place on the engine, the longer the transmission will hold a gear before shifting to the next one.
There are two types of devices
that serve the purpose of monitoring the engine load: the
Throttle Cable
and the Vacuum
Modulator. A transmission will use one or the
other but generally not both of these devices. Each works in a
different way to monitor engine load. An automatic transmission has many seals and gaskets to control the flow of hydraulic fluid and to keep it from leaking out. There are two main external seals: the front seal and the rear seal. The front seal seals the point where the torque converter mounts to the transmission case. This seal allows fluid to freely move from the converter to the transmission but keeps the fluid from leaking out. The rear seal keeps fluid from leaking past the output shaft. A seal is usually made of rubber (similar to the rubber in a windshield wiper blade) and is used to keep oil from leaking past a moving part such as a spinning shaft. In some cases, the rubber is assisted by a spring that holds the rubber in close contact with the spinning shaft. A gasket is a type of seal used to seal two stationary parts that are fastened together. Some common gasket materials are: paper, cork, rubber, silicone and metal. Aside from the main seals, there are also a number of other seals and gaskets that vary from transmission to transmission. A common example is the rubber O-ring that seals the shaft for the shift control lever. This is the shaft that you move when you manipulate the gear shifter. Another example that is common to most transmissions is the oil pan gasket. In fact, seals are required anywhere that a device needs to pass through the transmission case with each one being a potential source for leaks. |
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Spotting problems before they get worse
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On a
front wheel drive
car,
the transmission is usually combined with the final drive to
form what is called a transaxle. The engine on a front wheel
drive car is usually mounted sideways in the car with the
transaxle tucked under it on the side of the engine facing the
rear of the car. Front axles are connected directly to the
transaxle and provide power to the front wheels. In this
example, power flows from the engine, through the torque
converter to a large chain that sends the power through a 180
degree turn to the transmission that is along side the engine.
From there, the power is routed through the transmission to the
final drive where it is split and sent to the two front wheels
through the drive axles. 
Automatic transmissions contain many gears in various
combinations. In a manual transmission, gears slide along
shafts as you move the shift lever from one position to another,
engaging various sized gears as required in order to provide the
correct gear ratio. In an automatic transmission, however, the
gears are never physically moved and are always engaged to the
same gears. This is accomplished through the use of planetary
gear sets. 
ving. To shift from first to high gear, the band is
released and the clutch is applied causing the output shaft to
turn at the same speed as the input shaft. 
onded 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 oil pressure at the appropriate time to squeeze the
clutch pack together so that the two components become locked
and turn as one.
torque converter takes the place of the clutch found on
standard shift vehicles. It is there to allow the engine to
continue running when the vehicle comes to a stop. The
principle behind a torque converter is like taking a fan that is
plugged into the wall and blowing air into another fan which is
unplugged. If you grab the blade on the unplugged fan, you are
able to hold it from turning but as soon as you let go, it will
begin to speed up until it comes close to the speed of the
powered fan. The difference with a torque converter is that
instead of using air, it uses oil or transmission fluid, to be
more precise.
The
three elem
ents of the torque converter are the Pump, the
Turbine, and the Stator. The pump is mounted directly to the
converter housing which in turn is bolted directly to the
engine's crankshaft and turns at engine speed. The turbine is
inside the housing and is connected directly to the input shaft
of the transmission providing power to move the vehicle. The
stator is mounted to a one-way clutch so that it can spin freely
in one direction but not in the other. Each of the three
elements have fins mounted in them to precisely direct the flow
of oil through the converter 
The
Hydraulic system is a complex maze of passages and tubes that
sends transmission fluid under pressure to all parts of the
transmission and torque converter. The diagram at left is a
simple one from a 3-speed automatic from the '60s. The newer
systems are much more complex and are combined with computerized
electrical components. Transmission fluid serves a number of
purposes including: shift control, general lubrication and
transmission cooling. Unlike the engine, which uses oil
primarily for lubrication, every aspect of a transmission's
functions are dependant on a constant supply of fluid under
pressure. This is not unlike the human circulatory system (the
fluid is even red) where even a few minutes of operation when
there is a lack of pressure can be harmful or even fatal to the
life of the transmission. In order to keep the transmission
at normal operating temperature, a portion of the fluid is sent
through one of two steel tubes to a special chamber that is
submerged in anti-freeze in the radiator. Fluid passing through
this chamber is cooled and then returned to the transmission
through the other steel tube. A typical transmission has an
average of ten quarts of fluid between the transmission, torque
converter, and cooler tank. In fact, most of the components of
a transmission are constantly submerged in fluid including the
clutch packs and bands. The friction surfaces on these parts
are designed to operate properly only when they are submerged in
oil.
r band servo to smoothly shift to the appropriate
gear for each driving situation. Each of the many valves in the
valve body has a specific purpose and is named for that
function. For example the 2-3 shift valve activates the 2nd gear
to 3rd gear up-shift or the 3-2 shift timing valve which
determines when a downshift should occur.