Why You Need to Get Rid of Trapped Dirt Within Your Transmission System
Did you know that particles of contamination in your car's transmission system could lead to a loss of traction? And did you also know that a standard transmission service may not be enough to get rid of all that contamination? In this case, why should you schedule a more involved visit to your service centre if you want to avoid any short-term and long-term problems?
Transporting Contamination
Dirt and contamination can build up within any mechanised system due to high temperatures and a certain amount of friction. Certainly, lubricant is designed to protect most of the moving parts and will do so even under the harshest of conditions, but the oil itself will also degrade as time goes by, becoming less efficient. As this happens, microscopic pieces of metal can wear away from some of those surfaces. This dirt will start to move through the transmission while suspended in the oil.
Accumulating Dirt
When contamination reaches the nerve centre (more commonly known as the torque converter), it becomes agitated and, due to the way the system operates, could be forced against the outer wall of the converter. When this happens, it may stick to that wall and start to build up. It may also tend to stay in place during a routine service that only relies on the force of gravity to get rid of the old oil.
Building Problems
As the contamination builds and builds, some "clumps" may occasionally break away. When this happens, it could find its way into some of the sensitive mechanisms, leading to a loss of hydraulic power. It will interfere with the flow of lubricant, reducing the pressure required for the transmission to stay in the correct gear. So, performance will certainly be affected, but in the worst-case scenario, some parts could begin to fail.
Cleaning and Flushing
With so much at stake, you can't afford to leave that contamination in place and must take steps to remove it during a comprehensive service. A technician will attach a special device to the transmission system and will send a cleaning agent into the torque converter casing to loosen all the deposits. The device will then flush all of the waste products out before introducing a brand-new and fresh lubricant instead.
Scheduling Your Service
Now that you can see how important this type of work is make sure you insist on a full clean and flush during your next service visit.
Contact a local mechanic for help with automatic transmission services.
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