One of the most integral systems in your car is the transmission. It works to transfer the power from your vehicle's engine to the wheels to get it moving. Like any other system in your car, you will need to service the transmission at some point. Transmissions operate hydraulically, which means the transmission fluid is of vital importance to these systems. A transmission flush is one transmission service procedure you may need to have performed on your car. This is a cleaning process that involves forcing the transmission fluid to flow in the other (opposite) direction through your vehicle's transmission. Generally, a transmission flush is required whenever your transmission fluid is dirty or contaminated, but you won't always need it until the time suggested by the manufacturer (in your owner's manual). However, it may be necessary to have it done sooner. Read on to find out more.
Are You Having Problems With Shifting Gears?
Gears are also crucial components of your vehicle's transmission system. If you are finding it difficult to shift gears, it may be time for a transmission flush. If you drive an automatic vehicle, you may notice a delay in the performance of gear changes, such as when you are accelerating. For manual cars, the difficulty in shifting gears will be clear.
When your transmission fluid is dirty, your engine may respond sluggishly to gear changes. Difficulty in shifting gears is oftentimes accompanied by gear slips. Contaminants such as grime and sludge will interfere with the flow of transmission fluid through the system. This means the fluid will not have enough hydraulic power to maintain the amount of pressure that is needed for your car to remain in the selected gear.
Does Your Car Surge Forward or Fall Back Unexpectedly?
For the gears to operate smoothly, there has to be consistent flow of clean transmission fluid through the system. Transmission fluid that is full of dirt contains build-up that causes certain inconsistencies in the flow of the fluid, and that's why your car surges ahead when you start it or when you shift gears.
What Is the Colour of the Transmission Fluid?
Visual inspection is also an effective way to determine problems with your transmission fluid. Generally, clean and good-quality transmission fluid is bright red in colour. Dirt and other contaminants will make the fluid appear black or brown. If these are the colours you see, you need to have the transmission fluid cleaned, and this is best done through flushing.
Tip: It is important to note that contaminated transmission fluid and low levels of the fluid may display similar signs. Therefore, it is always advisable to check the level of transmission fluid first whenever you notice any of the above signs.
Share22 May 2017
My name is Donna, and I love my toys! I have an ATV, a caravan, a boat and a range of other "toys". I find that there is a lot of information online about auto service but not that much about servicing fun types of vehicles. Inspired by the phrase "be the change you want to see in the world", I decided to start a blog full of information that is usually hard to find online. I will write about servicing toys, vintage cars, sports cars and a range of other topics. I hope that you like these posts and that you learn from them. Thanks for reading and enjoy your toys.