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Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Overview Of The Components Within Your Car's Transmission

By Eric Hoover

Far different than your alternator or fuel pump, your transmission is an intricate construction that relies upon multiple parts working together. Each component has a specific job. As long as they perform their jobs, your car can shift gears properly. If any of the parts wear down and malfunction, your tranny might "slip" or refuse to shift. Given enough time, it will be necessary to have the entire assembly either replaced or overhauled.

In this article, we'll take a brief tour through the various components within your transmission. I'll describe their responsibilities and explain how they fulfill them.

Planetary Gearset

The planetary gearset is designed to provide the gear ratios. It consists of an outer ring gear, a central sun gear, and at least two planet gears that form a bridge between the ring and sun gears. Pinions intersect the planet gears while the ring gear is connected to an input shaft. The input shaft is powered by the engine, which causes it to turn. As the ring gear turns, the planet gears turn, which turn the sun gear.

Hydraulic System

The hydraulic system has a simple duty: to send pressurized fluid to every area of the transmission. The fluid lubricates the parts and cools them down. In doing so, it provides more shifting control. Even though the hydraulic system's job is a simple one, its design is complex. There are many tubes through which the fluid is sent. If any of those tubes suffer a reduction in pressure, it can cause the entire system to break down.

Torque Converter

The torque converter is found on automatic transmissions. It is tasked with the responsibility of supplying power to the tranny and sits between it and the engine. A turbine sits inside the torque converter and connects to the input shaft. A pump and a part called the stator work with the turbine to move oil in a consistent circular direction through the converter. The turbine powers the sun gear (mentioned above) which supports the turning of the planetary gearset.

Keeping The Fluid Flowing

Front and rear seals are used to prevent fluid from leaking from the transmission. The front seal keeps fluid moving through the torque converter. The rear seal keeps it from leaking from the output shaft. Both are made from rubber and as a result, will deteriorate with time. When they do, they should be replaced as soon as possible. There are also several other smaller seals (for example, the O-ring) that are located throughout the assembly. Gaskets also help to keep the fluid from leaking.

The above are the main parts that are found within your transmission. It's worth noting that they cannot do their jobs properly without the contribution of other components. An oil pump, a series of clutches, modulator, and solenoid pack all play important roles. Fortunately, the entire assembly will usually last for years before problems emerge. - 21396

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