VOLUME 30, NO. 8 APRIL 2011The Automotive Powertrain Industry JournalD I G E S T4L60-E NV4500 RC4A-EL/JR405E 6L80/6L90 Introducing the NEW SonnaxLine Pressure Booster Kitswhen theres SonnaxSMART technology?Many aftermarket kits for raising pressure can lock you into an unpleasant situation: too much pressure at idle and not enough at maximum pressures.There is a better way, because theres a smarter way to get the results you want without the drawbacks: Sonnax line pressure booster kits!Achieve shorter shifts and increased torquecapacity without creating low-speed harshness.lmproved band and clutch holding capacityfor increased durability.Progressive pressure increase as drivingconditions become more demanding.Simple and affordable drop-in solutions with nospecial tools or reaming required!Part No. UnitSonnax Hydraulic Booster Kits4R100-LB1 E4OD, 4R1004L60E-LB1 4L60-E, 4L65-E, 4L70-E*4L60E-LB2 4L60-E, 4L65-E, 4L70-E**700R4-LB1 4L60 (700-R4), 200-4R400-LB1 4004L80E-LB1 4L80-E, 4L85-E4T65E-LB1 4T65-E350-LB1 3504R70W-LB1 AODE, 4R70W, 4R75W*Early-style pump**Late-style pumpSonnax Electronic Booster Kits44957-LB1 68RFE44957-LB2 45/545RFEBBAAOE SpringsA B KeyAftermarket Kit SpringsSonnax Line Pressure Booster KitsLow EPC/Torque Signal Pressure HighLowLine PressureHighIncreases in Line Pressure1 Automatic Drive P.O. Box 440 Bellows Falls, vT 05101-0440 USA800.843.2600 802.463.9722 F: 802.463.4059 www.sonnax.comSonnax is an Employee-Owned CompanyStrongerPR SpringLarge RatioBoost Assembly4L60E-LB12011 Sonnax Industries, Inc.How Sonnax PROGRESSIVE BOOST WorksSonnax PR springs are approximately 10% stronger than OE and more conservative than springs found in other aftermarket valve body kits. When combined with the progressive, demand-based pressure increase of larger boost valves in a Sonnax kit, you get the best of both worlds: a modest pressure increase at the low end,withahigh-endpressurethatisequaltoorgreaterthan that of other aftermarket kit springs.Circle No. 13 on Reader CardPRINTED IN THE U.S.A.Transmission Digest (ISSN 0277-8300) is published monthly by M D Publications, Inc., 3057 E. Cairo, P.O. Box 2210, Springfield, MO 65801-2210. Advertising inquiries are welcome, by mail or telephone,(417) 866-3917; Fax (417) 866-2781; editor@mdpublications.com. Advertising rates furnished upon request. Advertiser and agency agree to indemnify and protect the publisher from unauthorized use of anypersons name, photograph, statement or copyrighted material. Copies available by subscription: One year (12 issues) United States and U.S. possessions $39; Canada $48; all other countries via IPA $81 inU.S. funds only. Single copy price $4.75 plus shipping for current or back issues (as available) except the Annual Buyers Guide which is published as the March issue. Copyright2011 by M D Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Advertisements and Signed articles do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Transmission Digest or its management. Editorial contributionswelcome, but return of manuscripts, models or other artwork not guaranteed unless accompanied by a self-addressed stamped envelope. Information contained in Transmission Digest has been carefullycompiled from industry sources known for their reliability, but M D Publications does not guarantee its accuracy. Other M D Publications: Undercar Digest, Tech/Talk, and Short Line. M D Show Division: TRANSMISSION/UNDERCAR EXPO. Periodicals Postage paid at Springfield, Missouri, and additional entry offices. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to Transmission Digest, P.O. Box 2236, Springfield, MO 65801-2236.VOLUME 30, NO. 8 APRIL 2011D I G E S TNews & Previews From the Publisher .............2Catalog/Product Showcase........................34Suppliers of Hard Parts ....45Information Source ......48-49Powertrain Products....54-55Industry News Highlights...56Marketplace................59-64Index to Advertisers..........64Going Above and BeyondAJC North Carolina Transmissions strives to exceed customers expectations, co-owner Ervin R. Jay Kamrow says.Page 4Technical Shift Pointers. . . . . . . . .10The cause of third-clutch fail-ure in Honda/Acura five-speedtransaxles remains a mystery. Tech to Tech . . . . . . . . . .24Driveway fixes are not alwaysas simple as they seem.Technically Speaking:. . .28In the RC4A-EL/JR405E, thehigh-clutch amplifier valve per-forms a delicate balancing act.Torque Converter Tech Tips. . . . . . . . . . . .32Causes of pump-gear failure inthe 4L60-E with 300mm con-verterAs Seen in Tech/Talk . . .35Mazda MPV JF506E, 2002: Harshshifts; MIL on/OD flashing; no DTCsstoredR&R Tech . . . . . . . . . . . .36A hydraulic issue causes anNV4500 manual transmissionto malfunction.TASC Force Tips. . . . . . .38Avoid these two pitfalls whenrebuilding a GM 6L80/6L90.Up to Standards. . . . . . .40Some strategies for remainingcompetitive in todays marketBusinessIts Your Business. . . . . .20Listening more and talking lesscan help you close the sale.On The Cover Revealing RemansJaspers Crawford facility transmission-department leader,Mark Balsmeyer, inspects work at thehigh-volume megapod area that isresponsible for E4OD, 4R100 and5R110 work. Between 10 and 17 associates work the pod, dependingon the number of units required forthe shift.Page 14FeaturesQuick Study: TransmissionFilters Differ Internally. . .18Chrysler Releases Line of OETransmission Rebuild Kits. .31In Search of Hard Parts . . .44Certified Transmission FounderComments on Ethics. . . . .50April 2011 1CERTIFIEDTech TipsJasper Engines & Transmissions . . . . . . . . .262 Transmission DigestWere just back from asuccessful and enjoy-able Showpower eventin Indianapolis. We appreciatethe increase in seminar atten-dance and were, as always is thecase, glad to greet so many long-time friends.With tight margins, costly fueland so many demands on time, itis difficult to maintain buildingskills. However, it is more costlystill to go stale in an in-dustry that evolvestechnically as rapidly asours. Weekend seminarsor the workshops thatare conducted with na-tional events likeShowpower are one ofthe most-valuable toolsavailable to any retailaftermarket shop.AlthoughTransmission Digest andother magazines do agreat job of presentinghundreds of technical updatesand discussions every year,theres nothing quite as good asbeing able to ask questions andtalk with the authors and trainerswho research all the various unitsthat come to the bench for repair.Over the years, Ive heardspeakers like Terry Greenhutagain and again. Still, each time Ilisten, theres something worth-while that one can take home andput to use. Theres always some-thing that can be improved,From thePublisherBy Bobby Macesomething that will make usmore productive and lead togreater shop profitability.In a few weeks well be an-nouncing the site and dates forShowpower 12. If you haventbeen attending every year,please mark your calendar andbegin to figure a way to partici-pate in the learning and theknowledge that accompany eachof these events.Our friends at ATSG offer anannual workshop in dozens ofcities across the country.Although different in coveragefrom the Showpower presenta-tions, those weekends should beconsidered every bit as impor-tant to your continued businesssuccess as the purchase ofwrenches or kits.In our next issue well publishphotographs and reports fromthe Showpower weekend inIndianapolis. TDExecutiveCarol LangsfordPresidentMichelle DickemannVice PresidentBobby MacePublisherpublisher@transmissiondigest.comEditorialGary SiffordEditoreditor@transmissiondigest.comWayne ColonnaTechnical EditorTerry GreenhutBusiness EditorMike WeinbergContributing EditorArt DepartmentJay YoungCreative DirectorLonnie BoldingArt AdministratorCirculationDudley BrownCirculation ManagerMike Turnermturner@mdpublications.comAdvertising SalesMike Andersonmanderson@transmissiondigest.comAccounting/CreditMuriel Lincoln Credit ManagerDonna BlackburnSHOWPOWER EXPOBob JacobsmeyerExhibit Managerjake@showpowerexpo.comFounderLes Langsford,19281993TRANSMISSION DIGESTM D Publications, Inc.(417) 866-3917Body ont Cover Plate777778StatorPumpParts507Input Clutch Hub047 378O.Dr. / ReversePistonInput ClutchRetainerInput Shaft140 891 130 110Reverse Clutch150 892* 232 571052220 884 331330558 883 234 576 214 570Underdrive Hub O.Dr. Hub Reverse Hub2nd / 4th Retainer4824121 1014th Clutch141 863*865 968568978596 873 238 584 244 612 247 582Input Planet251 592 235* 616 241Reverse Planet583586Reaction Planet053 058Input RingGear886 285 887 885* 154 114Low/Rev 664 888 654Low RollerClutch644577690 895ParkGear0013074781770760897271Ext. Housing429996M304317B317438370370436846540CaseParts761Case420342347740300010379950926B926352927352ont 047 378I14Dr.4*82ev PG00137846540420300Body Cover Plate7778StatorPumpParts5070 891 130 110 571052220O5Input PlanetReverse Pla Reaction Planet690ParkGear689727142999674370436CaPa7CaseC4.86PGC0O.86PG800-940-0197sales@wittrans.comor buy online atwww.wittrans.comInput Clutch HubO.Dr. / ReversePistonInput ClutchRetainernput Shaft884 331330558 883 234 576 214 57 14 570 7Hub Reverse Hub2nd / 4th Retainer482121 1014th Clutch141 4 863865 968568978251 592Input RingGear886 285 887 885* 154 114Low/R664 888 654Low RollerClutch64457707478170Ext. HousingM304317B342347740010379 3950926B9263529273523*ReIn 7E03Rn77EAutomatic Transmission PartsHard Parts OE Manufacturer, Aftermarket New, Remanufactured, & Used Cutch Drums Shafts Front Pumps Panets Vave Bodes Compete Lne ofMsceaneous partsTorque Converters Compete ne ofCVC Remanufactured ConvertersSoft Parts Master Kts Banner Kts (Less Stees) Overhau Kts Paper|Rubber Kts Fters & Kts Frctons Stees Bushng Moduators Washers Bearngs Gaskets Bands Fex Pates & Fywhees Speedo Gears Mounts Cooers TeckPak Converson Kts Superor Shft Correcton Packages Detent Cabes Transgo Reprogrammng Kts Transgo Shft KtsStandard Transmsson Parts Rebud Kts Bearng Kts wth Syncro Rngs Gasket Sets Gears & ShaftsRebuilt Transmissions StandardsCutch Parts Sachs & Vaeo Cutch Kts (New) Forks Pot Bushngs & Bearngs Cutch Agnment ToosTransfer Case Parts Gasket & Seas Kts Overhau Kts ChansShop Suppes & Toos Addtves Assemby Lubrcants Buders Benches Lfts Parts Washer Soap Rough Servce Lght Bubs R.T.V. Back, Bue, Cear Technca Manuas Toos & Equpment ThreadockRemember that Old-Time Service?Whatever It Takes Does!!!A Decade of Service.Circle No. 21 on Reader Card4 Transmission DigestSatisfying customers involvesmore than just doing goodwork. Ervin R. Jay Kamrow,co-owner of AJC North CarolinaTransmissions, says the shopstrives to exceed customers expec-tations.That can include meeting a cus-tomer who wants to drop off a ve-hicle before the shop opens in themorning, coming back in theevening to accommodate a cus-tomer who couldnt get there be-fore closing time to pick up afinished vehicle or going to the cus-tomers house to pick up and/ordeliver a vehicle, Jay said.We go above and beyond. Wellmeet you back here. We meet yourschedule. If you dont want to usethe key drop, well come in and seeyou at 6 oclock in the morning andtake your key and your informa-tion and go from there.A shop owner isnt doing peoplea favor by being at the shop whenthey bring in a vehicle for repairs,he noted. Theyre doing you afavor by trusting you to do thework. You have to prove yourselfto them, that picking you was agood decision, because on good de-cisions theyll go tell two or threepeople. On a bad decision, theylltell everybody. Theyll tell 12 or 14people how bad you were.Jay is an equal partner in theshop in Hayesville, N.C., with hiswife, Robin, and his son,Christopher, who generally goes byhis middle name, Odin. Hayesvilleis in the westernmost part of NorthCarolinaWere tri-state, Jay said of theshops market area. Were abouttwo-tenths of a mile from theGeorgia border. Tennessee is, asthe crow flies, probably about eightmiles away. So we get a lot of workfrom Georgia and Tennessee in ad-dition to North Carolina.Besides the transmission busi-ness, the four-bay shop houses Topcontinues page 6Jay Kamrow does all the transmission rebuilding.AJC North Carolina Transmissionsand Top Dog Exhaust CenterCircle No. 9 on Reader Card6 Transmission Digestcontinues page 8Dog Exhaust, a side business thatOdin runs. It was started to sup-plement the transmission busi-ness, Jay said. We started off onthe exhaust work. It does help. Wedo a little bit of brakes, waterpumps and some other work too.But lately we havent had time forany of that. Weve just been doingstrictly transmission work.AJC represents the third andfourth generations of the Kamrowfamily auto-repair business. Jaysgrandfather, Frank, opened a shopin 1918 on the north side ofMilwaukee. Ervin Otto Kamrow,Jays father, worked with Frankand began repairing transmissionsin the same building in 1945. Thefamilys business operations even-tually occupied three-quarters of acity block.And then I worked with themin Wisconsin until we moved downto the Florida Keys and openedACMCO Transmissions, Jay said.I moved once from there, about amile down the road. It cost me$19,000 to move a mile. We hadseven bays when we had KeysTransmissions after that.Odin began working with Jaywhen he opened KeysTransmissions, and after Jays fa-ther died in 1990 Robin went towork in the shop doing R&R andthen learned to rebuild transmis-sions. She was one of the firstwomen to complete ATSGs train-ing course on transmission com-puter control, in 1991, Jay said.Between 1990 and about 2001,Robin could stand toe to toe withanybody rebuilding or doingR&R, he said. She was reallygood, but she couldnt take it. Herframe was not built for it. She wasjust wearing out, so we finallymoved her to the office.The Kamrows moved from KeyLargo to North Carolina andopened AJC in 2004. Robin mainlyworks in the office, Jay does the re-building and Odin handles R&R.The three of them share diagnosticduties.When we moved up here westopped doing the manual trans-missions, Jay said. Were stilldoing clutches, slave cylinders andthat, but weve been using remancompanies for the stick-shifts. Bythe time you rip them down, waitR&R technician Odin Kamrow is Jays son. Robin Kamrow, Jays wife, handles office functions.Inside Kamrows Service GarageKamrows Service Garage,opened in 1918 inMilwaukee by Jays grandfather, FrankKamrow, was the original location of the family business.Circle No. 17 on Reader Card8 Transmission Digestfor the parts and do everything,you can almost buy a reman forwhat you can build it for.Sometimes a remanufacturedmanual unit costs less than a usedone from a salvage yard, he noted. Having good sources of repairinformation is critical to success inthe transmission-repair businesstoday, Jay said. ATSG, trade jour-nals including Transmission Digestand the annual Showpower tradeshow and seminars are valuablesources of information, he said.It used to be in the old daysthat we only worked on about 20 ormaybe 30 units. Nowadays youhave, what, 330 of them and theyhave computers with terabyte in-formation and everything. Westand on the shoulders of giants,basically. We look good aroundhere and we get all the little ThankYou cards. Were starting our sec-ond ring binder of them.Its all the information that weget. You know, were not thesharpest knife in the drawer, butyou guys sure make us look thatway.When people from other shopsin the area call him to describe aproblem with a transmission andask him what he thinks they shoulddo, his response is, I think youshould bring it down here and letme put my computer on it so I cando a computer-to-computer inter-face, and lets get some codes out ofit.One of his concerns about the in-dustry is that relatively few youngpeople seem to be interested inworking on transmissions. Whenyou go to the shows and you lookaround, how many young peopledo you really see? You see some,but you dont see a group of 25 or30 young people hanging togethertalking. You see all the middle-ageand old people talking at theshows. I dont know whats goingto become of this business, to tellyou the truth.He believes that one reasonfewer young people are cominginto the industry is that pay hasntkept pace with the education andtraining required. Back in the olddays, they would tell you, If youdont learn and do your stuff andread and write, youre going to be-come a mechanic. Nowadays, ifyou dont come out of collegesumma cum laude you cant be atechnician. Im lucky; Ive been tak-ing baby steps and trained all thistime my whole life. If I was like 18years old, where would I start? Idhave to start at a technical collegeor something to get somewhere.Jay also doesnt understand whyso many shop owners respond to afaltering economy by loweringtheir prices. When things go badpeople start cutting their prices try-ing to get more people in the door,but now youre getting fewer peo-ple and less money, so what hap-pens?Youre not going to get rich inthis business anymore like my daddid and my grandfather did, butyou can make a good living. TDAfter the two-story building next door to KamrowsService Garage was gutted by a fire, Jays father, Ervin O. Kamrow, bought it and started a transmission-repair business there in 1945.Kamrows Filling Station was on a street corner, with thefamilys house between the station and KamrowsService Garage. Jay and his fatheropened ACMCOTransmissionsafter moving toKey Largo, Fla. Every so often, new technology comes along that completely changes the way we do things. tfo , net l g nl taathtthweewnrevEEv ellepmoccotonhcchetwtfoosyrry nihhitthhcchyllyeelteetoccoyggyolloo, net sgns egnahlaalsemo g nollo wehtthtaathtth ewyaaywpoccot nihhitthode .sgn . s t i k n o i s s i m s n a r tc x e e l b a l i a v a ,d r as e h t g n i g a m a d s t no b d n a s l a e s p i l l l a td o r t n i o to c e t r o C ni y l e v i s u l cgn i c u d o r t n I . l a e ssn o t s i p d e d n oys a e , ww, e n a e c u d ww ww T . ww. w w t i s i V . t i k l u a h r e v o d n aa r TTr y r e v e y l l a u t r i v e d i s n i l o o td r a z i W p i L w e n e h t d n l l u o YYos s t i , l l a f o t s e B . e l b a l c y c e r d n at a s r e v , e l b i x e s id r a z i W p i La r t c i c e p s n o k r o w y l n o t a h ti e v i s n e p x e g n i y u b r o l a e s p i ly r r o w o t e v a h r e gy n a t s o m l a n i s n o t sp i l s l l a t s n i e c i v e d e / m o c . c e TTe s n a r TTrte k s a gc e TTe s n ano i t a l l a t s n id. e e r f y l e t u l o s b a sel b a e s u e r , e l i teh T . s n o i s s i m s n asl o o t n o i t a l l a t s nag n i r a e t t u o b a. n o i s s i m s n a r t ydn a s l a e s eudenber A Division of Fr g-NOK eudenber i t a m r o f n i e r o m r o f d r a z i W p i LT . ww. www www t i s i V . t i k l u a h r e v o d n a 419.499.2804419.499.2502 F: : T . n o/ m o c . c e TTe s n a r TTr OH Milan, 419.499.2804 Circle No. 18 on Reader Card10 Transmission DigestHonda/AcuraThird-ClutchMysteryAs a rule, when I write about something itsfactual and definitive material with somekind of solution to the problem. This articlecontains none of those things; however, it does con-tain theories. This is in reference to the common failure of thethird clutch in Honda/Acura five-speed transaxles.When one of these vehicles comes into the shop withthird gear slipping badly you can count on the factthe third-clutch plates will be totally destroyed(Figure 1), along with its immediate componentssuch as the third-clutch return-spring retainer andthe splined washer that sits on top of it (Figure 2) andthe return-spring retainer shown in Figure 3.A number of technicians who have experienced thistype of failure seem to think that the clutch plates failfirst and then the components follow because of the321Shift PointersSubject: Third-clutch failureUnit: Honda/Acura five-speedAuthor:Pete Luban, ATSGEssential Reading: Rebuilder Shop Owner Center Manager Diagnostician R & RTECHNICALTRAININGcontinues page 12I bet my dad I could have four new distributorsin 2010. I won the bet! I can now announce #4!Certified Transmission is proud to welcome TheBlumenthal Companies in Oklahoma City, OK tothe Certified family of distributors. The CertifiedTransmission Program is unique, designedexclusively for for transmission professionals,and for professional auto & truck repair shopslooking to increase capacity, sales and profits.More than just another reman unit, Certifiedtransmissions are installed by professionals whobuild and test them and by professionalsthroughout North America.I An exclusive protected territoryI A no-fault, nationwide warranty even oncarryout unitsI 200 of your fastest moving transmissionsin stockI 5,000 more transmissions and transfer casesjust a phone call awayI A program allowing you to pay for themafter you sell themI Reduce or EVEN ELIMINATE Parts andRebuild CostsI Turn your lifts over 2 or 3 times per dayI Free use of the copyrighted proprietaryCertified Transmission Vehicle SpecificLookup ID system Show Me The CarsCallJimSlimpat800-544-7520ext.171JointheNetworkofSuccessAkron, OH Waterloo Transmission 800-824-6689Baltimore/Washington DC Glen Burnie Transmission 410-766-8500Boston, MA Metro Transmission Distributors Inc 800-891-5508Des Moines, IA All Drive Transmission 800-247-1499Dubuque, IA Precision Transmission 563-585-0270Framingham, MA Bonded Transmission 508-872-1119Ft. Dodge, IA Certified Transmission Iowa 800-362-2189Kalona, IA Kalona Auto 800-728-3098Kansas City, MO Certified Transmission Kansas City 800-544-7520Kieler, WI Shift Point Transmission 608-568-3054Madison, WI Trans Works Transmissions 608-742-5136Minneapolis, MN Tri Star Engine & Transmission 800-322-5859Manhattan, KS Stagg Hill Transmissions 785-539-2900Oklahoma City, OK The Blumenthal Companies 888-236-4800Omaha, NE Certified Transmission Nebraska 800-544-7520Philadelphia, PA Metro RMP 800-257-7418Phoenix, AZ Tri-City Transmissions 866-946-3307Prescott, AZ Certified Transmission of Prescott 928-778-2231Quad Cities IA/IL Snider's West 563-391-7534Rapid City, SD Logan's Transmission 800-579-1742Salt Lake City, UT Freeway Transmission 800-354-5920San Diego, CA Metro Certified Transmission of So. Cal 888-374-8383Scottsbluff, NE Wilburn's Transmissions Inc. 308-635-1212Sioux Falls, SD J & M Transmission 800-504-2050Tulsa, OK Eddie's Transmissions 918-272-6683Youngstown, OH/Tri -State Redlich Transmission 330-758-555The Blumenthal Companies have been in business since1949. Since my grandfather I.H. Blumenthal started ourcompanies we have specialized in all things related tothe drive train, engines, clutches, differentials, manualand automatic transmissions. Grandad always lookedfor the finest companies to partner with. My father, I.H.Dunnie Blumenthal Jr. said Kevin, I want you to get usCertified Transmission!Kevin BlumenthalPresidentBlumenthal Companieswww.certifiedtransmission.comW A N T N E W R E V E N U E F O R Y O U R B U S I N E S S ?Peter andAmanda FinkCertified TransmissionDad IDidIt!IwintheBet! 4NewDistributors!PARTNERSHIPPRODUCTIVITYPROFITABILITYCircle No. 1 on Reader Cardheat generated by the severely slipping clutch plates.If you look at the clutch piston in Figure 4 its obvi-ous from the metal deposits on the piston returnspring (Figure 5) that it has been spinning around.The return spring that came out of this drum is se-verely heat stressed, and its pretty evident wherethose metal deposits on top of the clutch piston camefrom. When comparing the damaged spring and anew spring, you can see a considerable height differ-ence (Figure 6).Once this spring shrinks, all the related compo-nents start spinning around, and self-destruction isimminent. The mystery is, what is causing the third-clutchfailure to begin with? Is it linear-solenoid mechanicalfailure, leaking CPC-valve bore plugs, leaking feed-tube bushings or a malfunctioning third-clutch pres-sure switch?One thing I can tell you after speaking with somevery experienced Honda/Acura-only technicians, thepressure switches (Figure 7) in these transaxles arecrucial to proper operation. These volume rebuildersnever re-use them; they can become lazy in operationand will affect the function of switching from clutchpressure during the shift and then to line pressure ingear to ensure proper clutch-pack clamping force.Some technicians will install a different-color pres-sure switch from the one originally installed becausethats what they had or could get. One thing theHonda technicians agree on is, Dont Do That!There is a 5-psi difference between the variouspressure switches, and they should not be inter-changed. Five psi is enough of a difference to preventthe clutch-pressure to line-pressure switching func-tion from operating properly, which could result ininadequate clamping force for the clutch pack.Its the old story: Put back what you took out! Ifyou took out a green pressure switch, put back agreen pressure switch. The beige switch is rated at 27psi, both the black and the gray switches are rated at33 psi and the green pressure switch is rated at 38 psi.If anyone out there has a definitive answer to thismystery I would be glad to hear it; in the meantimethe research continues. TD4567Third-clutch pressure switchShift PointersTransmission Digest 12Circle No. 8 on Reader Card14 Transmission DigestIcan tell the customer with 100% truthfulnessthat if anything at all goes wrong, Im going toget it fixed for you or get you another transmis-sion, says Gary Gross Jr., who operatesComputech Auto Care (formerly ComputechTransmissions) in Norwalk, Conn. Gary explainswhy he has converted the transmission shop his fa-ther founded into a general auto-care facility thatexclusively serves its transmission customers withunits from Jasper Engines and Transmissions (seeReman Dollars & Sense on next page).Craig Leuck is Jaspers transmission-divisionmanager at the companys main plant in Jasper,Ind. Were working overtime now to keep upwith demand, as we are selling between 280 and300 units a day, he observes. Were busy.Leucks responsibility includes about 30 typesof transmissions that Jasper remanufactures, in-cluding 4L60, 4L80-E, FWD GM, TH 180, Fordfront- and rear-wheel-drive units, Chrysler,Allison and lower-volume units that includeCD4E, AW4, Jatco and more.After units are built, theyre sent to the dynos for thorough performancetesting prior to being detailed, painted and bagged for shipment.Craig Leuck, Jasper facility Transmission Division managerApril 2011 15Cellular manufacturing, referred to as pods, hasbeen central to the success of Jaspers line, Leuck says.A typical pod consists of four or five Jasper Associateswho concentrate on a specific transmission or a specif-ic group of related transmission units.Were currently bringing the 6L80 and 6L90 unitsonline, he continues. Since the 6L80 and 6L90 sharemany common parts, it made sense to keep those to-gether at one facility. Thus, those are going to be upand running in the near future at the Crawfordplant.The main plant includes the Authentics pod, devot-ed to handling the rare or antique seldom-built units.The Authentic Area has been staffed by long-termAssociates, some with as many as 30-plus years of ex-perience. It is currently staffed by two Associates witha combined 55 years of experience. Bob Goodman is a22-year veteran, and Dave Rasche has been with thecompany for 33 years.Mark Balsmeyer is Leucks counterpart at theCrawford location. His teams are responsible mostlyGary Gross is one customer to whom Jasperpoints as a success story. His fathers shop inNorwalk, Conn., used to be a transmission specialty operation that rebuilt everything that came through the bay doors. Gross saysconverting to an installation approach to transmissions was an arduous and often argumentative process within the family.The results speak for themselves, he says.Ive installed 50 or 60 Jasper transmissionunits since August 2010 with a zero comebackrate. Thats 60 customers, out the door, withzero complaints. In the old days, that wasnthappening for us, because I dont care howgood your builder is you dont get 60 rebuildswithout a comeback.Another former rebuilder turned Jasperinstaller is Dale Armentrout, who has operatedATRS Transmission near Harrisonburg, Va., for 31 years.Our first experience came in 1998, when wepurchased a Jasper unit from the local Forddealership. Over time we decided to beginbuying those units directly from Jasper.It seems that most of the time, we can getthe job out quicker with a reman unit thanwe could when we were rebuilding each unit.And, the three-year, 100,000-mile warranty isan important part of what Jasper provides.Selling the Jasper units, Gross adds, hasremoved the fear factor. We know that wecan deliver satisfaction to our customerbecause theres a technical department totalk us through any installation issue, and worst-case scenario theyll send me areplacement unit.We can and do tell the customer with100% truthfulness that if anything at all goeswrong, it is going to get fixed or well getyou another transmission. Selling is easierwith confidence. I know that Im going tomake a certain amount of money from thejob and I know that the customer will be satisfied.Reman Dollars & SenseTypically several PODs work on a common family oftransmissions. Within the three- to five-person POD, theunits are disassembled, cleaned and inspected.Replacement parts are ordered, as needed, and then the unit is reassembled and tested.Crawford facility Transmission General Manager MarkBalsmeyer in the DOJO area. New employees are trained by this hands-on method learned from Japanese companies.16 Transmission Digestfor higher-volume remanufactured units includingE4OD, 4R100, 5R110, 4R70W, 4R75W, AOD, AODE,C6, 4L60, 4L60-E, 4L65-E, 3L80, AW450 and variousstandards including the NV4500. Transfer-case podsinclude New Process 246 and 261 and soon will growto include the 263 models as well.Our megapod, Balsmeyer explains, remanufac-tures the E4OD, 4R100 and 5R110. It is a combinationof an assembly structure and the cellular structurethat you find in the pods. It provides us with a lot offlexibility. We can put more resources, more manpow-er into that system to produce more units when de-mand goes up. We can also lower the production fromthat system by pulling resources away to help in otherareas without affecting anything other than the quan-tity of units coming outof the pod.When that pod isrunning at full capacity,there are 17 Associatesworking there, and thatcan be reduced to as fewas 10. This allows us toadjust our output any-where from 44 to 24units per day. In the fu-ture, we will use themegapod structure tohandle the AOD andAODE groups as well.The megapod was developed and has been suc-cessful in responding to fluctuations of customer de-mand for relatively high-volume units. Before, wedidnt necessarily have all the resources we needed atpeak times. Through the layout or system that we callthe megapod, were able to answer the call and pro-duce the number of units we need to serve the cus-tomer.Balsmeyers Crawford Transmission Division wasawarded the Jasper Manufacturing Division of theYear award for 2010. He credits the entire team:Weve got great folks who look forward to the chal-lenge of doing things differently and better.Nine criteria for improving safety, quality, produc-tivity and profit are used to measure the variousJasper divisions, Balsmeyer observes. Our qualityhas probably been the number one focus. Weve driv-en down our warranty claims tremendously over thepast several years. This isnt something that we didDirector of marketing,Tom SchraderOriginally, the Crawford facility was constructed to serve as a receiving, cleaning, disassembly, inventory and shipping operation.As the company grew, the facility was converted to remanufacturetransmissions. This was the birthplace of the POD concept that nowdominates Jaspers remanufacturing process.The Crawford facilitys transmissions team was recentlyrecognized as Jaspers Division of the Year.Each step of the assembly process requiresvisual inspection; many require exacting tolerances to assure reliability of the remanufactured unit.April 2011 17last year; rather, it was the result of a number ofthings coming together, things wed worked on insome cases for many years.Constant improvement of processes is somethingJasper takes seriously, borrowing procedures andideas from successful Japanese manufacturers mostnotably, the Toyota Production System (TPS). JasperProduction System, JPS, says Leuck, allows us totransport learning from one operation to another.What we learn in transmission can often be somethingthat will improve the engine operation.Leuck and others describe the improvementprocess as the journey. Central to the concept, hesays, is to go see it. It isnt at all rare to observesomething and realize that what you think is happen-ing isnt what actually is happening. Our people arevery resilient. If they encounter a problem they cantsolve, theyll work around that problem. Thats astrength of itself, but it means that they are coming upwith procedures that arent what we may have imag-ined.Right now we appear to be functioning much thesame but we still are looking for improvements. Whenwe first started the journey of improvement, it wasvery easy to find inefficiencies. Now, as we apply theobservation method that is the first step towardachieving the improvement, we find it more of a chal-lenge to find improvements. When we first started theprocess seven or eight years ago, we were able to spot20- or 30-minute time improvements in a pod. Today,after going through the process multiple times, werelooking at improvements in terms of a minute or evenof several seconds.Tom Schrader, Jaspers head of marketing, makesthe point that no matter what job an Associate may beassigned, he is serving the companys customers. Webuild engines and transmissions but our business iscustomer service, he says.Schrader notes that the companys customer-serv-ice and sales efforts tend to complement one another.Its a team environment, he says. While the toll-freenumber may be booking an order, the field-salesAssociates take the responsibility for building rela-tionships with the customers in a local area.And, Schrader notes, we have Jim Davenport,who is out, nearly full time, putting on seminars thatconcentrate on diagnostic and installation techniques.Those seminars are not the typical company eventsthat are more sales pitch than how to accomplishsomething.For the professional transmission shop, we striveto remove the thought that we are somehow competi-tors. What we provide is a transmission that can be in-stalled with total confidence. Most important, shopscan make money installing Jasper units.Concluding, Leuck observes that there is an ironiccircular property to the continuous improvementsthat come from the application of the JPS.In my 17 years here, Ive seen this departmentturn itself over in physical appearance several times.The pod concept, when you stop and think about it, isreturning us to our roots, back in the 1940s.When we started, we had a small group of peoplewho did everything themselves. They disassembled,cleaned parts, remanufactured the units and testedthem. Thats exactly what were accomplishing withthe pods. Weve improved full circle to arrive atsomething very similar to that once again.TDThe conveyer moves a freshly paintedand dried transmission. Within hoursthe transmission will be on its way toone of Jaspers regional facilities orto a customers shop.Dave Brames, a 25-year veteran, issues the final production number to each transmission and prints all installation instructions and tips for the customer prior to sending the unit to its final destination.18 Transmission DigestQuick Study: Transmission Filters Differ InternallyIts not unusual to find OE sup-pliers making a case that the af-termarket would be betterserved using OE-engineered com-ponents. However, says KeithWalker, Filtran LLC GlobalAftermarket vice president of salesand marketing, I dont recall thereever before being as great a differ-ence in products that look alike onthe outside but are functionallyquite different inside.At Filtrans suburban-Chicagoheadquarters, Walker; Brett Wall,Filtran president; and JohnEleftherakis, vice president ofGlobal Technology, are summariz-ing the engineered capabilities offilters that, in a single enclosure,contain not only a sump filter butalso the benefits of a pressure filterto remove small particles.Wall explains that the aftermar-ket is accustomed to putting a felt-media filter in at service or rebuildtime. This, he said, likely wouldhave worked 10 years ago, but thatno longer is the case.We have seen the filtration re-quirements increase dramaticallyduring the past decade. Smallercontaminants that used to just floataround without harming the trans-mission are now causing valve-body problems because of thetighter tolerances found there.And, Eleftherakis says, Theparticulates that can cause a prob-lem in late-model, advanced unitsare very small when compared tothose allowed in the filtration stan-dards of just a few years ago.We are developing solutions inan environment that requires threemajor filtration standards: thestartup performance typically con-cerned with viscosity of the fluid;the steady-state performance; and,due to the long-term warrantiesbeing offered, the durability orservice life over which the filterwill perform its full range of func-tion. The latter two standards areconcerned with capturing andholding particles.Out of necessity, we have de-veloped filters for OE use that havetwo layers of different filter mediainside, each with a specific job todo. The purpose of this approach isto combine, in a single enclosure, asump filter along with the benefitsof a pressure filter.The Filtran team notes that thesecombination filters simultaneouslyperform the function of the tradi-tional sump filter, inline or spin-onfilter, and new cartridge-style pres-sure filters. At the same time thecorrect pressure is maintained toensure that proper shifting takesplace, they emphasize. TDKeith WalkerBrett Wall John EleftherakisCircle No. 6 on Reader Card20 Transmission DigestTwo Ears, One MouthHumans and most animalsare endowed with two earsand only one mouth.Although some people can talk outof both sides of their mouths at thesame time, the proper ratio forsalespeople, negotiators and mostothers in business or the profes-sions is 2-1 listening twice asmuch as we speak. It only makessense; if we listen more and talkless we can take in valuable infor-mation that we can use to get theother party to do what we need. Ifwere too busy trying to get ourpoints across instead of listening totheirs we will miss the clues thatcould give us the outcome wewant. Every sentence is a clue. Whencustomers make comments theyare opening doors and windowsfor us to go through. They mightmention something about the car what it has been costing them, howvaluable it is to them, how longthey are planning to keep it or howmuch they think they would bewilling to put into it. They mightopen up to you about their finan-cial or family situation. Whateverthey tell you is a clue. At somepoint when you have enough cluesyou can put them all together andoffer a solution that will providethe proper outcome for all con-cerned.When we talk instead of listen,often not-too-bright things comeout of our mouths. Case in point:The other day while monitoring aservice adviser I heard him tell acustomer a price and immediatelyfollow it up in the same breathwith, If you think thats too muchIll find a way to do it cheaper.The customer hadnt said no to theasking price and never indicated inany way that he wouldnt pay it. Ifthe service adviser had onlystopped talking after he quoted theprice and waited for the customerto respond he might have sold thejob at full price, but he didnt.Why did his mouth keep goinglong after his brain stopped trans-mitting? It could be lack of trainingor not understanding why it is soimportant to the bottom line to getthe price youve already figuredout is profitable. More than likelythough, its fear; the fear of losingthe job for price.A growing number of cus-tomers, of late, have been doingquite a job of beating up our indus-trys service advisers over price,just as they have when they dealwith other businesses with whichthey believe they have some nego-tiating room. They are trying tosave money wherever they thinkthey can control spending becausethere are too many costs they cantcontrol. Gasoline, property taxesand food lead the list of costs thathave dramatically increased andcant be controlled by individuals,so they look to save in other areas.We cannot allow their desire tosave to put us in a position inwhich we will lose. We cant giveour work away when our costs areincreasing every day. Therefore, itis critical that we sell every job wecan and at profitable prices. To dothat we need to concentrate moreon the sale thats directly in frontof us. All our attention needs to befocused on exactly what that cus-tomer is saying. If we can see thecustomer, even better.Communication has a lot to dowith what we can see on the otherpersons face and their body lan-guage. We cant see any of that onthe telephone. Telephone conver-sations, in fact, are usually veryshort and to the point, not leavinga whole lot of time for reading theother person to get a good feel forwhat they are thinking. Face-to-face encounters take more time.They give us the chance to makemore small talk, ask more ques-tions and focus more on their an-swers while reading theirexpressions and movements.Often in our haste to sell a jobwe think that the quicker we getrid of the customer by playingcapture the car and send him orher somewhere else the betterour chance of making the sale.Although its true that there is usu-ally a psychological advantage toSubject: Listening to your customerAuthor:Terry Greenhut,Transmission DigestBusiness EditorEssential Reading: Rebuilder Shop Owner Center Manager Diagnostician R & RIts Your BusinessBusiness TRAININGcontinues page 22Circle No. 3 on Reader Cardseparating the customer from thecar, be careful not to do it tooquickly. Be sure to get all the infor-mation you need and show thevalue in doing business with youbefore you try to take the vehicleaway; otherwise, they might be-lieve you are rushing them into asale, and it could backfire on you.If the customer is at the shop, keephim or her there until everyone iscomfortable with each other. Findout their background, if you can,and tell them as much about yoursas you think will benefit the sale.Dont talk too much about your-self, though. You dont want tosound as though youre braggingabout your own personal abilitiesor those of the shop. Ask questionsthat get them to open up abouttheir situation, then plug your ownappropriate stories into the conver-sation. Tell them about others youhave helped who were in the samesituation as they are or a worseone.You have to build a high level oftrust before separating the cus-tomer from the car, because whenyou finally call back with the diag-nosis and the price, you want it tobe a foregone conclusion that theywill be going ahead with the re-pairs or services. You dont wantto have to try to establish that trustat the same time you are quoting aprice. If you havent alreadygained their trust by that time, anyprice you quote will be more thanthey want to pay you; then the bat-tle begins.Want to get people talkingabout their financial situation? Itseasy; just mention the fact thatgasoline has gone up by 75 cents agallon in the past few months andwait for the reaction. Youll hearsome folks get downright emotion-al about it. That can lead into otherfinancial issues that you can steeraround to them and their car.There seem to be two schools ofthought about dealing with newcustomers. One states that you govery easy on them the first timethey come in to avoid scaring themoff by making them think you aretrying to sell them too much. Indoing that, you dont sell themeverything at once, even if theyneed it. You put faith in the ideathat they will like you and comeback if you ease them into doingbusiness with you. In those cir-cumstances service advisers oftendont tell customers about every-thing they have found for fear ofscaring them away. The danger in-volved with that is that the cus-tomer may not come back formore, so if you sell only a small jobas bait you may never get the big-ger job you were looking for. Thentoo, if you dont report everythingthey need and they break down orworse, you are the bad guy andyou lose them forever. Another school of thought isthat you do a full inspection of thevehicle and sell them everything atthe same time repairs and servic-es. You take your best shot and ei-ther totally get them or completelylose them. The problem with that,other than the obvious ones, is thatof buyers remorse. After theyvesaid yes or even after the work isdone and paid for they start to feelas though theyve been taken for aride. In that instance, yes, youvemade your big sale but you haventmade a customer. The likelihood isthey wont be back or give you agood recommendation.Actually, theres a third school,and thats where the solution lies.In that one you inspect to findeverything they need, you ques-tion to learn how they feel aboutthe car and about putting a fairamount of money into it, and thenyou make recommendations basedon the answers. You report every-thing so they can never say theywerent told; you make it all avail-able to them if they are ready tobuy it, but you dont try to shove itall down their throats. They mighttell you to go ahead and do it all.They might say they cant afford itall right now, in which case youwould prioritize, suggesting withurgency that critical and safety-re-lated repairs be done now but thatother service-related items be post-poned. That way you are sellingthe bulk of the important work,they dont feel as though you aretrying to sell them everything, andyou are setting them up for futureservices.The third scenario works well. Itallows you to sell the big, prof-itable work while keeping the cus-tomer as a regular. One keyelement, though: If there are itemsleft on the list, do everything youcan to set up an appointment fortheir next visit when they come topick up the car and before theyleave the shop. That is when theyare most focused on the car and theremainder of the necessary repairsand services. You may think youcan get them back in later withservice reminders and phone calls,but once they leave, all of lifesother challenges kick in and the cardrops down on their priority list.Get the appointment for nextmonth, then call to confirm it aweek before. People generally keepthe appointments they make; its amatter of commitment.Careful listening and speakingonly after formulating your bestanswer will help make you the bestauto-service salesperson you canbe. In these challenging times Terry wants everyone tohave a copy of his 450-page book, How to Marketand Sell Automotive and Transmission Service andRepair. For only $98.32 you will receive two copiesof the industry textbook that will teach you all thetechniques necessary to make profitable sales andretain your customers for future business. Keep oneand give the other to an employee, a competitor orperhaps that account youve been trying to land orthank for their business. As a bonus (free of charge)you will also receive Terrys $ales Help Screenscomputer software to use as a training aid or whenyou need instant answers to your customers tough-est price objections (may not be compatible with thenew 64-bit computers running Windows 7).Ordering will also make you eligible to buy addition-al copies of the book at only $49.16 each. Pleasecall 1-800-451-2872 or visitwww.TerryGreenhut.com to order any of Terrystraining materials or take your 20-question self- andbusiness-evaluation test. Although no one can seethe results but you, its a real eye opener.TDIts Your BusinessTransmission Digest 22Since 1959USED PARTS INVENTORY SPECIALISTSHard PartsKitsTorque ConvertersWe are the REAL Transmission People1155 N. McKinley AveLos Angeles, CA 90059For quick, effective and direct delivery service, call TOLL FREE today!1-866-EVT PARTS(866-388-7278)e-mail: evtparts8825@netscape.netSe habla EspaolAlways Have,Always Do,Always Will.EVT Delivers Quality Parts For Quality Rebuilds:Import, Domestic, 1950 - Present DayAlways Have,Always Do,Always Will.EVT Delivers Quality Parts For Quality Rebuilds:Import, Domestic, 1950 - Present DayAlways Have,Always Do,Always Will.EVT Delivers Quality Parts For Quality Rebuilds:Import, Domestic, 1950 - Present DayCircle No. 5 on Reader Card24 Transmission DigestIn this day and age of technolo-gy, most of the problems mo-torists encounter can be foundon a fix database somewhere.The more everyone relies on thesefixes, however, the less we techni-cians are needed to troubleshootproblems. Technicians are not theonly ones looking for fixes on theInternet. Do-it-yourselfers, aswell as many car owners who arecaught in the current economiccrunch, are finding their own solu-tions on the Internet with simpleGoogle searches.The fixes that arent found forfree with a search engine can behad for a fee at several of the popu-lar find-a-fix websites.Fortunately, though, there is abright side to the pervasive paradeof technological advances.Manufacturers engineers in aneffort to comply with the EPAsconstantly tightening OBD-II man-dates have inadvertently madethe sometimes-simple problemseem technologically too difficultfor the average do-it-yourselfer tosolve.Take, for example, any code thatuses heated oxygen sensor (HO2S)in its description to point to a prob-lem with long-term fuel trim(LTFT) reaching its upper or lowerlimit. Many times, a potential cus-tomer will get a Fix my malfunc-tion indicator lamp (MIL) requestnear the top of his weekendHoney Do list. Off he goes earlyin the morning to the local partschain store after picking up hisfavorite watch the game withbeverage to get his codes read forfree (which most of the parts chainswill do). If he gets a couple of themore-common codes say, in theP0171 through P0175 range likelyas not hell go home with a clearedcomputer and a new HO2sensor.The store guys know that once thecomputer is cleared it may be daysor even weeks before the monitorswill pick up on the malfunction,depending on a multitude of fac-tors. By then any number of otherthings can turn the light back on.The car is parked in the drive-way. He takes a cursory glanceunder the hood and the undersideof his spouses SUV. The culprit isquickly spotted, screwed into theexhaust pipe. Looks easy enough,he thinks to himself. He gets hiscrescent wrench and manages tobreak the sensor loose from thepipe. A little more difficulty is en-countered getting the plug endloose. He gets the O2sensorscrewed in tight and didnt evenspill anything. Its then that he real-izes that the plug is different. Thisis upsetting.A beverage or two later, outcomes the plug. He screws the oldsensor in finger tight just to plugthe hole in the exhaust so as not toattract any unneeded attention. Noneed to plug it in since its shotanyway. Off he goes back to theparts store with a new attitude, andguess what. The MIL is back on be-fore he gets out of the driveway. Itseems that the comprehensive com-ponent monitor has done an excel-lent job of spotting the open inHO2S circuit for B1S2 suspendingsome of the other monitoring.Standing in line now at the partsstore with gears turning, foot tap-ping and eyeballs rolling over theNo returns on electrical partssign, he hears Next and walksdown the counter to the open cubi-cle. He goes into the But you guysgave me the wrong part speech hehad rehearsed in his mind whilewaiting in line, and the counter guygrabs the code checker. Sureenough, he has a hard code forB1S2 O2-sensor heater circuit.Grinning like the Grinch, heleaves with another O2sensor; thisone was even a little cheaper. Back in the driveway now withthe door of the vehicle open so hecan hear the game playing on theSUVs radio, he gets the new O2sensor in and plugged up. His wifemeets him at the door with somedish soap and a bucket of water sohe doesnt track up the kitchenfloor and grease up her sink again.He dries his hands on the worn col-lege sweatshirt he put on to listento the game in and gets in the car totest-drive it. He turns the key overand the starter just clicks. Hewould turn the key off and let it sita minute, but he doesnt want to2011 AutoInc.Tech To TechSubject: Codes involving the heatedoxygen sensorAuthor:Jeff BachEssential Reading: Rebuilder Shop Owner Center Manager Diagnostician R & RTECHNICALTRAININGNot Always EasyDriveway FixesNot Always EasyEven for the most-skilled technician, do-it-yourself fixes are not always as simple as they seemcontinues page 26Circle No. 99 on Reader Cardmiss any of The Game. The bat-tery is still strong enough to playthe radio after all. With his workcar now pulled up beside his wifesSUV, he gets her jumper cables outof her emergency kit. With bothhoods lifted, he starts his car forextra power and makes the connec-tions.He gets a good spark from herbattery as he tests for good connec-tion with the cable end when hemakes the last contact. He gets inthe SUV and gives the key a turn.The engine cranks over and overnicely but refuses to start. He triesa few more times, each time crank-ing until the battery is too weak tocrank. Frustrated, he now getsmore refreshment. Finally, he de-livers the bad news to his wife thatthe parts store gave him anotherbad sensor and now her car wonteven start. A meeting of the minds occursand its decided that she wouldbetter be able to convince the parts-store guys to give her another newsensor while he stays home andgoes to item No. 2 on his list: Cleanleaves out of the gutter. Skip ahead to the phone callwith the results of our testing.Wait a minute; explain it to myhusband; hes the smart one whenit comes to cars, the spouse says.Parts store: What we found isthat you need a new battery be-cause yours is not passing a loadtest. You need an oil change be-cause there is too much fuel in itfrom possibly cranking the car toomany times with fouled plugs. Theplugs need to be changed. Yourelectronic control unit (ECU) needsto be replaced, and we have to re-program the new one to your vehi-cle identification number (VIN).The ECU is the reason why the caris not starting. Once we get the carto run, there may be additionalproblems that we cant determineuntil we get that far.The OK was given after somediscussion with the familys chair-man of the board. The next conversation I had gaveme the feeling of skating on thinice. I was thinking, Here it comes;now what? Shop: Well, after driving it untilthe system monitors ran, I discov-ered that your mass-air-flow(MAF) sensor is putting out askewed signal causing some leanO2codes. Now, we may be able toclean the mass-air-flow sensor andfix that problem, but I cant guaran-tee that it will work. There is also acode for the Bank 1 sensor, which Ican see is a new sensor but wehavent had much luck replacingthem on this vehicle with anythingbut a dealer sensor that costs quitea bit more than the one thats in it.Can you get your money back fromthe parts store where you got thatone?Wrong question! Which bringsus to the real question: Which isworse a DUI or a dislocatedshoulder? Jeff Bach is the owner of CRT Auto Electronics, anASA-member shop in Batavia, Ohio. For moreinformation on this topic, contact Bach at 515-732-3965. His e-mail address is jnabach@cur-rentprobe.com and his Web site is www.current-probe.com.This copyrighted article is reprinted with the per-mission of AutoInc., the official publication of theAutomotive Service Association (ASA). To learnmore about ASA and its commitment to independ-ent automotive-service and repair professionals,visit www.ASAshop.org or call 800-272-7467.TDTech To TechTransmission Digest 26Jasper RemanufacturedTransfer CasesWhen you need to replace the transfer case in a customers truck or SUV, consider the quality, value and reputation of Jasper Engines &Transmissions. Jasper has been servingthe needs of drivers since 1942. We arecontinually improving our processes tobuild even greater quality and value intothe products we build for your cus-tomers cars, trucks, vans and SUVs.We offer all available models forChrysler, Ford, GM and Jeep applica-tions from such manufacturers as NewProcess, New Venture and BorgWarner.Jasper remanufactured transfer casesare precision built to provide the quality,value and performance characteristicsthat meet or exceed those of the original manufacturer.Jasper assures the quality of eachremanufactured transfer case throughsuch procedures as 100% case inspection for cracks, stripped threadsand internal wear; thorough inspectionof all internal parts, including mainshaftstraightness; 100% clutch torque test-ing; water immersion and pressure test-ing to assure there are no leaks in thecase; and spin testing of every unit forshift-ability assurance and noise detec-tion.Most popular units are in stock. Best of all, our remanufactured transfercases come with our 3 Year/100,000Mile Nationwide Transferable Warranty.Off-road applications are covered by our18 Month/100,000 Mile Warranty.800-827-7455www.jasperengines.comGold Sponsors:Plant tour: Friday, May 13Technical presentation and plant tour at the Borg-Warner plant in Bellwood, a suburb of Chicago. Seminar: Saturday, May 14The Saturday, May 14 classroom format seminar will feature presentations by industry experts, vendor representatives and technical organization speakers. A sit-down luncheon and coffee breaks will be provided at the seminar and included in the fee.Host Hotel:Renaissance Chicago OHare Suites Hotel8500 West Bryn Mawr AvenueChicago, Illinois 60631 USAArrangements can be made directly with Marriott reservations at (800) 468-3571 or (773) 380-9600.Room rates: $99. plus taxWhen booking, reference TCRA to get thereduced rate.Seminar fee: Includes bus to Borg Warner Tour. Lunch will be provided, courtesy of Sonnax.There will be a cash cocktail reception on Saturday.Tuition / Fee:Members first attendee:$250Members subsequent attendees:$150Non-members $295Sign up:Call Len Wack at 973-293-8925 or email atlenw@embarqmail.comBecome a TCRA member and save onregistration!Visit www.tcraonline.com for more information on membership!Platinum Sponsors:BorgWarner and Sonnax have announced they will beco-hosting the 2011 TCRA Seminar weekend in ChicagoCircle No. 23 on Reader Card28 Transmission DigestAActBalancingHere in the United Statesthere is a four-speed, com-puter-controlled automatictransmission called the RC4A-ELor the JR405E (Figure 1), used inMazdas RX8 vehicle from 2003 to2006. According to year-end salesreports provided by AutomotiveNews, about 60,000 of these carswere sold and are on the roadtoday. So chances are one mayshow up in your shop for repairs. There is very little informationwritten about this transmissionconcerning the valve body and itsassociated hydraulic operations.For this reason ATSG has pro-duced a Technician Guide that pro-vides extensive informationincluding valve-body mappingand a complete set of hydraulics.In the process of developing thisguide, we discovered a uniqueway in which this unit controls1Subject: Operation of high-clutch amplifier valveUnit: RC4A-EL/JR405EAuthor:Wayne Colonna, ATSGTransmission DigestTechnical EditorEssential Reading: Rebuilder Shop Owner Center Manager Diagnostician R & RTechnically SpeakingTECHNICALTRAINING2123451. Manual valve2. Shift solenoid C accumulator3. High-clutch amplifier valve4. 2-4-clutch amplifier valve5. TCC control valve3Regulated linepressure to valve body in the Drive positionRegulated linepressure tomanual valveRegulated line pressure from manual valvedirectly to high-clutch amplifier valveclutch application. The high-clutchamplifier valve in the upper valvebody (Figure 2) serves as a perfectexample.This valve is fed with line pres-sure directly from the manualvalve (Figure 3) as soon as theDrive range is selected. April 2011 29This is when and where one ofthe balancing acts that occur in thevalve body begins. The high clutchis off in 1st and 2nd gears and isapplied in 3rd and 4th. Shift sole-noid C is used to stroke this high-clutch amplifier valve. This is aduty-cycle-type solenoid (50Hz)that is normally applied, meaningthat when the duty cycle is highthe clutch is off and when the dutycycle is low the clutch is on. Putting these parameters togeth-er, Figure 4 is a partial hydraulicschematic of what this looks like inDrive 1st and 2nd gears.Regulated line pressure from**xxHigh ClutchAmplifier Valve(.033)P/NRD4**xx(.033)5High clutchManualvalveRegulated linepressureShift solenoid CaccumulatorSSC - High(duty cycle high P, R, N, D 1st & 2nd)To checkball,pressure switchand high/LRsequence valveHigh-clutchamplifier valveHigh-clutchamplifier valveTo high clutchN.A.Highcontinues next page30 Transmission DigestTechnically Speaking Technically Speakingthe manual valve goes directly tothe high clutch amplifier valve,where it then is directed to thehigh-clutch apply passage. But it isalso routed to the back end of thevalve through a 0.033-inch orifice.This closes the line-pressure feedto the valve while opening theapply path to an exhaust. Thespring on the valve weighs only acouple of ounces but apparentlyhas enough tension to close thevalve, which again opens the line-pressure feed to the apply pathand the cycle repeats itself (Figure5). This balancing act between feedand exhaust seems to provide pre-fill clutch pressure so that when**xxHigh ClutchAmplifier Valve(.033)P/NRD6High clutchManualvalveRegulated linepressureShift solenoid CaccumulatorSSC - High (duty cycle low D 3rd & 4th)To checkball,pressure switchand high/LRsequence valveHigh-clutchamplifier valvethe circuit is actually charged(Figure 6), the clutch applies soon-er since it does not have to fill adry apply passage.Several obvious conditions mustbe met for this balancing act towork properly; otherwise, the highclutch could apply prematurely.The clutch circuit is monitored by apressure switch rated at 57-71 psi,which is high enough to allow less-er pressure to be present withoutnotifying the computer. For exam-ple, 10 to 15 psi is well below thepressure-switch rating but couldeasily drag the clutch in 1st and2nd, taking it out in a relativelyshort time. So if one of these units finds itsway into your shop with high-clutch failure, be sure to check theintegrity of this valve lineup (boreplug, valve bore etc.) and the me-chanical operation of the solenoidand pressure switch. There is alow-clutch and 2-4-clutch amplifiervalve that functions in this samemanner, so if either of these clutchassemblies has failed, you wouldneed to make the same inspectionof their respective circuits. Many thanks to Seth and the good folks at AAC-TION Transmissions in Miami for the use of thistransmission TDN.A.HighApril 2011 31Mopar is introducing an expanded line of trans-mission rebuild kits to complement its offer-ing of remanufactured transmissions. Wevebeen actively engaged with our supply partners andengineering groups, developing products to keepthose Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge and Ram vehicles on theroads, said Kathy Wideman, who heads up theChrysler Groups Mopar Repair/Reman team.Widemans comments came during a teleconferencewith Transmission Digest that included members of theChrysler/Mopar marketing, distribution and engineer-ing teams.Mike Fisher, transmission product-line manager,says there are three progressions of rebuild kits foreach unit included in the line: a basic overhaul kit con-taining gaskets, seals, O-rings, filter etc.; a banner kitthat adds frictions; and a master kit that adds both fric-tions and steels. Fisher added that Mopar uses a smartpart numbering structure making it easy for rebuildersto specify the right Mopar kit for each rebuild.All three variations of the kits are boxed and nowavailable through Mopar local vehicle dealerships rep-resenting Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep or Ram. Dealers and Mopar understand that the majority ofthe 25+ million Dodge, Chrysler, Jeep and Ram vehi-cles in operation today, whose average age is nowgreater than 10 years, are serviced at independent re-pair facilities and national installers, Fisher said.You can expect great service at a competitive pricefrom our dealers.In addition to already available sin-gle kits, Mopar is adding new kits toaddress recently launched transmis-sions. Mopar also offers a bulk kit toserve the needs of volume rebuildersand is actively expanding this line aswell.Former Chrysler transmission engi-neer Lou Darling is now a consultantwho has provided input during thedevelopment of the kit line. Darlingexplained that OE-engineered meansthat component upgrades, such as useof better materials, have occurred andthat these updates have been includedin the kit. He said an example wouldbe an original butyl rubber seal thathas been replaced by Chrysler with alike seal constructed from Viton.Fisher concluded by explaining thatthis line of kits features a bill of mate-rials with 100% OE components to ef-fectively complete the job as opposedto some traditional dealership kitsthat left quite a few required overhaulcomponents to be ordered separately.With the Chrysler rebuild kits, youget all the parts you need and none ofthe parts you dont need.A 2011 catalog and an applicationchart are available from the compa-nys Web site, www.moparrepaircon-nection.com.TDAutomatic Transmission Rebuild KitsMopar/Chrysler Releases Line of OETransmission Rebuild Kits32 Transmission DigestOverall-Height Issues and Pump-Gear Problems 4L60-E, 300mm converter, 4.2L engine, code VJCX Some GM vehicles with 4L60-Etransmissions and 300-mil-limeter converters are experi-encing higher-than-normalpump-gear failures. Affected vehi-cles are 2002-2003 Bravada, Envoyand Trailblazer (Dacco B-85 VJCX)equipped with the 4.2L engine. Aneasy way to identify this converteris that it is the only GM 300mmunit whose impeller overlaps thefront cover rather than vice versa. One possible cause of pump-gear failure could be insufficientengagement of the impeller drivehub into the pump gear due to ex-cessive stab depth. Stab-depthmeasurement can be used as amethod to evaluate a hubs en-gagement into the pump gear. Tocheck the stab depth of a convert-er, bolt the transmission to the en-gine and push the converter intothe pump until the converter driveslot bottoms on the lugs of thepump gear. Once its in place,measure the gap between the flexplate and the mounting pads ofthe converter. This measurementshould be a minimum of 0.125 inchto avoid damaging or destroyingthe pump but not more than 0.250inch to prevent pump-gear failure.If you have only the converter anddo not have access to the vehicle,you can get a rough idea of thestab depth by measuring the dis-tance from the witness marks of2 1Sonnax 2011Torque Converter Tech TipsSubject: Pump-gear failureUnit: 4L60-E with 300mm converterVehicle Applications: 2002-2003 Olds Bravada, GMC Envoy, Chevy TrailblazerAuthor:Ed LeeEssential Reading: Rebuilder Shop Owner Center Manager Diagnostician R & RTECHNICALTRAINING0.310 inchthe lug contact area of the impellerhub to the bottom of the drive slot. This distance in Figure 1 meas-ures about 0.310 inch, which is thesame measurement that was ob-tained when the stab depth waschecked in the vehicle.The OE spec for the overallheight on this VJCX converter is6.500 inches; however, most ofthese OE converters measure onlyabout 6.450 inches. With the ex-ception of the Corvette, measuringbetween 6.254 and 6.275 inches,the OE spec for all other 300mmconverters is 6.550 inches. In fact,the correct overall height for thisVJCX converter should be 6.550inches. April 2011 33How to fix the problemThere are three different ap-proaches being used to rectify thisproblem, but only one good one.1. Shimming the gap betweenflex plate and mounting pads. Ifthe converter has an overallheight of 6.500-6.550 inches andthe stab depth is still too wide,shimming the gap between theflex plate and mounting pad is aviable option. However, if theoverall height of the converter is6.450 inches or less, the pilot willbe pulled out of the crankshaftand will not have sufficient en-gagement when a shim is placedbetween the flex plate and themounting pad of the converter. Beaware! If you are using a shim tocorrect the stab depth of a con-verter, you must be certain thatyou have sufficient pilot engage-ment in the crankshaft when youare finished.2. Increasing internal clearance.A bearing upgrade with a 0.030-inch-thicker race is available forthis converter (Figure 2). Some re-builders have elected to replacethe bearings without removingthe 0.030 inch from the bearingsoriginal mating surface. This willincrease the overall height of theconverter by 0.060 inch but willalso increase the internal clear-ance by 0.060 inch. Because in-creasing the internal clearance by0.060 inch makes the converterless efficient, increases the stalland raises the operating tempera-ture of the converter, this is not agood option. 3. Installing a taller hub. Thebest option is to install a taller im-peller hub. This method will allowthe rebuilder to increase the over-all height of the converter whilemaintaining the correct internalclearance.Ed Lee is a Sonnax Technical Specialist whowrites on issues of interest to torque converterrebuilders. Sonnax supports the Torque ConverterRebuilders Association. Learn more about thegroup at www.tcraonline.com.TDCircle No. 2 on Reader Card34 Transmission DigestCircle No. 62 on Reader CardSonnaxThe biggest change on the Sonnax website is our new andimproved Sonnax Technical Library. Many great articles andguides are now searchable either by vehicle make and unit or bysubject matter such as Vacuum Testing or General Diagnosticsand Theory. Its easy now to findarticles by a particular Sonnax orSonnax TASC Force author andsee what topics theyve covered.For quick and easy reading anytime and any place, many technical library articles are now in HTML.Circle No. 63 on Reader CardCertified TransmissionFord CFT-30s are now available from Certified Transmission. BothFWD and AWD are availableand in stock. We have beenworking on this project for thelast two years, and finally wehave these tough units available, Certified PresidentPeter Fink said. When you needa transmission call 1-800-544-7520 or you can orderthrough one of our distributors.www.certifiedtransmission.comCircle No. 65 on Reader CardWhatever It TakesWhatever It Takes Transmission 2011 Parts Catalog featuresphoto breakdowns of over 100 of the newest Foreign & Domestictransmissions. Every two page spreadprovides part numbers & complete photobreakdowns of the unit assembly. WITalso offers the catalog in CD format,which also includes Tranny Guide, themost up-to-date vehicle to automatictransmission index in the industry. ThisCD allows you to quickly retrieve impor-tant information with just a click of a but-ton. www.wittrans.com, 800-940-0197Schaeffler Group/LuKThe LuK RepSet line is acomplete clutch replace-ment set line for importand domestic passengercars, light trucks and sportutilities. LuK is NorthAmericas largest original-equipment clutchsupplier with engineering,development and manufacturing operationsthroughout the world.Circle No. 61 on Reader CardJasper Engines & TransmissionsJASPER remanufactures a complete line of rear-axle assemblies anddifferentials including Dana, Chrysler, Spicer, Ford, and GM and alsooffers a complete line of medium- and heavy-duty differentials includ-ing Eaton, GM, Meritor (Rockwell), Navistar and Spicer. Factory anddistributor inventories, together with a substantial stock of parts, allowus to provide overnight availability on over 500 models and ratios.With our extensive Do It Right process that ensures worry-free oper-ation, and our 3-year/100,000-mile partsand labor warranty, you can install JASPERwith confidence. Technical hotline: 1-800-827-7450. A full warranty disclosureis available at www.jasperengines.com.Circle No. 64 on Reader CardEVT PartsEVT-inspected good used and aftermarket new hard parts formost automatic applications. Takeadvantage of EVTsextensive on-the-shelf inventory.Torque converterstoo! Same-day delivery (limited area)or shipment directlyto your shop.Circle No. 66 on Reader CardApril 2011 35Transtar IndustriesAmong Transtar Industries comprehensive product offerings are a wide variety of OE New,Aftermarket New andRemanufactured replacement partsfor Allison automatic transmissions.These parts cover a variety of applications, including bus, fire, construction and military. Transtarshot-off-the-presses catalog coverskits and components for light, medium and heavy-duty applications.Circle No. 68 on Reader CardValve Body ProYoure INVITED! Valve BodyPro, the innovative producer ofquality remanufactured valvebodies, SOLPRO Solenoids andrelated repair kits, is proud toannounce our improved Website. The site includes an up-to-date catalog, intuitive drop-down menus, tips and fixes forcommon complaints, and a linkto a hands-on solenoid repairvideo.Circle No. 69 on Reader CardTeal Automotive Inc.Teal Automotive Inc. distributes a complete line of used, new and remanufactured automatic trans-mission parts. We provide a distinctcombination of experience, knowl-edge, service and up-to-date trainingon new and used transmissions andproducts. All our parts are inspectedby our experienced staff, specificallytrained to develop a core understand-ing of the parts in their department.Contact us 1-800-722-0215 orwww.tealautomotiveinc.com.Slauson Transmission Parts Slauson Transmission Parts combines more than 50 years of partsexperience with the most advanced parts identification tools in theindustry (the Slauson Book,Slauson Smart Part ordering sys-tem www.slauson.com). Slausoncarries a full line of automatictransmission products (hard parts,soft parts and electrical). Familyowned and operated since 1956.Call (800) 421-5580 for accessto the most complete parts inven-tory available.Transmi ssi onTMA u t o m o t i v e T e c h n i c a l N e w s l e t t e r sAs Seen InComplaint:Some 2002 Mazda MPV vehicles may exhibit acomplaint of harsh shifts with the MIL illuminatedand/or OD light flashing. Code retrieval with a scantool indicates no DTCs stored.Cause:One cause may be a problem with the transmissioncontrol module (TCM). When you check for DTCs onthese vehicles, the scan tool will indicate no codes. AMazda technical-service bulletin (TSB 05-011/02) con-cerning this problem says the TCM needs to be re-flashed to make retrieval of DTCs possible. If theproblem remains after the re-flash has been per-formed, the next step is to replace the TCM.Correction:Replace the TCM.The TCM on the 2002 Mazda MPV is on the pas-senger-side flooring just below the glove compartmentand is bolted to the PCM bracket. TDMazda MPV JF506E, 2002 onlyHarsh shifts; MIL on/OD light flashing; no DTCs storedTo subscribe to Transmission Tech/Talk, call toll-free 800-274-7890.Circle No. 70 on Reader CardCircle No. 67 on Reader Card36 Transmission DigestManual Transmission FailsBecause of Hydraulic ErrorHuh? An NV4500 manualtransmission fails in thefield because of a hy-draulic issue? Youre probably say-ing to yourself, This guyswhacked or drinking his lunch, ifyou know what I mean. Theresnothing hydraulic about anNV4500 five-speed manual trans-mission.This all started with a 2002 GMC2500 with a complaint of stickingin fifth gear. The customer saidthis had happened to him half adozen times since the transmissionwas installed 2,000 miles ago, andto make matters worse the techni-cian at our shop could not dupli-cate the complaint.This struck me as a very oddcomplaint for this type of transmis-sion. Over the years there havebeen a lot issues with fifth gearand the nut that retains it on theshaft, but I do not recall that it evermade the transmission stick infifth.No fifth, pops out of fifth, hardto engage reverse these are typi-cal complaints of this unit. Othersinclude leaks due to cracked cases,extension housings and 4x4adapter housings.After I removed the transmis-sion, disassembled the fifth and re-verse assembly and the shiftertower and inspected them closely,everything looked really good. Atthat point I chose to replace fifthgear and the synchronizer assem-bly. I did a little dance over it, gotout the holy water, knocked onwood and crossed my fingers.I put the transmission back intothe truck, drove it several mileswith no problems and returned itto the customer. After all, this unitwas shifted in and out of fifth ahundred times or so on the benchbefore and after assembly with noproblem.It didnt fix it, but I did get abetter description of the complaintthis time. The customer said,After driving in fifth for morethan a mile, the transmission ishard to shift out of fifth gear. Now what? To compound theproblem, this unit was what wecall a stock unit a transmissionwe had on the shelf already built.We didnt know what was wrongwith the original unit before it wasremanufactured and shelved.The only real history I had onthe unit was a list of the parts weput in it originally, and I saw noth-ing unusual there. So in despera-tion I took one more look at the listof parts put into this unit, and theonly thing that I had not looked atthat might play into this was thatthe case had been replaced.At this point, I located a coreunit of the same type and disas-sembled both units side by side forcomparison. It didnt take long be-fore I realized that the two unitswere different and why they weredifferent. The fifth and reverseshift rails in the case were differ-ent. The rail that goes in first (to-ward the front of the transmission)in the unit in question was com-R&R TechSubject: Shifter sticks in fifth gearUnit: NV4500Vehicle Application:2002 GMC 2500Author:Steve LogemanEssential Reading: Rebuilder Shop Owner Center Manager Diagnostician R & RTECHNICALTRAININGApril 2011 37pletely round (Figure 1), and theone out of the core (Figure 2) had aflat spot machined down the side.The case had a blind hole (Figure3), so when the unit was full offluid and the vehicle was driven infifth gear for a long period, oilwould slosh up around the shiftrail and hole. It eventually wouldfill that void between the case andthe rail, so when you tried to movethe shifter from fifth the rail wouldhydraulically lock in the case. You would have to pull on theshifter and bleed that oil backthrough the space between the caseand rail. Needless to say, now Iknew what that flat relief in theother rail was for and why youcould shift the transmission flaw-lessly with no fluid in it. It turnsout that some earlier cases (Figure4) are open and the round pinworks just fine. Dont make themistake of installing the round pininto a blind-hole case, because it ispossible to have a hydraulic failureof a manual transmission.Steve Logeman has been with Certified Transmissionabout 15 years and is a technical director at the companys remanufacturing center in Omaha.TD213 4Open holeClosed holeFlatRoundCircle No. 4 on Reader CardCALIFORNIA (714) 237-0911FAX (714) 237-0917INDIANA (812) 378-9599FAX (812) 378-9939TEXAS (866) 355-1786FAX (972) 722-2140Overhauling, Installing or Servicing an Allison Transmission? Call Dartco! We Sell Service!Reduce Costly Transmission OverhaulGenuine Parts (New, Used, Remanufactured)Rebuilt Allison Exchange UnitsMilitary ApplicationsAllison Cores (On Highway and Off Highway)Surplus & Obsolete Allison Parts InventoryReplacement PartsAssociated Accessories (Flex Plates, Coolers, Shifters, etc.)Oil Coolers (Hayden and Rocore Distributor)Competitive Pricing38 Transmission Digest6L80/6L90: No Movement After RepairThis is the tale of two transmission technicians:one at the beginning of his career and anotherwho grew up in the business. What they have incommon is working on the 6L80/6L90 for the firsttime. Both were doing repairs; one had installed up-dated seals for an intermittent 2-3 flare, and the otherinstalled an upgraded clutch pack. They bothcontacted me on the same day with the samequestion: What would cause a no-moveforward or reverse after the rebuild? Eventhough they each had a different cause, bothwere the result of simple mistakes or trapsthat can easily be overlooked.Problem #1After installation the unit worked at firstbut suddenly lost forward; then after a fewmore minutes, it lost reverse. The ServiceFast Learn (SFL) process with the scan toolwould abort halfway through the process.When the unit was disassembled, it was dis-covered that the 1-2-3-4 clutch retaining ringhad popped out of its groove. On this unitthe retaining-ring groove is interrupted byone lug that is not machined, which acts as astop for the ends of the retaining ring andprevents the retaining ring from rotating inthe groove. The open end of the ring shouldstraddle the special un-machined lug. Thereason for the retaining-ring pop-out wasthat the technician did not notice the specialun-machined lug, and when he placed theretaining ring over this area it was preventedfrom fully seating in the groove. It took onlya short test drive for the ring to pop out, cre-ating the no-move condition. Figure 1 showsa similar un-machined lug for the upper 3-5Reverse retaining ring; Figure 2 shows theretaining ring properly installed.212011 Sonnax IndustriesTasc Force TipsSubject: No movement after repairUnit: GM 6L80/6L90Author:Gregg NaderEssential Reading: Rebuilder Shop Owner Center Manager Diagnostician R & RTECHNICALTRAININGProblem #2After installation the unit would not engage for-ward or reverse nor would it complete the SFLprocess. When the unit was disassembled, it was dis-covered that the input carrier was installed upsideApril 2011 39down! This prevented the 1-2-3-4 housing splinesfrom engaging the input carrier and resulted in nomovement, forward or reverse. Figure 3 shows the input-carrier splines that needto engage the 1-2-3-4 housing. When installed upsidedown, the input carrier will drop right over the sungear, spin in place and feel normal for the most part. Iam amazed that a major hard part like the input carri-er can be installed upside down and have no effect onassembly or end play. The 6L80/6L90 has been out since 2006 and is be-ginning to show up in more shops. Overall, it is aneasy transmission to work on, but whether you are anovice or an old-timer be sure to avoid these twotraps waiting to catch you. Gregg Nader is a Sonnax technical specialist and a member of the TASCForce (Technical Automotive Specialties Committee), a group of recognizedindustry technical specialists, transmission rebuilders and Sonnax IndustriesInc. technicians. TD3Circle No. 10 on Reader Card40 Transmission DigestBeing Profitable and Controlling Costs He who makes the fewest mistakes winsWe work in one of the most-technically ad-vanced industries on the planet. The modernmotor vehicle is a complex system of me-chanical, electronic, hydraulic and computer control.Part numbers have expanded beyond any imagination,prices are sky high and will continue to rise as infla-tion expands, and comebacks are extremely expensive. The car dealers and the insurance companies havebecome major competitors, taking away an increasingpart of our customer base. This means that to surviveand prosper we have to be right every time in ourbusiness model. As in any competitive area such aspro sports, the winner is usually the team or individ-ual who makes the fewest mistakes. A mistake by defi-nition is an error in judgment, performance andexecution, planning, strategy or all of the above. Weare all familiar with the mistakes made that result incomebacks, which cost you dearly in labor, parts, lostopportunity costs (working on something for freewhen you could be making money on another repair)and loss of customer confidence. What often goes un-noticed is the strategic decisions made by the businessthat can result in greater losses of money and opportu-nity.Pricing your work incorrectly is one of the most-common strategic errors. Does your labor rate reflectyour cost of doing business with a percentage of profitfor the amount of billable hours, or is it a number thatis comparable to or cheaper than your local competi-tion? Do you know what the fiscal burden is for eachemployee? Do you know what it costs to turn the keyin the door every day, so that your pricing reflects theabsorption of those costs plus a correct profit percent-age? These are all vital data without which you haveno way to price your work correctly. Most shops are very price conscious in their pur-chasing, but a low price on parts is not necessarily abuilt-in profit. If the quality of the parts does notmatch up to OEM equipment or improved product en-gineered to overcome design defects, this is actually alosing proposition. Are you marking up the parts sold to give a netprofit of at least 40%? Do you understand the differ-ence between markup and margin? Margin is the actu-al profit you make on a part, and the desired margindecides the markup you put on the part. For example,if you wish to make a 50% profit margin on a part,your markup would have to be 100%. Is your supplier giving you added value for theparts you buy? It is extremely important to compareapples with apples when making a buying decision. Ifyou are buying on price alone, are you buying exactlythe same product or a cheaper offshore version thatwill create a warranty problem? Is your supplier pro-viding you with technical help after the purchase?That is a value-added service that makes a low pricemeaningless if you cannot get help in using the prod-uct. We provide a technical hotline that is free to ourcustomers. You would not believe how many times ashop will call asking for technical help on parts theybought somewhere else. When we ask why they didntbuy from us, they might answer, We got it cheaperfrom XYZ company. Our reply is, Why dont you call them for help? They answer, We did, but they just sell parts andcant help us technically. Our reply is: This obviously did not amount to anysavings, did it, because you cant fix your problemwithout technical expertise. We have no idea whoseparts you bought, so we dont know if the parts aregood or correct. On the other hand, would you bringyour own steak to a restaurant and ask them to cook itfor you? Align yourself with suppliers of parts that are OEMor better quality and have the added value of technicaladvice when problems arise. The few dollars saved onthe purchase are lost in the labor wasted trying to getthe unit to function properly. Remember that you arenot buying these parts for your own use; you are buy-ing them to sell to the customer. If your margins arecorrect a few dollars saved on the parts means noth-ing. I am always asked how you can mark parts up overthe car dealers suggested list price. The dealer price isby law a suggestion and has nothing to do with real-Up To StandardsSubject: Strategies for remainingcompetitiveAuthor:Mike Weinberg,Rockland Standard GearContributing EditorEssential Reading: Rebuilder Shop Owner Center Manager Diagnostician R & RTECHNICALTRAININGApril 2011 41ity. How about the dealer marking up the latest hotmodel way over list when demand is heavy and sup-ply is short? That suggested list price will give you amargin of 10%-25% on average. You cannot stay inbusiness on anything less than 40%. You are givingyour customer value added in the sale by laying outthe money for the purchase and getting the parts,which means he does not have to take time off fromwork to do so, and you are making sure he gets thecorrect parts the first time, as he has no expertise inthis area. Another strategic flaw involves poor diagnosis andless-than-thorough inspection ofthe unit when providing your cus-tomer with an estimate. On thefactory-reman level, about 52% ofthe cores returned were not faultyto the point of needing a unit. Becareful and thorough in your diag-nosis and inspection of the vehi-cle. If the car is not drivable whenyou get it, make sure to note thison the work order and make itclear to the customer in writingthat there could be other damagedor worn parts that will show uponly after the vehicle is made dri-vable. Every day a shop will re-place or repair a transmission andthen find out that the transfer caseor a differential is also bad. Makesure you take the extra time to re-ally inspect the vehicle bumper tobumper so you dont fall into thattrap. When you have determinedthat a component such as a trans-mission, transfer case or differen-tial is bad, do not write that pricequote before you completely dis-assemble the unit, clean it andmake sure you list all the partsneeded for a complete repair.Every part you miss will come outof your pocket, not the customers.I would like to meet the man whocan up-sell a quoted price after th