How do transmissions break

Towing puts a huge strain on your transmission, which can cause it to overheat. If you are low on transmission fluid the gears in your transmission will not be lubricated, causing them to grind together, overheat and eventually fail.

You need to keep your transmission fluid at the optimal levels in order to keep your transmission working smoothly. If your fluid levels are low, chances are you have a leak. Your transmission requires a certain type of transmission fluid to run. Using the wrong fluid for your transmission can result in your transmission not getting the right lubrication or cooling properties that it requires.

Your owners manual or the transmissions experts at AAMCO Utah can help you determine which transmission fluid is right for your car. Your transmissions performance will decrease and the parts inside will wear out. If you ignore regular maintenance for your transmission long enough it will eventually fail outright.

Most catastrophic problems are avoidable — there are warning signs along the way. In most modern transmissions this will be a total of 11 quarts or more. Take a short testdrive and allow the vehicle to sit for a bit a half hour or so then check it again. Any air pockets that may have been trapped should be burped out during the testdrive. Once you are sure the transmission is filled with the proper amount of fluid, you are ready to go.

Bad Throttle Valve Adjustment One of the most common causes of failure in older transmissions like the R4 and R is an improperly adjusted detent cable. Unlike the newer electronic 4L60E, which has an electronic pressure control solenoid EPC that controls line pressure through various vehicle sensor inputs, the R4 and R use a cable and fulcrum setup to stroke the throttle valve TV in the transmission to regulate line pressure.

As the throttle increases, this valve causes line pressure to rise for more clutch holding power. From the TV fulcrum in the transmission, the cable will follow up and attach to your throttle body or carburetor fulcrum. When you adjust it, pull the pan off and adjust the cable so that when the gas pedal is pressed all the way to the floor, the TV valve is stroked in completely.

When the accelerator pedal is released the engine is at idle and the throttle fulcrum is at rest, the transmission's fulcrum arm should just be resting on the valve without actuating it. This will ensure quick response and healthy holding ability at any rpm range and also improve longevity.

It never hurts to mention that since these older transmissions have been on the road, the aftermarket has developed cable kits to simplify this process and make it adjustment much easier.

For more information you can check out PerformaBuilt's YouTube page. Wrong Line Pressure Most newer vehicles adjust the line pressure in the transmission via the ECM, which makes adjustments relatively easy.

One of the favorite techniques with tuners is to jack the line pressure up to get firmer shifts. This is fine in a lot of cases, but you have to be careful. If the line pressure is set too high it will result in harsh shifts that will literally break internal components. For example, in the GM 4L60E the input drum is aluminum and the input shaft is steel.

When the transmission "slam shifts," it will crack the drum where the two parts spline together and you will lose all movement. Just use a little common sense. Ruptured Transmission Seals. Ruptured or faulty seals can allow the fluid to leak, resulting in serious damage. Ben Marjamaa. Prev Next. Today: Closed On Sunday.

Mon: am - pm. Tue: am - pm. Wed: am - pm. Thu: am - pm. Other possibilities could be an engine related problem that will cause the computer to not allow the transmission to shift into higher gears. Transmission slipping or engine is revving high This condition can also be caused by low transmission fluid, contamination due to lack of maintenance or water intrusion, or internal wear and tear on the transmission parts inside the transmission.

A high revving engine is a typical sign that you have worn clutches or other parts inside the transmission going bad. Read more about common causes and signs for a slipping transmission.

Transmission fluid is leaking A red fluid under the vehicle is a sign that you probably have a transmission fluid leak from one of the cooler lines, a gasket or a seal.

This is not only bad for the transmission but is also dangerous if the fluid leaks on a hot pipe or other surface. Check your dipstick for proper fluid level and condition. Note: not all transmission fluid is red and not all levels can be verified with a dipstick method, but require specials tools.

If you catch the fluid leak quickly you might be able to save the transmission from damage. If there is buzzing, clunking, humming noise A buzzing, clicking, humming, roaring noise from inside the transmission is usually a symptom of a bad bearing, planetary gears damage, or other internal problem.