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Text N1
Burning Smell
iStockpoto.com/Sergey Lemeshencko
If you get a whiff of burning transmission fluid, be advised it is definitely not the sweet smell of success.
That's because it may indicate your transmission is overheating. Transmission fluid not only keeps the
transmission's many moving parts properly lubricated, but it prevents the unit from burning itself up, by
providing much-needed cooling.
In some vehicles, the transmission even has its own mini-radiator (an oil cooler) that circulates fluid to
transport heat away from the transmission unit itself.
Common causes include low or inadequate transmission fluid, which can in turn indicate a leak or dirty
fluid that needs changing.
If you thought your transmission was safe from wear at least while it was in neutral, the truth might
surprise you.
Class 21
ENME02 Fall 2014
Text N 2
It seems intuitive that if you hear weird noises when the car should be shifting, that the transmission is
acting up. But would you suspect it if things were going "bump" in neutral? Yes, it could be the
transmission.
Such sounds could have a simple and inexpensive solution -- as with many of the problems on our list,
adding or replacing the transmission fluid sometimes does the trick. Bear in mind that as is the case with
engine oil, different vehicles do best with the specific formulation called for in the owner's manual.
Alternatively, lots of noises from the transmission while it's in neutral could signal something more
serious, like mechanical wear that will need the replacement of parts. In this case, common culprits are a
worn reverse idler gear or worn bearings, possibly coupled with worn gear teeth [source:
Procarcare.com].
Losing control while driving is never a fun experience. Find out on the next page how a bum
transmission could have a car "slipping" toward disaster if not repaired in time.
Text N 3
Gears Slipping
Class 21
ENME02 Fall 2014
Text N 4
Dragging Clutch
Here's another transmission trouble sign that haunts manual transmission vehicle owners: the dreaded
dragging clutch. A dragging clutch is one that fails to disengage the clutch disk from the flywheel when
the driver pushes in the clutch pedal.
When the driver attempts to shift gears, he or she can't because the still-engaged clutch is still spinning
along with the engine. The driver is abruptly made aware of this by the grinding noise that then ensues
with each attempt to shift.
Fortunately, the most common cause for this problem is not that severe or costly to fix -- at least not
compared to some other transmission issues. More often than not, the problem is too much slack in the
clutch pedal. With too much free play, the cable or linkage between the pedal and the clutch disk doesn't
have enough leverage to disengage the clutch disk from the flywheel (or pressure plate).
Some transmission trouble signs are plainly visible even to the lay person -- if that person knows what to
look for. To learn about one of the most obvious ones, continue to the next page.