4R70W Interchange

Transcription

4R70W Interchange

TM
4-
COMPUTER • DIAGNOSTICS • ELECTRONICS • REPROGRAMMING
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4R7
4R70W
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Is Your Ford Fourourr-W
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CVR-1008-Final.indd CVR2
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2008
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER
2008
10/2/08 3:40:35 PM
TDIFC-SPREAD-10-08
9/10/08
11:15 AM
Page 1
LOWER VALVE BODY:
1. 57917E-08K
Oversized Pressure Regulator
& Boost Valve Kit
Helps cure:
• Low/high line pressure
• Soft and/or harsh shifts
• Clutch and band failures
Note: Requires tool kit 57917E-TL8
2. 57917E-01K
Boost Valve Assembly
Helps cure:
• Insufficient line rise in drive ranges
• Higher-than-normal reverse pressures
• Soft shifts
3.
1.
2.
5.
UPPER VALVE BODY:
3. 57917E-05K
Clutch Apply Control
Plunger Valve
& Sleeve Kit
4.
Helps cure:
• Clutch failure
• Burned clutches
• Shift complaints
Upper
Valve Body
4. 57917E-03K
Lockup Control
Plunger Valve
& Sleeve Kit
Helps cure:
• TCC apply/release problems
• Converter codes
• Burned converters
5. 57917E-13K
Solenoid Modulator
Valve Kit
Helps cure:
• Harsh/Flare upshifts
• TCC slip or RPM cycling
• Lower cooler flow
Lower
Valve Body
Note: Requires tool kit F-57917E-TL13
& the VB-FIX reaming fixture
T I M E T E S T E D • I N D U S T R Y T R U S T E D TM
Automatic Drive • P.O. Box 440 • Bellows Falls, Vermont 05101-0440 USA
800-843-2600 • 802-463-9722 • F: 802-463-4059 • www.sonnax.com • [email protected]
©2008 Sonnax Industries, Inc.
More information is available at www.sonnax.com
EARS
G
COMPUTER • DIAGNOSTICS • ELECTRONICS • REPROGRAMMING
October-November 2008
PHONE (805) 604-2000 FAX (805) 604-2006
Chief Executive Officer
Managing Editor
Technical Director
Advertising
Senior Designer
Dennis Madden
Rodger Bland
Lance Wiggins
Frank Pasley
Jeanette Troub
Contributing Editors
Steve Bodofsky,
Thom Tschetter
ATRA Technical Staff
Bill Brayton
Mike Brown
Steve Garrett
Pete Huscher
Jon Rodriguez
Randall Schroeder
Dave Skora
Director of Membership & IT Svc
Seminars & Convention Manager
Bookstore Manager
PLAYING WITH FIRE: 4R70W
Interchange, Page 6
Kelly Hilmer
Vanessa Velasquez
Shaun Velasquez
Keep Those Trannys Rolling: Is
Your Ford Four-Wheel Drive System
Crazy? Page 26
The views expressed in this publication should not necessarily be interpreted as
the official policy of the Automatic Transmission Rebuilders Association (ATRA).
Publication of product information or any advertising does not imply recommendation by ATRA.
GEARS ™, a publication of ATRA, 2400 Latigo Avenue, Oxnard, CA 93030,
is published for the betterment of the transmission industry and is distributed
nine times per year. No part of this issue may be reproduced without prior written
permission of the publisher. GEARS is distributed to members of the transmission industry in the United States, Canada, ATRA Members in Mexico & Europe,
and related automotive industry firms and individually. Send changes of address
to GEARS in care of ATRA. Subscriptions are available by contacting GEARS
in care of ATRA.
Advertisers and advertising agencies assume full liability for all content of
advertisements printed and also assume full responsibility for any claims arising
therefrom against the publisher. The publisher reserves the unqualified right to
reject any advertising copy as it deems appropriate, with or without cause.
6T70/6T75: The Future
is Now, Part 1, Page 34
GEARS is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard
to the subject matter covered. It is distributed with the understanding the publisher
is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting or other professional service. If legal
advice or other expert assistance, is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought— from a Declaration of Principles jointly adopted
by a Committee of the American Bar Association and Committee of Publishers.
GEARS also welcomes articles submitted by members of the industry.
GEARS considers all articles for publication that contribute positively to the
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publishes. If you would like to submit an article to GEARS, include background
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If you want submissions returned, enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope.
LET'S PLAY BALL: Understanding
the Diagnostics for Nissan’s
RE5F22A 5-Speed
Page 44
Editorial and Business Offices
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Issue #134
2-3toc1008.indd Sec1:2
Printed in U.S.A.
Allison LCT 1000 Updates for 2003
and 2004 Model Years
Page 54
Copyright ATRA 2008
10/6/08 4:39:03 PM
GEARS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Computer • Diagnostics • Electronics • Reprogramming
SPECIAL INTEREST & TECHNICAL
6 PLAYING WITH FIRE: 4R70W Interchange — by Jon Rodriguez
20 The LUBEGARD® Love My Ride® Challenge
26 Keep Those Trannys Rolling: Is Your Ford Four-Wheel Drive System Crazy? — by Pete Huscher
32 PLAYING TO WIN: The Car Delivery: How Great Shops Get It Done
— by Thom Tschetter
34 6T70/6T75: The Future is Now, Part 1 — by Steve Garrett
44 LET'S PLAY BALL: Understanding the Diagnostics for Nissan’s
RE5F22A 5-Speed — by Lance Wiggins
52 Keeping Customers Happy — by Bob Spitz
54 Allison LCT 1000 Updates for 2003 and 2004 Model Years
— by Lance Wiggins
62 Meet the 5 Members of ATRA’s What’s Working Advisory
Panel — by Steve Bodofsky
Michael Hines
Sam Burrage
Monte Craig
Bradley Benrud
Blake Lunsford
74 Welcome to ATRA’s 2008 Powertrain Industry Expo!
— by Vanessa Velasquez
76 ATRA’s Powertrain Expo 2008!
Exhibitor Directory
October 30 – November 2 • Las Vegas, NV
DEPARTMENTS
4 FROM THE PRESIDENT: Welcome to ATRA’s Expo 2008!
— by Jim Rodd
& Making it Work
COMPUTER • DIAGNOST
DIAGNOSTICS • ELECTRONICS • REPROGRAMMIN
REPROGRAMMING
EPROGRAMMING
EPROGRAMMIN
4-
$89,500 FOR
THE TAKING
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112 ATRA News
116 Powertrain Industry News
121 Shoppers and Classified
Sho
Sh
ow Floor Issue
Sho
Sh
ow Di
Dirrecto
ectorr y Inside
nside
4R70W Inte
Interrchange
Int
Is Y
Your
our Ford Fourour-W
W heel Dri
Driv
ve
System Crazy?
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2008
128 List of Advertisers
On the Cover: The LUBEGARD®
Love My Ride® Challenge
(Paid Advertisement), Page 20
GEARS October/November 2008
FROM THE PRESIDENT
Welcome to ATRA’s
Expo 2008!
by Jim Rodd
I
t’s finally here… the week that I
look forward to all year: ATRA’s
Powertrain Expo! This year, just
like last year, Expo is being hosted at
the Las Vegas Hilton, a magnificent
venue just off the world-famous Las
Vegas Strip.
When we talk about Expo, many
shop owners ask, “Why should I attend?
It’s been a bad year, and I really can’t
afford to go.” There are certainly a lot
of arguments pro and con for attending
Expo. But the fact is, if business is bad
and you’re questioning whether you
can afford it, the best answer I can give
you is that you really can’t afford not
to be here.
Serving as the president of ATRA
for the last few years has given me the
opportunity to visit with a lot of shop
owners and suppliers from all around
the country. One thing that I find in
common with almost everyone is that
their shops aren’t as busy as they’d
like. Most are concerned with what the
future will bring.
Some even believe that the transmission rebuilding industry is over. It’s
not: All of us have been through the ups
and downs of business over our careers,
and each time business was down we
thought it was over… yet somehow we
managed to rebound.
This year, ATRA has done an
extensive customer study, developed
by a market research firm in Detroit,
to discover consumers’ buying habits
for automotive repair. This in-depth
study revealed where and why consumers might take their car to a transmission shop vs. the dealer vs. a general
repair shop. It revealed customers’ fears
regarding auto repair and what it takes
to build the trust they seek when searching for a repair facility.
4
04fmPRES.indd 4
ATRA has provided what we
learned from this study to six of the top
management presenters in our industry to create the What’s Working and
Making It Work management seminars
for this year’s Expo. This program was
very successful last year; this year’s
program has been expanded to include
the latest information we’ve uncovered
through our consumer focus groups.
When I asked ATRA CEO Dennis
Madden about what an attendee could
expect at the What’s Working management program, he replied: “Those
who attend are certain to think differently about their businesses, and they’ll
begin to question some of their most
cherished beliefs about their advertising. At minimum, they’ll stop wasting
money on ineffective advertising. That
alone will allow them to recoup their
expenses for attending.”
I can think of several other reasons
to attend Expo, such as the Red Girdey
Memorial Golf tournament on Thursday
morning, the ATRA Luncheon on
Thursday sponsored by Raybestos, and
the Cocktail Reception on Friday evening sponsored by Transtar Industries.
Expo 2008 also features the largest
trade show for our industry; come see
what’s new this year, and make some
terrific deals that are only available at
Expo. Visit with your favorite parts
supplier and find out what new items he
has available to help you handle all of
the new transmissions that keep showing up. And don’t forget to visit the
ATRA BookStore, where you’ll find the
latest books and reference materials, at
one-time, Expo-only pricing.
I’m sure that everyone who attends
Expo 2008 will soon discover that the
things they learn by attending will have
a dramatic impact on their ability to be
successful in this constantly-changing
industry. And you’ll quickly realize that
it’s not over… not by a long shot.
For me and my wife, our favorite
reason for attending Expo is to see old
friends, some of whom we only get
to see at Expo. That’s one of the best
things about Expo: You’ll make new
friends, many who you’ll remember for
the rest of your life. And next year at
this time, you’ll be making plans to see
them again at Expo 2009.
I’m looking forward to seeing you
here.
Jim Rodd
ATRA President
10/6/08 3:46:50 PM
You’d better be lucky if you’re not using the NTZ OE
replacement filter in your customers’ Ford TorqShift®
5R110W transmissions, because choosing a filter based
on brand or price alone is a big gamble.
Allomatic Part Number 5574
Installing a non-OE filter in this application risks
transmission damage that could cost you up to
$3,000. Only the NTZ original equipment element
provides the manufacturer’s specified depth media
filter effeciency which removes over 99% of
contaminant particles of 5 micron and larger –
virtually eleminating water and chemical
contaminants – while providing the proper filter
and cooler flow for maximum
609 E. Chaney Street • P.O. Box 267 • Sullivan, IN 47882
Toll Free: 1-800-568-0330 • Fax: 516-775-5543 • www. allomatic.com
4R70W Interchange
PLAYING WITH FIRE
4R70W
Interchange
W
hen I first started
building, one of the hardest
things to overcome wasn’t
the difficulty of remembering where
all the parts go or fumbling with snap
rings. Those hurdles were easy to overcome after rebuilding a few units.
The times that make this industry
hard are when a unit you rebuilt comes
back under warranty. It’s worse than
getting denied a date when you see your
name on top of a transmission in a car
that you remember from not too long
ago. Was it the parts or technique? Or
was it the $%#(@! R&R guy?
Well to make sure it wasn’t the
parts, I changed everything. And if my
new part didn’t look exactly like the old
one, I crossed my arms and said, “No
way, José!”
As time and transmissions stacked
up on my resume, I learned that a part
doesn’t always have to match exactly
for it to work. I also learned that sometimes it does, so never assume those
extra holes are just to make the part
lighter. The approach that makes a
rebuilder successful is to look at the part
and see what it does. Follow the tracks,
count the teeth, measure the heights
SPEAKER
by Jon Rodriguez
and widths, etc. Reverse
engineer. Figure out interchangeability
and your stock as a rebuilder will go
up with the guy who signs your paychecks.
Welcome to another edition of
Playing with Fire. This month’s issue
is going to cover the interchange do’s
and don’ts between the 2004-2007
late 4R70E/75E and earlier 1993-2003
4R70W. When covering the interchange, we’re going to go in the same
order as if we were dismantling the
unit, starting with the valve body and
working our way down to the last bearing in the case.
Figure 1
6
6jon4R70W.indd 6
10/1/08 10:37:48 AM
When Getting It Now Is A Must!
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Established since 1959, we have proudly served the Southern
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Tel: 866-EVT-Parts (388-7278)
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4R70W Interchange
Figure 2
Electronics
Use the diagrams (figure 1) to
make sure you have the correct connector for your application. The shift
solenoids, TCC solenoid, and wiring
harness are the same from 1998-on, and
if they plug into the harness, they’re the
correct ones.
The most important change is the
EPC solenoid. The EPC solenoid from
1998-2004 (XL3Z-7G383 AB) and the
solenoid from 2005-07 (5C2Z-7G383
AB) have the exact same resistance
(2.48-5.66 ohms) and connection. The
difference is the internal design that
was changed to accommodate the dif8
6jon4R70W.indd 8
ferent frequency that the PCM uses to
signal the solenoid.
Using an early solenoid in a late
application will cause low line pressure
rise at light to medium throttle, and
excessive line pressure at heavy throttle. Using a late solenoid in an early
application will create high line pressure at light to medium throttle and low
pressure at heavy throttle. The best way
to be sure you have the correct solenoid
is to check the part number.
Valve Body
For the sake of interchange, we’re
going to make this easy. As long as the
valve body, separator plate, and gaskets
match, all valve bodies from 1996-2007
will interchange. In 2000, Ford eliminated the 2-3 capacity modulator valve
lineup and the 2-3 accumulator plate
(figure 2).
Using an earlier, complete valve
body on a late application won’t affect
performance or durability. In some
cases, where the 2-3 accumulator spring
cover damages the unprotected plate on
the 2000-and-up valve bodies, you can
improve durability by using a 19961999 valve body with the accumulator plate, to help protect the separator
plate.
10/1/08 10:38:32 AM
Over 72 Million
Served!
TransTec®kits, not McDonald’s
®
burgers.
We’ve come a long way since our humble
beginning in 1978. TransTec® transmission
kits have grown to become the leading brand
requested by transmission professionals. In
fact, we’ve sold over 72,000,000 TransTec®
kits since 1978!
Why is it more transmission professionals
install TransTec® kits than all other kits
combined? TransTec® kits are produced by
Corteco, a division of Freudenberg-NOK®,
the American partnership with more than
$6 billion in resources. Manufactured to
meet the strictest OE standards, TransTec®
kits contribute to a faster rebuild with virtually
no comebacks.
We’d like to thank our customers, representatives, suppliers and associates for their faithfulness and support throughout the past 30
years. These years have been very good to us.
We can’t wait to see what the future holds.
See us at
Powertrain Expo
Booth #501
4s&sWWW4RANS4ECCOMs-ILAN/(
A Division of Freudenberg-NOK
4R70W Interchange
Figure 3
Figure 4
The 1993-1995 valve bodies aren’t
interchangeable with the later versions
because the alignment pins are a different size. But there are aftermarket
adapters available to make late valve
bodies fit earlier cases. Ask your local
parts supplier about availability.
Pump Body
Pump bodies are identical except
for the intermediate piston design.
The 4R70E/75E uses a bonded rubber
piston and wave-style piston return
spring (figure 3). The wave-style spring
requires a seat that sits in the case so the
wave spring doesn’t eat into the aluminum. Use figure 4 to reference proper
installation.
The two different designs can be
interchanged as a complete set without
causing any problems. Never attempt
to interchange intermediate pistons or
springs. If you use a 4R75E pump in an
early 4R70W, always install the wave
spring retainer into the early case or it’ll
damage the case.
Figure 5
Figure 6
Stator Support
The stator supports are identical in
hydraulic design, but there’s an important difference in the forward sealing ring lands. The 4R70E/75E uses
a plastic ring that’s much thinner than
the 4R70W cast iron design (figure 5).
The outer dimensions of the two rings
are identical, so as long as you use the
correct rings for the stator support, you
can interchange them freely. Figure 6
shows the differences in the ring lands.
The other difference is the forward clutch apply hole: Ford changed
the machining process for the forward
10
6jon4R70W.indd 10
Figure 7
10/1/08 10:53:54 AM
raybestos pldc1008.indd 11
10/3/08 1:29:43 PM
4R70W Interchange
Figure 8
clutch apply hole and turned it into a slot instead of a round
hole. This is strictly cosmetic and will have no effect on forward clutch apply.
Figure 9
Intermediate Mechanical Diode
In 2007, Ford introduced a new design mechanical
diode: They increased the number of ratchet teeth in the
diode and changed the assembly process. The new diode has
a snap ring that holds the element retainer in place instead of
the earlier pressed design (figure 7).
The height dimensions have changed slightly where the
snap ring rides on the reverse input drum. The new design
diode supersedes the previous design, and when used on any
diode-style drum, will increase the clearance between the
inner race and the snap ring by about 0.020”. We recommend
using an aftermarket-designed spiral snap ring in place of the
stock snap ring to prevent snap ring failure.
Reverse Input/OD Drum
No changes made; these drums are fully interchangeable.
Forward Drum
The 2004-and-up forward drum has three apply holes,
120º apart, verses the earlier version having only one (figure
8). This design change is cosmetic and won’t affect forward
Figure 10
Figure 11
12
6jon4R70W.indd 12
10/1/08 10:39:35 AM
In These Unc er t ain T imes
I t ’s Good to K now you can
st ill Count on
Slauson
N o c orp or ate me r ge r s , no f lashy gim m ic ks .
J us t t he highes t qual i t y par t s at a r easonab l e
p r ic e.
Use d , N ew & Rebu i l t Har d Par t s
So f t Par t s
Figure 12
E l e c t r ic al C omp one nt s
Fl y w he e ls
clutch apply if interchanged.
Forward Clutch Hub
No changes made; these hubs are
fully interchangeable.
Sun Shell
There have been some big changes
to the sun shell (figure 9). First, they
designed it to be a lot stronger; the
metal is thicker and the new design is
riveted. Thanks to these changes, there
shouldn’t be any more problems with
the sun shells breaking.
The height from the bottom of
the sun gear to the bearing surface has
been reduced by 0.030” to make room
for the thicker, two-piece bearing (figure 10). You’ll need to replace the sun
shell, bearing and forward sun gear as
a set when updating to the newer parts
in a 4R70W, to keep the endplay correct. Ford sells this complete service kit
under part number 4L3Z-7D234-AA.
O r de r onl ine at S lauson .c om
O f f e r i n g q u a l i t y p r o d u c t s f r o m t h e s e f i n e ve n d o r s :
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Phone Hours:
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prominent industry authority, John
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Precision’s complete
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Whatever make, model or year
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E-mail: [email protected] www.transmissionkits.com
4R70W Interchange
The single most important change
with the 4R70E/75E sun shell is something you can’t see, but will prevent the
transmission from leaving your shop:
The 4R70E/75E sun shell is non-magnetic. For the input speed sensor used
in today’s 4R70E/75E transmissions to
work, the sun shell must be non-magnetic. This allows the sensor to create
the signal from the stamping on the
forward drum. Using a magnetic sun
shell in later units will cause harsh or
no shifts, with possible ratio and input
speed sensor codes.
Figure 13
Sun Gear
Ford shortened the length of the
sun gear by 0.010” to make room for
the thicker, two-piece bearing. 0.010”
may not seem like a big difference, but
it’s enough to affect your endplay. The
easiest way to identify the late gear is
the ID groove at the splined part of the
gear (figure 11). Just like the sun shell,
you can only use the newer sun gear in
early units as a set that includes the sun
shell, bearing and sun gear. Ford sells
this complete service kit under part
number 4L3Z-7D234-AA.
Figure 14
Center Support
To make room for the input speed
sensor, the 4R70E/75E center support
has an extra notch cut out (figure 12).
If you install a 4R70W support in a
4R70E/75E case, the input speed sensor
won’t fit all the way into the case.
If you’re in a pinch, you can grind
a notch into a 4R70W support to make
room for the sensor.
Anti-Rattle Spring
Finally, Ford has come up with
a better design anti-rattle spring. The
updated spring is a V-shaped strip of
spring steel that won’t eat into the
case or center support (figure 13). This
spring will retrofit all the way to the
AOD and is a great way to save severely worn cases. The part number for the
updated spring is 2L3Z-7F277-AA.
Low Roller Clutch
The low roller clutch is the proven
design that Ford has used since the
AOD. No changes were made and the
roller is still the same as the one used in
a Turbo 400 low roller clutch.
16
6jon4R70W.indd 16
Figure 15
Planetary
The planetary gear sets in both
units have the same ratio and dimensions. The only difference is how the
rear cover is attached: The 4R70E/75E
uses a welded design; older versions
use rivets to connect the bottom cover
to the top of the gear set (figure 14).
That area never had any real issue; the
change is strictly to make manufactur-
ing easier. Interchange between years
won’t pose a problem.
Direct Drum and Hub
No changes made; the direct drum
and hub are fully interchangeable.
Ring Gear
A new design output speed sensor
was incorporated for the 2004 model
10/1/08 10:49:39 AM
ATRA
ATRAhas
has If you work o
what
whatyou
youneed!
need!
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WHATWHAT
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productproduct
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mindof
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get to streamline your business process.
getting getting
vehicles
vehicles
fixed
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getting vehicles fixed FAST and RIGHT.
You’ll be
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Get ‘em
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exclusively
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to
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• Technical
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• ATRA’s
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"ATRA's 'Golden Rule' nationwide warranty program
has been a 'Golden Egg' for us in terms of marketing.
The peace of mind it gives to our customers (and us)
is priceless!"
Rod Cayko, Rod's Transmission Service
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"This is the typ
more of, helpin
business."
“I'm really satis
recommend th
have been with
proud to be an
4R70W Interchange
The only difference is the speedometer drive gear
that’s machined into the shaft. A late shaft without a gear won’t work in early applications with
a vehicle speed sensor.
Bearings
Figure 16
year (figure 15). The new sensor uses the 24 extended parking
pawl lugs for the exciter ring; the old sensor used the six holes
machined around the ring gear (figure 16).
Mismatching an early ring gear in a late transmission will
reduce the output speed sensor signal by 75%, so the transmission won’t shift out of first gear. Using a late ring gear
in an early transmission will produce an output speed signal
400% faster, so the transmission will shift into fourth gear by
the time you hit 10 MPH. No interchange possible.
Rear Hub and Shaft
The new case-to-rear hub and front hubto-sun shell bearings are wider (figure 17), but
height has remained the same. The sun gear-tosun shell bearing has changed from one piece
to a two pieces (figure 18), and the combined
thickness of both pieces has increased by 0.040”.
If you want to use the later bearing in earlier
models, you’ll also have to use the late-style
sun shell and sun gear. Ford sells a complete
service kit under part number 4L3Z-7D234-AA.
All other bearings and the pump washer have
remained the same.
That about covers it: I hope this edition of Playing with
Fire covered any questions you may have had on interchanges
between these units. If there’s anything else you’d like to
know, drop us a line and we’ll be happy to answer your questions.
Until then, remember: Pay attention to the design of the
part in question when working with interchanges, and chances
are good you won’t get burned when Playing with Fire!
A special thanks to Roger Rodriguez at Payless
Transmissions in Fresno for his help with this article.
The output shafts and rear hubs are fully interchangeable.
See Us in Booth 926 at
ATRA & 5853 at APEX.
Aluminum
Cast Iron
®
Trany Coat
Available in Aluminum or Cast Iron Finish
“Refinish your rebuilt transmissions!
Don’t just paint them!”
Make your rebuilds look new using G-TEC’s environmentallyformulated coatings that apply like spray paint, but won’t trap
heat in the transmission or torque converter like enamel and
epoxy paints do. This allows positive heat transfer, prolonging
the life of the rebuild. Trany Coat covers blemishes, and won’t
smudge or dissolve on contact with ATF. Refinish your
transmission cases, transfer cases, and torque converters. Trany
Coat is VOC compliant and available in 16 oz. aerosol cans.
www.g-tec.com Ɣ [email protected]
800.725.6499 Ɣ 417.725.6400
18
6jon4R70W.indd 18
10/2/08 4:01:22 PM
Figure 17
6jon4R70W.indd 19
Figure 18
19
10/1/08 10:41:29 AM
PAGE?REVPDF0-
'6&-:063130'*58*5)-6#&("3%
8*5)+6454&37*$&"%":'03":&"3
$20k
$8.5k
$10k $15k
)F YOURE NOT SELLING THE FULL
SERVICE LINE OF ,5"%'!2$
LUBRICANTS YOU ARE MISSING OUT
ONONEOFTHEHOTTESTANDBIGGEST
MONEY MAKING OPPORTUNTIES
TODAY 3EE HOW ,5"%'!2$S
NATIONWIDEFIELDTESTPROVESYOU
CAN MAKE MONEY WHILE
ANSWERING CUSTOMERS DEMANDS
FORINCREASEDFUELECONOMY
$12k
$24k
Kristen Clark, marketing manager, adds, “This
challenge was about getting industry known
experts to judge for themselves, not by looking
at a graph, but by looking at their own data and
personal savings statistics. I’m sure that each
participant will passionately endorse our
products after reviewing and recording their
own results. ”
!BOUTTHE,5"%'!2$,/6%
-92)$%#(!,,%.'%
ILI selected industry professionals from
across North America to take part in this
International Lubricants Inc., (ILI), the
challenge, establishing real world effects of
maker’s of LUBEGARD®, Dr. Tranny®,
LUBEGARD products, in a variety of
KOOL-IT®, Seal-E-Zee®, Squeak Relief®,
vehicles and varying driving styles. This
and PRO II 9000™ automotive brands,
diversity provided a cross section of
recently agreed to publish the results of
climates and a wide-range of environments.
the first-ever, industry product testing,
The vehicles that were used were the
known as the LUBEGARD Love My
participant’s personal vehicles; and no
Ride Challenge. ILI boldly agreed to
s p e c i f i c
disclose
its
product
instructions were
performance data with
given to them
The
results
of
both
test
results in this first ever
their
publicized
research
groups were astonishing; regarding
driving
habits
project.
the amount of annual fuel other than to
continue to operate
savings was remarkable.
“We had no doubt that this
and drive their
study would conclusively
vehicle as normal.
provide
evidence
that
Each participant was then required to
LUBEGARD products could substantially
actively maintain a precise log of odometer
reduce fuel consumption.” says Frank
readings, gallons purchased, amount spent
Erickson, CEO and founder of International
as well as other driving and vehicle data.
Lubricants, Inc. “Laboratory testing has
categorically shown LUBEGARD products
The Challenge participants were randomly
were superior, not just in immediate
separated into two sub-categories; The first
performance, but in long term protection.” he
group , Group A, was instructed to add
continued.
LUBEGARD products without changing,
20
20ILI-Lubegard.indd 20
=$89.5k
INPROFITS
AYEAR
adding, or altering in any way, existing
fluids in their vehicles. The second group
was to perform the same procedures as
Group A; however, Group B , prior to
adding LUBEGARD products, were
instructed to exchange and replace all of
the existing fluids in their vehicle.
4HEFACTIS/.,9,8%¸
4ECHNOLOGYWITHITS
UNIQUE,IQUID7AX%STER
4ECHNOLOGYCANDELIVER
THESETYPESOFRESULTS
It’s important to understand that no other
competing brand will deliver the same
types of results. You see, it’s at the
molecular level that LUBEGARD
lubricants are different. The patented
LXE Technology, a direct synthetic
replacement for sperm
whale oil, has an
inherent
molecular
structure
that
translates into fluid
characteristics needed
to not only fight
oxidation, but prevent heat buildup,
reduce friction, suspend factory
add-packs and other very important
functions. The secret is the molecular
ester grouping right in the center of the
structure that binds the molecule
together, making the synthetic ester flow
at low temperatures, providing oxidative
stability, with very little unsaturation;
thus making it much more stable than
any other synthetic molecule. There is no
other product that has such advanced
lubricant technology!
2/)MAYVARYINYOURAREA2/)BASEDOFFOFTYPICAL
SERVICEPRICETYPICALCOSTOFPRODUCTMATERIALSAND
LABOR/NEYEARSERVICETOTALISBASEDOFFOFA
WORKINGDAYCALENDAR
10/2/08 11:14:16 AM
PAGEPDF0PAGEPDF0PAGEPDF0-
4HEPRODUCTSUSED
%6%29"/$97).3
7)4(,5"%'!2$
With the existing fuel prices, finding a
way to optimize performance while maximizing fuel efficiency becomes very
attractive to the average consumer. But,
with so much deceptive advertising of
products that essentially do nothing, it
becomes difficult for the average vehicle
owner to know what is real and what is
not. That’s where your customers rely on
your knowledge and expertise.
Time and time again, LUBEGARD has
delivered real solutions for real world
problems.
LUBEGARD products allow you to
provide peace of mind and increased
customer satisfaction through real
substantiated savings, while at the same
time, generating revenues for your
business. It’s a win-win situation with
LUBEGARD. Both your customers and
your business stand to benefit. Your
customers will notice an immediate difference in overall vehicle performance, as
well as less fuel consumption, and you, in
turn, will experience increased revenues,
profits, and customer satisfaction.
On the following pages, you will see industry veterans, like yourself, who agreed to
participate in the LUBEGARD Love My
Ride Challenge. Their results are included,
along with their comments regarding any
change in the performance of their vehicle.
If, after reading their results, you are
interested in offering these highly profitable add-on services and money-saving
solutions to your customers, LUBEGARD
has FREE point of purchase materials that
can help you do this.
,5"%'!2$¸!54/-!4)#
42!.3-)33)/.&,5)$
02/4%#4!.4
,5"%'!2$¸")/4%#(
%.').%/),02/4%#4!.4
3OMEOFTHE&2%%ITEMSOFFEREDBY,5"%'!2$
#OUNTER-ATS
(ANGING
-OBILES
Complete with graphics
depicting multiple
preventive maintenance
services, this mobile can be hung in
the waiting room, or anywhere your
customers visit.
# LMR-Mobile
&OLDOUT
"ROCHURES
What are the benefits of
preventive car care
maintenance? This fold
out brochure describes
add-on maintenance
services and their benefits
to your customers.
# LMR-107
Colorful and informative counter mat with
benefits of preventive maintenance.
# LMR-CM
#OURTESY
)NSPECTIONS
Easy to use
and easy to
understand
courtesy
forms that
you can use
to suggest add-on
maintenance services
to customers.
Driver’s Report
Coutesy check
# LMR-106
# LMR-105
Call 1-800-333-LUBE to ask for your free Love My Ride materials.
• Prevents overheating, reducing
elevated operating temperatures
up to 40°F
• Extends fluid life
• Eliminates fluid foaming and oxidation
• Reduces wear throughout the transmission
• Eliminates clutch/torque converter shudder
• Optimizes total transmission performance
• Softens and modifies harsh shifts
• Provides for smoother shifting
• Eliminates objectionable noises during shifts
• Keeps valves and governors free and frees
stuck valves in valvebodies
• Assists in eliminating warranty comebacks
• Raises thermal & oxidative stability of fluid
• Increases the fluid's ability to transfer heat
• Does not contain zinc (ZDDP)/Ash, etc.
• Saves oil and fuel
• Optimizes engine horsepower
and performance
• Protects and extends oil life by 30%
• Improves fuel economy by reducing friction
in your engine
• Reduces wear on metal components, thus
increasing part life
• Improves anti-friction and anti-wear
properties of ALL major oil brands to meet
requirements of ALL vehicles, including
older and high performance models.
• Eliminates lifter and other objectionable noise
on startup, especially in cold weather.
• Ensures smoother running engines.
+//,)4¸3502%-%
#//,!.442%!4-%.4
• Enhances heat transfer and
reduces operating
temperatures
• Extends coolant life up to 5
years
• Provides cooling system corrosion
protection
• Protects all metals from electrolysis
• Prevents deposits which lead to overheating
• Reduces wet-sleeve cylinder cavitation
erosion
• Works with all types of antifreeze,
including DEX-COOL®
,5"%'!2$¸0/7%234%%2).'
&,5)$02/4%#4!.4
• Eliminates power steering
noises and whines
• Improves power steering
system performance
• Eliminates rack and pinion steering stiffness
• Converts power steering fluid to Honda Power
Steering Fluid
• Frees sticky turbines and pumps
• Extends system and fluid life
• Reduces wear, thus extending the life of the
power steering system
• Increases responsiveness
• Eliminates stiffness on cold mornings
• Prevents thermal and oxidative breakdown
02/))»#/-0,%4%
&5%,3934%-#,%!.%2
• Boosts power and performance
• Improves gas mileage
• Idles smoother
• Restores timing
• Reduces emissions
• Extends fuel system life
,5"%'!2$¸,)-)4%$3,)0
when
3500,%-%.4
applicable
• Eliminates differential noise
• Works in all makes and models with
limited slip differentials
• Reduces temperature
• Inhibits rust and corrosion
10/2/08 11:14:29 AM
/LD&LUIDSPDF0/LD&LUIDSPDF0/LD&LUIDSPDF0P
4HEPARTICIPANTS
Group A was instructed to add LUBEGARD
products without changing, adding, or
altering in any way, existing fluids in their
vehicles.
These existing (older) fluids had broken in prior to
the addition of the LUBEGARD products and
benefited immediately from the LXE®
Technology.
LUBEGARD is the only product that is able to
MPGTOMPG
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have such a dramatic increase on fuel efficiency
because the ester formation of the LXE
Technology picks up and discharges heat more
efficiently, while the improvement in lubricity
reduces friction making it a more efficient
lubricant.
Without LUBEGARD
With LUBEGARD
Without LUBEGARD
With LUBEGARD
7HAT.ATHANHADTOSAYABOUT
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22
10/2/08 11:15:00 AM
4HEPARTICIPANTS
Group B, prior to using LUBEGARD
products, were instructed to exchange all
of the existing fluids in their vehicles.
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Even our test group with all brand new fluids saw
significant increases in efficiency. Had the new
fluids been allowed a longer break-in period, the
improvements would have been even more dramatic
as the fluids sheared into the operational viscosity
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they normally operate at. Even with that, the
improvement to efficiency and the reduction of
friction have significantly improved fuel efficiency
with even more improvements to come.
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22.5
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22
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13
12.5
14
21.5
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21
20.5
Without LUBEGARD
With LUBEGARD
SE
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7HAT3COTTHADTOSAYABOUT
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23
10/2/08 11:15:30 AM
LASTPAGEPDF0LASTPAGEPDF0LASTPAGEPDF0LASTPAGEPDF0P G P
!DDITIONAL2ESULTS
Of course, during the Challenge,
we had participants that were
unable to go through the allotted
amount of tanks of gas. This was
due to strict time constraints for
returning the data on time to write
this story. We’d also like to
include their personal thoughts
and comments on this challenge,
as well as thank them for taking
the time out of their busy schedules to participate.
"LAKE,UNSFORD
0RESIDENT.ATIONWIDE4RANSMISSION
&AYETTEVILLE.#
7ALT3WANSON
,EEgS4RANSMISSIONS
6ANCOUVER"##ANADA
$RIVES
#HEVROLET
!VALANCHE 8 , WITH A L%
AUTOMATICTRANSMISSION
$RIVES$ODGE $AKOTA 8
WITHA2&%AUTOMATICTRANSMIS
SION
(ERES WHAT "LAKE HAD TO
SAYABOUTTHECHALLENGE
(ERESWHAT7ALTHADTOSAY
ABOUTTHECHALLENGE
h) GAINED JUST SHY OF MILES PER
GALLON+EEPINMINDTHEVEHICLEIS
AN@!VALANCHEWITHMILES
ANDHASBEENWELLMAINTAINEDSINCE
NEW ) ALSO NOTICED A SLIGHT ENGINE
STUMBLEINGEARATIDLEISGONE
-
9
9
9
+IT ,INDSAY AND
(EFLEY
,INDSAY4RANSMISSION
7ARRENSBURG-/
"ENNY
$RIVES$ODGE 2AM WITHA2%AUTOMATICTRANSMISSION
7EASKEDTHEPARTICIPANTSTO
ALSO NOTE DRIVABILITY DIFFER
ENCES OF THEIR VEHICLES
DURINGTHESETESTS
(EREISWHAT"ENNYNOTES
h!COUPLEOFDEGREESDROPINOPERAT
INGTEMPERATUREv
h)NOTICEDACLICKINGNOISENOTPRESENT
AFTERPUTTING;,5"%'!2$=IN!WHINE
INTHEPOWERSTEERINGWASALSOGONE
-UCHSMOOTHERATIDLEv
h6EHICLESTARTEDEASIERh
24
7HILE)DIDNOTSEEREMARKABLEGAINS
IN MPG THERE WAS A GAIN NONETHE
LESS TO MY BENEFIT )M SURE HAD )
PERFORMED THESE TESTS ON AN OLDER
VEHICLE WITH MORE MILES THE RESULTS
WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE OBVIOUS )
ALSOSPENTAFEWMINUTESCALCULATING
MY MPG GAIN WITH THE OTHER DATA
xAND ESSENTIALLY ) WAS SPENDING
ALMOST CENTS LESS PER GALLON
FILL UP 7HO WOULDNT GET A SMALL
AMOUNTOFSATISFACTIONFROMTHAT
)VE USED ,5"%'!2$ PRODUCTS FOR
SEVERALYEARSNOWTHISTESTCONFIRMED
WHAT)ALREADYKNEW4HESTUFFWORKS
ANDWORKSWELL-YTARGETCUSTOMER
ISNOTDRIVINGAVEHICLETHEYRE
DRIVING A K AUTOMOBILE THATS
MOST LIKELY NOT BEEN MAINTAINED IN
THE SAME MANNER 4HEY NEED THESE
BENEFITS AND WILL SURELY SEE MORE
IMPRESSIVERESULTSv
h6EHICLEDEFINITELYRANSMOOTHER
!STHEVEHICLEHASAGED)HAD
NOTICEDADECLINEINACCELERATIONSINCE
NEW 4HE ACCELERATION SEEMS TO HAVE
BEENRESTOREDAS)HAVENOTICEDMORE
hJUMPv
.OT LONG AFTER ) PURCHASED THE TRUCK
NEW ) HAD COMPLAINED TO #HRYSLER
UNDER WARRANTY ABOUT AN ENGINE
h3TUMBLEvASIFORCYLINDERSWERE
NOTFIRINGONCOLDSTARTUP7EHADNO
#(%#+ %.').% LIGHTS OR DIAGNOSTIC
CODES4HISWASONLYONCEORTWICEA
MONTH)HAVENOTDETECTEDTHATSYMP
TOM YET SINCE OUR COMPLETE SERVICE OF
THEVEHICLEv
International Lubricants, Inc. would like
to thank all of the participants who
graciously participated in this study. No
part of this test or its results may be reproduced, cited, or used in any manner
without the express written consent and
permission of International Lubricants,
Inc., including information provided
regarding participants, where they are
from, their place of business, as well as
the type and size of vehicle involved in
the research. You may contact us for
additional information concerning any of
the test results by writing to
[email protected].
10/2/08 11:15:59 AM
C
M
Y
CM
MY
CY CMY
K
Is Your Ford Four-Wheel Drive System Crazy?
KEEP THOSE TRANNYS ROLLING
Is Your Ford
Four-Wheel Drive
System Crazy?
SPEAKER
W
hile working on the ATRA
HotLine, I received a call
from a technician named
Gary. Gary was working on a 2004
Ford Explorer that was experiencing
erratic four-wheel drive system operation. According to Gary, the four-wheel
drive lights were flashing, and he was
getting unrequested shifts to four-wheel
drive Low range at times.
He’d already checked the fourwheel drive control module (integrated
with the PCM) for codes and each time
he checked the system, different codes
would appear. The first time he checked
for codes, he found P1812 and P1815
(mode switch circuit codes), and P1824
(4WD clutch circuit) in the system. The
second time he found encoder circuit
codes P1846 (A circuit) and P1850 (B
circuit). The third time, the remaining
encoder circuit codes P1854 (C circuit)
and P1858 (D circuit) were present.
Gary said the four-wheel drive
system was acting crazy, and the codes
kept alternating between the mode
switch circuit, 4WD clutch circuit, and
the encoder circuits. Needless to say,
he was stumped as to where to go from
here.
The Diagnosis
Gary assured me that he’d followed the diagnostic routine for each of
the codes and they hadn’t led him anywhere. He’d already monitored the signals coming into the four-wheel drive
control module/PCM from the mode
switch circuits and the signals didn’t
change during the unrequested shift to
4WD Low range.
26
26Pete4x4.indd 26
He then monitored the signals
coming from the encoder circuits; he
found an erratic signal from each of the
circuits. After checking the wiring harness from the four-wheel drive control
module to the encoder/motor assembly
and finding no problems, Gary was
confident that he had a bad encoder/
motor assembly, so he replaced it.
After replacing the encoder/motor
assembly, Gary rechecked the encoder
circuits and found the signals from the
encoder were still erratic. That’s when
he decided to call the ATRA HotLine.
I listened to Gary as he explained
his problem, and then told him that
I was working on a seminar for this
year’s Powertrain Expo on Ford’s 4WD
systems. Gary was more than happy to
work with me to perform some quick
checks and see if we could locate the
problem.
A Clue Discovered
While we went over the diagnostic
routine he’d performed so far, Gary
mentioned that this Explorer didn’t
have a four-wheel drive system problem until they’d removed and repaired
the transmission. “That’s when the
four-wheel drive system started acting
crazy,” he said.
To be sure, Gary contacted the
customer and verified that they weren’t
having any problems with the fourwheel drive system prior to the transmission repair. By now we were confident that the problem was created at
some point during the removal, repair
and installation of the transmission.
I questioned Gary about the remov-
by Pete Huscher
al and installation process. He said
everything went together without any
problems; he’d coated both sides of
the gasket that fits between the transfer
case and transmission with silicone,
and then installed the transfer case.
He checked the 4WD clutch circuit
and found high resistance to ground. He
then rechecked the connections to the
encoder/motor assembly and everything
looked good. Gary couldn’t understand
why he was still getting high resistance
to ground on the 4WD clutch circuit
and an erratic signal on the encoder
circuits.
The Path to Ground
According to the wiring schematic
for the four-wheel drive system, the
4WD clutch and encoder/motor assembly used the transfer case as a path to
ground.
The first step was to check the
4WD clutch ground circuit. Gary
checked the continuity between transfer
case connector pin 12 and the transfer
case itself. The continuity was good,
which indicated that the clutch circuit
was capable of grounding through the
transfer case.
The next step was to check the
transfer case ground. Gary used a voltage drop test to verify that the transfer
case had a good path to ground. To
perform this test, he:
• Turned the key on, engine off, to
energize the solenoids and power
the circuit.
• Set his DVOM to 20 volts DC.
• Connected the positive lead to the
positive battery post.
9/30/08 1:52:00 PM
Figure 1: updated gasket, part # 4L2Z 7086 AA
•
Connected the negative lead to the
negative battery post to get a good
system base voltage reading.
The DVOM read 12.5 volts, which
indicated that the battery had a
good charge. Next, he:
• Moved his negative lead to the
engine block to verify the voltage
drop between the engine block and
the battery negative terminal.
The voltage drop to the engine block
ground path was less than 0.1 volts;
well within specs. Then he:
• Moved the negative lead to the
transmission case to check the
voltage drop there.
He found that the transmission
case also had a drop of less than 0.1
volts; again well within specifications.
For the next step, Gary was going
to have to check the transfer case
assembly for a good path to ground. To
do so, he:
• Raised the vehicle on the rack and
positioned the DVOM so he could
read the display.
• Connected the negative lead to the
transfer case.
28
26Pete4x4.indd 28
With the positive lead connected to
the positive battery post and the negative lead connected to the transfer case
assembly, Gary found only 0.6 volts in
the circuit — he had a voltage drop of
more than 11.9 volts! So the transfer
case assembly didn’t have a good path
to ground.
Gary immediately installed a
ground strap from the transfer case
to the transmission and rechecked the
voltage drop. With the ground strap in
place, the DVOM now indicated a voltage drop of just 0.1 volts. The transfer
case assembly now had a good ground.
He reconnected the transfer case
connector, lowered the vehicle, and
rechecked the signals from the encoder
circuits. The encoder circuit signals
were no longer erratic and the 4WD
clutch circuit indicated a good ground.
Preliminary checks indicated the
problem was fixed: It was now time to
recheck the four-wheel drive system
operation. Gary cleared the codes from
the PCM and headed out for a test
drive.
The Test Drive
As Gary began his test drive, everything seemed to be working properly.
The transmission shifted properly and
the transfer case stayed in 2WD range.
Each time he requested the transfer
case to engage into 4WD Low or 4WD
High, the four-wheel drive control system made the shift as requested. And
when Gary requested the transfer case
to return to Auto 4x4 mode, the transfer
case returned to 2WD mode, exactly
the way it was supposed to. The fourwheel drive system seemed to be working perfectly.
With the four-wheel drive system working properly, Gary returned
to the shop to recheck the PCM for
codes. There were no engine performance codes, transmission codes or
four-wheel drive system codes in the
PCM. It looked like Gary had this one
whipped. He returned the vehicle to the
customer, who’s been driving it for a
couple of days and everything seems to
be working properly. Good job, Gary!
9/30/08 1:53:38 PM
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Figure 2: Metal washer embedded in gasket to provide ground path.
The Conclusion,
with “Top Secret”
Information
A couple days later, I had the
opportunity to stop by my local Ford
Dealership and chat with their transmission and driveability technicians
John and Charley. I shared Gary’s story
with them, and by the time I was done,
they each had a great big “cat that ate
the canary” grin on their faces. I knew
something was up, so I had to ask.
John started walking back to
his work area laughing and said that
he’d seen this problem before. I was
intrigued, to say the least, so I followed
John back to his work area, where he
reached into a drawer and pulled out
a package of gaskets (figure 1). He
handed them to me and said “here’s
your fix.”
Puzzled for a second, I asked him,
“What’s this gasket got to do with my
transfer case electrical system problem?” John laughed again and said
“look at the gasket.” As I looked at the
gasket, I noticed it had a metal ring
built in around one of the bolt holes
(figure 2).
While I was examining the gasket,
John explained: He’d encountered the
same problem when the 2004 Ford
Explorer first came out. He said every
time he removed a transfer case and
reinstalled it, he would end up with
30
erratic transfer case operation, the 4WD
light flashing, and alternating transfer
case system codes would set in the
PCM.
After several attempts to fix the
problem by checking wiring, connections and then replacing the PCM, he
finally looked at the old gasket and saw
the metal ring. John went on to say that
the transfer case housing was made out
of magnesium while the transmission
housing was aluminum. The contact of
the two different metals caused corrosion between the two housings, and on
the transfer case attaching bolts.
Ford replaced the attaching bolts
with specially-coated bolts to prevent
corrosion. But this coating interfered
with the transfer case ground, so they
added the metal ring to the gasket to
provide a ground path between the
transfer case housing and the transmission case.
John went on to explain that coating the gasket with silicone or using
an incorrect gasket — one without
the metal ring — would interrupt the
ground and cause erratic four-wheel
drive system operation.
As I was leaving the dealership,
I thought to myself, “WOW! this is
top secret information.” If it wasn’t
for John, we would never have known
about the special bolts and gasket needed to allow the transfer case system
to operate properly. Just think of the
wasted time and money that would be
spent checking wiring, connections and
possibly replacing the PCM, due to a
$19 gasket (Ford P/N 4L2Z-7086-AA).
So if you’re working on a 2004-ornewer Ford Explorer, Ford Expedition,
or Mercury Mountaineer with a fourwheel drive system that’s acting crazy,
be sure to check the transfer case
ground. With this top secret information and the correct gasket, you, too,
should be able to keep those trannies
and four-wheel drive systems rolling!
A Personal Invitation
The ATRA 2008 Powertrain Expo
is right around the corner, on the last
week of October. I’d like to invite each
and every one of you personally to
join us in Las Vegas for the most comprehensive management and technical training seminar program available
anywhere in our industry.
I’ll be hosting the Diagnosing
Today’s Domestic Four-Wheel Drive
Systems presentation, and I look forward to seeing you all there again this
year. With you there, we can make this
the best Powertrain Expo ever.
Precision matters.
QUALITY TRANSMISSION SOLENOIDS
FROM THE GLOBAL LEADER IN AUTOMATIC
TRANSMISSION SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGY.
Today's complex electronic transmissions require precise and accurate
TM
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1350 North Greenbriar Drive Unit B Addison, IL 60101 (630) 261-9980
www.borgwarner.com
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borgwarnerplcd.indd 25
control, like the control provided by BorgWarner quality transmission
solenoids. Our solenoids are engineered to exacting specifications,
improving fuel economy and reducing emissions.
Make BorgWarner your one-stop source for automatic transmission
controls that are competitively priced, readily available and guaranteed
to fit your rebuilds. Call your authorized distributor today and ask
for the original parts from the leader in automatic transmission
technology...BorgWarner Inc.
4/11/06 3:26:05 PM
PLAYING TO WIN
THE CAR DELIVERY:
How Great Shops
Get It Done
R
ecently, a shop owner and I
were discussing the fact that
his business has been flat for
a couple years. I asked him what he
meant by flat — sales dollars, profitability, car count, or what? He observed
that while his total sales are slightly up,
his car count is substantially off, resulting in essentially flat profits. This told
me that he had intuitively increased
his prices enough to offset the lower
number of jobs, as well as increases in
overhead and parts costs. His business
was surviving, but no longer growing
and certainly not thriving.
From what I’ve heard and observed
around the country, this seems to be a
common scenario. Unfortunately, many
haven’t made the price adjustments to
compensate for lower car counts and
higher costs, resulting in disappearing
profits and worse, many shops have
been forced to close.
You might think that this article
is going to be about sales, pricing and
profitability. While it will help you
address all of them, it’s actually about
one of the most underrated, overlooked,
and virtually ignored aspects of the
sales process: the car delivery.
Why car delivery? Because I
believe that not most, but all great
shops do a great job with this step of the
sales cycle. There’s no other step that
can do as much to help you grow and
sustain the growth of your business as
an outstanding car delivery procedure.
Notice that I’ve referred to it as
both a step in the sales cycle and
as a procedure. That’s because it is,
or should be, both. Most good shops
have established specific procedures
for answering the phone, greeting the
32
32thom1008.indd 32
customer, diagnosing the problem, preparing the estimate, selling the job, and
getting the work done. But the great
shops recognize that all those steps are
soon forgotten when it comes down to
paying for the work and driving off. So
they treat the car delivery as a continuation of the sales process and have instituted specific procedures to ensure that
it’s done consistently and done well.
It’s been said that people will
remember how you made them feel
long after they forget what you said or
what you did. The overall experience
is going to be the measure by which
you’re judged, because it’s really the
source of the customers’ feelings. So
if it’s the feelings that the customers
leave with that endure, do you want the
last feeling (the enduring feeling) to be
the sting of writing the check? It occurs
to me that we need to do something to
make the lasting impression be a great
impression. If we do that successfully,
we’ll reap the rewards of customer loyalty and referrals. It should go without
saying that car counts will increase as
a result of repeat customers and active
word-of-mouth referrals.
I randomly asked several shop
owners to tell me the last step of their
sales cycle, and nearly all of them
referred to the last step (the car delivery step) as “cashing out the job.” How
cold and uncaring is that? Cashing out
the job doesn’t even acknowledged
that there’s a customer involved, in
which case they might have at least
said “cashing out the customer.” But
seriously, if that’s your feeling about
the car delivery step, that’s the message
your customer is going to get, too.
Let’s look at what you can accom-
SPEAKER
by Thom Tschetter
plish with a great car delivery procedure.
1. DIFFERENTIATE YOUR SHOP FROM
THE COMPETITION. When you consider that one of our greatest threats
today is losing business to the dealerships, I see car delivery as the
easiest way to set yourself apart
from the dealership. Dealerships
are notorious for just “cashing out
the job.” Think about it: When
you pick up your car at the dealership, you even have to go to the
cashier’s cage to pay your bill. She
gives you the keys, and points you
to where you can pick up your car.
God forbid you should have any
questions regarding the invoice…
this sends the whole process into a
tailspin.
2. ENSURE CUSTOMER SATISFACTION.
Make a point to address any and all
aspects of the customer’s experience by revisiting everything that’s
taken place, reassuring him for
the decisions he made, reviewing
the repair order and the warranty
in detail, and confirming that all
of his vehicle concerns have been
completely addressed. There’s
nothing worse than returning the
car to the customer with the same
problem it had when it came in.
3. MANAGE CUSTOMER EXPECTATIONS.
This may be the biggest purchase
the customer will make this year,
and it’s almost certain to be the
biggest car expense he’ll have for
quite some time. His expectations
might be that the car will run like
new. When reviewing the things
you did, make sure you emphasize
any additional work that is or will
10/1/08 11:05:04 AM
4.
soon be needed that wasn’t authorized. Point out what the customer
should watch for in terms of performance or changes in driving
characteristics. You don’t want the
customer to leave thinking his car
is going to run like new if it still
has some issues.
TAKE A LESSON FROM YOUR DENTIST.
Ask when you can schedule the
customer for the additional work
or for the next scheduled interval
maintenance service. If you don’t
do that type of work, ask if he’d
like a recommendation where he
can have the work done. You might
even go as far as call and make an
appointment for him at a reputable
shop… talk about a way to build a
relationship with that shop as well
as the customer!
Also related to managing your
customer’s expectations, it’s important
to emphasize the warranty and why we
have warranties. Here’s a sample dialog
for explaining the role and importance
of the warranty, without making it
sound like he has to worry about repair
quality:
“Mr. [customer], I’d like to take
a couple minutes to go over your warranty. In a perfect world everything
would keep working forever and we
wouldn’t need warranties. In fact, if
things always worked perfectly, we
wouldn’t have needed to repair your car
in the first place.
“With that in mind, even though
we exercised the greatest care and
installed the best parts available when
performing your rebuild, because we’re
only human and the parts are also made
by humans, sometimes things can go
wrong. It could be as minor as a leak
because a seal doesn’t seat properly,
or it could be something more serious
that could require redoing the entire
job. In any event, our warranty protects
you from having to spend another dime
on your transmission for ____ years or
___________ miles, whichever occurs
first.
“While there isn’t actually any
break-in period for your rebuilt transmission, for the next two weeks we’d
like you to keep an eye on how things
are working. In the unlikely event
that something does come up — for
instance, you notice a leak or something just doesn’t feel right — please let
us know right away.
“Even if you’re out of town, please
call us first, and we’ll get you right in
to get it checked and corrected. You’re
covered coast to coast at any ATRA
Member Shop, but you’ll need to contact us so we can make arrangements to
cover the repairs with the nearest ATRA
Member.
“However — and this is important
— even if everything is perfect, we’d
still like to see your car back for a complimentary performance and adjustment
check, just to make sure everything is
working as it should.
“Remember; we’re here to help if
anything goes wrong unexpectedly. As
long as you’re happy with us, please
tell your friends; if for any reason you
become dissatisfied, please tell us. Your
satisfaction is our number one goal.”
By using this or a similar explanation of the warranty, you avert the irate
customer that calls and starts out with,
“I just spent blank-blank dollars with
you guys and now the blank thing is
worse than before. I’m stopping payment on my credit card until you get it
right.” Since you’ve actually prepared
them for the possibility that something
could go wrong, the call is more likely
to be along these lines, “You know that
leak you warned me about? Well, I
guess one of those new seals is leaking;
what should I do?” It goes without saying you don’t want either call, but the
second one is better, don’t you think?
For more great ideas for improving your delivery to create an excellent
customer experience, be sure to attend
all the What’s Working presentations.
Don’t miss my Sunday morning session where you’ll pick up a ton of other
great ideas, tips and tricks on how to
make the Car Delivery a value-building experience for your customer and
a business-building step in the sales
cycle for your shop. If you can’t make
it, you’ll want to order the complete
set of CDs and get all the great What’s
Working presentations.
Transmission Specialties offers a Builder Program designed
to fit your business requirements. If you’re building
high performance converters, let us supply you quality
converter parts and offer a package with our high
performance transmissions to your existing converter
customers. If you’re building transmissions, we can
provide virtually every hard part at a competitive price
and you can offer our “spragless” converter line to your
customer. We will spec and build the converter for you and
will handle any questions or stall adjustments from the customer.
Our goal is to work with you and help you
expand your business. Call or email us and
we’ll tailor a no risk program for you.
32thom1008.indd 33
33
10/1/08 11:05:48 AM
6T70/6T75: The Future is Now, Part 1
6T70/6T75:
The Future is
Now, Part 1
SPEAKER
by Steve Garrett
T
he first in a series of new, GM,
6-speed, front-wheel drive
transmissions was introduced
for the 2007 model year. The 6T70
and 6T75 entered into the GM lineups
with several vehicles such as the Saturn
Aura, Pontiac G6, Chevrolet Malibu
for the car lines, and the GMC Acadia,
Buick Enclave and Saturn Outlook in
the truck lines (figure 1).
The 6T70/75 are part of a co-engineering project between GM Powertrain
and Ford Motor Company. In addition to the GM applications, Ford has
released the transmission as the 6F50
model. Many of the components are
shared between the two manufacturers,
while others are model specific, such as
the case and TCM.
The 6T70/6T75 improved fuel
economy by an average of 4%, while
performance was improved 8% on
average over their 4-speed counterparts. The 6T70/6T75 share the same
architecture and most of the parts are
the same. The primary difference is
the 6T75; a heavy-duty version of the
6T70. The heavy duty parts in the 6T75
include:
• A shot-peened output carrier
• 5 pinion carrier
• Transfer gear is wider
• Differential carrier is heavier duty
• Heavier ribbed case
Figure 1
Specifications
RPO Codes:
• 6T70 car FWD RPO MH2
• 6T70 car AWD RPO MH4
• 6T75 Truck FWD RPO MY9
• 6T75 Truck AWD RPO MH6
• Input torque capacity; 6T70: 280
lb-ft (380 Nm) 6T75 299 lb-ft
34
34sgarrett1008.indd 34
Figure 2: The Differential slings oil into the trough to lube the geartrain.
9/30/08 1:08:32 PM
Electronic Components Benefits
• Sensors: Superior reliability
and durability compared to
off-shore and OE; eliminate
limp mode comebacks
• Solenoids: Corrosion resistant
and durable under the most
severe operating conditions;
reduce risk of solenoid failure
Randy says: “I have discovered a new respect for every clutch, steel
and electronic component Raybestos produces. There is an incredible
sense of pride and confidence everywhere within Raybestos.
My congratulations to a fantastic company of dedicated folks who
make the ‘Made in the USA’ label the most powerful on the planet.”
964 East Market St., Crawfordsville, IN 47933 • Toll Free: 800-729-7763 • Fax: 765-364-4576 • Email: [email protected]
RAYbestos plcd508.indd 19
5/1/08 10:13:51 AM
•
•
•
•
•
•
Output torque capacity; 6T70: 462
lb-ft (515 Nm)
Maximum GCVW; 6T70: 4000 lbs
6T75-4850 lbs
Weight: 216 lbs (98kg)
Transfer design: 3 axis
Compact design: 357 mm length,
197 mm width
Differential and side bearing preloads are adjustable.
•
•
•
•
•
Ratios:
• 1st — 4.48:1
• 2nd — 2.87:1
• 3rd — 1.84:1
• 4th — 1.41:1
• 5th — 1.00:1
• 6th — 0.74:1
• REV — 2.88:1
• Final Drive — 2.77:1 or 3.16:1
Additional Information
• Fluid type Dexron VI
• Fluid capacity; valve body cover
removal: 5.3–7.4 qts (5–7 liters)
• Fluid capacity; fluid change: 4.2–
6.3 qts (4–6 liters)
• Fluid capacity; rebuild: 7.4–9.5 qts
(7–9 liters)
• The vent for the transmission is
incorporated into the dipstick.
• EC3 246 mm, hyper-elliptical,
furnace-brazed torque converter.
Torque converter contains a lip
seal that may be damaged if the
converter is removed or installed
in any position other than verti-
•
•
cal. Special tools are available;
J46409.
5 clutches (3 holding, 2 driving);
clutch-to-clutch shifting
1 diode/ratchet type, one-way
clutch
2 shift solenoids; (On/Off design):
SS1,SS2
6 variable bleed solenoids: PCS1,
PCS2, PCS3, PCS4, PCS5, TCC
A Bosch-built, 32-bit TCM
(TEHCM) mounted inside the
transmission on the valve body
(referred to as the control solenoid valve assembly). The TCM
(TEHCM) incorporates solenoids,
pressure switches, and TFTs, and is
bolted to the valve body. A special,
spring-loaded bracket is used to
force the TCM against a heat sink
on the valve body. Failure to install
the bracket will cause the TCM to
overheat and shut down.
No shift valves are used.
Unit uses only one accumulator
(4th, 5th, 6th).
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Compensator circuits are used to
control clutch release.
Remote-mounted, off-axis, chaindriven, vane-type oil pump
Internal Mode Switch (IMS)
equipped
Performance Algorithm Shifting
(PAS) programming
Performance Algorithm Lift foot
(PAL) programming
Sport mode and TAP shift
equipped
Adaptive strategies with fast learn
capabilities
Reverse lockout feature
Grade braking
All of the FWD/AWD applications use a lube trough to provide
lubrication during towing (figure
2). Towing the vehicle with the
rear wheels elevated will result in
a lube failure due to oil draining
out of the lube trough. FWD applications can be dingy-towed and
dolly-towed. AWD applications
can only be dingy-towed .
The Aura applications
have the switches
mounted as paddletype controls on each
side of the steering
wheel.
Figure 3
The customer simply presses the
+ or – buttons, located on the
shifter, to force the shift.
Figure 4
36
Figure 5
9/30/08 11:19:06 AM
SUPERIORdoubletruck2008_PRINT.in2-3 2-3
8/25/2008 4:47:25 PM
Customer Features
The 6T70/75 applications use
a feature you may have seen on
other GM 6-speed and 4-speed
applications. The 6T70/75 use the
tap shift feature that was first introduced in the 4T40E and 4T65E
applications. The tap shift switch
style and wiring configurations
will vary with the vehicle.
While the commands for a tap
up- or tap downshift will vary with
application, the basic functions
remain the same in all applications. Each system has built-in
protection programming to prevent the transmission from downshifting at excessive RPM, which
could damage the engine.
In addition, depending on the
application, the engine is protected
from excessive RPM if the customer locks the shifter in M or L
ranges while failing to command
an upshift. In this scenario, the
unit will either force an upshift
at high RPM or the engine will
reach fuel cutoff mode. The tap
feature can also be used to force
Figure 6
Figure 7
40
9/30/08 11:19:24 AM
the vehicle to start in 2nd or 3rd gear
from a stop.
The Aura applications have the
switches mounted as paddle-type controls on each side of the steering wheel
(figure 3). To operate the paddle-type
control, the customer pulls the switch
toward him or her to force a downshift.
Pushing the paddle will force the transmission to upshift. For tap shifting to
function, the shift lever must be in the
M range.
The G6 applications use a special
gate, built into the shifter. The G6
shifter has an M position and another
gate for tap shifting. To tap shift the
G6 the customer simply moves the
shift lever into the M position. From
there, the customer can move the shifter
toward the + or – gates to force a shift
(figure 4).
The Outlook and Acadia use buttons mounted on the shift lever to
trigger a tap shift. The shifter must be
placed in the L position for tap shifts
to function. From there, the customer
simply presses the + or – buttons,
located on the shifter, to force the shift
(figure 5).
When the brake is
applied, the shift
selector lever will be
allowed to move out
of the park position
(figure 8).
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Figure 8
9/30/08 11:19:51 AM
Tap Shift Electrical Operation
The tap switch assemblies contain two switch
contacts and three fixed resistors. One resistor is
used for diagnostic purposes while the other resistors signal the body control module (BCM) or
the transmission control module (TCM) regarding
the up- or downshift command, depending on the
application.
The BCM or TCM monitors the voltage drop
across the resistors to determine whether the customer is commanding an upshift or downshift.
During a tap upshift, the voltage is dropped across a
1.5k-ohm resistor while a downshift command will
force the voltage to drop across a 4.42k-ohm resistor (figures 6 and 7).
Shift Interlock System
Like other GM vehicles, the
6T70/75 applications use a Brake/
Transmission Shift Interlock (BTSI)
system. A solenoid controls the transmission manual linkage.
To move the selector out of park,
the driver must step on the brake pedal.
The BCM monitors the brake switch
input. When the brake is applied, the
shift selector lever will be allowed to
move out of the park position (figure
8).
Figure 9
Contact Bob Sorenson
(507) 359-1197
or
Email
[email protected]
Fluid Level and Filter
Service
Fluid level is checked with a dipstick on the 6T70/75. As with other
GM 6-speed models, Dexron VI is the
required fluid.
Fluid level is very sensitive on
these units, so be sure to have the fluid
at the proper temperature (180º–200ºF;
82º–93ºC).
The filter isn’t designed to be
serviced during a fluid change. Unlike
other applications, the 6T70/75 filter is
sandwiched between the case halves so
it isn’t easily accessed (figure 9). Fluid
change intervals are 100,000 miles for
normal service and 50,000 miles for
severe-duty service.
The manufacturers are sure to
expand the use of the 6T70 and 6T75
in the years to come. In the next segment, we’ll look at how the electronics
systems operate in these units. Until
then, remember: “Life is like riding
a bicycle; you don’t fall off until you
stop pedaling.”
43
10/3/08 10:51:53 AM
Let’s Play Ball with the Nissan’s RE5F22A…
LET'S PLAY BALL
Understanding the Diagnostics for
Nissan’s RE5F22A
5-Speed
SPEAKER
by Lance Wiggins
B
efore we get started, it’s
important to understand that
World Diagnostic Systems
(WDS) are becoming more and more
common as the same units are being
sold and used by several different manufacturers. The Nissan RE5F22A is one
of these units; the internal components
are the same as the AW50-55SN/AF335, and now we can put another slash in
that list: RE5F22A.
By World Diagnostic Systems,
we’re talking about the operating strategies in use. Many manufacturers are
opting to incorporate these universal
operating systems. Which means that
those operational systems are now
crossing manufacturer’s lines.
This is great news, because it means
that, once you’ve become familiar with
the operating system for one manufacturer, you’re already well versed in that
system for every manufacturer that uses
the same transmission.
But just because the units and
operating systems are the same doesn’t
mean the diagnostics are. In this edition
of Let’s Play Ball, we’re going to cover
the Nissan diagnostics and how they
apply to the RE5F22A/AW50-55SN/
AF33-B.
Let’s get started with the transmission control module (TCM) function,
which is to:
• receive input signals sent from
various switches and sensors.
• determine required line pressures,
shift points, lockup and engine
brake operation.
• send required output signals to the
individual solenoids.
The transmission control module
senses vehicle operating conditions
44
through various sensors or signals.
Based on those signals, it provides the
optimum shift performance and reduces
shift and lockup shock using the CAN
network.
This on-vehicle multiplex communication line has high data communication speed and excellent error detection.
These vehicles use several electronic
control units, and each shares information and links with other control units
during operation.
In CAN communication, control
units are connected with two communication lines (CAN H line, CAN L line)
allowing rapid information transmis-
sion with less wiring. Each control unit
transmits and receives data, selectively
reading only the data it requires. It’s
basically able to learn the driver’s habits and control the transmission accordingly.
The TCM provides a signal to pressure control solenoid A, which controls
and adjusts line pressure for clutches and brakes to reduce shift shock.
Pressure control solenoid A controls the
signal pressure to the pressure regulator valve, which adjusts the pressure of
the operating oil discharged from the
pump. This keeps line pressure appropriate for driving conditions.
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conditions, the TCM controls
the current to pressure control
solenoid A, which, in turn,
controls line pressure.
The clutch pressure control solenoid is controlled
based on signals from the
switches and sensors. So the
clutch pressure is adjusted for
engine load and vehicle driving conditions.
This system makes it
possible to control the clutch
hydraulic pressure with high
precision, to attain smoother
shifts. Basically the TCM is
programmed for economy
operation, but it can change to
one of several shift schedules
automatically, according to
the driving conditions. There
are several different operating
modes built into the TCM,
depending on the driver’s
needs. These modes include:
Upslope Mode
By upslope, we mean
climbing a hill. When the TCM
determines you’re climbing a
hill, based on the increased
engine load and decreased
acceleration, the TCM alters
shift points on the high-speed
side to avoid busy shift patterns.
Downslope Mode
Downslope is the opposite of
upslope: now we’re going downhill.
When TCM determines you’re heading
downhill, from the increased vehicle
speed with accelerator fully closed,
it provides moderate engine brake by
altering shift points on the high-speed
side.
Hot Mode Control
This control lowers transmission
fluid temperature by changing shift
points when the fluid becomes extremely hot.
In seminars I call this the child
learning curve: Whatever the driver
does, the computer behaves like a child,
absorbing that behavior and learning
what and what not to do. The computer
system gathers information from vehi46
cle operation and uses that to develop
its own behavior; in this case, to provide a smooth shift and driving conditions.
To obtain the most appropriate line
pressure characteristics to meet driving
Manual Mode
In manual mode the driver can
select his favorite gear and enjoy sports
driving similar to a manual transmission. The driver shifts the lever
from D position to manual mode, and
uses the + (upshift) and – (downshift)
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buttons to shift the transmission manually. Lockup is still
controlled automatically. You
can restore shift control to
automatic operation by shifting from manual gear position to D position.
These control strategies
are in effect while the transmission is operated in manual
mode:
Automated Upshift
Control
To avoid overspeeding
the engine, the transmission
will upshift automatically if
engine RPM gets too high.
Automated Downshift
Control
To avoid stalling the
engine, the transmission will
downshift automatically if
engine RPM drops too low.
Upshift Permission Control
To avoid stalling the engine, the
transmission won’t upshift unless vehicle speed is high enough.
Downshift Permission
Control
To avoid overspeeding the engine,
the transmission won’t downshift unless
the vehicle speed is low enough.
Up-/Downshift Learning
Control
The TCM learns to identify acceptable pressure levels for each clutch or
brake, to reduce shift shock in each
shift condition (Up, Down, Manual
Downshift, Coastdown).
N-D Shift Control
This control improves the N-D
shift quality by controlling the line
pressure solenoid, based on the forward
clutch piston stroke rate. The TCM then
applies appropriate hydraulic pressure
to the forward clutch when shifting
from neutral to drive.
N-D Shift Learning Control
The TCM learns what forward
clutch hydraulic pressure should be by
monitoring forward clutch engagement
time and rotation change rate.
48
N-R Shift Control
The TCM improves the N-R shift
quality by controlling the shift pressure
solenoid, based on the direct clutch piston stroke rate. The TCM then applies
appropriate hydraulic pressure to the
direct clutch when shifting from neutral
to reverse.
N-R Shift Learning Control
The TCM learns what direct clutch
hydraulic pressure should be by monitoring direct clutch engagement time
and rotation change rate.
Torque Reduction Control
The TCM improves the shift
quality by sending a torque reduction
request signal to the ECM, which cuts
the engine torque increase at the N-D
shift, N-R shift and the shifts between
gear ranges 1-2-3-4-5. If you press the
accelerator pedal rapidly, this control
establishes the upper limit for engine
torque, which avoids engine flare at the
2-3, 3-4 and 4-2 shifts.
Torque Converter
and Lockup Control
The torque converter clutch piston
in the torque converter is engaged to
eliminate torque converter slip. The
TCM controls pressure control solenoid
C, which controls the torque converter
clutch control valve, which, in turn,
engages or releases the torque converter
clutch piston.
Lockup Released
To release the converter clutch,
pressure control solenoid C sets the
torque converter clutch control valve
to the unlocked position, which allows
lockup apply pressure to drain. This
prevents the converter clutch from
applying.
Lockup Applied
To apply the converter clutch,
pressure control solenoid C sets the
torque converter clutch control valve
to the locked position, which generates
lockup apply pressure. This applies the
torque converter clutch piston, coupling
the torque converter housing directly to
the input shaft.
Smooth Lockup Control
To provide a smooth shift into
lockup, the TCM adjusts the current
flow to pressure control solenoid C.
This enables the converter clutch to
apply slowly into a half-clutched state,
which reduces apply shock.
Half-Clutched State
The TCM varies the current to
pressure control solenoid C. This allows
lockup apply pressure to rise gradually,
putting the converter clutch into the
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half-clutched state. This, in turn, allows
the converter clutch to apply smoothly.
Slip Lockup Control
The TCM controls the current to
pressure control solenoid C to put it into
the half-clutched state. This absorbs
variations in engine torque, allowing
the converter clutch to operate at lower
speeds. This raises fuel efficiency for
4th and 5th gears at both low speeds
and light throttles.
Self Diagnostics
So far we’ve covered the basic
operating strategy for the TCM and
how it controls shifts. Now we’ll look
at how to diagnose the system, starting
with a quick introduction of the two
self-diagnostic systems.
The first self-diagnostic system is
the emission-related, on-board diagnostic system (OBD-II) performed by the
TCM in combination with the ECM.
System faults are indicated by the MIL
(malfunction indicator lamp) and are
stored as DTCs in the ECM memory
— not the TCM memory.
The second is the TCM original
self-diagnostic system, indicated by
the A/T CHECK indicator lamp. Any
faults in this system are stored in TCM
memory, and may overlap with OBD-II
self-diagnostic codes.
OBD-II Function for
the Automatic Trans
The ECM provides emission-related, on-board diagnostic (OBD-II) functions for the automatic transmission.
One function is to receive a signal
from the TCM to be used with OBD-II
related parts of the automatic transmission control system. The signal is sent
to the ECM when a fault occurs in the
corresponding OBD-II related part.
The other function is to indicate
a diagnostic problem through the MIL
(malfunction indicator lamp) on the
instrument panel. Sensors, switches and
solenoids are used as sensing elements.
The MIL automatically lights when
a fault related to
the transmission
occurs over one or
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50
If a fault
occurs during the
first test drive, the
ECM will light the
MIL and store fault
data in memory as
a DTC (diagnostic
trouble code). The
TCM doesn’t have
this memory function.
Two Trip
Detection
Logic
When
the
ECM senses a
fault during the
first test drive, it
stores the fault in
memory as a 1st
trip DTC or 1st trip freeze frame data.
The MIL won’t light yet. But if the
same fault occurs during the second test
drive, the MIL will light and the ECM
will store a code.
The term trip in the One or Two
Trip Detection Logic is an OBD-II term
that means a driving sequence during
which the computer system performs
its basic self-diagnostic procedures.
How to Read DTCs
and 1st Trip DTCs
There are two basic methods for
reading DTCs and 1st Trip DTCs:
• with a CONSULT-II factory scan
tool, or…
• with a generic scan tool.
Examples: P0705, P0710 etc. These
DTCs are prescribed by SAE J2012. In
addition to the code, the CONSULT-II
also indicates the faulty component or
system. The 1st trip DTC is the same
as the DTC.
The output of the diagnostic trouble code indicates a fault in the indicated circuit. But neither the Consult-II
nor the generic scan tool will indicate
whether the fault is still occurring or
occurred in the past and has since
returned to normal.
To Erase the DTCs
You can erase diagnostic trouble
codes using the CONSULT-II or generic scan tool, or you can use the ECM
Diagnostic Test mode.
To enter Diagnostic Test mode to
erase codes is simple; just disconnect
the battery cable. The diagnostic trouble code will be lost within 24 hours.
While just as effective, it’s easier and
quicker to use the CONSULT-II or
generic scan tool than switching into
Diagnostic Test mode.
The following emission-related
diagnostic information is cleared from
the ECM memory when erasing DTCs
related to the OBD-II system:
• Diagnostic trouble codes (DTC)
• 1st trip diagnostic trouble codes
(1st trip DTC)
• Freeze frame data
•
•
Misfire — DTC: P0300 – P0306
Fuel injection system function
— DTC: P0171, P0172, P0174,
P0175
To Erase the DTCs
with the Consult-II
If a DTC is displayed for both
ECM and TCM, you’ll need to erase
both of them. Here’s how:
1. Make sure you have the key off for
at least 10 seconds.
2. Turn the key on, engine off.
3. Turn CONSULT-II on and touch
A/T.
4. Touch SELF-DIAG RESULTS.
5. Touch ERASE (the DTCs in the
TCM will be erased).
6. Touch BACK twice.
7. Touch ENGINE.
8. Touch SELF-DIAG RESULTS.
9. Touch ERASE (the DTCs in the
ECM will be erased).
minutes of driving.
Check the transmission fluid level
and fill if necessary.
4. Switch the air conditioning off and
make sure all accessories are off.
5. Install the pressure gauge in the
appropriate tap.
CAUTION: Make sure there are no oil
leaks after installing the pressure
gauge.
6. Engage the parking brake so that
the tires won’t turn.
7. Start the engine.
8. Keep the brake pedal applied fully
during the pressure test.
9. Measure the line pressure at both
3.
idle and stall speed.
10. After you’re finished, shut the
engine off, remove the gauge,
install the oil pressure port plug,
and tighten it to the specified
torque.
As we move into the future, expect
to see more and more manufacturers
going to the World Diagnostic System.
This should make diagnosis much easier
for you, provided you take the time to
learn the system thoroughly! Until next
time, play hard and keep your focus.
To Erase DTCs with
a Generic Scan Tool
1.
Make sure you have the key off for
at least 10 seconds.
2. Turn the key on, engine off.
3. Turn your scan tool on and locate
A/T diagnostics.
4. Check the codes SELF-DIAG
RESULTS.
5. When asked whether to erase
codes, touch yes ERASE (the DTC
in the TCM will be erased).
6. Touch ERASE (the DTC in the
ECM will be erased).
Diagnosing codes can be difficult;
make sure you have the correct information and identification for the codes
received.
Line Pressure
Test Procedure
Once you’ve checked and cleared
any codes, it may be necessary to check
the line pressure. Locate the proper
pressure taps for the specific clutches
you are checking.
1. Check the engine oil and fill if
necessary.
2. Drive the car for about 10 minutes
to bring the transmission fluid to
between 122ºF and 176ºF (50ºC
and 80ºC).
NOTE: The automatic fluid temperature will rise to between 122ºF and
176ºF (50ºC and 80ºC) within 10
44wigginsRE.indd 51
51
10/3/08 10:36:06 AM
Keeping Customers
Happy
W
hat does it take to keep
customers happy, or at least
satisfied enough with your
service that they’ll come back to you
next time, and maybe even refer their
friends? The basic rules are simple:
1. Fix the car right the first time,
and…
2. Treat the customer fairly and
with respect.
But there are other important steps
to take to make sure your customers are
satisfied.
Think Like a Consumer
First, to figure out how to keep
your customer happy, you have to think
like a consumer. Though most repair
shop owners and employees aren’t consumers of vehicle repair services, they
are consumers of other goods and services. Ask yourself what you consider
good, quality service. When you purchase something, what do you expect
from the product and from the company
that sold it to you?
Survey Your Customers
Good customer relations start with
knowing what your customers need and
want from your business. Have you
ever surveyed your customers to find
out what they really think about your
business and about auto repair in general? It’s deadly to operate a business
without knowing for sure what your
customers think and what they need
and want. Simply assuming you already
know can cost you a lot of money. So
go ahead and conduct some simple
surveys of your customers. You might
have an eye-opening experience.
52
52spitz1008.indd 52
Since most of your
customers know
very little about their
vehicles, they need
to know that the auto
repair shop they deal
with can be trusted.
Surprisingly, customer surveys
done by Management Success! clients
show that price isn’t the number one
concern of most auto repair consumers.
Their number one concern is getting the
problem with their vehicle fixed completely; their number two concern is
paying for unneeded parts or services.
Communication and
Talking in Customereze
Since most of your customers know
very little about their vehicles, they
need to know that the auto repair shop
they deal with can be trusted. The key
to earning their trust is consistent, good
service supported by good communication. This means you have to pay attention to your customer and not have your
mind on forty different things when
he or she is talking to you, and never
assume anything! When you really listen to what your customers have to say,
you’re showing a high degree of care,
which is high on the list of reasons why
people bring their vehicles to independent shops in the first place.
Next, you have to answer questions with words that customers will be
SPEAKER
by Bob Spitz,
Management Success!
able to understand. Don’t try to impress
people with how much you know by
using technical and industry jargon.
Your customer won’t understand
what you’re talking about and will actually start to dislike you! For an example
of how this works, watch a foreign language movie without subtitles and see
how long it takes you to begin feeling
uncomfortable.
Keep Customers
Informed
There are some key points in keeping customers informed concerning servicing their vehicles:
1. Explain to each customer
what repairs his or her vehicle
needs, and what your procedures are to accomplish these
repairs, step by step.
2. Make sure the customer understands what you say. Be clear
about what you can do and
what you can’t do.
3. Have the customer sign a written estimate and give him a
copy.
4. Assure the customer that
you’ll let him know if there’ll
be any changes or additional
work that needs to be done
before you perform that additional work. Customers hate
the “five o’clock surprise”
— charges for services they
didn’t agree to. This point is
extremely important; it’s the
law in many states.
A wise service writer makes it
a regular practice to check the status
of each repair throughout the day. By
10/3/08 10:47:46 AM
doing this, he or she can reassure the
customer who calls for an update that
things are under control, and prepare
the customer if his vehicle isn’t going
to be finished that day. Remember to
give the customer plenty of notice.
Doing Complete Vehicle
Inspections
One of the last things a shop owner
wants to hear from a customer is the
infamous “eversincha”:
• “Ever since you worked on
my car I have this rattle in the
back!”
• “Ever since you worked on my
car, every dog in the neighborhood chases my car!”
You try to explain how changing
the fan belt has nothing to do with
these problems, but your pleading falls
on deaf ears. There is just no winning
some of these arguments.
Avoid the “eversincha” by doing
a complete vehicle inspection and then
going over your findings with the customer, regardless of the problem the
vehicle was brought in for in the first
place.
Prioritize the various repairs or
services the vehicle needs for your
customer. This is your opportunity to
be the professional you are, guiding
your customer into good vehicle maintenance. It’s time well spent. Your customers will notice and appreciate your
care and professionalism.
Quality Assurance
Have you ever had a customer
come in at the end of the day to pick
up a car, only to find the problem they
brought it in for still isn’t handled?
That’s a “special” experience for a shop
owner, especially when it’s late and
you’re the only one there.
To avoid such special moments,
you must have a system in place that
checks each completed vehicle against
the repair order to make sure the repair
has been fully done, before the customer gets there. If your shop fails to
do this kind of quality assurance on
the vehicles it repairs, your customers
become your quality assurance department rather than becoming loyal customers!
Sometimes quality assurance is
52spitz1008.indd 53
just the simple task of walking around
the vehicle to make sure there are no
flat or low tires, no grease smudges,
the fluid levels are correct, nothing is
leaking, and, most importantly, that the
problem the vehicle was brought in for
is handled!
make a customer feel special and well
cared for. Simple things like shuttle
service or fresh coffee can make a big,
lasting impression. You might also be
surprised at the effect friendly servicewith-a-smile has on your customers
and, ultimately, on your sales figures.
Going the Extra Mile
Summary
The secret to success in business is
to exceed your customers’ expectations.
Most shops do a lot of little things for
their customers that the customer isn’t
made aware of. These are lost public
relations opportunities for the shop.
There are several effective ways to
make sure your customers know about
the extra things you do:
1. Tell them when you’ve done
something extra for them.
2. Write it on the repair order
with the words ‘No Charge’ in
the price column.
3. Create a good-looking brochure that outlines the extra
services you provide and give
one to every customer.
It really doesn’t take that much to
Keeping good customers happy
isn’t difficult if you pay attention to the
details and take the time to make sure
your customers’ questions and concerns
are handled professionally. But above
all, strive always to fix the car right
the first time and to treat the customer
fairly.
Good luck on your road to success!
MANAGEMENT SUCCESS! specializes
in training and consulting the independent
automotive repair shop owner. Bob tours
the country as an educational speaker and
writes numerous columns and articles for
trade publications. Additional articles on
management can be read online at www.
managementsuccess.com
© Management Success! All Rights
Reserved.
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53
10/3/08 10:48:03 AM
Allison LCT 1000 Updates for 2003 and 2004 Model Years
Allison LCT 1000
Updates for 2003 and
2004 Model Years
SPEAKER
by Lance Wiggins
V
irtually all transmissions
receive updates over their
lifespan, and the Allison LCT
1000 is no exception. This unit experienced a number of updates for both the
2003 and 2004 model years.
Here are the areas that experienced
major changes for the 2003 model
year:
• Internal wiring harness
• P-3 ring gear
• C-1 drum and piston assembly
• C-2 piston
• C-2 clutch shaft sealing rings
• Valve body with new solenoids
• Separator plate
• Neutral safety backup switch
(NSBU)
• T-6 bearing, P-3 gear and P-3 carrier assembly
The harness was lengthened 15mm
for trim solenoid B (figure 1). In addition, the trim solenoid connectors
were redesigned to make sure they
held together more securely. You can
identify the updated harness by the
red connectors for the trim solenoids
(figure 2). The updated harness will fit
previous models and years, and is available under GM and Allison part number
29541371.
The P-3 ring gears had problems
because of a chamfer in the snap ring
retaining groove area. Under load, the
snap ring can break or wear (figure 3).
If you run into this condition, update
the ring gear and snap ring with Allison
part number 29537311.
A new C-1 piston has been released
to improve fill times. You can identify
the updated piston by the dam and the
part number stamped into the casting
(figure 4). The updated GM/Allison
part number is 29537993. The updated
piston will fit previous applications.
54
54wigginsLCT.indd 54
Figure 1
Figure 2
10/3/08 10:56:40 AM
Figure 3
This update took effect with build date
S/N 6310089106 (Indianapolis) S/N
6320006057 (Baltimore).
The C-2 piston is available and is
sold under Allison and GM part number
29539653. The updated piston design
doesn’t have a bleed hole in it, which
was eliminated to improve clutch fill
times (figure 5).
The C-2 clutch shaft sealing rings
have been changed from a butt cut
design to a lip seal design to improve
shift quality, especially in cold temperatures (figure 6). This change corresponds with the C-2 piston change.
The lip seals are sold under Allison part
number 29538940. A basic seal-andgasket kit with the lip seals included is
available from Allison and GM under
The 2004 updates were implemented to improve fuel economy by reducing pump load, reduce pump noise at
idle, and to improve cooler flow.
An updated valve body was introduced in 2004 that includes a line
pressure solenoid (solenoid G; figure
7). The complete valve body assembly,
including the auxiliary valve body and
line pressure solenoid G, is available
under Allison and GM part number
29541572. The auxiliary valve body
alone is available under Allison part
number 29539797. Solenoid G is available separately under GM and Allison
The updated valve body (complete assembly) will fit earlier units as
56
Figure 4
Figure 5
an assembly, although the line pressure solenoid (G) won’t function on
2001-03 applications. Never attempt
to mix valve body and spacer plate
parts between early and late applications. The old valve body part number
has been superseded by the updated
design.
The updated valve body contains
a new control main valve and springs,
which are sold under Allison part number 29541152 and 29541153. The valve
land configuration was updated to help
stabilize the valve position. The largest
land is now 4.5mm long rather than the
earlier 3.5mm. The updated valve and
its springs will fit previous applications. Never cross early and late spring
and valve combinations.
Figure 6
10/3/08 10:57:04 AM
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The main regulator valve will also
interchange with previous applications. The updated pressure regulator
valve is sold under Allison part number
29542361 for all but truck applications.
GMT 800 (C/K) pickups use a
different pressure regulator valve; GM
and Allison part number 29531323
(refer to figures 1 and 7 for identification). You can identify the valve for
pickups (P/N 29531323) by the single
groove machined into the valve at the
end with the large land. A third pressure
regulator valve was designed to update
other commercial applications; you can
identify this valve by the 3 grooves
machined around the valve on the large
land end.
The internal wiring harness was
modified again in 2004 to accommodate solenoid G; GM and Allison part
number 2953972. You can identify this
wiring harness by the lengthy wire to
the auxiliary valve body (figure 8).
This later valve body also requires
new separator plates, designed to be
used on valve bodies sporting solenoid G; Allison part number 29539793.
Use figures 9 and 10 to identify the
2001-2003 and 2004-and-up separator
plates.
An updated neutral safety backup
(NSBU) switch has been released for
all LCT 1000 applications (figure 11a
and 11b). The updated switch uses only
one, 12-pin connector and will be common on many GM rear drive applications. The new switch eliminates the
metal alignment strap, and won’t fit
earlier applications. The updated switch
is available under Allison part number 29541852 and GM part number
24221125.
The T6 bearing, P3 sun and P3
carrier were updated as a late-2003,
early-2004 running product change.
The load-carrying capacity of the
bearing was increased in an effort to
improve durability. When the bearing was updated, the location of the
pilot groove for the bearing in the
P3 sun gear also changed. In addition, the machining for the undercut
on the P3 carrier changed. The update
was included in units built after build
dates 6310220802 (Indianapolis) and
6320127996 (Baltimore).
The P3 carrier, P3 sun gear, and
58
Figure 7
Figure 8
10/3/08 10:57:18 AM
AT
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’s isi
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we s
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62 in
9
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XP
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'OOGLE4HIS
Automotive
Solutions
Automotive Repair
Repair Solutions
Shop Management Solutions
Business Performance Services
Commercial Vehicle Group
Mitchell 1 Transmission information is available in the full OnDemand5.com product or as a stand-alone transmission option. Either
way, you have access to the industry’s latest transmission repair information available. The program requires no installation discs
and no quarterly updates to install.
OnDemand5.com Features:
s.%7'OOGLE3EARCHING3EARCH
Repair Articles, TSBs, and User Tips
s6IDEO4RAINING
s2EDESIGNED3EARCH
s&ULL#OLOR7IRING$IAGRAMS
s!UTOMATIC-ONTHLY5PDATES
s2ELIABLE
s.O3OFTWARETO)NSTALL
s6INTAGE)NFORMATION
s#OLOR/IL&LOW$IAGRAMS
s#ODE$IAGNOSTICS
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s$RIVE!XLESAND!XLE3HAFTS
s/VERHAULS
s#6*OINTS
s#LUTCHES
888.724.6742 x6313
mitchell1.com/od
© 2008 Mitchell Repair Information Company. The Mitchell 1 name is used herein by permission from Mitchell International, which has no ownership interest in Mitchell 1.
Figure 9: 2001-2003
Figure 10: 2004 and Later
the T-6 bearing will work in earlier
units if they are installed as a package. The former T-6 bearing will still
be available under the old part number
29531089. If the sun or carrier requires
replacement on an older model unit, all
the updated parts must be installed as
a package. The updated Allison parts
numbers are:
• P3 sun gear 29540499
• P3 carrier assembly 29540500
• T-6 bearing 29539501
Always double-check the part
numbers before ordering. Numerous
updates have occurred with many of
the part numbers. GM is adding Allison
part numbers as a common practice,
so check the Allison part number with
your local GM suppliers; you may find
the part now available from your local
GM source.
Transmissions are constantly in a
state of change… being updated and
improved over their lifetimes. Many
of these changes are valuable upgrades
that you should include in your regular rebuilds, to take full advantage of
their improved durability. Always keep
an eye on your bulletins and GEARS
Magazine for information about these
updates; they provide you with one of
the true benefits that you can offer your
customers: better quality rebuilds.
Figure 11A
Figure 11B
60
10/3/08 10:57:39 AM
As a dedicated transmission professional
Rick Basta, owner of Transmission Kings,
knows the secret to a successful shop is
dependable performance and satisfied
customers. That’s why he rebuilds with
TransTec®.
No surprises. Buy a TransTec® kit and you
can bet the bank that all the parts required
for the job are there and that they all fit. It’s
no accident; our engineering department,
product development and technical staffs,
plus a proven QA system, combine to give
you the assurance you can’t get anywhere
else.
Manufactured to meet the strictest OE
standards, TransTec® kits contribute to a
faster rebuild with virtually no comebacks.
And detailed technical inserts reinforce what
the technicians learn at various seminars.
These are just a few reasons why transmission rebuilders request “the kit in the gold
and black bag”.
“MY GUYS
ALWAYS REQUEST
TRANSTEC®.”
Rick Basta,
Owner of Transmission Kings
Cleveland, OH
TransTec® kits are produced by Freudenberg-NOK™, the American partnership with
more than $6 billion in resources. Yet it is
the close, personal support that impresses
transmission shops like Rick’s.
TransTec® makes it easy.
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4/21/08 9:47:57 AM
ATRA’s What’s Working Advisory Panel
Las Vegas, Nevada
Oct 30 - Nov 2
& Making it Work
Meet the 5 Members of ATRA’s
What’s Working Advisory Panel
by Steve Bodofsky
Michael Hines
"I
t’s just what this industry
has been needing…”
That’s the kind of
feedback we’ve been receiving about
the What’s Working program. Shop
owners from all around the world have
become energized by what they’ve
learned from the What’s Working seminar at Expo, the What’s Working online
forum, and the What’s Working articles
that have become a mainstay of GEARS
Magazine.
Probably one of the most successful aspects of the What’s Working
seminar program has been the Advisory
Panel: Five shop owners who bring
their own unique perspectives to the
table, to show how they’ve managed
to remain successful in these trying
economic times.
Who are these guys who’ve turned
lemons into lemonade? What makes
them so special? Truth is, not a thing; at
least, nothing more than anyone else in
the room. That’s what makes their perspectives so valuable: They’re regular
shop owners, just like you. But somehow they’re bringing in more cars and
they’re earning more money… to put
them at the top of the Success Matrix.
Let’s take a brief look at each of
this year’s Advisory Panel members,
and get to know who they are and what
they have to offer. And if you see yourself in some of the descriptions, well,
62
Sam Burrage
Monte Craig
Bradley Benrud
Blake Lunsford
that’s not so surprising… and maybe
just a bit comforting.
Michael Hines
Bonded Transmission Co, Inc.,
Framingham, Massachusetts
“We’ve been in this location since
1961,” says Michael Hines, owner of
Bonded Transmission Company. “It
was a family business.”
Mike’s father, Melvin, started the
business with a partner back in 1959…
not all that long after automatic transmissions started becoming popular in
the automotive market. The two partners went their separate ways in 1961,
and Melvin kept the Framingham shop.
Mike and his brother Steven took over
in 1988, and have run it ever since.
Mike started out sweeping floors
and worked his way up to R&R before
moving over to the business side of the
shop. Steve is the shop’s lead rebuilder.
These days, Mike doesn’t even consider himself a technician; he’s a shop
owner/entrepreneur.
When he and his brother first took
over in 1988, they continued to run
things much as their father had for nearly 30 years. But this was the late ’80s
and early ’90s; the industry had already
begun to change dramatically. Mike
recognized that change, and began to
look for ways to address it.
“We began to develop systems
Michael Hines
that allowed work to flow through
the shop in a manner that didn’t need
to be administered constantly,” says
Mike. “Our new systems provided a
prescribed workflow that eliminated
the need for constant supervision. And
we changed our pay plan to one that
rewarded people who were productive,
and penalized those who weren’t.”
Mike doesn’t believe the auto
repair industry is in decline. He admits
there are fewer transmission jobs available today, but he doesn’t necessarily
see that as an insurmountable obstacle.
“It’s just a matter of marketing yourself
better, to take advantage of a greater
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remanufacturing process and the reasons why ZF makes the choice simple when it comes to
choosing a product that will exceed your customers’ expectations.
Mile-for-mile, Genuine ZF remanufactured automatic and manual transmissions last longer,
perform better, and are of greater value in the long run. Genuine ZF products are remanufactured
by expert technicians to exact factory specifications, utilizing only genuine parts and exclusive
testing technology.
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ZF-707.indd 43
6/6/07 2:48:19 PM
percentage of the jobs that are out
there.”
He also believes it’s important
to diversify the services you offer to
increase your repeat business, because
the rate of transmission failures isn’t as
high as it used to be.
What does Mike think of ATRA’s
What’s Working program? “We need to
share what’s working with one another,
to keep this industry alive. Many of the
articles in GEARS and on the Forum
provide new ideas and insights to grow
your business.”
And, as Mike is quick to acknowledge, the most valuable benefit of the
What’s Working program may be that it
keeps you thinking… keeps you fresh
and invigorated when you’re talking
to customers. It’s that attitude that’s so
important for a successful shop.
Mike’s advice to other shop owners? “You need to have systems in place
to connect with consumers on a regular
basis, so they don’t forget about you…
so they refer you to their friends. You
need to ‘wow’ people more than you
did in the past. The days of simply fixing the car and collecting the money
are gone.
“Today’s consumer has a different
mentality. They’re used to going to the
dealer, and they expect rides, loaners, a
clean waiting area… they’re expecting
more than just getting their cars fixed.
We need to provide that for them if
we’re going to compete.”
Sam Burrage
SAM BURRAGE
Santa Rosa Transmission
Santa Rosa, California
A lot of people get into the transmission business because their father
was in it, but not many can trace their
lineage in this industry back three generations.
Sam Burrage, owner of Santa Rosa
Transmissions in Santa Rosa, CA,
began his transmission career working
in B&E Transmissions in San Francisco,
the shop owned by his father, Bill,
and uncle, Ed. And they learned the
transmission business from their father,
William, who started fixing automatic
transmissions back when they were
first being introduced to the American
motorist.
After graduating high school, Sam
went to a local college where he earned
his associates degree in transmission
technology. “It was a valuable experience because that’s where I learned the
theory that goes along with the rebuilding skills I learned in my father’s shop,”
said Sam.
But while his introduction to the
industry was from the technical side,
today Sam no longer considers himself
a technician. “I’m a businessman/entrepreneur with a strong technical background,” he says. “I have a skilled staff
of diagnosticians and rebuilders who
handle that end of the business.
“My technical background is a
valuable resource, because it helps me
understand what my technicians are
dealing with on a daily basis… it helps
me understand when they need new
equipment… it helps me hire better
people because I can more easily recognize a talented technician.
“But I owe my success today from
learning to think like an entrepreneur
and not like a mechanic,” explains
Sam.
What does Sam think about claims
that our industry is in decline? “It
depends on whether you want to see the
glass as half full or half empty. The key
is not to bemoan the changes that are
taking place in our industry, but to recognize them and change with them. The
shops that are going to be successful are
the ones who can let go of the title of
‘transmission technician,’ and take on
the role of automotive specialist.
“In the past, we’d say that our
job ended at the bellhousing bolts.
Anything beyond the transmission and
MANAGEMENT SEMINAR TRACK --Thursday–9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Get ’em In The Door
The 2008 ATRA Powertrain Expo management program is based in large part on the discussions on ATRA’s What’s Working forum.
The What’s Working forum offers transmission business owners a place to discuss problems and solutions with other business owners facing the same issues. This year’s management training is designed to address those issues and help you build an action plan
to bring more customers to your business.
Each day has a specific theme, starting with discussions on the state of the industry, your business model, data tracking and analysis, business planning, employee relations, and what your customers really think about automotive repair and what influences
their decisions when it comes to fixing their car.
Next, we’ll cover advertising strategies and marketing plans that’ll get the attention of perspective customers, followed by ways to
turn them into customers. Finally, one of the most often overlooked topics: car delivery that turns your customers into sales agents.
64
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we’d sub it out. We can’t operate under
that mentality any longer. We have to
become automotive repair professionals who specialize in automatic transmissions.
“Today, if someone comes in with
what he thinks is a transmission problem, and we find out that it’s really an
engine or computer problem, we fix it.
“I’m even advertising as a fullservice, one-stop shop. We handle
oil changes, tune-ups, brakes, water
pumps… whatever the customer needs,
we handle it. Our bread and butter is
still transmissions, and we want all the
transmission work we can get.
“And it’s making a difference in
our bottom line. Our car count is 100
cars below last year’s total, but our
revenue is still on track with last year’s
numbers.”
What’s Sam’s trick to keeping those
numbers on track? “It’s really pretty
simple: We treat customers the way
we’d want to be treated. From there the
numbers take care of themselves.”
MONTE CRAIG
Arrow Transmissions
Reno, Nevada
At just 19 years of age, Monte
Craig opened Arrow Transmissions in
Reno, Nevada. At the time he had virtually no automotive technical experi-
Monte Craig
ence. He’d spent his entire career working for a car rental company, climbing
the corporate ladder to the position of
area rep: the youngest in the company.
So why transmissions? “My cousins and I were always into hotrods and
the like, and even today I still have
a passion for automobiles,” explains
Monte.
But not just cars: “I’m a techie kind
of guy; anything that’s new, I’ve got to
have it. I’ve waited in lines for iPhones,
X-Boxes, Playstation 3; I’m sort of a
geek with a preference for cars.
“I love the new cars, which makes
me a little different too. Most guys
prefer the old days. I like the new
scanners and software programs; I like
being able to reflash vehicles; basically
today’s cars are becoming computers on
wheels. That’s the direction I’m trying
to steer my business; I want to appeal to
the ‘just out of warranty’ crowd.”
And while so many guys in this
industry are trying to squeak by, Monte
is building a new shop, with a “green”
theme, to appeal to today’s consumer.
“We’re heavily insulating the shop,
installing insulated doors and waste oil
heaters… we’ve installed a canopy on
the south side, to shade the building
in the summer. Our shop computers
use about 70% less power; we’re using
energy-efficient lighting; our primary
cooling system is evaporative, which
is more efficient than other A/C systems.”
Why green? “To begin with, the
lower energy costs should provide a
substantial savings for operating the
shop. And we’d like to lower the impact
we have on the environment.”
Of course, the benefits of being
able to offer a green alternative to the
consumer aren’t lost on Monte: “We
plan on marketing the green aspect
of our new building when it opens.
With today’s consumer consciousness,
a green shop should appeal to near-
MANAGEMENT SEMINAR — Thursday – 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
What’s Working Report & State of the Industry
Find out what successful shop owners are doing today to keep their business growing, based on ATRA’s What’s Working
study. We’ll compare the results from last year’s study to the results from this year. We’ll also look at the data collected
from recently-held customer focus groups (with video from the actual groups) and the ATRA online consumer surveys.
You’ll be amazed at what customers really think about you and your business!
MANAGEMENT SEMINAR — Thursday –1:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Making it Work
Armed with the information shared during the morning, this session will highlight strategies to collect and analyze data
for areas of your business you want to focus on first. We’ll look at way to assess the effectiveness of your business processes, and how your employees fit into your plan.
Unlocking The Secrets To A Successful Website
Designing great websites is only half of the solution – getting top positions from the various search engines actually gets people
to read and use the site. That’s where ATRA takes over and you and your shop capitalize! Think ATRA’s sites don’t work? Just ask
anyone who has one, and they will tell you! The best kept secret of your ATRA benefits will be out of the bag after this informative and profitable session Thursday morning. Your website is just one more way to Get ‘em in the door!
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ly everyone. There’s little doubt that
[the green shop approach] will give us
another edge over the dealership.
“But most importantly, we’re part
of the community, and we’re trying
to combat the negative image that so
many people have of auto repair.”
Why is Monte willing to make this
kind of investment in an industry that
so many people think is in decline? “I
see the industry as changing, to where
you need to take your highly trained
technical people and put them where
they need to be: fixing the whole car.”
Monte’s not afraid to compete with
the dealerships. “I think the dealerships
have a lot of assets; they also have
some built-in liabilities. They’re big
companies that run their businesses a
certain way, and that can make it hard
on customers. Independent shops have
an advantage: They can provide a better product, faster, and usually a little
cheaper.”
Monte’s secret to success? “Hard
work. And you can never assume that
you’re doing everything right. You
have to keep looking for alternatives,
and remain open to new directions in
the industry.”
Bradley Benrud
Allen Automatic Transmission
Lacrosse, Wisconsin
Brad Benrud started in the business by earning his associates degree in
automotive technology. After graduating in 1973, he moved to Anchorage,
Alaska, to take advantage of the opportunities being created as the oil pipeline
was being built. He started working at
a local repair shop, working his way up
Bradley Benrud
to production rebuilder/trainer.
He opened Allen Automatic
Transmissions in Lacrosse, Wisconsin,
in 1980. He handled mostly wholesale
work; nearly 80% of his work came
from other shops.
“Since we were mostly wholesale, location wasn’t all that important,”
explains Brad. “That first shop was out
on a country road, off the beaten path.
We just didn’t have a need for a flashy
retail store.”
But as the ’90s played out, those
wholesale accounts began to dwindle.
Reman companies began picking up
his wholesale work, so last year Brad
opened a second shop in a highly-visible, retail location, with 50,000 cars
driving by their front door every day.
He still operates the old shop;
in fact, that’s where they do all their
rebuilding. That’s the shop that Brad
runs as a technician-rebuilder/shop
owner. “We kept the mess — the rebuilding, the cores, all the dirty aspects of
rebuilding — at the old shop,” says
Brad. “The new shop is just a retail
location. That’s where we diagnose cars
and sell repairs.”
What Brad recognized was that
his skill was in the technical end of the
shop. He wasn’t the right person to handle the business and marketing that’s so
important to a successful shop.
But he also knew it was important
not to ignore the business end of the
business. So rather than work against
his skill set, trying to do a job he was
ill-suited for and didn’t really want to
do, he put his son, Jason, to work as the
shop manager at the new location.
“Jason does all the customer sales,
all the customer negotiations,” says
Brad. “His strength is working with
people. He’s compassionate, he listens,
he understands, and his sales ability
is far greater than mine. His average
ticket is higher than I could ever hope
for, and he makes sales I would never
have considered trying.
“Both jobs have to be done; it’s
just a matter of finding the best people
to do each job. If you put someone into
a job they don’t want to do, they’re not
going to do it well. They’re going to
lose customers, they’re going to lose
sales, and the business will suffer.”
Brad is a longtime ATRA Member,
and a member of ATRA’s International
Board of Directors. How does he feel
about ATRA’s What’s Working program? “When we went to last year’s
Expo, the new shop was already in the
works. The What’s Working program
blew me away. I was impressed, I was
Customer Contacts
Friday’s sessions are designed to help you reach perspective customers. We’ll look at a wide range of marketing and
advertising methods so you can develop a plan that works best for you.
9:00 am - 12:30 pm
Creating A Customer
Saturday – You have an effective marketing plan but then what? Saturday’s sessions are designed to
help you turn “contacts” into “customers”.
9:00 am - 12:30 pm
68
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re-energized, and what I was already
doing just fell into place. From there
things escalated: We used a lot of what
we learned at Expo, and I think it’s
helped us improve our sales.
“Since then, the What’s Working
Forum has help save me thousands of
dollars. It helped me make decisions
on buying equipment, and enabled me
to kick ideas around with other shop
owners. It’s by far the best program
I’ve ever seen.”
BLAKE LUNSFORD
Nationwide Transmission
Fayetteville, North Carolina
Blake Lunsford began his automotive career serving his country as an
automotive technician for the US Air
Force. After his tour was up, he took a
job as a technician for a muffler shop.
In 1985 he began working as a manager
for a transmission shop, and has been
with the transmission industry ever
since.
Blake Lunsford
Blake
opened
Nationwide
Transmission in Fayetteville, North
Carolina in January, 2002 — just shy
of four months after the attacks of 9-11.
Fayetteville is a military town; most
of the people living there are stationed
at Fort Bragg. And the ensuing troop
deployment after the attacks had a
devastating effect on his business projections.
In fact, as Expo rolled around last
year, Blake was already examining his
options to close. He didn’t even attend
Expo; he didn’t think there was any
reason to go, and money was just too
tight.
Blake had initially been slated to
sit on last year’s What’s Working Panel,
so after Expo, GEARS Managing Editor
Rodger Bland sent him a set of the
Expo CDs.
“I copied all the What’s Working
seminars to a single CD, so I could
listen to them in my car without having to flip through the tech tracks,”
says Blake. “And I just started playing
them. I have a 40-minute ride to work
each way, so I have a good chunk of
listening time.
“It took about a week and a half
to get through the entire program. And
then I pressed ‘play’ and started listening all over again.
“Two or three weeks go by, and
I’m starting to think, ‘maybe I should
try again.’ So I started thinking about
the roadblocks that put me where I was,
and what I’d have to do to eliminate
them.”
He recognized that he wasn’t being
aggressive enough, and was trying to
do too many jobs. He began working
with a new attitude, and has shared that
attitude with his employees.
He opened a second shop in March
2008, and has been increasing his car
counts and average tickets all year. And
he attributes everything to a renewed
sense of purpose that he got from listening to the What’s Working CDs.
“I’ve probably listened to those
CDs 10 times,” claims Blake. “There’s
nothing I regret more than not attending
the 2007 Expo. The What’s Working
program is exactly the direction we
need to be headed, and I’m 100%
onboard with it. I’m just going to keep
‘pulling that trigger’ until I’ve turned
things completely around.
“When I listen to those CDs, I
think, ‘this is why I got into business! I
want to feel like these guys feel; I want
to do what these guys do.”
And the proof is in the pudding:
“We’re getting ready to post our best
year ever in terms of gross sales. We’re
way ahead of the curve… I’m looking
at a 50% increase in gross sales over
our previous best year.”
From closing shop to his best year
ever: That’s one heck of a testimonial
for ATRA’s What’s Working program.
Your What’s
Working Panel
Five guys… five very successful
guys in the transmission business. Five
guys who are living proof that it’s still
possible to be successful in the transmission repair industry.
How can they do it, when so many
others swear that the industry is in
decline? That’s exactly why they’ve
been asked to sit on the What’s Working
Panel: to share their experiences and
success stories with you.
The fact is, none of these guys is
exceptional. Their stories mirror many
of your own. What sets them apart is
that they’ve discovered a strategy that’s
keeping their shops busy, when so
many others are struggling to get by.
That’s why ATRA’s What’s Working
program is so important… and so valuable. It provides proven strategies that
can turn your business around. And
that’s why these five guys are here in
Las Vegas, offering their insights on the
What’s Working Panel.
Because if they can do it, so can
you.
After The Sale
– Sunday
Referrals are the most frequent method potential customer’s use for selecting an automotive repair shop.
What you do and say after the sale has a huge impact on your ability to reach and create new customers.
9:00 am - 12:00 pm
70
10/6/08 8:58:51 AM
Gears-Advitorial-10-08
9/15/08
4:55 PM
Page 1
The Sonnax Design:
Parts that go the distance & beyond
Many transmission shops and rebuilders have
become familiar with Sonnax® products, and
have enjoyed great success when using our
various items. Your success and the satisfaction of your customers is what continues to
drive and inspire us to provide the best
engineered, quality parts possible. Your success is our success, so our deepest appreciation for your continual support and loyalty!
While many know the Sonnax brand and
parts, fewer are aware of what makes the
quality of our award-winning Transmission
Specialty® parts first-class. There are countless
reasons, but two primary aspects are design
concept and material selection. Sonnax
engineers and technical staff research the root
cause of an OEM part failure, and design
innovative products to fix the problem and
prevent future occurrences of the failure.
We try to maintain the OEM intent and
pressure specifications with our replacement
parts, yet incorporate design modifications
to improve strength and durability. Masking
the problem with short-term fixes is not an
option that we consider. Whether it’s adding
annular grooves to center valves hydraulically
for wear prevention, or sleeving valves and
manipulating the porting to maintain
proper flow and remove turbulence, our
design team strives to develop the best
product possible. Sonnax realizes that
many shops have gone to 75,000 or even
100,000 mile/3-year warrantees on their
rebuilds, so our goal is to ensure that Sonnax
parts will go this distance and beyond.
A key element in the design process is
material selection. Many of our valves are
hard-coat anodized aluminum, but we also
have case-hardened steel valves when the
specific application mandates that choice.
To have a blanket design philosophy that
one material is better than another in all
instances would result in an inferior part.
For example, when driving over the George
Washington Bridge, I’m very glad the spans
have been built primarily with steel. But if
traveling over the bridge by plane, I’d prefer
to be in something made out of aluminum.
In designing a replacement valve, we must
also examine each application for the best
material choice.
Due to the differing thermal expansion
rates of dissimilar materials, it is often the
best practice to use the same base material
(steel or aluminum) for the valve as the
bore in which it will be installed. The narrow
clearance range that must be maintained
between a valve and bore to create a
hydraulic seal can be compromised if the
materials are mismatched. The result could
be excessive clearance and pressure reduction, or sticking and non-functional valves.
The leading cause of failure in sleeves and
valves is wear. Wear resistance tends to
increase with hardness, so material selection and processing is critical. If all other
design factors remain relatively constant,
comparison of hardness values provides an
approximate guide to relative wear behavior
among different metals, especially in sliding
and abrasive applications such as valves.
Sonnax valves are either hard-coat anodized
aluminum or case-hardened steel. Hard-coat
anodization is 10 times more wear resistant
than conventional anodizing (many OEM
valves) and is the 2nd hardest substance
known. The anodization process does not
merely coat the valve, but penetrates into
the base material and builds-up the surface
– thus preventing ‘flaking’ of the hard-coat
material. This results in a highly wear
resistant HRC 60-70 surface with a high
degree of lubricity, which gives a low coefficient of friction and ease of movement.
Our steel valves are case-hardened to provide
a surface hardness of HRC 58-62, which is
significantly harder and more durable than
many valves hard-turned from ‘pre-hardened’
Paid Advertising
material. These case-hardened steel valves
provide excellent wear resistance as well.
Another consideration when choosing
valve material is weight. A steel valve weighs
almost 3 times that of an identical
aluminum valve, which will affect the
impact force in application. For example, if
two identical pick-up trucks traveling at
the same speed, one hauling a full load of
gravel and the other hauling nothing, were
to collide head-on, more damage would be
expected on the truck with an empty bed.
The same theory can be extended to a
valve line-up. When a valve strokes, it
often hits a mating valve, end-plug, or the
bottom of a bore with significant force. If
the materials are mismatched, these high
impact forces can lead to valves bending
and hanging-up in their bores.
These are just some of the factors that
Sonnax engineers consider when designing
replacement parts, whether for the
Transmission Specialties, High Performance,
Allison®, Torque Converter, or our other
product lines. Whether purchasing our
Transmission Specialties parts in Sure Cure
Kits® (for convenient and cost-effective
rebuilding), or as individual components
(for flexibility in tailoring fixes), know that
our Sonnax team has developed the best
quality part possible to ensure your and your
customers’ satisfaction.
This article was written by Maura Stafford,
Project Engineer for Sonnax Transmission
Specialty Products.
ATRA has conducted an extensive study in order to find out how to reach new
customers in this ever-changing market. It includes:
 An internet-based consumer study.
 A series of consumer focus groups.
 A study of marketing practices of transmission repair businesses
Stop wasting money on ineffective advertising and find out what successful shop
owners know about reaching today's customers.
Get your FREE Consumer Marketing Report Today!
Call (866) 464-2872 or download online at
www.atraonline.com/report
72
FREE
T
REPOR
Detailed Analysis with Charts & Graphs
What’s in the Report?






Learn the truth about Yellow Page advertising
What to know before you spend a bundle on fancy websites
Key points on developing cost effective marketing strategies
Learn what customers look for in an auto-repair facility
How to build a loyal customer base
And much much more…
Our Business
is Your Success!
73
Welcome to ATRA’s
2008 Powertrain
Industry Expo!
C
ongratulations on taking the
next step toward your business’s success! Simply taking
the time to attend shows that you know
what it takes to get ahead in this everchanging industry.
So you’re here… now what?
Before you get down to business,
how about a relaxing game of golf at
the 5th Annual Red Girdley Memorial
Golf Tournament? The golf tourny has
been a classic event at Expo for close
to two decades, and starts bright and
early Thursday morning. But wait a
minute! What about the seminars? They
start Thursday too! For those of you
who don’t want to miss a minute of the
seminars, we’ve scheduled a special
Wednesday golf event.
Let’s look at the events schedule,
to make sure you get the most out of
your time at Expo: The programs begin
early Thursday morning with a series
of full-day technical and management
seminars. We took the successes from
last year and built on them to develop
a theme that we think really says it all:
Get ’em in the Door for the management track, and Get ’em out the Door
for the technical track.
More than just simple catchphrases, these programs are designed to help
you reach and retain more customers,
based on the intensive ATRA customer
and industry study. You’ll learn what
customers are really looking for in
a transmission repair shop, and what
some of the most successful shops in
the country are doing to meet their
needs.
But that’s only part of the story:
After you reach these new customers,
you’ll want to make sure your techni74
74ness.indd 74
cians have what it takes to Get ’em out
the Door, and back on the road. This
year’s technical training is designed for
just that purpose: to help you satisfy
your customers by providing the right
diagnosis and the right repair.
After hours of rigorous education,
you’ll want to take a break, and it
comes just in time with the annual
Friday luncheon hosted by Raybestos
Powertrain… a sumptuous meal accompanied by world-class entertainment.
This is one of the most popular social
events at Expo and just the right transition to take you from the seminar program to the trade show floor.
Have you heard about the all-new
OE Road at this year’s Expo? In addition to putting you face-to-face with
nearly 100 vendors, with exclusive
demos and hands-on training sessions,
this year we’ve brought the OE aftermarket to you. Factory service engineers will be on hand to answer all
your questions, bringing OE specialty
tools, cutaways and concept cars, all on
display for you.
The trade show is your opportunity
to find outstanding discounts on parts,
tools, and a wide array of services that
will help you and your business prosper. And who wouldn’t like a brand
new flat-screen TV? Enter your information for a chance to take one home
with you!
Well that was one amazing day…
and it’s not over yet! You won’t want to
miss the cocktail reception, hosted by
Transtar Industries, Friday evening at
6:00 pm. This annual event offers you
a chance to check in with old friends,
make some new friends, and create
memories that’ll last a lifetime.
by Vanessa Velasquez
You’ll be amazed at how quickly
the time goes by, and after 12 hours
of education and entertainment, just
think… you get to start all over again
tomorrow!
Saturday brings another full day,
with technical and management seminars in the morning and the trade show
in the afternoon. Then it’s a short walk
or monorail ride to the world-famous
Strip and a chance to see Las Vegas
in all its glory. But don’t stay up too
late: there’s another seminar program
Sunday morning. This closes Expo and
gets you prepared to take everything
you’ve learned back to your business.
It’s sure to be an exciting show, in
the heart of the entertainment capital of
the world. We’re so pleased that you
could join us and we look forward to
exceeding your expectations.
Over the past year ATRA staff
has burned the midnight oil to pack
everything you need to be successful
into this four-day weekend. If you have
any questions or just need help getting
around, please stop and say hello to me
or any other friendly face in an ATRA
uniform.
Let’s learn how to Get ’em in the
Door!
10/6/08 11:26:59 AM
Powertrain Expo
Las Vegas
Transtar Industries and ATRA
request the pleasure of your
company at our industry reception.
October 31st, 2008
6-8 pm
Las Vegas Hilton
Ballrooms A and B
Powertrain
2008
Transtar recep plcd.indd 45
8/22/08 3:26:49 PM

4R70W Interchange

Transcription

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