May 2022

Heat and transmissions are archenemies and will never go hand-in-hand. When transmission overheating occurs, it can cause multiple problems in your vehicle. This makes heat the principal cause of most premature transmission failures that car owners experience from time to time. 

Overheating transmissions account for about 90 percent of every automatic transmission failure recorded. It is so severe that you may need a total replacement, which will cost you a substantial amount of your hard-earned money. 

This is because it is primarily responsible for the following transmission issues:

• Failed bearings
• Cracked gears
• Inoperable solenoids
• Ruptured seals
• Slipping transmission bands
• Delayed clutch engagement

Whatever component is within the area where the transmission is located can suffer a breakage due to too much heat.

Causes of Transmission Overheating

Heat is a silent killer that has surreptitiously claimed the very active life of an innumerable number of transmissions. In many cases, excessive transmission heat goes unnoticed until something breaks, and it becomes too late to fix it. It may even be quietly damaging your vehicle each time you put it in gear.

The primary causes of excessive transmission heat include:

• Low fluid levels
• Solenoid problems
• Fluid leaks
• Old/burnt fluid

Other factors that contribute to the overheating of transmissions include:

• Living in an area with a hot climate
• Towing heavy loads/caravan with your vehicle
• Always driving stop-and-go in heavy traffic, etc.

This is why it is essential to know what to do in order to reduce transmission temperature. This will protect your vehicle and save you lots of money in the end.

The Automatic Transmission Fluid

The automatic transmission fluid works efficiently to take away heat from the transmission. However, it also provides lubrication as well as the pressure required when changing gears. Expanding springs, spinning gears, and whirring turbines generate a lot of friction as they function.

This friction generates excessive heat, which, if left unattended, can cause varnishing, stress fractures, etc. The damage to the transmission’s internal components can be so severe that you will have to replace them.

This is why the automatic transmission fluid, which contains chemical additives, is formulated to absorb heat efficiently and flow through every moving component. 

The hot fluid transmits the heat from the transmission to the radiator, forcing it through a specialized cooling chamber. This chamber makes use of aluminum fins that efficiently remove the heat from the automatic transmission fluid.

How to Prevent Excessive Transmission Heat from Destroying Your Transmission

If your vehicle undergoes heavy use every day, you should be worried about your transmission overheating.

However, don’t fret: these tips will show you how you can prevent transmission overheating:

1. Install External Transmission Coolers

If your vehicle consistently hauls auto parts, other automobiles, wood, or heavy tools, you risk overheating your transmission. Your transmission will overheat due to the increased stress applied to your vehicle due to excess weight. This is more evident if your vehicle travels to and from hilly terrains.

Consider installing an external transmission cooler in your vehicle. External coolers are highly effective in keeping your transmission cool or at a regulated temperature, irrespective of the increased stress. External coolers will also work to minimize friction to the transmission, another cause of severe damage.

Visit the local transmission workshop to request or buy an external transmission cooler suitable for your vehicle. You can install the device on your own or get assistance from a professional mechanic.

2. Go Neutral from Time to Time

If you find yourself – in your vehicle, of course – sitting idly for a brief moment in traffic, shift your transmission into neutral and relax. Allow your vehicle to idle until the next moment when you have to move when traffic moves accordingly.

Allowing your vehicle to idle in neutral in heavy traffic, on railroad tracks, or while sitting at a red light significantly minimizes the strain on your vehicle’s transmission. This is your transmission’s chance to lose intensity by cooling down.

This action will prolong the lifespan of your transmission. Allowing your vehicle to idle in neutral when it is not in use will also reduce the amount of fuel your engine consumes. This means more money in your pocket as you save a lot of money as time goes on.

3. Check The Transmission Fluid Regularly

Make time to check your vehicle’s transmission fluid at least once a month. This makes it easier to identify burnt or worn-out dirty fluid or low-level fluid issues. These warning signs are easy to spot before they cause severe transmission issues that can utterly destroy your transmission.

4. Add A Deep Pan

Consider adding a deep pan if you experience excessive transmission heat. Deep pans allow users to add more fluid to vehicles. This, in turn, spreads out the heat, dissipating it and removing it completely from the transmission within a short period. 

Ensure you use only aluminum pans as they dissipate excessive transmission heat much faster than steel-constructed deep pans.

5. Change The Transmission Fluid On Time

Ensure you change your transmission fluid every 30,000 to 60,000 miles. You can do this easily on your own. But if you are not a DIY enthusiast, get your vehicle to the nearest transmission workshop in order to flush the fluid out of your vehicle.

However, if you live and drive your vehicle in a hot climate or find yourself hauling heavy loads from time to time or engaging in lots of stop-and-go traffic, it is advisable to change your transmission fluid every 15,000 to 20,000 miles.

This ensures your transmission fluid remains fresh at all times so that it can work efficiently by cooling the transmission.

Keepin’ it Cool

Overheating is one of the #1 causes of transmission failure. Research shows that excessive transmission heat accounts for up to 90 percent of automatic transmission failures. It is often undetectable until it is too late.

This is why it is crucial to do everything within your power to cool your transmission or prevent it from overheating. The tips shared in this post, if adhered to strictly, will prevent the occurrence of excessive transmission heat.

For more information, news, and tidbits on all things transmission and converters, check our news section weekly. Gearstar specializes in building quality automatic transmissions from the ground up. Contact us today and see the difference.

Most vehicle owners usually focus on inspections, oil changes, battery replacements, tire care, brake service, and air filter checks. Indeed, every vehicle requires family care routines for optimal performance. However, one vital service consideration often overlooked by most car owners is transmission maintenance–specifically a transmission flush.

Most transmission issues often end in replacement, costing thousands of dollars. But you can perform preventative services such as transmission flushes to keep your transmission in top-notch condition.

Here’s what you should know about keeping your engine purring with a transmission flush.

But before then, let’s check out what a transmission does in your vehicle.

The Transmission

The transmission is one of the hardest-working and complex components in a vehicle’s engine. It is responsible for shifting gears within the motor and serves as the powerhouse of any vehicle.

Transmissions generally require proper maintenance, which includes constant lubrication via a transmission fluid. The latter protects the transmission from oxidative reactions as well as from the wear and tear that occurs due to the constant shifting and driving.

Why is a Transmission Flush Necessary?

The transmission fluid helps regulate temperature while keeping every component within the gear mechanism working seamlessly with zero friction.

However, since transmission fluids absorb heat when regulating the temperature within the gear system, the fluids start breaking down and burn over time. Waiting too long for a transmission flush may cause your transmission to deteriorate.

Transmission fluid flushes are necessary since they help prevent transmission issues. They work to ensure your vehicle is in peak condition at all times.

A transmission flush involves cleaning out old, dirty, and lackluster fluid from your transmission system and replacing it with fresh and clean transmission fluid. This process keeps your automobile healthy for a long time.

An ideal transmission flush should generally involve a transmission servicing such as:

• Installing a brand-new air transmission filter
• Installing a brand-new pan gasket
• Fluid drain and removal from within the system, etc.

A transmission flush eliminates the need for costly transmission repair. It boosts overall engine performance while allowing your vehicle to shift gears smoothly and easily.

When is the Perfect Time for A Transmission Flush?

“But when exactly do I need a transmission fluid flush?” you may be asking. There is no one-fits-all answer for this because the measure of this service depends significantly on your driving patterns as well as your automobile.

Check the Owner’s Manual

However, you can get an insight by checking your owner’s manual. The manual should indicate the number of miles you need to cover in-between performing maintenance transmission flushes.

But if you can’t find any transmission flush guidelines in your owner’s manual, don’t fret. Your car engine could be one of the few that comes with a ‘lifetime’ transmission fluid, especially if the transmission is sealed.

Nevertheless, even sealed transmissions can permit contaminants into the workings of your vehicle and cause an issue or two, albeit at a much slower rate than traditional car engines.

Therefore, you may still require a transmission flush every few years. Your local mechanic or the official site of your vehicle manufacturer may share some insight.

Transmission Fluid Checks

You can also perform transmission fluid checks which is another accurate and incredibly easy way to determine if you need a transmission flush. 

Get a professional mechanic to look under your hood and check your transmission fluid’s overall status. You need to verify that the transmission fluid levels are not overly full but full enough.

You need to also confirm that the transmission fluid is not dirty or discolored by checking the fluid color. It must also be doing its job, including maintaining proper temperatures within the system.

However, you may not be capable of performing this examination or evaluation unless you are a certified engineer or mechanic. If you aren’t, experts highly recommend that you take your vehicle to the nearest local workshop.

Get the mechanic to help you check your vehicle’s transmission fluid. You can also make this request every time you change your oil. This helps you stay far ahead of necessary transmission flushes while ensuring your vehicle receives proper care.

The Benefits of a Transmission flush

The benefits of transmission fluid flushes cannot be overstated. In many cases, a vehicle’s transmission starts showing signs of wear and tear after every 30,000 miles.

Performing a transmission flush eliminates dirty fluid from the system and replaces it with clean fluids. The new, clean fluid re-lubricates the entire transmission system and keeps your engine purring. In other words, your vehicle runs much better as a result of this transmission service.

Here are the unique benefits of a transmission flush:

Prevents Overheating

Metal shavings and other particles from within the transmission eventually accumulate in your vehicle’s transmission fluid. If nothing is done, the transmission and fluid start heating up, causing the particles to burn and overheat every internal component within the transmission system.

This can cause system failures, resulting in costly repairs. A transmission flush prevents these issues.

Boosts Fuel Efficiency

An optimally-functioning transmission places less strain on the other mechanical components in the vehicle. Reducing the amount of friction that rotating and moving parts produce results in an increase in the amount of energy that is transferred to the wheels.

This significantly improves fuel economy and saves you money on gas down the road.

Enhances Gear Operation

An overheating transmission turns the transmission fluid into a gooey, thick sludge. This development of clogged gears makes it difficult to shift between speeds.

A timely transmission flush eliminates or prevents this condition and improves gear operation.

Take Care of Your Transmission

Transmissions are an incredibly large part of the movement of any vehicle. If your transmission fails to function, your vehicle goes nowhere.

You can ensure the continuous functioning of your transmission by performing a transmission flush from time to time. A transmission flush helps prevent overheating, improves fuel efficiency, and enhances gear operation, among several other benefits.

Get a professional mechanic to check your transmission today to determine if you need a transmission flush. It could save you the thousands of dollars required to repair or replace a broken-down transmission.

Visit our news section every week for more insights, tips, and advice on transmissions. Gearstar specializes in building automatic high performance transmissions, built with phenomenal quality by expert builders. Contact us today for questions or inquiries about our transmissions, converters and controllers.

Do you know how revealing transmission fluid color is? It can help diagnose transmission issues while showing the overall health of your vehicle’s transmission.

The color of your car’s clean and fresh transmission fluid is usually bright red for a reason. But over time, the bright red color changes to maroon and brown. Should you be very concerned when this happens? This article will reveal the answer you need.

The Importance of Transmission Fluid

The transmission of your vehicle is highly essential in getting it into motion. Although the engine is primarily responsible for creating power, the transmission’s job is to transmit that power to the wheels. 

The transmission requires adequate fluid to reduce the friction between gear sets, create pressure, clean internal components, and prevent overheating. The fluid helps protect every component within a transmission system and keeps it free from dirt.

Checking the Transmission Fluid Color

You can determine the color of your vehicle’s transmission fluid in your transaxle or transmission by following these steps:

1. Open your car’s hood and locate the transmission dipstick
2. Pull out the dipstick from the filler tube
3. Determine the color of the fluid

Check the fluid at the end of the dipstick and try to determine its color. You can place some drops of the transmission fluid on a clean white sheet of paper to obtain a more accurate reading.

There is an automatic transmission fluid color chart that you can utilize. Match the color of the transmission fluid to the fluid color chart. This will give you an accurate explanation and what you need to do.

But first, let’s check out the various colors of transmission fluid that you may likely come across.

Transmission Fluid Color and What It Means

Red

Most brand-new transmission fluids have this color. It shows the fluid is not contaminated or dirty. The see-through, viscous transmission fluid has not oxidized and can efficiently protect the transmission and facilitate shifting gears.

This implies that no action is required whatsoever when the transmission fluid still shows this color.

Pink

Your transmission fluid should never be pink. Transmission fluid with this color implies the presence of engine coolant or water. This diluted transmission fluid can easily damage your transmission.

Therefore, when you notice that the transmission fluid color is pink, take your vehicle to your local mechanic’s workshop. Get the fluid drained from your transmission with the assistance of a professional technician.

Orange

If the transmission fluid looks orange, it is still in good working condition. However, it is an indication that the fluid is getting older.

You don’t need to change it yet as long as you can see through the transmission fluid with its orange hue. You can still drive your vehicle around for some time – i.e., a few more days or weeks – before flushing out the transmission fluid and refilling the gear mechanism.

Light Brown

When your transmission fluid has a light brown hue, it also shows that it is getting older. The fluid may still be translucent and pose no danger to your transmission, meaning you don’t have to change it yet.

Light brown transmission fluid is not really a sign of problems. You can still drive your car a bit longer before changing the fluid.

Brown/Dark Brown

However, as soon as the hue of the transmission fluid in your vehicle turns brown or dark brown, you have to change it. This usually occurs after your vehicle must have done up to 30,000 miles.

Brown or dark brown transmission fluid is no longer translucent but opaque. You can no longer see through the transmission fluid anymore. It is oxidizing – i.e., the fluid is getting filled with air bubbles which prevent the transmission fluid from doing its job effectively – and is no longer viscous.

So, change it right away as soon as you notice that your transmission fluid has taken on this color.

Other Ways to Check the Condition of Your Transmission Fluid

There are other ways to determine the overall condition of your transmission fluid.

The Smell of the Transmission Fluid

You can smell the transmission fluid. If it has a burnt odor, it simply means that the fluid is completely oxidized and overheated. 

The outcome is that the fluid offers poor lubrication, increased heat, and friction. This may result in excessive wear and severe damage to seals and internal components.

In fact, in many instances, burnt and smelling transmission fluid already implies that the gear mechanism itself has suffered some internal damage. You need to change that transmission fluid as soon as possible and have the technician check out the overall condition of the transmission itself.

The Blotter Test

Place a few drops of the transmission fluid on a paper towel. Wait for about 30 seconds. If the fluid is light brown or red or spreads out across the paper towel, no further action is required. The transmission fluid is in excellent condition.

But if the transmission fluid does not spread across the paper towel or looks dark, it implies that it has completely oxidized. You will need a filter and fluid change or have to flush out the transmission fluid from your vehicle.

Consistency is Key

Your vehicle’s transmission fluid color is one of the best ways to determine the overall health of your vehicle. You may also consider its smell and consistency in order to buttress what you suspect.

Most transmission fluids are red, though it is also not uncommon to get some in yellow or even blue. As the transmission fluid ages, the color changes gradually.

Therefore, consider changing the transmission fluid when its color has become dark brown. By protecting your vehicle’s transmission via maintenance, you prolong the transmission’s life span. You also prevent expensive rebuilds or replacements.

Make sure you don’t settle for less than the best transmission fluid for your car for optimum performance. For questions or inquiries, and all things transmission or converter, visit our resources and support page for tips, tricks, and how-tos. You may also contact Gearstar using our online form or give us a call. We will be glad to assist you!