Ford Escape Hybrid- Preliminary Information (Part 2 of 3)   TORQUE MONITOR A strategy within the PCM, the “Torque Monitor” looks for certain PCM computer faults as well as monitoring to see if the overall powertrain torque delivered to the drive wheels exceeds what the driver is requesting. There are 3 gross errors the torque […]

The Ford Escape Hybrid was offered for sale as a 2005 model. At the start of production for the 2006 model year the Mercury mariner was added. At the start of production for the 2008 model year Mazda acquired this same vehicle as the Tribute. The hybrid systems used in all three of these vehicles […]

Transmissions: Japan v. Korea There is some history that runs between the two countries, even more so when you compare transmissions in vehicles from the different locations. Being neighboring countries, Korea and Japan have managed to enjoy a close relationship from ancient history to present day. As a result, similarities can be observed in both […]

Audi 01J DTC 17114 Gear Ratio Monitoring: An Incorrect Ratio Complaint: After a rebuild, an Audi 01J CVT exhibits a gear ratio error code 17114 only after the transmission has reached and held its highest ratio while cruising. If driven around town in stop and go traffic the transmission operates correctly; even if its highest ratio is […]

Soft 1-2 Flare 3-4 On Ford and Mazda Ford and Mazda share a 4 and 5 speed front wheel drive transmission together. Ford calls the 4 speed a 4F27E while Mazda refers to it as an FN4A-EL.   Ford and Mazda share a 4 and 5 speed front wheel drive transmission together. Ford calls the […]

The Cold and Old- Montero Sport 4×4   With the cold weather hitting many areas of the country nearing an end, spring time fever outweighs a cold headache anytime. Some things are designed to work well in the cold and some are not, especially when they get old. 1997 to 2001 Mitsubishi Montero Sport 4×4 […]

The Twists and Turns In Keeping Up With The Changes From time to time, we hear about how people can be resistant to change and understandably so in many cases. I was very disappointed to hear that GM had to close its Willow Run transmission plant as part of its bankruptcy proceedings. As 2010 came […]

Transfer Clutch Burn Out’s On Subaru Transmissions Transfer clutch burn out is not uncommon with Subaru transmissions. Normal wear and tear, sealing ring failure or molded piston failure (especially with glycol intrusion) would be a few items on the list. One possibility is a problem with the integrity of the spline area where the CV […]

The CVT VT20/25E Transmission- Be Careful and Watch The Bolts The CVT VT20/25E transmission was used in two Saturn vehicles; the 2003 to 2005 Ion and the 2003 to 2004 Vue. Overseas it was used in the 2002-2004 Opel Vectra. One of our longtime subscribers shared with us about an incident where one of these […]

Crack, Snap, Split, or Fracture: It Will Break Your Bank and Ruin Your Day   GM’s 6L40/50/80 series rear wheel drive transmissions referred to as GM6 may come in to the shop experiencing a complaint of a delayed reverse accompanied with a slipping reverse as well as a flare or slide 2-3 shift. The problem […]

Mercedes Has Torqued Transmissions? Did you know that Mercedes 722.9 transmission has a two part case?     Mercedes 722.9 transmission is a two part case (Figure 1). The converter housing is made of die-cast aluminum. The main transmission case or housing is made of die-cast magnesium. This provides a reduced weight compared to aluminum […]

A 6-Speed from Korea?   Hyundai and Kia manufacturers use a front wheel drive 6-speed transmission in many of their vehicles. We will this transmission and issues that could be encountered.   The name for this transmission is determined by the size engine it’s paired to. From as small as a 1.2L engine to as […]

Older Vehicles Are Not Necessarily Easier To Fix   The majority of calls we receive on our technical help line are with vehicles 15 years old and newer. With the complexity of newer vehicles, these calls have become increasingly more difficult to do. Suffice it to say that when a call comes in for a […]

Nixing Nag 1 Problems   We have written several articles about the NAG 1 five-speed automatic transmission used in Dodge, Chrysler and Jeep vehicles. It comes in both two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations and may also be referred to as the WA580, W5A580, 5G-Tronic or 722.6 transmission. This article will continue with some additional issues that may […]

The Heartbeat of the Transmission   In our last blog post we talked about how the solenoid, hydraulic interaction achieves a specific gear and diagnostic tips. We also started off with how the pump is the heartbeat of the transmission. Look inside to read the continuation of this post and its valuable contents inside.   […]

The Heartbeat of the Transmission   How solenoid, hydraulic interaction achieves a specific gear and diagnostic tips- all in this article! The Pump With the pump being the heartbeat of the transmission and pumping fluid into its veins, it brings to life eight forward speeds, converter clutch apply and reverse. This article will provide a […]

A Look At Ford and GM’s Jointly Built 6T40 Transmission   In this last and final article of this series, we will be looking at the Transmission Adaptive Values Learn. As most know by now, this is a series of tests that are run to allow the transmission control module (TCM) to learn individual clutch […]

A Look At Ford and GM’s Jointly Built 6T40 Transmission Inside, we will be looking at the Line Pressure Specifications and continuation of our 4 part series. The line pressure tap is conveniently located on top of the transmission alongside the transmission’s fill cap. Gen 1 and 2 line pressure specification tables are provided. Specifications […]

A Look At Ford and GM’s Jointly Built 6T40 Transmission With the exception of the Low and Reverse Clutch, each clutch inside this transmission is operated by a solenoid through its respective regulating valve. With Gen 1-based models, a relatively small feed orifice was located on the line pressure supply side of the 4-5-6 Clutch […]

A Look Inside Ford and GM’s Jointly Built 6T40 Transmission Oct. 10, 2002, Ford and GM announced that they would join together to develop a new six-speed front wheel drive automatic transmission. Working on this project together would not only offer a cost-saving factor in its development, they could bring a new transmission to market sooner. Production began in […]