reeves-auto-repair

Will Resting Your Hand On The Shifter Harm A Manual Transmission?

Wed, 04 Dec 2024 02:40:31 GMT

If you drive a standard shift car, truck, or SUV, there’s a good chance you’ve heard this line from a know-it-all buddy in the passenger’s seat: “You know, it’s bad for the transmission when you leave your hand on the shifter.” But, does what your friend says have any merit? Reeves Auto Repair in San Luis Obispo has the answers.

Actually...yes. The fact of the matter is, resting your hand on the shifter can dramatically accelerate the wear on your manual transmission. In fact, on many cars, you can actually hear the transmission begin to whine if you apply slight pressure to the shift lever. If you came here to win an argument, we hate to let you down. However, if you’re wondering what the science is behind it, you’ve come to the right place!

Essentially, there are forks inside your transmission which push the gears into place. These components are designed to contact each other only momentarily, during normal shifting. If you let your hand rest on the shifter, the components will lightly tough, causing unnecessary wear and heat accumulation...neither of which bodes well for your transmission. Over time, you can end up with broken transmission forks, worn-out surfaces, and sloppy gear shifts...none of which are optimal situations.

So there you have it; while it may be more comfortable to simply leave your hand on the shifter, and you might even look cooler doing it, the verdict is out; it isn’t worth the risk. Of course, you can keep this knowledge to yourself - your friend doesn’t need to know he or she was right all along.

If you’re experiencing shifter related issues, and for all of your other transmission repair and maintenance needs, our professional technicians have you covered. For the best transmission service shop in San Luis Obispo, call or visit Reeves Auto Repair today.

I Can’t Find My Specified Transmission Fluid, What Should I Use?

Wed, 04 Dec 2024 02:39:23 GMT

At Reeves Auto Repair in San Luis Obispo, we know that a key aspect of taking care of your transmission is understanding how it works. Here’s some info on transmission fluid types, in case you’re having trouble finding yours.

Your transmission fluid type can be located either on the transmission fluid dipstick or in your owner’s manual. However, if you drive an older vehicle, it’s likely that the fluid type specified for your vehicle is no longer in production. Your dipstick may say “Use only Dexron II, Dexron III in a vehicle that specifies Dexron VI in any vehicle that specifies an earlier version of Dexron.

Many modern transmission fluids are advertised as almost universal automatic transmission fluids. As long as your specified fluid is listed on the bottle as a brand the universal fluid replaces, you’re probably fine, but you might as well use the exact replacement for your transmission if you can. Most bottles have compatible vehicles listed on the back.

If you have transmission questions or concerns, and for any of your other transmission maintenance and repair needs, our expert mechanics have you covered. We supply quality parts and excellent customer service and can accommodate any make or model. For the best transmission service shop in San Luis Obispo, call or visit Reeves Auto Repair today.

When Is It To Late To Change Your Transmission Fluid?

Wed, 04 Dec 2024 02:38:12 GMT

It’s likely you’ve been exposed to conflicting opinions about having your transmission fluid replaced. You may have heard that cars over a certain mileage should not have the transmission fluid flushed and replaced, because it could damage the transmission, or you may have had someone tell you the first thing you should do at any sign of trouble is have your transmission flushed. At Reeves Auto Repair in San Luis Obispo, our expert mechanics have the answers you’re looking for.

In truth, both answers are equally right and wrong. It really comes down to what kind of car you drive, and whether you’re experiencing transmission issues at the moment. Some transmission fluids are designed to add some extra “grit”, to keep the transmission functioning properly. Other’s operate better with the smoothest possible fluid.

The argument is, if your transmission is heavily worn or slipping, the friction material that has worn off of the clutches in your transmission remains in the old fluid, assisting with keeping slippage to a minimum. While this is true for some vehicles, chances are if your transmission is at that point, you’re driving on borrowed time regardless. Rather than simply running the car until it can’t move under its own volition anymore, you should heavily consider having the transmission repaired before significant damage occurs.

The only way to know for sure what the right move is is to have your car inspected by a true professional. Our technicians can offer insight as to what your next move should be, depending on a variety of factors, including vehicle condition, transmission function, fluid condition, transmission type, and more. If it’s time to make that call with your car, truck, or SUV, the professional technicians at Reeves Auto Repair have you covered. For all your other transmission repair and maintenance needs, and for the best transmission service shop in San Luis Obispo, call or visit Reeves Auto Repair today.

Is it okay to shift into park before stopping?

Wed, 04 Dec 2024 02:37:08 GMT

The key to maintaining a healthy transmission is understanding how it works. Here’s the rundown on shifting your car, truck, or SUV into park before it stops, from the professional technicians at Reeves Auto Repair in San Luis Obispo.

So, is it ok to shift into park before your vehicle stops moving, even at low speeds? The short answer: no. On most modern vehicles, the electronics probably won’t even let you try, locking you out of the park function or overriding the shift until the vehicle is stopped.

But why is it such a bad idea? Your transmission has an internal “parking pawl”, a lever which locks into a tooth of the transmission, preventing it from turning. That’s why your car sometimes rolls a couple of inches after you let off the brakes, once you’ve shifted into park...the transmission has to turn to a point where the pawl engages. If you engage it while the vehicle is in motion, this tiny lever has to stop the momentum of a moving vehicle, which is a considerable amount of force. Obviously, this causes tremendous stress to the pawl, which can cause it to break or round off, making your park function unpredictable or unusable.

Some cars are equipped with ratcheting pawls, which prevent the pawl from engaging at unsafe speeds. Police cars, for example, are equipped with such a mechanism, as well as a strengthened parking pawl. Even still, used police cars are notorious for parking issues, as a result of years of abuse. It’s best to simply wait until you’ve come to a complete stop before shifting into park.

If you’ve come here because you accidentally shifted into park early, and want to know if you’ve sustained any damage, you’re probably in luck - as long as park is still engaging, you’ve most likely dodged a bullet. Just be cautious until you’re sure everything is working correctly.

If you’re experiencing parking troubles, and for any of your other transmission repair and maintenance needs, our expert mechanics have you covered. For the best transmission service shop in San Luis Obispo, call or visit Reeves Auto Repair today.

Knowing When Your Leaks Occur is Key to Diagnosing the Problem

Wed, 04 Dec 2024 02:35:40 GMT

Transmission fluid leaks can often be a pain to track down. If you have a leaky transmission, Reeves Auto Repair in San Luis Obispo has some information for you on what you can expect. We’ve repaired countless leaky transmissions, and now we’re here to share some of our knowledge with you.

Transmission leaks are almost never easy to spot. Due to the high pressure throughout your transmission fluid system, when transmissions leak, they often leak a lot. A pinhole-sized leak can cause a spray of fluid, meaning the leaking spot will be almost undetectable, but there will be a mess of transmission fluid covering the surrounding area. Along the same lines, a slightly torn or rotted gasket will allow transmission fluid to escape from the tiniest of gaps, and the problem will not likely be visible to the naked eye. Seals also go bad, meaning the leak could be from inside the space where your engine and transmission meet, where you can’t see it, and the fluid will leak out far from the actual source of the problem.

We use a variety of techniques to determine where a leak is coming from. First, the process is much easier with a vehicle lift. Since leaks, for the most part, will occur in places where it is necessary to easily inspect the underside of the car, lifting it is the first thing we do. Next, we clean as much of the leaked fluid off as we can, to more easily determine where the leak originates. If it isn’t readily apparent where the leak is coming from, a special UV additive can be poured into the transmission fluid. With this chemical, a leak can be spotted using a blacklight and glasses specific for this purpose. Once we zero in on the problem, we fix it, then test it again.

If your vehicle mostly leaks while it’s sitting, your problem is most likely a bad transmission pan gasket or something of that nature. If it leaks more when the car is running and in drive or reverse, the problem is probably a hose or gasket in the pressurized system. Knowing how the transmission works when it leaks and having a good idea of common transmission issues goes a long way in determining the source of your leak.

Generally, we recommend leaving transmission work up to the experts. It’s easy to get in over your head when working on transmissions and to turn a small problem into a huge one very quickly. Transmission fluid systems have a very low tolerance for error, meaning if everything isn’t done exactly right there is likely to be a complication. Even something as simple as refilling lost fluid can be done incorrectly. If your transmission is leaking, and you need a professional opinion on what to do next, come talk to one of our technicians at Reeves Auto Repair today. If you are experiencing an issue, you’ve probably already discovered that buying transmission fluid and topping off your fluid all the time is a tedious and costly activity; let our team put an end to that. Call or visit today.

Is it Okay to Shift an Automatic Transmission While the Vehicle is Still in Motion?

Wed, 04 Dec 2024 02:33:49 GMT

At Reeves Auto Repair in San Luis Obispo, we believe that in order to take care of your car, truck, or SUV properly, you need to know how it works. Today we’re attempting to answer an age-old debate; is it ok to shift from reverse to drive before coming to a complete stop?

Unfortunately, there’s no yes or no answer. On most modern vehicles, the electronics simply won’t allow you to shift in a manner that will damage your vehicle. The car will either lock you out of shifting into reverse or drive until the vehicle reaches a safe speed, or delay the shift for you. However, for those of you who drive older model vehicles, the car may not do the work for you. In truth, as long as you are moving slow (half a mile an hour or so) it’s unlikely your transmission will sustain any damage...the entire system is hydraulic, so grinding gears aren’t a concern here. However, it could certainly be argued that it’s still a bad idea; if the car still has momentum in one direction, and the transmission is fighting that momentum to stop and change the direction of the car, you are wearing out clutch discs and other internal parts unnecessarily.

While this strain is probably comparable to towing a trailer, a transmission that isn’t under load all the time will probably last longer than one that is. If you’re moving with any sort of speed (5 mph, for example,) definitely avoid shifting into reverse or drive while the car is in motion in the opposing direction. By shifting early, you’re causing a lot of unnecessary stress on the engine and transmission.

In short, it isn’t necessary to come to a complete stop, but if the engine has to fight to change directions, you’re shifting too soon. Use common sense; if you can tell the car is strained, or the transition sounds anything less than perfectly smooth, you’re moving too fast to change directions.

For all your transmission repair and maintenance needs, the expert mechanics at Reeves Auto Repair have you covered. For the best transmission service shop in San Luis Obispo, call or visit today.

Is You Vehicle Vibrating? It May Be Your U-Joints

Wed, 04 Dec 2024 02:31:43 GMT

The term u-joints are commonly thrown around when discussing a vehicle that exhibits vibration or driving issues. What exactly is a u-joint, and how do you know if one is bad? Reeves Auto Repair in San Luis Obispo has the answers.

Firstly, u-joints are typically only found on rear-wheel-drive vehicles. Any rear-wheel-drive car will have a drive shaft, which is simply a long shaft that connects the transmission to the differential, which drives your wheels. Every driveshaft has a minimum of two u-joints...there’s one at each end, and some vehicles also have one in the center. What these joints do is permit the shaft a certain amount of ability, in terms of angle and motion. Since the transmission and the differential can’t be perfectly aligned with one another all the time, due to suspension and design, a solid shaft connected directly to both won’t work.

The u-joints allow the shaft to account for changing motion and permit a connection between the two at an angle. Think of it this way: if you lay your hand down flat on a table, you can still move your arm up and down, without moving your hand or your shoulder, since you have joints in your wrist and elbow. You can jump up and down without ever taking your hand off the table. U-joints operate on the same principle...your back wheels can bounce up and down, without ever disconnecting from the transmission.

How do you know if one is bad? If your car vibrates from the middle or rear of the car, particularly at highway speeds, you may have a bad u-joint. A tell-tale sign of a worn u-joint is a clunking feeling or sound when you shift your vehicle into drive or reverse. Another symptom is the same clunking when you let off the gas or apply the throttle while driving. While u-joints don’t go bad often, once they start to fail they often don’t last long. Since they bear the entire transfer of torque from your transmission to your wheels, every time you shift or hit the throttle the bad u-joint is subjected to damage. If it breaks completely, your car won’t be able to move, the driveshaft could fall out or be damaged, and components under the car may sustain damage from the disconnected driveshaft. A ten-dollar part can become an expensive fix very quickly if neglected.

If you are experiencing u-joint issues, one of our expert mechanics will be glad to assist you. No matter what type of car, truck, or SUV you drive, our technicians are well trained and qualified to inspect, diagnose, and repair any transmission issue you may be experiencing. For all your repair and maintenance needs, call or visit Reeves Auto Repair today.

What is a Transmission Control Module

Wed, 04 Dec 2024 02:30:00 GMT

At Reeves Auto Repair in San Luis Obispo, we understand the importance of keeping up with and understanding the latest in automotive technology. Gone are the days when fluids and vacuum lines were all that controlled the function of your engine and transmission, and we’ve moved into an era where computer control reigns supreme.

While there are countless benefits to computer-controlled automotive systems, there are also many ways for these systems to fail. When they do, sometimes the symptoms don’t make the issue immediately obvious, and a Transmission Control Module is one such component.

The TCM does what the name states; it controls the transmission. Shift points and the act of shifting itself are controlled by this module, meaning without it, the transmission is essentially one giant paperweight. A TCM is a reliable component...however, it is comprised of many intricate parts, and if one of them fails, the transmission may behave strangely. Your car, truck, or SUV may not shift when it’s supposed to, may shift hard, may shift erratically, or may not shift at all. Typically these conditions are accompanied by a warning light on your dash, but not always.

If your transmission is misbehaving, have one of our mechanics take a look. Whether it’s the TCM or some other issue, our professional technicians will have your issue diagnosed and corrected in no time. For the best transmission maintenance and repair shop in San Luis Obispo, call or visit Reeves Auto Repair today.