choosing parts for maintenance and repairs

The transmission is an integral part of your car's functioning. When the car starts to experience transmission problems, it is important to have it examined to avoid a worsening of the situation. Here are some of the most common problems that can occur and whether or not you can fix the problem yourself. 

Grinding Noise

One common complaint that occurs with a manual transmission is that the gears sound as if they are grinding while shifting. There are a few reasons that grinding can happen. 

If your transmission fluid is low, the gears do not have enough lubrication, and grinding occurs. Check your fluid levels and add more, if necessary. Before adding more fluid, you also need to be sure that it is the correct type. Refer to your owner's manual to determine the recommended fluid for your car. 

Grinding can also be the result of the gear set not properly switching when you are attempting to shift to another gear. If your gears are out of sync with each other and producing this noise, you will need a professional to service them.

Hard Shifting

Ideally, if you have a manual transmission, you should be able to easily move from one gear to the next. However, if you find it difficult to shift, it is possible that there is a problem with the clutch pedal.

When the clutch pedal has too much slack in it, the links connecting it to the clutch disk do not have enough pull in them to disengage the disk from the flywheel. The result is a difficult time shifting. You might even notice grinding. 

If this happens, the car needs to be serviced by a professional.

Burning Smell

A burning smell coming from under the hood can be scary and cause for alarm. The burning smell could be an indication that your transmission fluid is overheating. 

As you operate your car, debris gets into the fluid. The dirtier the fluid gets, the more difficult it is to keep the transmission cooled. If you continue to drive, eventually the transmission can be damaged. 

The best way to determine if dirty fluid is the problem is to examine the fluid. Remove the dipstick from the fluid reservoir and look for dirt and sludge. The fluid is also darker than usual when contaminated.

If you are accustomed to changing your transmission fluid, do so. If not, schedule a maintenance check with your mechanic.

For help with any transmission problems, contact a company like S & A Transmission.