clutch-transmission-technicians-inc

Transmission Specialists

Wed, 05 Apr 2023 02:01:22 GMT

6L80E 6 Speed Chevy / GMC Transmission

This transmission was introduced in 2005 but see it more in the 2011 up Chevy and GMC ½ ton pickup, Tahoe and Suburban. We originally thought it was going to be a better transmission then the previous 4 speed 4L60E transmission. However we started seeing them come in consistently at 100,000 miles and usually before 120,000 miles.

The torque converter is what we see failing on most every transmission we see. It puts converter clutch material into the transmission, causing damage to the pump surface and pressure switches.

Tech Tip: When pulling hills, even when Not towing. You can use your tow haul button. This increases the pressure and delays the shifts. It can be turned on and off as needed. It can be turned off going down the hill to avoid harsh shifting and back on going up the next one. We feel this will help get some more miles out of the transmission.

Can the transmission be upgraded to help get more miles out of the next transmission?

The answer is Yes. As they have been out for a while. More and more upgrades have become available. We use a heavier duty converter as well as some internal upgrades to help make these transmissions last longer. As with all transmissions. We are always looking for a way to make them better and last longer.

We also offer a heavy duty 6L80E transmission for a truck that is constantly put through the task of towing heavy loads and used more as a work vehicle. This would not be needed for a vehicle that is used for mostly family use or occasional light towing. This has become our #1 transmission that we do and our technicians have done a lot of research and have excellent experience with them.

What signs are noticeable when they are starting to have issues?

Customers usually complain of a shudder under light throttle at approx. 30-40 mph and again at 50 to 60 mph. It can feel like running over speed bumps on the road. When it gets worse, it may be delayed after stopping and taking off or cause erratic shifting. This is usually accompanied by a buzzing sound that sounds like power steering when the fluid is low. It is recommended to stop driving at this point and have checked. They will quit moving a lot of times when it gets to this point and are often towed in.

Give us a call today!

Your experts on the 6L80E transmission

CTT Transmissions

(209) 551-4050

3424 Oakdale Road, Stuite 1, Modesto, CA 95355

Maintenance

Wed, 22 Mar 2023 09:12:43 GMT

Maintenance

Avoid spraying cleaner directly onto the shifter area when cleaning your vehicle -The shifter has electrical and circuit boards inside that can be damaged by liquids. Spray your cleaner onto a rag and then wipe the area. We have seen where customers have spilled a drink onto the shifter and shorted out the circuit board which caused shifting problems.

With todays’ electronic transmissions, intermittent problems are very common and it can be difficult to reproduce the complaint when in the shop. The more information you can give us, the quicker we can duplicate the symptoms and diagnose the problem. “Last year we had a vehicle that the customer advised us that she lost all power while driving at freeway speeds. She was not able to give us much information as she was panicked as she was in heavy traffic and had a hard time getting off the freeway. She had it towed in and we proceeded to drive it over a three day period with no issues. We had talked with the customer several times, on the third day she recalled that it had did something similar a few months previous and both times the vehicle had sat for a few days when it is normally driven every day.

This helped us as we were driving the vehicle every chance we had. We then let the vehicle sit for a day while monitoring the battery voltage, we noticed that the battery voltage was dropping and kept falling below 12 volts. This led us to the problem. The vehicle had actually lost the fly by wire gas pedal and would not respond to her pushing on the gas. It ended up not needing any transmission repairs and a new battery corrected the problem. This is just one of many vehicles we get on a regular basis where the information given to us has helped in getting to the root of the problem quicker.”

Automatic Transmission

Wed, 08 Mar 2023 10:11:06 GMT

What is a Continuously Variable Transmission?

The CVT transmission uses variable diameter pulleys with a belt or chain to give it a wide range of gear ratios. It continuously varies the ratio as the vehicle is being driven versus the traditional transmissions that use planetary gears to stage the gear ratio on a more predictable pattern. The CVT method is similar to a 10 speed bike.

The pros - The transmission has gained popularity on many of the newer vehicles as it can continuously change the gear ratio to improve emissions and fuel economy. It is constantly changing the gear ratio to get the maximum performance out of the vehicle. Better gas mileage is probably the biggest factor.

The cons - The biggest concern at this time is the cost of replacing the transmission when it fails and the low mileage failures on some models. The belts are subject to wear from constantly changing positions on the pulleys and stretching of the belt can give them an early failure. The availability of replacement parts at this time is very scarce. However with the increasing popularity of the car manufacturers using them. The aftermarket parts should become more available and make them more affordable to repair.

The other downsides of these transmissions, that may be of concern to you, is that you do not feel the shifts as it is changing gear ratios and these transmissions can be noisier than conventional automatic transmissions. Also the response on a hard acceleration, like when getting on the freeway or passing a vehicle, does not seem to be as responsive.

I decided to post about the CVT Transmissions, as we have had several customers this year who have experienced transmission failure at low mileage. The cost of the transmission repair was close to or more than the value of their vehicle.

Some of the customers had recently purchased a used vehicle and were unaware that they had a CVT transmission. They were not happy when they found out that the transmission repair would be as much as they paid for their vehicle. If you plan on purchasing a vehicle with a CVT transmission, I recommend purchasing an extended warranty.

I recently visited some new car dealerships and learned that a good majority of their vehicles had CVT Transmissions, and that they planned on using more in the 2014 Models. You can tell by driving the vehicle if it has one of these transmissions as you will not feel the shifts as you are driving. You can also ask the salesperson. It appears that they are going to be in a majority of the new vehicles.

This does not mean that all CVT transmissions fail at a low mileage. And they do appear to be helping to improve fuel economy. However, I felt it important to educate our customers about the costs of repairing CVT transmissions, especially when purchasing a used vehicle. CVT transmission technology should advance, and the parts should become more available. For now, you should do your research on the vehicle you are planning on purchasing and find out about the warranty and coverage.

Transmission Leaks

A transmission leak is often misdiagnosed as multiple leaks. Often when we check out a leak. The whole transmission is soaked, looking like it is leaking from several places. This is usually not the case.

When driving down the road, the fluid gets blown around and back making it look like it has more than one leak. The best way to check out a slow leak is to clean everything off. Take the vehicle for a short test drive and let it sit. You may have to let it sit overnight if it is a small leak. Then it is easier to pinpoint where the leak is coming from.

Always start at the top and work your way down. A sensor or “O” ring that is leaking high on the transmission will drip down along the pan making it look like the pan is leaking. A slow leak is usually coming from the pan gasket, fill tube “O” ring or tail gasket, all of which can be repaired without pulling the transmission (in most cases).

A larger leak is easier to diagnose, as it will be a steady drip. They usually are going to be leaking from a front seal or a cooler line which are under pressure. Transmission fluid is usually pink in color. Many times engine oil or other oils can blow back on the transmission making it appear that the transmission is leaking.

The first thing to check is to see if the transmission fluid is low. If the fluid is low than you probably have a transmission leak. If not, check the engine oil, power steering and other fluids to see if any of them are low. Compare the color of the fluid that is leaking to these to help determine which one is leaking. Some power steering fluid and antifreeze are the same color as transmission fluid making it a little harder to determine the which one is the cause of the leak.

What is the size of the puddle?
Where is the puddle located? front, middle or rear of vehicle.
Drivers side, passenger side or center of vehicle
Have you added any fluid?
What color is the fluid?
Does it leak when it sits a few days or just a short time?
Does it only leak when parked on an incline?
How long has it been leaking?

WE DO NOT recommend adding any STOP LEAK products to your transmission fluid, to try to repair a leak. These products swell the outer seals, which helps stop the leak, but also swells the internal seals which can damage your transmission. Always check to see if your transmission has a fill tube and dipstick before attempting to service or repair it. Many of today’s transmissions require a dipstick that does not come with the vehicle or have to be filled from below which makes them very difficult to service without a hoist. It is important to repair the leak promptly to avoid damage to your transmission. Repairing a leak is far cheaper than rebuilding your transmission. If you are taking the vehicle in to a shop to have checked. It is helpful to give them as much information as possible to help diagnose the problem quicker and more efficiently.

Transmission Overheating Problems

Caring For Your Automatic Transmission In Summer Excess heat is a major cause of early transmission failure. During the summer when temperatures can reach 100+ degrees for day or weeks at a time, driving in congested traffic can be the death of your automatic transmission! With today’s electronic transmissions, excess heat is one of the major causes of transmission failure.

Summertime Transmission Care Tips

First, make sure your transmission fluid is at the proper level and in good condition. In most cases, that means that it should be pink in color. If your transmission fluid is turning brown, you should bring it by the shop and have us take a look at it for you. The next thing you can do is to make sure your engine is running in the recommended temperature range. If you engine is running hot, it’s likely that your transmission will be running hot as well. So fix whatever problem you are having with your engine cooling system as soon as possible.

Do A visual Inspection

Check your radiator and if your car is equipped with one your external transmission cooler to see if the fins are clear of debris. Many auto parts stores carry a cleaner for radiators that helps to remove bugs and other debris without the need for high pressure water sprayers. Of course you could have your radiator professionally cleaned if you prefer.

Other Options For Dealing With Transmission Overheating - If your transmission is only showing signs of overheating when climbing hills or towing heavy loads, you may want to consider switching to a synthetic transmission fluid, as it will handle higher temperatures than standard transmission fluid.

How To Tell If Your Transmission Is Getting Hot - Newer cars have temperature sensors on the transmission and either have a gauge or a warning light that will come on to tell you that your transmission is getting hot.

On older cars and trucks, there may not be a gauge or trouble light. In this case, you can check your transmission fluid to see if it is running hot. The transmission fluid may smell burnt and change to a brown color, indicating that excess temperatures have been reached.

A temperature gun is the best way to check for transmission overheating, as you can check the temperature going into and coming out of the radiator, and make sure the transmission fluid is cooling down as it goes through the radiator/cooler. It is always a good idea to check your fluid before going on a trip. If you are not sure how or have a transmission without a dipstick, stop by or give us a call (209) 551-4050.

Transmission Service Tech Tip

We get a lot of calls every day with questions on servicing a transmission. It can be confusing when inquiring on when to service transmission, how it should be done and how much it costs. We hope that this will answer some of your questions and feel free to give us a call at (209) 551-4050 if you have any further questions. One of our certified transmission techs will be happy to help you.

There are basically three different ways to service a transmission.

Basic service, includes dropping the pan, cleaning or changing the filter, cleaning the pan and adding fluid. This typically only changes about 4 quarts of fluid. We recommend this on some of the older vehicles that are not computer controlled.
Transmission Flush, Flushes the fluid out of the transmission, cooler, lines and torque converter, (pan does not get removed and filter does not get changed). We recommend this when a full service can not be done or a full service has recently been done and the fluid just go hot for some reason.
Transmission Flush and Service, does both of above. This is the method we recommend if applicable to your vehicle. We call it the ultimate transmission service.

We hope that this helps in understanding and maintaining your transmission. See our coupons for savings. If you have any further questions, please give us a call at (209) 551-4050.

4 Wheel Drive

Wed, 01 Mar 2023 10:01:29 GMT

Oh No Not Now!

Most people that have a four wheel drive vehicle, only use it about once or twice a year in California. Many times, they find themselves stuck when they get there as there 4wd is not working. Unlike the old days where you manually locked the hubs and could get under the vehicle and put the transfer case in 4wd if you had a problem. Now you have a computer system, fuses, wiring, motors and switches that run the 4wd. Therefore when you need it most, it is unlikely that you will get it working if it fails without visiting a shop.

The first thing that everyone should check before leaving on a trip to the snow or mud is that it is working. This can be done on your street at home. Must be on a concrete or asphalt road, not dirt. Just because you feel it engage the transfer case and the light says 4wd, does not mean that the front hubs are locked. It will gear down and feel like everything is working until you get there and have no front wheels driving.

When you actuate the 4wd. It puts the transfer case in the range you selected. It also locks your front hubs to give power to your front wheels. You can feel if the transfer case is engaged as the vehicle may clunk as it engages and you will notice the vehicle is in a lower gear as driving. The best way to check and see if the hubs are engaged is to turn your wheels all the way and drive forward. You should be able to feel the vehicle bind and not roll smoothly. If you can not feel a bind. Then your hubs are probably not working. Be carefull driving in 4wd on pavement as the vehicle will not steer the same and is very difficult to turn sharply.

Other common 4wd complaint - We have a carwash close to our shop which brings up another common problem we see. We get quite a few customers come in with a complaint that there vehicle is shuddering and vibrating and hard to turn. The first thing we ask them is if they just had their car washed. When having their car washed, they wipe down the dash and often hit the 4wd button engaging the four wheel drive. So if you have recently wiped or had the dash wiped down. Check to make sure the 4wd has not been activated.

Engagement Failure

Wed, 22 Feb 2023 09:48:56 GMT

Transfer Case Switch, For Four Wheel Drive

This type of switch is the most common to fail.

If you have one of these 4wd trucks and loose all gears or find it putting the transfer case in 4wd randomly. There is probably a problem in the transfer motor. This can be very intermittent which can make it hard to diagnose. If you loose all gears and it feels like neutral but there is a loud grinding noise when you try and put the vehicle back in park.

Try this simple trick. This may help having to tow the vehicle. I will first explain what might be happening. When you turn your ignition on. The computer checks the 4wd switch. If the encoder ring in the transfer case motor is failing, the transfer case can be placed in neutral during this process.

Try cycling the key on and off a few times and retry. The 4wd light on the switch should go to 2wd or auto instead of the neutral light. Try a few times as this will usually work to get the vehicle to move again. Sometimes the motor can fail completely and this will not work. If this works, take it to a shop to have checked and repaired as it will probably happen again.

Chevrolet Transmission Shop

Wed, 15 Feb 2023 09:45:47 GMT

Chevrolet Transmission Repair Service

Are you looking for the best Chevrolet Transmission repair service in Modesto? Clutch Transmission Technicians repair is the smart choice to go with instead of the high priced dealership and national chain transmission stores. Locally owned and operated by Ray and Shana.

We also service Allison 1000 Transmission.

We specialize in Chevrolet transmission fluid flushes and changes, call us today for an estimate for your vehicle. Have an expert professional from the best transmission shop in Modesto, Turlock, Oakdale or Salida area check out your Chevrolet car, truck, or SUV transmission problems with a free road test. We use genuine Chevrolet parts and all work comes with the best written warranty so you have no worries. We service Oakdale, Salida, Riverbank, Turlock, Ceres and Patterson.

Ford Transmission Shop

Wed, 01 Feb 2023 09:43:31 GMT

Ford Transmission Repair Service

We get calls often on the 7.3 diesel with automatic transmission overheating when pulling steep inclines with trailers. There can be several factors that will cause a transmission to overheat. It should be diagnosed first. The temp sensor could be faulty, the fluid could be low or need to be changed or there could be internal problems. The 7.3 diesel tends to be under powered and can cause extra pressure & heat in the transmission when trying to pull steep hills, but replacing the transmission cooler with a newer 6.0 diesel cooler makes a huge difference.

We recently replaced the cooler on a F-350 with a 7.3 that was reaching temperatures of 240 degrees when pulling their 40 ft. toy hauler up the grapevine. With the proper repairs made by CTT Transmissions (209) 551-4050 the customer called us and was very impressed as they pulled the same hill under the same conditions and the transmission only reached 185 degrees. You can add deeper pans with fins and we recommend a synthetic fluid but the cooler will make the biggest difference and is a must on the 7.3 engine.

Toyota Transmission Shop

Wed, 18 Jan 2023 09:41:47 GMT

Toyota Transmission Repair Service

Toyota’s have a reputation of being a well made vehicle and like many other brands requires a strong working knowledge of the design of their transmissions. Clutch Transmission Technicians has the knowledge and specialized equipment to repair, rebuild & service Toyota transmissions for Modesto, Oakdale & Turlock. Our technicians are certified and our work is covered by the best warranty in industry. After being a transmission shop Modesto as long as we have you get unparalleled experience working with Toyota’s.

Your Toyota Transmission Services includes the following: transmission diagnostic, automatic transmission repair, manual transmission repair, transmission rebuilding, new transmission installation, transmission servicing, troubleshooting for non starts.

Your Toyota Transmission Services includes the following: Toyota transmission diagnostics, automatic transmission repair, manual transmission repair, transmission rebuilding, new transmission installation, transmission servicing, troubleshooting for non starts.

If your asking yourself where do I take my Toyota hybrid car for repair work? Well you found it Clutch Transmission Technicians! CTT Transmission are the guys that know best and are the ones that understand complicated electrical systems and connecting different power-trains in the same vehicle. CTT Modesto, works on all makes and models of hybrid transmissions for cars, trucks and vans.

Honda Transmission Shop

Wed, 04 Jan 2023 09:31:17 GMT

Honda Transmission Repair Service

Should you have a transmission problem, we have the latest in diagnostic equipment and technical support available to diagnose and repair your Honda transmission quickly and efficiently. Many times what seems to be a transmission problem, can be one of the many components that control when your transmission shifts. Have your transmission checked at the first sign of any shifting irregularities to avoid further damage. Call today to set up an appointment or talk with one of our technicians (209) 551-4050 .

Honda vehicles have long been one of the most reliable vehicles on the road. For many years, they had one of the best transmissions which were capable of going 350,000 miles before rebuilding.

In 2003 Honda came out with a 5sp automatic transmission and we started seeing problems with them as early as 80,000 miles. We were seeing more of the Accords and the Odysseys then the other models. The most common issue was the transmission slipping in 2nd and 3rd gear. It usually starts out to be intermittent then worsens to where it slips all the time. Many times this type of transmission problem can be a simple repair, such as a solenoid or sensor causing that is causing a shifting problem. Remember, when you notice shifting problems, it is important to have your transmission checked as soon as you can.

How to make your Honda transmission last longer?

Most Honda transmissions are set up different than typical automatic transmissions. They are built similar to a standard transmission and most don’t have a pan to be able to replace the filter. The Honda transmission filter is internal on most units, and can’t be changed without disassembling the transmission. Therefore, we recommend servicing the transmission on a frequent and regular schedule. Checking the condition of the transmission fluid is very important on Hondas. The fluid should be a pinkish color. If the fluid is a brownish color, it is ready to be changed. We also recommend using Honda transmission fluid.

Changing the fluid on a regular basis can help prevent sticking solenoids or valves, and help prevent bearings from premature failure. When checking the transmission fluid on your Honda, check your owner’s manual for instructions because most Honda transmissions are checked with the engine off. If you are unsure, we will be happy to check your transmission fluid level for free. We have the latest in diagnostic equipment and technical support available to diagnose and repair your Honda transmission quickly and efficiently.

Many times what seems to be a transmission problem, can be one of the many components that control when your transmission shifts. Have your transmission checked at the first sign of any shifting irregularities to avoid further damage. Call for an appointment or to speak with a technician (209) 551-4050.

Here is a list of some of things to make note of that will help your technician advise you of what the problem is, and what to do next. Especially if you are experiencing an intermittent problem, it is a good idea to keep good notes about the problems you are experiencing.

The following questions will help us help you, when you are looking for a phone quote.

What does the fluid look like?
“Is it pink, light brown or black?”
When was the transmission serviced last?
Has a check engine light been coming on? Any other indicator lights?
Are there any noises?
Does it make the noise just sitting there running or does it have to be moving?
“Is the noise a clicking, knocking, whining, or howling sound?”
Does the problem happen when cold or hot, after driving short distance or after driving more than 20 or 30 miles?
Have there been any recent repairs, or additions to the vehicle? (alarms, stereos etc.)
“Many components are linked together in the electrical system and can affect the transmission”

We hope this was helpful and help getting your vehicle back on the road as painless as possible. Call (209) 551-4050 and speak to one of our transmission technicians for an estimate, advice or to make an appointment.