Car will not go past 60km/h
In my first case I had to deal with a night mare of my car hitting 60km/h then reving like hell if I pressed it harder. Prior to this incident, the car was all fine until I did a major service that included changing the ATF (Automatic Transmission Fluid). This fluid has a number of duties in the transmission, including lubrication, cooling, and clutch application. There are literally dozens of different fluid types, each with a specific set of friction modifiers to meet the requirements of the hundreds of different transmissions on the market.
 |
| Some ATF brands |
Using the wrong type can affect your transmission’s performance and longevity. Apparently the mechanic had used some wrong type for my car. The wrong ATF had cost me ksh. 900.
I went back had this drained out and spent another ksh. 1,700 for the right ATF after checking the transmission dipstick. After that the car was able to go all the way up and past 60km/h without any problem.
Using the wrong fluid in today’s transmissions will affect transmission performance in the short run. And it can cause the transmission to fail by providing inadequate lubrication and friction modification. So it’s very important to make sure you’re using the fluid your transmission is designed for.
How can you tell which transmission fluid is right for your car?
Check the owner’s manual or transmission dipstick. They should both provide a detailed specification for the fluid type required.
How to check Automatic Transmission Fluid
If your vehicle hesitates when your automatic transmission shifts gears, check the transmission fluid level before you let any mechanic start talking about servicing or adjusting your transmission or selling you a new one. To check your automatic transmission fluid, look for a dipstick handle sticking out of your transmission.
 |
| Front wheel drive engine |
- Pull out the dipstick. With the gearshift in Neutral or Park and the parking brake on, let your engine run. Be sure the engine is warm when you pull out the dipstick. (Don’t turn off the engine.)
- Check the fluid. Dip the tip of your index finger into the fluid on the dipstick and rub the fluid between your finger and the tip of your thumb. The transmission fluid on the dipstick should be pinkish and almost clear. If it looks or smells burnt or has particles in it, have a mechanic drain and change the fluid.
- Wipe the dipstick with a clean, lint-free rag; then reinsert it and pull it out again.
Squeaking noise
In the second case, I started hearing some noise coming from the front right side of my car. This noise was more pronoused on rough roads. This is not the kind of noise produced by worn out shocks (usually a nocking sound when you hit a pot hole). This is a squeaking noise. You know like the one you get from those loosely fastened beds or some chairs and tables in offices when you turn on them. So I went to the mechanic to have the car checked up.
After doing what looked like a thorough investigation, the mech came up told me, my wheel bearing was bad. Phew! I felt a relief because I thought at last the problem had been identified.
 |
| rotor and clipper |
 |
| bearing and steering knuckle |
 |
| new bearing |
 |
| new bearing pressed into knuckle |
 |
| control arm |
 |
| different types of control arm bushings |
Misdiagnosis from mechanics is a common complaint from drivers, but then its not like they are taught the finer points of automotive stuff. Its like some don't see the car as a symphony of parts each doing its job.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I'm a new driver with a b-15 whose previous owner was a "matatu" driver for lack of better words. This meant that it had to go for a complete checkup before it was drive-able; but right now the fuel consumption is comparable to a BMW 318 and it doesn't accelerate. Any ideas?
I think the kind of problem you are having is that, the car stays on low gear for long and doesn't pick to high gear fast enough. Low gears are poor with fuel consumption as they are meant to provide power and not speed. This will explain why fuel economy is so poor and the car sluggish. The obvious culprit in this case will be the automatic transmission system. I presume the car is automatic. Before starting to spend so much to have the entire automatic transmission checked, just do a simple service. Most likely the previous owner had never checked the automatic transmission fluid. Remember most cars are so sensitive with this fluid that putting some cheap fluids will give your car acceleration problems. Try to get a good quality fluid, this will cost you in upwards of 3k unlike cheap ones that go for about 1k. Let me hear from you on how it goes.
DeleteMisdiagnosis is one of the worst thing could happen to one's car. It's always best to go to our trusted service center to make sure our car gets what it deserves. Anyway, this is a very helpful guide, particularly for new drivers like me. It's a time and money-saver if we know all the things about our car and the most common problem that we could encounter. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeletex Jae Gunderson x @ AustinEagleTransmission.com