The Transmission Rebuild
Diagnostics and the Complete “How It Works” Rebuild Process
(at least, this is how we perform a transmission repair - compare the process with other shops)
Quick Overview:
- Transmission Diagnostics - Test Drive at no Charge
- Test Drive
- Preliminary Diagnostics
- facebook fan - specials
- Firm Quote - no baiting: Your Choice
- Leave your car for further Diagnostics or Repair?
- Ride home / to work
- Rental Cars
- Deposit / accepted forms of payments
- Labor Rates, Specials
- Hazmat & Shop Supplies Fees note
- “Lumpsum” Repair: we do not collect Sales tax
- Transmission Diagnostics - Electronic Scan & Pan Drop
- Tow-In
- Full Disclose: we invented the Repair Blog
- Full Disclose: Video documentation on our YouTube Channel
- Electronic Scan, Test Drive, Scan again to compare codes
- Pan Drop and Inspection
- Transmission Filter Break and Inspection (with video)
- Remove / Dismantle / Inspect
- Removal & Marking
- Torque Converter
- Complete Disassembly & Inspection
- Cleaning of Usable Components
- Partswasher
- Ultra-Sonic Cleaning
- “HotFlush” Cleaning
- Transmission and Valve Body Rebuild, Installation
- Always new Soft Parts (Seals, Bearings, Clutches, Bearings)
- Design Flaw Upgrades / Changes
- Picture & Video Links to show Rebuild Process
- Installation in Your Vehicle (Video)
- Programming for Electronically Controlled Transmissions
- Program to Adaptive (Re-Learning) Mode
- CVT Transmissions: TCM Flash
- Test Drive, Adjustments, Delivery
- Test Drives & Adjustments until ready to Deliver
typically after 3-5 business days (CVTs: 2 weeks) - Warranty: 12/12 Default, Upgrades available
- Free Leak Check after 500-1,000 miles
1. Transmission Diagnostics - Test Drive at no Charge
When you experience transmission problems, it may or may not really be a problem in your transmission. It could be an issue in external transmission controls, engine performance issue, or something else.
We offer a test drive by a Transmission Specialist at no charge.
In most cases, this test drive results in a fairly accurate diagnostic, and we can tell you what is wrong with your vehicle and give you a “no surprise” quote.
Your vehicle is still parked up front, you have not spent a dime, and you know within a few dollars range, how much the transmission repair (rebuild) is likely to cost - or, where your problem is, if it is not your transmission.
We believe in transparency and in full disclose. No “switch and bait”, and no trying to get your car on a lift to dump the fluid and take the transmission pan off, to lock the customer in a repair.
You may have come to us by being a fan of our facebook fan page / presence with occasional specials for this network, through Craig’s List ads, Internet searches, Specialty Automotive Blogs, or simply by word-of-mouth - all of these gave you the option to check us out prior to your visit, and come with confidence.
Armed with your preliminary diagnostics and quote after the test drive, you can now choose to drive off again, sleep over it, go price shopping, or of course to leave your car with us for further in-depth diagnostics and repairs.
If you choose to take us up on our offer to rebuild your transmission, you leave your vehicle with us, sign the necessary paper work, and have a copy of the Repair Order showing the final price (there may be some small incidentals, such as Rear Main Seal -if found leaking - exhaust hangers & bolts, but we clear those with you first, should the need arise).
We do charge a little for HazMat (we are a “Green” shop) and Shop Supplies. It saves overhead expenses to spread those costs evenly across all Repair Order tickets, rather than track each item used.
We do not collect Sales Tax (we provide “Lumpsum Repair” - saves you the 8.25% tax, and us the overhead, benefitting in lower cost for you).
We may ask you for a deposit towards the final balance. We accept cash, Visa and Mastercard as Debit or Credit, and Discover cards. You can also make payments online through our Google Merchant account.
Our hourly labor rates are: $79 for US Domestic vehicles, $89 for Asian vehicles, $95 for European vehicles, $115 and up for Clean Room Labor. We bill all labor by the ALLDATA Labor Time Guide (industry leader).
We offer special rates for members of the Military, and other communities (such as ATRA Warranty Rates, LGBT, etc. - Tell us, we’ll work with you).
If you choose to leave the car with us, and don’t have a ride waiting, we can occasionally provide a ride home or to your office (based on available staff), or refer you to any of the three rental car agencies close-by (Hertz, Avis, Enterprise)
2. Transmission Diagnostics - Electronic Scan and Pan Drop
If your vehicle was towed in, or you gave us authorization to rebuild after the above process, we first inspect thoroughly, before we pull your transmission out.
If you were towed in by our Towing Service (Reyes), you called them directly (for convenience) at (214) 770-6396 or called our Customer Service desk at (972) 488-3733 to make the arrangements. Reyes uses only flat-bed trucks, and and does all our towing for cars, vans, and pick-up trucks at a whole-sale rate, which we pass on to our customers (no mark-up).
We believe in full disclosure, which works both ways: for You and for us. You can choose to use our Repair Blog feature (which we invented), to have full picture documentation from Intake Documentation, diagnostics, and throughout the repair process. For international and out-of-state customers, for jobs involving insurance and warranty companies, for vehicles with body damages, and for interesting projects, we may choose to provide a blog album anyway. With all the documentation, we created well over 25,000 pictures, thus making us the leader in using the Internet for a new generation of vehicle owners.
We also frequently provide Video Documentation, published on our YouTube channel.
For the paid portion of the diagnostics, we Electroni
cally Scan the vehicle’s computer system(s), to capture current and history codes. Then we clear all codes, and If possible, we perform a test drive, and scan again to see which codes come back immediately. All results are documented on your Repair Order.
Next, your vehicle gets on the next available lift. We have 10 lifts in our 14-bay shop, which can accommodate a wide variety of vehicles, up to big trucks. We visually inspect the underside and drive train for obvious leaks and defects.
We drain the transmission fluid and remove the transmission pan, to inspect the condition of the fluid and check for debris of any kind inside the pan and on the magnets.
Then we remove and break open the transmission filter. Here is a sample video showing the process.
What we find inside tells us a lot about the problems in the transmission. Depending what kind of metals we find (steels, aluminum, etc) we can tell which components are coming apart (planetary gears, torque converter, etc), from plastic and rubber debris we can tell where those come from (pistons, valves, etc), and clutch material and burnt fluids of course indicate clutch failure(s).
With this information, we have a confirmed diagnostic. If not already authorized to proceed, we call you with the results, refer you to the pictures in the Repair Blog (where applicable), and discuss options.
If we have Your authorization to proceed:
3. Remove / Dismantle / Inspect
We remove the transmission, and check the parts around it, which often are also defective - the rubber drive shaft flex joints, the engine’s rear main seal, exhaust hangers, and such.
Your transmission and torque converter (except CVT transmissions, they don’t have a torque converter) are marked, then the transmission goes into the clean room for disassembly and inspection.
Your torque converter goes into the core bin - we always replace it with a rebuilt one.
Then your transmission is completely disassembled. We only do 100% decontamination rebuilds, and do not do any “patch” jobs, meaning we take everything apart, and inspect every component very carefully. All broken parts are identified (watch video), all parts showing excessive wear are taken away, and all seals and gaskets (“soft parts”) are thrown away after picture documentation (if desired, or if customer/warranty company wants to keep the parts).
The re-usable components (typically the case, the good planetary gears, valve body) get cleaned:
The large parts (case, bell housing) go into the hot-water & steam parts washer.
Smaller and delicate parts are cleaned in our special Ultra-Sonic Cleaning machine.
Your heat exchanger (transmission cooler) in the car and the transmission oil cooler lines are cleaned with the “Hot Flush” machine for 2 hours, or as long as it takes to remove all fine debris from the wire-mesh cooler - so that all that debris does not get into the freshly rebuilt transmission.
5. Rebuild, Re-assembly, Installation
With all new soft parts (clutches, seals, gaskets, bearings, etc) and replacement planetary gears (hard parts) the transmission and valve body get rebuilt.
While we rebuild the transmission, we also fix design flaws, which many transmissions have (and cause them to fail). There are many typical examples (i.e. in ZF 4HP22. 5HP19, 5HP24, Mercedes 722.6, and many others) of such design flaws. We always replace and upgrade those parts in transmissions and valve bodies - it is part of our standard rebuild process, and not an ‘extra’.
You can watch a very detailed rebuild of a Porsche Transmission in 236 pictures, or 2 videos showing a Mercedes 722.9 transmission re-assembly.
Many more details are shown in the Picture / Media Index, and contained in the Repair Blog - feel free to browse.
Once the transmission is completed in the Clean Room, it goes back out to your car, which is now ready to have it re-installed.
The same mechanic, who removed your transmission, is also re-installing it into your vehicle. This approach ensures best results. Watch a video of the R&R process.
6. Programming for Electronically Controlled Transmissions
While older vehicle simply have throttle and shift linkage connections, modern and high-performance transmissions are entirely electronically controlled.
This requires minimally a programming to “Adaptive” mode, sothat the Transmission Control Module (TCM Computer) “relearns” the transmission’s performance, sets range specifications, and also adapts to upgrades and design flow elimination we have done.
In Audi CVT transmissions, the TCM (located at the Valve Body inside the transmission) often needs to be re-flashed (dealer-ship access only). Those vehicles we transport to the dealership for the flash.
Other programming may also include a certain drive pattern (true for Audi CVT’s: 30 feet forward and back, in several gears, etc).
7. Test Drive, Adjustments, and Delivery
When everything is re-assembled and programmed, your vehicle is being test driven by one of our Specialists. Sometimes adjustments need to be made, until the process is completed, and your vehicle is ready for delivery.
The whole process of rebuilding your transmission takes usually 3-5 business days (for CVT Transmissions: 2 weeks, parts take longer to get).
Your transmission rebuild comes with a standard 12-Month / 12,000 Mile Warranty (whichever comes first). You can upgrade your warranty to 24/24 or 36/36 by the time you come to pick up your car. We build all of our transmissions the same way, regardless which Warranty option you choose when you leave.
We recommend a leak check after 500 to 1,000 miles, or approximately one month - since we change all seals and gaskets, it is always possible something gives and starts to leak. The leak check takes only a few minutes, and is free of charge. Should we find a leak, it is of course covered by your warranty.
(extra space allowed below for translations - they often use more words than English and expand the space)
 "The Front")
 "The Shop")
 "Pan - Mercedes Transmission")
 "VB_CIMG2843 - 200x150")
 "Ready for Delivery")
The Team
The Business
The Business
Diagnostic Drive
Electronic Diagnostics
Electronic Diagnostics
Tow Service
Tow Service
Repair Blog
Flex Disk Joint
On the Lift
Cover Inspection
Cover Inspection
Magnet Inspection
Filter Inspection Video
Filter Inspection
Transmission / Drive Shaft
Transmission Removed
Full Disassembly
Ultra Sonic Cleaning
Hot Flush Cleaning
Valve Body Rebuild
Re-Installation
Rebuilt Torque Converter
Adaptation Program
Software Flash / Update
Adjustments
Delivery
 "Torque Converter Prosche 911 CIMG3049 - 200x150")
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