San Diego Auto Repair

Is it necessary to incur the cost to change transmission fluid at the intervals recommended by your car's manufacturer? The answer is a yes — both to keep your car running smoothly and to avoid the more costly bill of having to replace a transmission that has been ruined by bad fluid. This is true for both transmission fluid types although for different reasons. The fluid present in an automatic car degrades because it is subject to high heat, and manual transmission fluid collects fine metal shavings from the the bearings, gears and synchronizers over time. If you're concerned about saving money, you may be asking yourself is it hard to change your transmission fluid or can you do it yourself? This depends on your tolerance for how long it takes, which is different for every type of vehicle, and whether you're up for a dirty job. Removing the pan and drain plugs if necessary and dealing with the old, dirty fluid can be very messy. Also, making sure you do the job properly is ... read more

If your transmission appears to be running rough or you believe it's time to clean it and replace fluids, you may wonder what transmission fluid is currently in your car. This depends on a few factors. If you purchased your car new, the type of fluid will be listed in the manufacturer's handbook. If your car is used, you may have received maintenance records from the original owner that tell you what type and brand of transmission fluid was last added to the car. In either case, when it's time to put in new transmission fluid, your best bet is always to refer back to the manufacturer's guidelines. If you're missing the booklet, you can check the website to see what is recommended for your year, make, and model. Because transmission performance relies on making sure you put in the right type of fluid, you may want to consult the transmission experts at Transmasters. They're educated on all aspects of both automatic and manual transmissions and will know exactly what your car require ... read more

This is a question often asked of one of our transmission experts in San Diego by a customer who is interested in buying or working on a vintage car. They may notice on the dipstick or in the owner's manual that the car requires an automatic transmission fluid, called Type A, that is no longer available. That's because Type A Transmission fluid was put into older vehicles produced as far back as the 1950's to lubricate automatic transmissions in the car's engine. But since Type A fluid contained whale oil, which routinely broke down at high temperatures, newer model cars no longer contain it. Beginning in the 1970's, manufacturers began building transmissions that required different versions of automatic transmission fluid that were more eco-friendly in terms of reducing emissions and improving fuel efficiency. In today's day and age, if you're trying to restore a classic car, it's pretty difficult to come by an older version of ATF, like Type A. The modern version If y ... read more

The transmission is one of the most vital parts of your car's engine. It is always in use when your car is running which means that it undergoes a good deal of wear and tear. When you buy a new car, it will usually come with a warranty that covers repairs and replacement up to a certain time period or mileage on the odometer. Once you reach that limit, transmission repairs will have to be paid for out of pocket. The first step is to have it reviewed by a trained mechanic who specializes in transmissions. They can diagnose the problem and provide an estimate of what it will cost to fix. When asking the question how much does a new transmission cost, there are a number of variables that come into play. Is your car automatic or manual, foreign or domestic, and of course, how serious is the issue? Depending on the answer to the last question, you may be able to either fix the existing part, purchase a brand new one, or buy ... read more