Integrity Award Winner: Aisin AF-17

Integrity Award Winner
BETTER BUSI NESS BUREAU 2010

PARTNERSHIP
PRODUCTIVITY
PROFITABILITY

FOR THE TRANSMISSION REBUILDING INDUSTRY
TM
DECEMBER 2010
Aisin AF-17:

Good Things
Can Come in a Small Package
Save Time and Money
with Simple Tools and Procedures

Automatic Drive, P.O. Box 440, Bellows Falls, Vermont 05101-0440
800.843.2600 802.463.9722 F: 802.463.4059
www.sonnax.com Join the Sonnax community on Facebook & Twitter
Tough valve

bodies dont
scare us...
The valve body is the brains of a transmission.
That transmission isnt xed until the valve body is
right. And that means getting to the root cause of
the problem, not just treating the symptoms.
Nobody knows valve bodies like Sonnax.
TM
SPECIAL INTEREST & TECHNICAL
4 Fun with transmissions: save time and money with
simple tools and Procedures by Bill Brayton
12 what happened to the Dipstick tube? by Mike Souza
16 the Job Done right Certified transmissions
20 aisin aF-17: Good things Can Come in a
small Package by Steve Garrett
26 what's worKinG: reexamining the Lifecycle of the
transmission shop by Dennis Madden
30 street smart: toyotas a750e neck Breaking engagement
by Mike Brown
36 never Litigate when You Can negotiate by Thom Tschetter
40 BeYonD the BasiCs: Gauges? we Dont need no
stinking Gauges! by Dennis Madden
46 how much is Your Business worth? by Bob Cooper
50 memBershiP matters: improve Your Visibility with
the new atra Pressroom!
51 atra news: Probably My Weakest Area Transmission industry icon
Frank Slocum announced his retirement after over 35 years serving our industry.

DEPARTMENTS
2 From the Ceo: a Look Back a Look ahead
by Dennis Madden
53 Powertrain industry news
57 shoppers and Classified
64 List of advertisers
The views expressed in this publication should not necessarily be interpreted
as the official policy of the Automatic Transmission Rebuilders Association (ATRA).
Publication of product information or any advertising does not imply recommenda-
tion by ATRA.
GEARS , a publication of ATRA, 2400 Latigo Avenue, Oxnard, CA 93030, is
published for the betterment of the transmission industry and is distributed nine
times per year. No part of this issue may be reproduced without prior written
permission of the publisher. GEARS is distributed to members of the transmis-
sion industry in the United States, Canada, ATRA Members in Mexico & Europe,
and related automotive industry firms and individually. Send changes of address
to GEARS in care of ATRA. Subscriptions are available by contacting GEARS in
care of ATRA.
Advertisers and advertising agencies assume full liability for all content of adver-
tisements printed and also assume full responsibility for any claims arising there-
from against the publisher. The publisher reserves the unqualified right to reject any
advertising copy as it deems appropriate, with or without cause.
GEARS is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard
to the subject matter covered. It is distributed with the understanding the publisher
is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting or other professional service. If legal
advice or other expert assistance, is required, the services of a competent profes-
sional person should be sought from a Declaration of Principles jointly adopted
by a Committee of the American Bar Association and Committee of Publishers.
GEARS also welcomes articles submitted by members of the industry. GEARS
considers all articles for publication that contribute positively to the welfare of the
transmission industry, and reserves the right to edit all articles it publishes. If you
would like to submit an article to GEARS, include background information about
the author and a telephone number where he/she may be reached. If you want
submissions returned, enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope.
Chief Executive Officer Dennis Madden
Managing Editor Rodger Bland
Technical Director Lance Wiggins
Advertising Frank Pasley
Senior Designer Jeanette Troub
Circulation Richard Hurley
Contributing Editors: Steve Bodofsky
Bob Cooper Thom Tschetter

ATRA Technical Staff: Bill Brayton
Mike Brown Steve Garrett
Pete Huscher Randall Schroeder
Mike Souza

Director of Membership & IT Svc Kelly Hilmer
Seminars & Convention Manager Vanessa Velasquez
Bookstore Manager Shaun Velasquez
Publications mail agreement no. 40031403
return undeliverable Canadian addresses to:
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issue #153 Printed in u.s.a. Copyright atra 2010
Editorial and Business Offices
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Phone (805) 604-2000
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
FOR THE TRANSMISSION REBUILDING INDUSTRY
G
EARS
DECEMBER 2010
PHONE (805) 604-2000 FAX (805) 604-2006
Integrity Award Winner
BETTER BUSI NESS BUREAU 2010
PARTNERSHIP
PRODUCTIVITY
PROFITABILITY

On the Cover: Certified Transmissions
The Job Done Right
Feature story on page 16.
(Paid Advertisement)
What Happened to
the Dipstick Tube?
Page 12
Save Time and Money with
Simple Tools and Procedures
Page 4
Aisin AF-17: Good Things Can Come
in a Small Package
Page 20
2 GEARS December 2010
s 2010 comes to a close, its
only fitting that we look back
at how the year has affected the
transmission repair industry. For many
shop owners, 2010 rejuvenated their
businesses. And not just for shops that
were adjusting their business practices;
business rebounded almost universally
throughout North America.
One reason for this dramatic turn-
around was the drop in new car sales.
Those sales, often influenced by pro-
motions such as zero-percent financ-
ing, have always affected the potential
for transmission repair sales. Too often
it was easier for consumers to secure
financing for new cars than to pay for
repairs on their current cars even if
they would have preferred to get them
fixed.
But that all changed when the new
car market collapsed in 2009. Suddenly
consumers were unwilling to saddle
themselves with the burden of a new
car loan. Instead, they chose to have
their cars repaired. And as thousands of
dealerships closed, consumers needed
to find a new place to go for auto
repairs. These factors combined to cre-
ate a banner year for many aftermarket
auto repair shops.
The downturn in the economy may
have helped a lot of shops but for
many it was their planning and then
the execution of their plans that made
the biggest difference in their business;
differences theyll realize for the long
haul.
Over the past five years weve
learned a lot through the Whats Working
study. Weve seen a lot of shop owners
whove turned their businesses around
by taking advantage of what theyve
learned from it; weve profiled a few
of them this year. In 2011 well meet
more shop owners with exceptional
success stories, showing how theyve
reinvented their businesses and are now
enjoying phenomenal success.
One of the things weve learned
from the successful shops weve stud-
ied is that planning was a big part of
their success. Of course, planning isnt
always easy. When its busy theres no
time for planning; youve got too much
work to do. When its slow youre too
miserable to plan. Theres always a
convenient reason to avoid planning
something always gets in the way.
With the approaching new year,
many people have begun to think about
making resolutions to improve their
lives you know: to lose weight
or exercise more. So why not create
a resolution for your business. Make
plans to set aside one hour a week
Tuesday at 1:00 for example where
you lock yourself in your office, or go
somewhere quiet to develop ideas and
make plans for your business.
The next thing is, plan for what?
That may be the easier part. Dont we
all have things we know we should fix
but never do? Start with those. Begin to
work on things you know need fixing,
even if its as simple as reorganizing
your office or waiting area. Maybe
you can go through some of your old
files and get rid of all that stuff you
know you dont need any longer. The
purpose here is to get into the habit of
planning, and then execute your plans
to a successful outcome. Its sort of like
working toward an exercise routine; the
hardest part is just doing it, no matter
how simple the routine is. After awhile
it becomes habit and you actually look
forward to it and can expand your rou-
tine into a more rigorous program.
Once you get in shape from your
planning exercises youll be ready to
take on many of the ideas from success
stories well highlight in future issues
of GEARS, leading up to next years
Powertrain Expo.
Whats Working was created to
help us learn why one shop could be
profitable while others in the same area
were struggling. Over the last five years
weve discovered the reasons for that
success, and now have ironclad proof
that it isnt just about luck, chance or
even the economy. Its about attitude
its about planning and its about pro-
cesses and procedures that have been
shown to work, time and time again.
Now is when you need to look
ahead, and set aside the time to put
Whats Working to work for you.
Don t we all have
things we know we
should fix but never
do? Start with those.
A Look Back
A Look Ahead
Don t we all have
things we know we
should fix but never
do? Start with those.
by Dennis Madden
members.atra.com
www.atra.com
FROM THE CEO
Save Time and Money with Simple Tools and Procedures
T
he Toyota U series transmis-
sions are coming into shops
at a pretty good pace these
days. The disassembly and assembly is
fairly straightforward if you have some
simple, cost effective tools and proce-
dures.
In this edition of Fun with
Transmissions were going to put the
fun in your rebuilding day with the
U250. I always enjoy creating a new
way to handle a particular rebuild-
ing procedure that the manufacturer
says requires a special service tool. Of
course these tools are always at least a
week away and very expensive.
Crafting a tool from nothing does
a few things: the first and most obvious
is that it gets the job done in a timely
manner. The second is that it gives you
a real sense of pride (Hey check out
the tool I made!) The third and most
important to the shop owner is that it
saves time and, as youll see, a ton of
cash.
The unit is disassembled and
youre looking down into the case
at the underdrive brake return spring
assembly (figure 1). The factory manu-
al says youll need special service tool
#09387-00020 and place the case in a
press to compress the return spring for
snap ring removal.
You dont have this tool, so a
search of the internet takes you to
toyota.spx.com/. This is the web site
for the Toyota factory tools. They dont
list prices on the web site so you call
for price and availability. The nice lady
at the order desk tells you list price for
this particular tool is $83.95 and they
can get it to you in about three weeks.
YIKES!
Fun with transmissions
by Bill Brayton
members.atra.com
www.atra.com
Save Time and Money
with Simple Tools
and Procedures
Figure 1: Looking down into the case at the underdrive piston return spring
Figure 2: These simple parts can make the job a breeze.
Freudenberg-NOK
www.transtec.com
YOU KNOW YOURE GETTING
OEM QUALITY OR BETTER
WITH TRANSTEC.
T. 419.499.25O2 F. 419.499.28O4
Nilan, 0H 4484O
Peter Fink, Owner
Certifed Transmission
As a successful shop owner, you understand the importance of using the right parts. So does Peter Fink, owner of Certifed
Transmission, a respected organization that rebuilds over 25,000 transmissions a year. Thats why they rebuild with TransTec
.
Manufactured to meet the strictest OE standards, TransTec
kits make for a faster rebuild with virtually no comebacks. TransTec
kits have the broadest coverage of vehicles, and give you value-added features like clearly labeled subpacks, more technical
information and the most impressive product support.
TransTec
kits are produced by CORTECO, a division of Freudenberg-NOK, the American partnership with more than $6 billion in
resources. Resources like this guarantee youre getting the best components and support. Because quality should never be an issue,
whether you rebuild 25 or 25,000 transmissions a year.
CT ad.indd 1 10/23/09 10:34:03 AM
If you could get the customer to
wait all that time you could wait for
the tool, but thats not the reality of the
situation. The customer needs his car as
soon as possible, if not sooner. We all
know that story.
I like to make tools that are sim-
ple and easy, yet strong and durable.
Compressing springs can take a fair
amount of pressure, so a piece of steel
bar should do nicely.
The local steel supply store has
exactly what you need. Cheap, too!
Two pieces of steel bar cut to order are
less than ten bucks.
You can place this bar across the
case and drill a hole on each end to bolt
it to the case. Thread the center for the
compression rod.
Use threaded rod, sometimes
called All Thread, to make the com-
pression rod. A 24-inch piece of 7/16
threaded rod, plus 6 nuts and washers
will work for the tool. So far we have
less than twenty bucks invested (figure
2).
Most shops already have the cross
bar and leg set. The T-bar goes for
about $64 and the leg set for about $45.
Figure 3 shows the completed
underdrive spring compressor tool
installed on the case.
Next well look at the low/reverse
clutch return spring on the opposite
side of the case (figure 4). This tool
lists for a whopping $164.93 from the
Toyota-tools site.
The second steel bar from our
earlier ten-dollar purchase is going to
work nicely to span the case for this
compression tool.
Check the distance on the
hold-down holes.
Figure 3: The spring press tool is set up for snap ring removal.
Figure 6: The factory manual tells us to use this set up
to remove the nut from the planet.
Figure 5: The spring press tool is set up for snap ring removal.
Figure 4: Looking down into the case at the Low& Reverse return spring.
GMQD10MG1200_Powertrain_ActuatorMotor_pg.indd GMCC&A 2010 Powertrain Ads / ACTUATOR MOTOR
010-GWSPTMG0001 Motor Age, Gears, Transmission Digest 4/c magazine page
637-153568 1st Insertion: 11/1/10 1st Close: 10/13/10
8.375 x 11.125 7.75 x 10.5 SAFETY: 6.875 x 9.5 None 100%
Leinbach Alexander Davis
Stewart Francisco Kangas
...ments:SPO:Powertrain:2010:637-153568_010-GWSPTMG0001 2010 Powertrain Ads:GMQD10MG1200_Powertrain_ActuatorMotor_pg.indd

9
10-15-2010 3:24 PM
NOTES: Art is FPO. Schawk to place hi-res CMYK.
IMAGES: 10GANA00499.tif (RGB; 102%), Genuine_CMYK.ai (139.65%), Genuine_GMParts_rev_Blue_CMYK.ai (35%), 08ACCB00008_Wht_rball.eps
COLORS:
FONTS: Goodwrench Klavika (Medium, Regular, Italic; OpenType)
Genuine gets it right the frst time so you can do the same. This ACDelco 4WD actuator has been
validated by GM engineers to ensure proper form, ft, and functionsomething knock-of parts makers simply cannot do.
Backed by a 12-month/12,000-mile limited warranty,
*
this actuator ofers comprehensive GM late-model coverage, while
incorporating all up-to-date product enhancements.
ACDelco 4WD Actuator Motor (88962314) and Sensor (88962315)
For use on 2003-2007 800/900 GM trucks and SUVs.
To find the closest GM dealer or ACDelco distributor, contact the Powertrain Call Center at 866.637.2787 today.
*Whichever comes first. See retailer, ACDelco Distributor, or the Service and Parts Policy and Procedures Guide for details. 2010 General Motors. All rights reserved.
3
KC
NO
KC
KC
KC
143923A02
143923A02.indd 1 10/16/10 1:27 AM
Drill the hold-down holes a little larger than the hold-
down bolts, about 10mm. This gives a bit of room for error.
Once you have the hold-down holes drilled to 0.368
(7/16 NC Tap), hand tighten the bolts.
Sight along the center of the return spring and mark
the bar for the threaded hole.
Figure 5 shows the compression tool installed on the low/
reverse return spring.
The last tool that you arent going to purchase from the
Toyota tool web site is the front planet nut wrench and gear
holding tool (figure 6). This is the most expensive of the tools
so far: The holding tool goes for $279 and the wrench is $219.
You can do this job faster and
cheaper: Mark the nut, star tab washer,
output gear, and planet with a dremel
tool or a grinder, so that when you put it
all back together youll know you have
everything in the right position. You
can bend the tab out of the way and use
a punch to spin the nut off (figure 7).
These transmissions are notorious
for wearing out the planet cage where
the pinion shafts ride. So how do you
make sure the planets are aligned the
same way? Have a look at where the
notch is for the star washer: The groove
in the planet is in the same place on all
three pinion planets (figure 8).
When you drive the planet out of
the output, its always a good idea to
use a bushing driver that fits inside the
planet (figure 9). If you use a driver on
top of the planet, you could damage the
first thread, which will make installing
the nut a pain.
Figure 7: Mark the nut, star washer and gear
before disassembly
Figure 8: Note the location of the slot in the planet.
Figure 9: This set up prevents damage to the planet threads.
Brand New Books for the ATRA Bookstore
This Asian Vehicle TCM Codes Guide was created for use in
transmission repair shops to aide them in diagnosis of OBD
II trouble codes. This book contains over 600 pages of code
dention & descriptions. Its a must have in todays industry
Member Price $125.00
Non Member $150.00
This Domestic Vehicle TCM Codes Guide was created for
use in transmission repair shops to aide them in diagnosis of
OBD II trouble codes. This book contains over 600 pages
of code dention & descriptions. Its a must have in todays
industry
Non Member $150.00
Your Technical Information Super Store
With the evolution of OBD II systems, you need up-to-date information on how to
repair DTCs including the details of how the vehicle was driven when a code set, what
are the most likely causes of the problem, and how to drive the vehicle to verify it is
really repaired. This is the purpose of this guide.
Toll Free (800) 428-8489 Email bookstore@atra.com
Website www.atrabookstore.com
Brand New Books for the ATRA Bookstore
This Asian Vehicle TCM Codes Guide was created for use in
transmission repair shops to aide them in diagnosis of OBD
II trouble codes. This book contains over 600 pages of code
dention & descriptions. Its a must have in todays industry
Non Member $150.00
This Domestic Vehicle TCM Codes Guide was created for
use in transmission repair shops to aide them in diagnosis of
OBD II trouble codes. This book contains over 600 pages
of code dention & descriptions. Its a must have in todays
industry
Non Member $150.00
Your Technical Information Super Store
With the evolution of OBD II systems, you need up-to-date information on how to
repair DTCs including the details of how the vehicle was driven when a code set, what
are the most likely causes of the problem, and how to drive the vehicle to verify it is
really repaired. This is the purpose of this guide.
Toll Free (800) 428-8489 Email bookstore@atra.com
Website www.atrabookstore.com
The better method is to use the
threaded rod that you used to compress
the piston return springs. A large socket
and a bushing driver provide the sup-
port you need for this job (figure 10).
This setup eliminates all the jar-
ring of the hammer, which can be hard
on ball bearings and races. Its easy to
set up and clamp the pieces together.
Once the star nut is secure in its
original location, you need to check
turning torque. The turning torque
specification 1.7-3.5 inch-pounds (fig-
ure 11). If the turning torque isnt
within specs, loosen or tighten the star
nut until it meets specifications.
The tool to check turning torque
is a basic dial-type, inch pound torque
wrench attached to a short extension.
The socket barely fits through the cen-
ter of the planet. Use electricians tape
to create a force fit.
Working on transmissions has
always been enjoyable for me. Over the
years Ive learned that the easier a job
is, the more Ill do it. Also, the easier
things are to take apart and reassemble,
the more likely they are to get looked
at during a repair and prevent a future
failure down the road.
Making tools to help these jobs go
smoother and faster can leave you with
a ton of pride, more money, and most
important of all, you get to have Fun
with Transmissions!
Figure 10: This set up pulls the planet assembly into the output gear.
Figure 11: Measuring the turning torque prevents bearing burn up.
C M Y CM MY CY CMY K
W
hen it came to Mercedes
vehicles equipped with a
722.6 NAG1 transmis-
sion, we were already accustomed to
the fact that there was a dipstick tube
but no dipstick (figure 1). We also
knew that the dipstick was now con-
sidered a tool and not an actual part.
The Fluid Level Checking Tool is listed
under a tool number, not a part
number (figure 2).
The cap located on top of the
dipstick tube had to be removed
when you performed a service
or fluid level check. The small
locking retainer is easily lost or
broken during the cap removal
(figure 3). The Mercedes part
number is #05093746AA if you
should need one.
Theres more than one dip-
stick tool needed for the 722.6
transmission (NAG1), depend-
ing on whether its in a Dodge,
Chrysler, or Mercedes, as shown
in the chart (figure 4).
The Mercedes tool bottoms out on
the funnel shaped dipstick stop located
near the case connector on the black
conductor plate. The Chrysler tool bot-
toms out on the pan; theres no funnel
stop on grey conductor plate (figure 5).
The Mercedes tool has premea-
sured fill level identification marks;
the Chrysler tool is marked in 10mm
increments. Its normal for the dipstick
to extend above the filler tube when
bottomed out. The measurements to
create your own Mercedes tool are
included in figure 2.
by Mike Souza
members.atra.com
www.atra.com
Figure 1
What
Happened
to the
Dipstick
Tube?
Figure 3
Figure 2
Whatever It Takes Does!!!
72 72
www.wittrans.com
45RFE / 5-45RFE
RWD 4 & 5 Speed
Whatever It Takes Transmission Parts, Inc.
510
Body
899
500
898
311B
311
070 519
Front Cover Plate
777
530
544 528 036 520
778
Stator
179
037
211
Pump
Parts
507
381
554 336 341 961 051 971 879
480
880
337 862
334A
334B 574 670
Input Clutch Hub
877 960 970 980 875
560
050
047 378
177
O.Dr. / Reverse
Piston
Input Clutch
Retainer
Input Shaft
561
860
876 102
122 142*
O.Dr. Clutch
100 120 861 140 891 130 110
Reverse Clutch
150 892*
Underdrive Clutch
232 571
052
220 884 331
330
558 883 234 576 214 570
Underdrive Hub O.Dr. Hub Reverse Hub
2nd / 4th Retainer
482
054
121 101
4th Clutch
141 863*
2nd Clutch
124 104
865 968
568
333 332
962
562
874
144*
227*
226
852 978
596 873 238 584 244 612 247 582
Input Planet
251 592 235* 616 241
Reverse Planet
583
586
Reaction Planet
053
058
Input Ring
Gear
886 285 887 885* 154
134
114
Low/Rev Clutch
664 888 654
Low Roller
Clutch
644
577
893 987 977 967
567
338 339 061 557 690 895
Low / Reverse
Housing
Park
Gear
480
013
074
781
770
760
897
271
Ext. Housing
429
996
M304317B
317
438
370
370
436
846
540
Case
Parts
761
Case
782
740
420
342
347
746
V.B.
Parts
741
740
Valve Body
765
300
779
010
379
950
926B
926
352
927
352
371
494
493
Park Pawl Assy.
995
995-2
995-3
995-1
991-4
994
991-6
991-5
761-4
072
991
Linkage
E
D
C
B
A
E
D
C
B
A
1-800-940-0197 www.wittrans.com
Now with the
Mercedes 722.9 seven-
speed transmission (7G
Tronic NAG 2), there isnt
even a dipstick tube. The
only way to service these
transmissions is with a spe-
cial tool (figure 6) similar
to the one used on Fords
with a 5R55W/S/N trans-
mission.
Theres also an update
pan or sump (part number
220-270-09-12) for the
722.9 NAG2 transmission
(figure 7). The pan was made
3mm deeper and the over-
fill tube was made 13.5mm
taller to hold 0.2 liters more
fluid. This update should
be installed on all vehicles
with the earlier design. This
newer generation trans-
mission also takes a spe-
cial fluid: Mercedes part
number A001 989 45 03 10
(figure 8).
Figure 6
Figure 4
Figure 7
Figure 5
Figure 8
What Happened to the Dipstick Tube?

D19553-0
FPV DP 101736
FPAR-00293
N/A
2010 Motorcraft Powertrain Ad
Koziara
N/A
McCaffrey
Roth/MM
N/A
7 x 10
see above
8.625 x 11.125
CMYK
300
100%
100%
FPAR00293_D195530_R04.indd
N/A
Swartz
Collins
Pohl
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Sparrow
Pinder
Ostrowski
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N/A
Boucher
4 1 09/08/10
Trim Sizes:
A. 8.5" x 11" Fleet Maintenance
B. 8.125 x 10.875 Gears, Transmission Digest, Police Fleet Manager
C. 7.875 x 10.75 Work Truck, Automotive Fleet, Business Fleet,
Government Fleet
D. 7.875" x 10.5" Motor
Bleed
Bleed Bleed
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Live
Live Live
Live
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B
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B
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B
l
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e
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i
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A
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A C,D
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C,D
C,D
A higher level.
Thats what you get with Ford gas engines
and transmissions.
A higher build level means youre getting engine and transmission assemblies built to the exacting specications of
Ford Motor Company. So you not only get the quality build you expect in an assembly from Ford, but also one thats built by
using parts that keep it specic to year, make and model as well as emissions calibrations.
Introducing the all-new 3-Year Unlimited-Mile Warranty No Commercial Exceptions
Ford gasoline engines and transmissions are covered by a three-year/unlimited-mile warranty.* All warranties are backed by
Ford Motor Company. Theyre also supported by more than 3,500 Ford and Lincoln Mercury Dealerships nationwide as well
as at their originating place of service.
Plus, unlike some competitors, the warranty is good for eet vehicles. That means you get the same advantages
and coverage for commercial use, no exceptions.
For technical questions, contact the Powertrain Assistance Center at 1-800-392-7946 or visit FordParts.com.
*See dealer for limited-warranty details. Remanufactured diesel engines are covered by a two-year/unlimited-mileage warranty.
FPAR00293_D195530_R04.indd 1 9/8/10 5:28 PM
Certified Transmission has been
a visible presence in our industry for
quite some time. Unless you are
a newcomer, you probably already
know the Certified story and the
companys reputation for producing
hi gh qual i t y, r emanufact ur ed
transmissions.
Peter Fink, president and hands-
on leader, says, Its about so much
more than just producing a high
quality unit. For over 30 years Fink
has held strong to his belief that the
formula for success is based upon
doing the job done right at the
right price, which is the companys
mission statement.
Fink points out that accomplish-
ing this mission is not something
he alone has done. It is something
the company has achieved through
the associates dedication and
commitment to not only meeting the
customers needs, but also exceeding
them. It is their dedication which
led to Certified Transmission again
being named as the recipient of
the Better Business Bureaus 2010
Integrity Award in the category of
100+ employees (http://nebraska.bbb.
org/2010-omaha-integrity-award-
winners/).
This is no easy feat, says Fink,
because it does not measure sales
or growth. I am very proud of
our associates and what they have
accomplished, because this award
looks beyond the traditional signs of
success by delving into how you
treat your customers, vendors and
peers. It is an award that you can
hold up to the public with pride
because it demonstrates that your
company does more than talk the
talk, they do the job right!
Fink encourages everyone in the
industry to apply to their local BBB
office for this annual award, because
once you are presented with this
Integrity Award, it sets you apart
from others and helps erase that
negative perception that seems to
plague the automotive repair industry.
If more of us in the industry
can hold this award high, the more
positive the light shines on our
industry as a whole, says Fink.
The Network of Success
It has always been the goal at
Certified Transmission to not just
meet, but to exceed, the expectations
of its customers. This goal is not just
for the retail customers. Certified
Transmission has always had a
wholesale division which sells
its remanufactured units to other
businesses. Several years ago the
company st art ed t he Cert i fi ed
Transmission Network of Success,
which is comprised of businesses
throughout the continental United
States that partner with Certified
Tr ansmi ssi on by becomi ng a
Distributor. As a Distributor, they
keep units remanufactured by
Certified Transmission on the
Distributors shelves as inventory
for their immediate sale and use
without the cost of having to pay
for that inventory up front.
It is all about helping
our Distributors gain market
share in their area, says
Fink. Cust omer s ar e
Peter and
daughter
Amanda Fink
PARTNERSHIP
PRODUCTIVITY
PROFITABILITY
greatly inconvenienced when they
have to do without their vehicle. A
vehicle is viewed as a necessity. Can
you imagine getting through your
day tomorrow, and maybe the next
day, if you woke up in the morning
and your car was suddenly not there
for you to use? This is exactly why
it is critical that shops have units
available and ready to go right away
when a customer shows up on their
doorstep.
Fink points out that years ago
75% of the remanufactured units
produced by Certified Transmission
were sold at its own 15 retail stores
located in the Midwest. Now, with
the Distributors that are part of
Certified Transmissions Network of
Success, that number has flipped.
Today 75% of what Cert i fi ed
Transmission produces is sold by the
companys Distributors. This does
not mean that the companys own
sales at its stores are down, but rather
reflects the growth that the company
has seen over the years through its
Distributors and their success. For
this reason, Certified Transmission
was awarded with the Frost &
Sullivans 2008 United States Re-
manufactured Engine & Transmission
Aft ermarket Growt h St rat egy
Leadership Award.
The principle of the Certified
Transmission Network of Success
centers around the concept of Time
is Money, and Money is Time,
according to Fink. Making units
available for sale from coast to coast
via Distributors like Glen Burnie
Transmission in the Washington
D.C./Baltimore area, Oceanside
Transmission near San Diego, and
J & M Transmission Service in Sioux
Falls, South Dakota, is a win-win
situation for everyone. For example,
J & M Transmission Service has
found that since it has become a part
of Certified Transmissions Network
of Success, its Distributorship with
Certified Transmission is the fastest
growing part of its business.
We started our non-stocking
distributorship as an experiment in
Jan 08 with CT. We had used CT
on occasion in the past, but needed
a more reliable and dependable
source for transmissions. The first
year we used most of the units we
purchased in-house, so we were
comfortable with the quality of the
product. CT not only delivered on
what they promised but helped us
to market both to our customers
and other repair shops.
Since then J & M, with the
help of CT, has expanded our
outside sales program selling units
to general repair shops, salvage
yards, and dealerships. We have
also sold units to other transmission
shops, city and county maintenance
departments. With the ability to
put a better than OE quality unit in
the customers hands normally the
next day, J & M has become the
Go-To place for transmissions in
our region. Our distributorship
with CT is the fastest growing part
of our business and we are on track
to sell over $200,000 in outside
sales. J & M and CT: here to help
you service your customers has
been our message.
The smartest business
decision we ever made was to
become a distributor of CT.
Jerry Heirigs President & CEO
J & M Transmission Service
The
smartest
business
decision
we ever
made was
to become
a distributor
of CT.
CT-Gears-4pgSpread'10Final 11/2/10 3:57 PM Page 1
Certified Transmission has been
a visible presence in our industry for
quite some time. Unless you are
a newcomer, you probably already
know the Certified story and the
companys reputation for producing
hi gh qual i t y, r emanufact ur ed
transmissions.
Peter Fink, president and hands-
on leader, says, Its about so much
more than just producing a high
quality unit. For over 30 years Fink
has held strong to his belief that the
formula for success is based upon
doing the job done right at the
right price, which is the companys
mission statement.
Fink points out that accomplish-
ing this mission is not something
he alone has done. It is something
the company has achieved through
the associates dedication and
commitment to not only meeting the
customers needs, but also exceeding
them. It is their dedication which
led to Certified Transmission again
being named as the recipient of
the Better Business Bureaus 2010
Integrity Award in the category of
100+ employees (http://nebraska.bbb.
org/2010-omaha-integrity-award-
winners/).
This is no easy feat, says Fink,
because it does not measure sales
or growth. I am very proud of
our associates and what they have
accomplished, because this award
looks beyond the traditional signs of
success by delving into how you
treat your customers, vendors and
peers. It is an award that you can
hold up to the public with pride
because it demonstrates that your
company does more than talk the
talk, they do the job right!
Fink encourages everyone in the
industry to apply to their local BBB
office for this annual award, because
once you are presented with this
Integrity Award, it sets you apart
from others and helps erase that
negative perception that seems to
plague the automotive repair industry.
If more of us in the industry
can hold this award high, the more
positive the light shines on our
industry as a whole, says Fink.
The Network of Success
It has always been the goal at
Certified Transmission to not just
meet, but to exceed, the expectations
of its customers. This goal is not just
for the retail customers. Certified
Transmission has always had a
wholesale division which sells
its remanufactured units to other
businesses. Several years ago the
company st art ed t he Cert i fi ed
which is comprised of businesses
throughout the continental United
States that partner with Certified
Tr ansmi ssi on by becomi ng a
Distributor. As a Distributor, they
keep units remanufactured by
Certified Transmission on the
Distributors shelves as inventory
for their immediate sale and use
without the cost of having to pay
for that inventory up front.
It is all about helping
our Distributors gain market
share in their area, says
Fink. Cust omer s ar e
Peter and
daughter
Amanda Fink
PARTNERSHIP
PRODUCTIVITY
PROFITABILITY
greatly inconvenienced when they
have to do without their vehicle. A
vehicle is viewed as a necessity. Can
you imagine getting through your
day tomorrow, and maybe the next
day, if you woke up in the morning
and your car was suddenly not there
for you to use? This is exactly why
it is critical that shops have units
available and ready to go right away
when a customer shows up on their
doorstep.
Fink points out that years ago
75% of the remanufactured units
produced by Certified Transmission
were sold at its own 15 retail stores
located in the Midwest. Now, with
the Distributors that are part of
Certified Transmissions Network of
Success, that number has flipped.
Today 75% of what Cert i fi ed
Transmission produces is sold by the
companys Distributors. This does
not mean that the companys own
sales at its stores are down, but rather
reflects the growth that the company
has seen over the years through its
Distributors and their success. For
this reason, Certified Transmission
was awarded with the Frost &
Sullivans 2008 United States Re-
manufactured Engine & Transmission
Aft ermarket Growt h St rat egy
Leadership Award.
The principle of the Certified
Transmission Network of Success
centers around the concept of Time
is Money, and Money is Time,
according to Fink. Making units
available for sale from coast to coast
via Distributors like Glen Burnie
Transmission in the Washington
D.C./Baltimore area, Oceanside
Transmission near San Diego, and
J & M Transmission Service in Sioux
Falls, South Dakota, is a win-win
situation for everyone. For example,
J & M Transmission Service has
found that since it has become a part
of Certified Transmissions Network
of Success, its Distributorship with
Certified Transmission is the fastest
growing part of its business.
We started our non-stocking
distributorship as an experiment in
Jan 08 with CT. We had used CT
on occasion in the past, but needed
a more reliable and dependable
source for transmissions. The first
year we used most of the units we
purchased in-house, so we were
comfortable with the quality of the
product. CT not only delivered on
what they promised but helped us
to market both to our customers
and other repair shops.
Since then J & M, with the
help of CT, has expanded our
outside sales program selling units
to general repair shops, salvage
yards, and dealerships. We have
also sold units to other transmission
shops, city and county maintenance
departments. With the ability to
put a better than OE quality unit in
the customers hands normally the
next day, J & M has become the
Go-To place for transmissions in
our region. Our distributorship
with CT is the fastest growing part
of our business and we are on track
to sell over $200,000 in outside
sales. J & M and CT: here to help
you service your customers has
been our message.
The smartest business
decision we ever made was to
become a distributor of CT.
Jerry Heirigs President & CEO
J & M Transmission Service
The
smartest
business
decision
we ever
made was
to become
a distributor
of CT.
Weve been in business
for 11 years and now have two
locations in Iowa and Wisconsin,
Not only has installing Certified
Transmissions in my two shops
been beneficial, but the Certified
units have allowed me to develop
a Wholesale Carryout business
with minimal warranty exposure.
Luke Merfeld, Owner
Precision Transmission
Dubuque, IA.
Blumenthal Manufacturing Co.,
has been in business since 1949.
Together the Blumenthal
Companies specialize in everything
related to the drive train, including
engines, transfer cases, clutches,
differentials and manual and
automatic transmissions, said
Kevin Blumenthal, the companys
President. Grandpa always looked
for only the finest companies to
partner with, and my father
Dunnie said Kevin, I want you
to get us Certified Transmission.
(For more input from other Distributors, see Gears
Magazine Dec 2009 issue, which featured the
following Certified Transmission Network of
Success Distributors: Freeway Transmission in
Salt Lake City, Utah; Glen Burnie Transmissions
near Washington D.C./Baltimore; Oceanside
Transmission in San Diego, California.
Fi nk expl ai ns t hat when
Distributors have the units already
sitting on their shelf waiting to be
installed, it means the customer can
get their vehicle back in the shortest
amount of time possible. There is no
waiting for parts to rebuild the unit.
It is simply a matter of removing the
old transmission and installing the
one that is in stock. Customers are
drawn to the quick turn-around time,
and Distributors prosper by being
able to make maximum use of their
lifts to serve more customers with-
out adding more personnel or equip-
ment. It is Certified Transmission
that makes the initial investment by
supplying the inventory needed by
its Distributors to gain market share.
The importance of having the
correct inventory available when
needed is of such critical importance,
that Certified Transmission has
r ecent l y i nvest ed mor e t han
$150, 000 for schedul i ng and
forecasting software. This will help
make the best decisions possible
in regard to what needs to be built,
in what order, how many, and
how soon. The goal is to maximize
production without any sacrifice in
quality, in the most efficient method
possible: lean manufacturing.
Fink has long believed that just
because something has always been
done a certain way, it does not mean
that is the way it should remain.
In fact, Fink says old practices and
procedures need to be continually
re-evaluated to stay on the cutting
edge of technology or to adjust
business practices to better adapt to
the current circumstances.
For example, the transmission
repair industry has been plagued for
a long time by the RDI surprise
when a customer is suddenly faced
with a disassembled transmission
and the rebuild price turns out to
be a lot more expensive than antici-
pated. Fink points out that using a
remanufactured unit also provides
the added benefit of being able
to tell the customer up front what
the cost of the transmission will
be, thus eliminating the surprises
and uncomfortable discussions to
explain why it is so much more.
Fink speculated that this may
even have been a big part of why
Certified Transmission was awarded
the BBB Integrity Award. Customers
know what it is going to cost them
before they give the go-ahead.
The Distributor
never has to struggle
through it alone.
Our warranty team is
always available...
When joining the Certified
Distributors also benefit from
Certified Transmissions vertical
integration. This integration allows
the company to control the quality of
its products from start to finish via
i n- house r emanufact ur i ng of
converters, valve bodies, solenoids
and planetary gear sets and more.
Certified Transmission runs a fully-
st affed machi ne shop maki ng
extensive use of CNC machines.
The companys technical and
warranty departments are deeply
involved in quality control. The
company has ei ght ful l t i me
technical directors that devote their
time solely to finding solutions for
unit weaknesses, many of which are
flagged as repeating problems by the
companys warranty department.
Jody Carnahan (over 23 years at
Certified) and Jim Stokes (over 10
years at Certified) are the Warranty
Administrators who work directly
with the Distributors to resolve
potential warranty situations.
We are still looking for
Distributors, with common goals
and principles, who want to partner
with us as a means of gaining
market share and growing their
business, says Fink.
The Distributor never has
to struggle through it alone. Our
warranty team is always available
to help troubleshoot problems.
You would be surprised how
many times a call comes in to the
warranty center indicating there
is a transmission problem, which
after evaluation and intervention
by our team is discovered to be
something else, says Fink. I
have total confidence in the skills
and expertise of these two veteran
associates. Over the years they
have seen a lot and the wealth
of knowledge they have gained
by being involved in problem
resolution is incredible. It is one
of those situations that when you
run into something that has you
stumped, you check with Jody
and Jim, because they likely
have already dealt with a similar
situation and found the answer.
It i s Fi nks goal t o have a
Distributor who is part of Certified
Transmissions Network of Success
in every major metro area through-
out the continental United States.
Various cities are still available, so
questions can be directed to Jim
Slimp at:
jslimp@certifiedtransmission.com
or by calling
402.558.2117, ext. 171
Jim Stokes (left) and Jody Carnahan (right)
Weve been in business
for 11 years and now have two
locations in Iowa and Wisconsin,
Not only has installing Certified
Transmissions in my two shops
been beneficial, but the Certified
units have allowed me to develop
a Wholesale Carryout business
with minimal warranty exposure.
Luke Merfeld, Owner
Precision Transmission
Dubuque, IA.
Blumenthal Manufacturing Co.,
has been in business since 1949.
Together the Blumenthal
Companies specialize in everything
related to the drive train, including
engines, transfer cases, clutches,
differentials and manual and
automatic transmissions, said
Kevin Blumenthal, the companys
President. Grandpa always looked
for only the finest companies to
partner with, and my father
Dunnie said Kevin, I want you
to get us Certified Transmission.
(For more input from other Distributors, see Gears
Magazine Dec 2009 issue, which featured the
following Certified Transmission Network of
Success Distributors: Freeway Transmission in
Salt Lake City, Utah; Glen Burnie Transmissions
near Washington D.C./Baltimore; Oceanside
Transmission in San Diego, California.
Fi nk expl ai ns t hat when
Distributors have the units already
sitting on their shelf waiting to be
installed, it means the customer can
get their vehicle back in the shortest
amount of time possible. There is no
waiting for parts to rebuild the unit.
It is simply a matter of removing the
old transmission and installing the
one that is in stock. Customers are
drawn to the quick turn-around time,
and Distributors prosper by being
able to make maximum use of their
lifts to serve more customers with-
out adding more personnel or equip-
ment. It is Certified Transmission
that makes the initial investment by
supplying the inventory needed by
its Distributors to gain market share.
The importance of having the
correct inventory available when
needed is of such critical importance,
that Certified Transmission has
r ecent l y i nvest ed mor e t han
$150, 000 for schedul i ng and
forecasting software. This will help
make the best decisions possible
in regard to what needs to be built,
in what order, how many, and
how soon. The goal is to maximize
production without any sacrifice in
quality, in the most efficient method
possible: lean manufacturing.
Fink has long believed that just
because something has always been
done a certain way, it does not mean
that is the way it should remain.
In fact, Fink says old practices and
procedures need to be continually
re-evaluated to stay on the cutting
edge of technology or to adjust
business practices to better adapt to
the current circumstances.
For example, the transmission
repair industry has been plagued for
a long time by the RDI surprise
when a customer is suddenly faced
with a disassembled transmission
and the rebuild price turns out to
be a lot more expensive than antici-
pated. Fink points out that using a
remanufactured unit also provides
the added benefit of being able
to tell the customer up front what
the cost of the transmission will
be, thus eliminating the surprises
and uncomfortable discussions to
explain why it is so much more.
Fink speculated that this may
even have been a big part of why
Certified Transmission was awarded
the BBB Integrity Award. Customers
know what it is going to cost them
before they give the go-ahead.
The Distributor
never has to struggle
through it alone.
Our warranty team is
always available...
When joining the Certified
Distributors also benefit from
Certified Transmissions vertical
integration. This integration allows
the company to control the quality of
its products from start to finish via
i n- house r emanufact ur i ng of
converters, valve bodies, solenoids
and planetary gear sets and more.
Certified Transmission runs a fully-
st affed machi ne shop maki ng
extensive use of CNC machines.
The companys technical and
warranty departments are deeply
involved in quality control. The
company has ei ght ful l t i me
technical directors that devote their
time solely to finding solutions for
unit weaknesses, many of which are
flagged as repeating problems by the
companys warranty department.
Jody Carnahan (over 23 years at
Certified) and Jim Stokes (over 10
years at Certified) are the Warranty
Administrators who work directly
with the Distributors to resolve
potential warranty situations.
We are still looking for
Distributors, with common goals
and principles, who want to partner
with us as a means of gaining
market share and growing their
business, says Fink.
The Distributor never has
to struggle through it alone. Our
warranty team is always available
to help troubleshoot problems.
You would be surprised how
many times a call comes in to the
warranty center indicating there
is a transmission problem, which
after evaluation and intervention
by our team is discovered to be
something else, says Fink. I
have total confidence in the skills
and expertise of these two veteran
associates. Over the years they
have seen a lot and the wealth
of knowledge they have gained
by being involved in problem
resolution is incredible. It is one
of those situations that when you
run into something that has you
stumped, you check with Jody
and Jim, because they likely
have already dealt with a similar
situation and found the answer.
It i s Fi nks goal t o have a
Distributor who is part of Certified
Transmissions Network of Success
in every major metro area through-
out the continental United States.
Various cities are still available, so
questions can be directed to Jim
Slimp at:
jslimp@certifiedtransmission.com
or by calling
402.558.2117, ext. 171
Jim Stokes (left) and Jody Carnahan (right)
Y
ouve heard the saying good
things come in small pack-
ages. Many of the vehicles
sold on a global scale are in fact small
cars. This holds true for GM as well as
most other manufacturers. The large
American car is an anomaly in many
parts of the world. And it stands to rea-
son that if the car is small, the transmis-
sion will also have to be small.
The Aisin AF-17 (AW60-42LE) is
just that kind of transmission: small in
size but loaded with features and func-
tions (figure 1).
The AF-17 first entered the North
American market in the 2008 Saturn
Astra (A-Body) (figure 2). Like many
other global vehicles, the Saturn is a
rebadged Opel from Europe. The vehi-
cle is also sold in Australia, Europe,
Asia, and South America under the GM
nameplates for that region.
While the names may change, the
transmission has remained the same
across the different continents. The
Aisin AF-17 is a 4-speed, computer-
by Steve Garrett
members.atra.com
www.atra.com
Aisin AF-17:
Good Things Can Come
in a Small Package
Figure 1
Figure 2
We have a
transmission solution
for any vehicle.
(Well, almost any)
As the technological leader,
Precision Internationals repair kits are truly state of the part.
Name any year, make or model. Give us any transmission problem. Chances are weve got a solution. Not just any
solution, but one that will really work and keep on working backed by solid engineering, the latest specs and our
reputation for giving you and your customers reliable performance and the utmost peace of mind. When you see the
Precision International name on one of our transmission repair kits, you can feel confident youve got the very best.
All are cross-checked against OEM specs. All changes are noted and made. And we always use OE parts or better.
Plus, our huge inventory virtually assures immediate delivery.
THI S ADVERTI SEMENT PREPARED BY L oBo & Pet r oc i ne
Cl i e nt : Pr e c i s i o n I n t e r n a t i o na l J o b # : PRE- N- 2 0 7 Ad # : PRE- 0 8 5 Ad Tr i m Si z e : 8 . 1 2 5 x 1 0 . 8 7 5 4 / C
Me d i a : Ge ar s Ma g az i n e + Tr a n s mi s s i o n Di g e s t I s s u e: Sep t 2 0 10
Spaceships? No, we havent helped repair one of those yet.
But who knows what tomorrow will bring. For more
information, give us a call.
www.transmissionkits.com
The best advice on the planet
As the technological leader in transmission repair for over
30 years, you can also count on Precision for outstanding tech
assistance and support, including our hot new website
www.transmissionkits.com. Just a mouse click away is a
wealth of information, including continually updated video
seminars from leading transmission expert John Parmenter,
question and answer forums,
complete parts information
and much more that can
help you troubleshoot and
solve virtually any transmission
repair problem.
The Problem Solvers.
14 Todd Court Extension, Yaphank, NY 11980
(631) 567-2000 Fax (631) 567-2640 Toll Free: 800-872-6649
Florida Office: 6790 Hillsdale Point, Boynton Beach, FL 33437
(561) 734-2332 Fax (561) 734-2375
E-mail: sales@transmissionkits.com www.transmissionkits.com
207PRE-8.125X10.875-4C-085:Layout 1 8/5/10 1:06 PM Page 1
controlled transmission thats suited
quite well to small GM platforms.
Lets take a few minutes to bring
you up to speed on the AF-17 and
its operation. Its features include:
4 Multiple-Disc Clutches
2 Brakes, 1 Clutch, 1 Band
2 One-Way Clutches
PWM-Controlled TCC
A Standalone TCM
Electronic features, such as
Neutral Idle Mode, Downhill
Grade Braking, and Winter
Driving Mode
CAN Data Bus Communication
149 lbs (67.5 kg) Weight
GM RPO Code MNF
Type IV fluid required; P/N
88900925 (Canada 22689186)
100k service interval (7.6 qts/7.2
liters overhaul) (4.2qts/4.0 liters
fluid service)
Gear Ratios
1
st
= 2.807:1
2
nd
= 1.479:1
3
rd
= 1:1
4
th
= 0.735:1
Reverse = 2.769:1
Final Drive = 4.048:1
Clutches and Bands
The AF-17 uses four multiple-disc
driving clutches, two one-way clutches,
and two brakes. One brake is a band
while the other is a clutch. The layout
of clutches and brakes are shown in
figures 3 and 4.
The power flow through the AF-17
is shown in the clutch and band apply
chart (Figure 5).
Valve Body and Solenoids
The valve body consists of three
parts: the upper, middle, and lower
valve bodies. The front valve body
houses two valves; the middle valve
body seven valves; and the rear valve
bodies nine valves.
The unit is equipped with five sole-
noids mounted to the valve bodies. All
of the solenoids are high-side driven
Figure 3
Figure 4
Aisin AF-17: Good Things Can Come in a Small Package
The AF-17 uses
four multiple-disc
driving clutches, two
one-way clutches,
and two brakes.
One brake is a band
while the other is a
clutch.
GEARS December 2010 23
circuits controlled by the TCM; that is,
theyre normally grounded and receive
system voltage from the TCM.
Several component (Figure 6) and
circuit failures can result in the TCM
commanding the transaxle into fail-
safe mode. The TCM will turn all five
solenoids off, resulting in a high-gear
default. The vehicle can be driven by
manually shifting the gears, which will
provide 1
st
or 2
nd
gear.
S1 The normally closed, S1
solenoid controls the 2-3 shift. The S1
solenoid is an On/Off design assembly.
Normal solenoid resistance should be
between 11-15 ohms at 6F/20C.
S2 The normally closed, S2
solenoid controls the 1-2 and 3-4 shifts.
The S2 solenoid is an On/Off design
assembly. Normal solenoid resistance
should be between 11-15 ohms at
6F/20C.
SLU The SLU is a pulse width
modulated solenoid in charge of torque
converter clutch operation. Normal
solenoid resistance should be between
5-5.6 ohms at 6F/20C.
SLT The SLT solenoid is in
charge of line pressure. The TCM will
vary the duty cycle command to the
solenoid to regulate line pressure boost.
Normal solenoid resistance should be
between 3.2-3.8 ohms at 6F/20C.
NS The NS or neutral switch-
ing solenoid is a normally open, on/
off solenoid that controls the neutral
release function incorporated into the
TCM software. Normal solenoid resis-
tance should be between 12-16 ohms at
6F/20C.
Other Transaxle
Components
Like other transaxles youve
grown accustomed to working on, the
AF-17 has some additional electronic
components mounted to the unit. These
include:
Input Speed Sensor A perma-
nent magnet, AC generator that creates
20 pulses per rotation of the C-1 for-
ward clutch housing.
Output Speed Sensor A perma-
nent magnet, AC generator that creates
12 pulses per rotation of the output
shaft.
Fluid Temperature Sensor
Mounted as part of the transaxle inter-
nal wiring harness, the TFT is used
for line pressure, torque converter
clutch, and shift point control. Like
other GM applications, the TFT is a
negative temperature coefficient (NTC)
thermistor that is fed a 5-volt signal
from the TCM. Normal resistance is
5800-7090 ohms at 50F/10C and 105-
117 ohms at 293F/145C.
Park Neutral Switch The park/
neutral position switch is a sliding con-
tact switch mounted to the manual shaft
on the outside the transmission case.
The four input parameters represented
are A, B, C, and PA, and are used by
the TCM to determine manual valve
position for line pressure and solenoid
control.
System Features
The AF-17 does have some unique
features. The TCM programming is
designed to provide the driver with the
ability to select or deselect some of the
features while others are simply part of
the software package and the driver has
no control over their operation. These
features include:
Economy/Power Mode The
AF-17 TCM is programmed to start and
operate the vehicle in Economy Mode.
In this mode the shift points will occur
earlier than in Power Mode.
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changed text
When the driver either accelerates
aggressively (high engine load) or the
vehicle reaches high speeds, the TCM
will automatically switch to Power
Mode. During Power Mode the shift
points and line pressure will be raised.
This allows the engine to operate in its
power band to maximum performance.
Whats different about this feature
compared to other units is that the TCM
will automatically switch the trans-
mission between Economy and Power
Modes without requiring any driver
input.
Winter Mode Like many other
S1 S2 SN SLU C0 C1 C2 C3 B1 B2 F0 F1
P ON OFF OFF OFF OFF OFF OFF ON OFF OFF OFF OFF
V7 ON OFF OFF OFF OFF OFF ON ON OFF ON OFF OFF
V>7 OFF ON OFF OFF OFF OFF ON ON OFF OFF OFF OFF
N ON OFF OFF OFF OFF OFF OFF ON OFF OFF OFF OFF
1st ON OFF OFF OFF OFF ON OFF ON OFF OFF ON ON
2nd ON ON OFF OFF OFF ON OFF ON ON OFF ON OFF
3rd OFF ON OFF ON ON ON OFF ON OFF OFF ON OFF
4th OFF OFF OFF ON ON ON OFF OFF ON OFF OFF OFF
(3rd) OFF ON OFF ON ON ON OFF ON OFF OFF ON OFF
1st ON OFF OFF OFF OFF ON OFF ON OFF ON ON ON
(2nd) ON ON OFF OFF OFF ON OFF ON ON OFF ON OFF
R
3
2
1
D
Position
Solenoid Clutch Brake Clutch
S1 S2 SN SLU C0 C1 C2 C3 B1 B2 F0 F1
P ON OFF OFF OFF OFF OFF OFF ON OFF OFF OFF OFF
V7 ON OFF OFF OFF OFF OFF ON ON OFF ON OFF OFF
V>7 OFF ON OFF OFF OFF OFF ON ON OFF OFF OFF OFF
N ON OFF OFF OFF OFF OFF OFF ON OFF OFF OFF OFF
(3rd) OFF ON OFF ON ON ON OFF ON OFF OFF ON OFF
1st ON OFF OFF OFF OFF ON OFF ON OFF ON ON ON
(2nd) ON ON OFF OFF OFF ON OFF ON ON OFF ON OFF
R
3
2
1
D
Position
Solenoid Clutch Brake Clutch
Figure 5
Aisin AF-17: Good Things Can Come in a Small Package
transmissions on the market, the AF-17
is equipped with a Winter Mode fea-
ture. Winter Mode is controlled by a
switch located on the shifter. In Winter
Mode the transaxle will start in 3
rd
gear
to reduce tire slip on slick road condi-
tions. Once the vehicle is in motion, the
transaxle will automatically shift to the
appropriate gear. Winter Mode is deac-
tivated if you shift the vehicle manually
to 1
st
or 2
nd
gear.
Neutral Control This unique
feature is designed to improve fuel
economy. Neutral Control operates
when the vehicle is stopped for longer
than 2 seconds in drive, with the brakes
applied, and transmission fluid tem-
perature above 32F/0C.
The AF-17 will command neutral
by controlling the neutral switching
(NS) and the line pressure (SLT) sole-
noids. This releases the forward clutch
(C1), effectively placing the vehicle
in neutral. This decreases the drag on
the torque converter, reducing the load
on the engine, which is designed to
improve fuel economy.
After releasing the brake, the TCM
will signal the NS and SLT solenoids to
apply the forward clutch (C1) and the
transmission will be ready to operate
in 1
st
gear.
Neutral Control has already gener-
ated questions from technicians who
are too young to remember the VWs
of old that performed the same func-
tion mechanically. It didnt work out
so great on the VWs, as it generated a
lot of repairs to fix units that werent
broken. We can only hope that after
you read this article, you wont try and
repair one of these transaxles that drops
out of gear at a stop, as this condition
is normal.
Hill Hold When coming to a
stop on an incline, the TCM monitors
the change in VSS rate before you
apply the brakes. Since the deceleration
rate is faster on an incline, the TCM
determines that youre coming to stop
on a hill.
When this happens, the Hill Hold
feature is automatically enabled. The
TCM energizes the S2 solenoid, which
applies the B1 (2/4 brake) to prevent
the vehicle from rolling on the hill.
As you accelerate away from the stop,
the S2 solenoid releases the B1 brake,
effectively starting the vehicle in 1
st

gear. If the TCM determines that the
Hill Hold function should be active,
the Neutral Control function will be
disabled.
Grade Braking The AF-17
TCM software is designed to provide
Grade Braking when decelerating on
a downhill grade. The TCM monitors
the engine load to determine that you
are decelerating down a hill. After the
brakes have been applied for a specific
period of time, the TCM commands
the transaxle to downshift, to provide
deceleration engine brake or Grade
Braking.
As you can see, other than a couple
of little programming quirks, the AF-17
really isnt that much different from
other units youve worked on. So until
next time, remember: Our aspirations
are our possibilities.
Figure 6
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E
very now and then we get to
revisit some of the ideas dis-
cussed in earlier Whats Working
articles, not simply to repeat a story or
idea but to add to the idea as more facts
come in.
The Whats Working program is
an ongoing study of the transmission
industry. The study examines success-
ful and not-so-successful business prac-
tices, as well as the buying habits of
consumers, so we can learn ways to
improve businesses for the industry. Or
better yet, achieve breakthrough.
Here well re-examine two ideas
from previous discussions: the product
lifecycle and the three generations we
use to describe the evolution of the
transmission industry, based on three
distinct phases.
The product lifecycle describes
four phases every product or service
goes through: introduction, growth,
maturation, and decline (figure 1). The
graph illustrates the four phases of our
industry, and about when these phases
took place. Lets take a look at each
one:
Introduction: This is when the pio-
neers of our industry began working on
these new-fangled contraptions known
as automatic transmissions. Not many
people back then had the gumption or
tenacity to take one of these on, but
those that did built a business out of it.
Growth: In a general sense, the
growth phase occurred in large part
from employees of transmission shops
and dealers going out on their own.
This is also when franchises began to
show up; in fact, three major franchises
AAMCO, Cottman, and Atlantic
all originated from a single shop in
Philadelphia. Before long there was a
transmission shop on every corner.
Maturation: The maturation phase
could also be considered the saturation
phase. It can be traced to a point when
there were about as many transmis-
sion shops as the market could sustain.
Competition grew bitter and any new
shops that opened had to elbow their
way past existing shops if they hoped to
make it; their businesses were derived
in part by taking work away from other
shops.
Decline: As competition grows and
outside pressures take their toll (like
cars lasting longer and the introduction
of remans), businesses begin to suffer.
They need to develop a new plan or risk
going out of business.
Every product or service, from
the Pet Rock to tanning salons, goes
through this lifecycle, and our industry
is no different. Now lets look at the
evolution of our industry through the
three phases weve dubbed Generations
(figure 2).
Generation I: Fixing the
Transmission During the introduc-
tion and beginning of the growth phase,
the key to business success was being
able to fix transmissions. There werent
many transmission repair shops at this
time so competition was low. Business
owners were specialists; there was
nowhere else to go to get your trans-
mission fixed.
Generation II: Selling for a Profit
Still in the growth phase, the chal-
lenge here was making a profit with
all that competition. Lowballers were
commonplace and a business could
work on a lot of cars and still not be
profitable. The answer was learning
how to sell. We saw training classes
arrive on the scene. They developed
phone techniques designed to get cus-
tomers into the shop and taught people
WHAT'S WORKING
Reexamining
the Lifecycle
of the Transmission Shop
by Dennis Madden
members.atra.com
www.atra.com
Figure 1
how to respond to customer objections.
They focused on pricing and profit-
ability.
Generation III: Creating a Customer
With cars lasting longer and the
introduction of remans, it wasnt a mat-
ter of being able to sell, it was a matter
of getting customers. Customers had
options: The internet made them able
to price check before going to a shop.
They could also get their transmission
replaced by the general repair shop
they use for regular maintenance. The
challenge for Generation III is reaching
new customers.
Okay, so you have the gist of
the evolution of the industry, and you
might even be wondering why were
rehashing these ideas. The Whats
Working program is mainly focused on
Generation III, and developing meth-
ods and practices that work within the
framework of creating a customer.
Businesses that have embraced
these ideas are seeing growth, and even
breakthrough. But then theres a group
of business owners who continue to
operate within Generation II and are
doing very well. Theres some overlap
between the two models, but for the
most part they operate entirely differ-
ently, where some of the practices of
one are unsuitable for the other.
Weve seen this on the Whats
Working forum as two successful shop
owners contradict each other as they
debate certain topics. Thats because
what theyre discussing may very well
work within the framework of one
model but not the other. So lets take a
look at both of these in greater detail.
Generation II
Generation II is based on sales.
As the sales of transmissions declined
(going back to the product lifecycle)
many shops increased the number of
services they provided. Perhaps they
added air conditioning service, regular
maintenance, brake repair, and so on.
They increased what they had to sell
to increase their customer base and
profits. AAMCOs Total Car Care is a
great example of this.
In Generation II the transmission
is a commodity, no different than sell-
ing ice cream or shoes. You could just
as easily consider the transmission a
widget; its something they sell, noth-
ing more.
The challenge here is to sell more.
The ads they create are designed to
show potential customers why its best
to buy a transmission from them rather
than the guy down the street. They
compete with other transmission shops
on price and may even have prices on
their web sites.
Theyve developed their sales
technique to overcome customers
objections to the sale. The focus here is
entirely on the transmission and other
parts and services, and finding better
ways to sell them.
This has been a successful approach
for years and continues to be for many
shops. But for others it doesnt work
anymore. Their phone doesnt ring as
much as it use to. They find their
wholesale accounts now competing
with them as more reman companies
enter the market.
When they do have customers in
their shop, they have a harder time
competing with low-priced transmis-
sions readily available on the internet.
Generation III
Generation III is based on custom-
er need. Not that Generation II doesnt
Reexamining the Lifecycle of the Transmission Shop
Figure 2
focus on the customer its just a dif-
ferent focus. In Generation II the need
is seen as the transmission. The cars
broken and it needs a transmission.
In Generation III the need is getting
the customer back on the road and the
transmission is just a means to do it.
Generation III shops are seen by
the customer as a place to get their
cars fixed rather than a place to buy a
transmission. In their advertising they
focus on things like trust, getting back
on the road quickly, and the security of
knowing that if theres a problem the
shop is right there, ready to take care of
it right away.
Theyre involved in community
activities and develop connections with
people they come into contact with.
Theyre the neighbor down the street,
the guy you can trust. They tap into the
general mistrust people have of those in
the automotive repair business, specifi-
cally transmission repair, and through
that develop a following of people that
willingly refer their friends and neigh-
bors to their shop.
Here, remans arent necessarily
seen as a threat and may even work as
a means to get their customers back on
the road quickly. How they get custom-
ers cars fixed takes a back seat to get-
ting them back on the road as quickly
and conveniently as possible.
Over the past several months
weve highlighted shop owners who
have embraced the tenets of Whats
Working, which is based on Generation
III principles, and theyve seen dramat-
ic improvements in their businesses.
Weve seen them in local publica-
tions and their stories resonate with
the people of their community. Youll
see them in news coverage as they
announce their upcoming car care clin-
ics. Youll see them in press releases
covering community based activities
theyre sponsoring.
Many shop owners reinvented
themselves, creating more services and
finding better ways to sell. For them,
this turned the lifecycle from decline
back to growth. Others moved from the
commodity-focused sales model to ser-
vice, almost as though they created an
entirely new lifecycle (figure 3).
Even though they rebuild trans-
missions, thats not what theyre sell-
ing. The two models arent necessarily
incompatible with each other, but they
are different, which helps explain why
some approaches work in one model
and not another.
The decline phase is part of every
product or service lifecycle. Once were
in it we have to plan our way back to
growth. So far we see two methods that
are working. Are there others? Only
time will tell, and it may not be until
these models, too, reach the decline
phase and have to be reinvented once
again to get us back to growth.
Figure 3
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by Mike Brown
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ID Solenoid Name Parts Catalog Description
S1 Shift Solenoid A 3-Way Transmission Solenoid
S2 Shift Solenoid B Transmission Solenoid 3
SR Shift Solenoid E 3-Way Transmission Solenoid 2
SL1 Pressure Control Solenoid A Clutch Control Solenoid 1
SL2 Pressure Control Solenoid B Clutch Control Solenoid 2
SLT Pressure Control Solenoid D Line Pressure Control Solenoid
SLU TCC Pressure Control Solenoid Lockup Control Solenoid
Figure 1
T
oyotas A750E has been on
the road for eight years now
and theyre racking up a lot
of miles. As those miles add up, new
problems are bound to show up.
The most common complaint we
hear on the ATRA HotLine about this
transmission is it falls out of gear when
coming to a stop, then slams back into
gear, sometimes so hard that it feels
like someone has rear-ended you.
The unit falls out of gear because
of low line pressure caused by a faulty
SLT solenoid. The computer sees the
problem and ramps the pressure up to
maximum to overcome it, causing the
unit to slam back into gear.
In virtually every case this condi-
tion is caused by a worn out line pres-
sure control solenoid. Toyota calls it
the SLT solenoid. The solenoid is fine
electrically; the problem is wear in the
mechanical components of the sole-
noid. In most cases the system doesnt
even set a code.
The A750E uses four pressure
control solenoids: the SL1 and SL2
solenoids provide clutch control, the
SLU is for lockup control, and the SLT
controls line pressure (figure 1).
Toyotas A750E
Neck Breaking Engagement
Heres what Toyota has to say
about the SLT solenoid:
The linear solenoid (SLT) con-
trols the transmission line pressure for
smooth transmission operation, based
on signals from the throttle position
sensor and the vehicle speed sensor.
The computer adjusts the SLT sole-
noids duty cycle to control line pres-
sure coming from the primary regulator
valve.
Since the SLT solenoid controls
line pressure, it works harder and lon-
ger than any of the other solenoids.
Because of this, its also the solenoid
most likely to wear and fail.
In fact, the SLT solenoid is becom-
ing such a common failure on this unit
that it wouldnt be unreasonable to
consider replacing it during every high-
mileage rebuild. The only problem is
cost: The SLT solenoid goes for about
$200, and is currently only available
from the dealer. Theres no aftermarket
replacement available right now.
So what can you do? Well, if you
experience this problem and dont find
any other likely cause for it, replace the
SLT solenoid. And to prevent it from
happening after a rebuild, you may
want to replace the solenoid on any
high mileage rebuilds, even considering
the cost.
Have a problem replacing a $200
solenoid just because its due? The
answer is to have a solenoid tester. Test
the solenoid operation before you make
a decision about replacing it. For most
shops, a good solenoid tester is a must-
have item these days.
Diagnostic Procedures
Of course, other conditions could
cause similar problems with the A750E
Figure 2
transmission or its solenoids. So its
always worthwhile to check the com-
puter system operation, to rule out other
conditions.
As usual, your first step in any
computer system diagnosis is to check
for diagnostic trouble codes. Toyota
has two codes for the SLT solenoid:
P2714 and P2716. P2714 is a solenoid
performance code; P2716 is an electri-
cal code.
Code P2714: The computer moni-
tors slip between the turbine and out-
put shafts to determine gear ratio, and
compares that with line pressure and
the SLT solenoid signal to identify
problems in the system. It uses a 2-trip
detection logic to set a code in memory.
If code P2714 is in memory,
look for one of these conditions:
SLT solenoid is stuck open or
closed
A sticking valve in the valve body
Figure 3
Figure 4
Condition D Position R Position
Idling 53-59 psi 73-84 psi
Stall 196-212 psi 188-205 psi
A750E/F Line Pressure Specifications
Toyotas A750E Drops In and Out of Gear
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The transmission is slipping
(clutch, brake, or gears)
Code P2716: The computer uses
a duty cycle signal to control the SLT
solenoid, which controls line pressure.
The computer creates its signal based
on the throttle position signal and the
engine power output.
The computer will set code P2716
if it detects an electrical problem in the
SLT solenoid circuit for one second.
This is a 1-trip detection logic.
If you have code P2716 in memo-
ry, look for one of these problems:
An open or short in the SLT circuit
A faulty SLT solenoid
A faulty computer
SLT Circuit Test
Procedure
Disconnect the electrical connector
from the transmission (figure 2).
Measure the resistance between ter-
minals SLT+ and SLT. Resistance
should be 5.5 ohms to 5.6 ohms
at 68F.
Check for short to ground: Measure
the resistance between SLT+ to
body ground, and SLT to body
ground. You should have no conti-
nuity (infinite ohms). Any continu-
ity indicates a faulty solenoid.
If SLT solenoid resistance is good and
there are no shorts to ground:
Reconnect the transmission electri-
cal connector.
Unplug the E6 connector from the
computer (figure 3).
Check the resistance between ter-
minals SLT+ and SLT Resistance
should be 5.5 ohms to 5.6 ohms at
68F. If the resistance is outside of
specs, look for a problem in the
wiring between the computer and
the transmission.
Check for short to ground: Measure
the resistance between SLT+ to
body ground, and SLT to body
ground. You should have no con-
tinuity (infinite ohms). Any con-
tinuity indicates a short to ground
between the computer and the
transmission.
If resistance is good and there are
no shorts to ground, check power
and grounds to the computer.
If you find no other problems,
replace the computer
Sometimes a code will take you
straight to the problem; other times you
wont have a code at all. If thats the
case, perform a hydraulic pressure test
(figure 4).
Line pressure should rise and drop
evenly and smoothly. Sometimes a
solenoid will appear to be working
properly at idle and wide open throttle,
but wont vary smoothly in the middle.
Fluid Type
One thing to keep in mind when
working on an A750E is fluid type.
Toyota recommends genuine ATF WS
to reduce the drag and improve fuel
economy. This ATF has reduced viscos-
ity in the practical operating tempera-
ture range (figure 5).
At higher-fluid temperatures, the
viscosity is the same as Toyota ATF
T-IV, to ensure the transmissions dura-
bility.
Always use genuine Toyota ATF
WS in the A750E transmission.
Memory Reset
After completing your diagnosis
and repair, always perform a memory
reset. This allows the computer to clear
the codes, and begin to relearn its
operating parameters. Youll need to
use a compatible scan tool to reset
the memory; disconnecting the battery
wont do it.
Once youve reset the memory,
take the car for a complete road test to
begin the computer relearn process.
Having the right information on
hand can make it easier to identify and
repair the customers problems before
they become your problems. And thats
not just smart its Street Smart!

Figure 5
Line pressure should
rise and drop evenly and
smoothly. Sometimes a
solenoid will appear to be
working properly at idle
and wide open throttle,
but wont vary smoothly in
the middle.
Toyotas A750E Drops In and Out of Gear
SUPPLIER
MEMBER
T
his is the second installment
of a two-part article. As stated
in the previous article, dur-
ing difficult economic times, customers
seem to be more volatile. Things can
be going along just fine when sud-
denly they turn into The Beast that Ate
Manhattan.
While the economy has a lot to
do with it, there are many other forces
that come into play. These include
things like the influence of the Internet,
negative publicity about the auto repair
industry, skyrocketing prices, tight
credit, our high dependence on cars,
and our fast-paced society. (See the pre-
vious article for more details on each of
these factors.)
All these factors combine to cause
customers to be more litigious than ever
before. This means they are more likely
to sue you. Alternatively, they might
complain to local TV and radio sta-
tions, the BBB, or the attorney general.
Letting things get to this level is never
in your best interest. Even if you win,
it consumes time, energy, emotions,
and money. And the potential negative
publicity can outweigh any victory for
your business.
Almost all complaints result when
the customers expectations werent
met or there was a breakdown in com-
munication. Frankly, its usually both
expectations werent met because they
werent clearly determined due to a
communication breakdown. (See last
months article for tips on managing
customers expectations.)
Its always best if a customers
complaint is resolved at the shop level.
This maintains confidentiality and, if
done correctly, you may even retain the
customers future business. My favorite
saying in this regard is never litigate
when you can negotiate.
When a customers complaint cant
be resolved at the shop level, they
often turn to a higher authority, most
often the Better Business Bureau or the
Consumer Protection Agency for your
state. Regardless of what you think
about the BBB, most people think they
are a consumer protection agency, and
they often turn to them for help.
For over 10 years, Ive been a
certified arbitrator under the authority
of the Alternative Dispute Resolution
Program of the Better Business Bureau.
What Ive learned while getting my
certification and conducting arbitration
hearings could fill a book. But the fol-
lowing synopsis will help you consider
your alternatives and, if needed, with
preparing your case.
While the BBB has received mixed
reviews from the business community,
its complaint program has saved con-
sumers and businesses lots of time and
money over the traditional small claims
and district court alternatives. It has
also helped relieve the bottleneck in
the lower court system. Here is a quick
overview of how the BBB works with
a complaint:
Step one occurs when a custom-
er files a written complaint. A BBB
Complaint Specialist will ask the busi-
ness to respond with its side of the story.
This begins a line of communication
between the customer and the business
through the BBB Complaint Specialist
and provides third-party perspective.
The BBB Complaint Specialist will
attempt to help the parties resolve their
differences. If that effort fails, the par-
ties still have choices:
The BBB program provides media-
tion services; however, you can
use a private mediation specialist.
Never Litigate
When You Can
Negotiate
by Thom Tschetter
members.atra.com
www.atra.com
The mediator doesnt represent
either party, but instead will work
with both parties to try to move
them to a mutually acceptable
resolution. This is a more formal-
ized version of the first step, but
the parties take a more active role
than just writing complaints and
responses.
They may choose small claims or
district court, depending on the
amount of money involved.
Another choice is binding arbitra-
tion. This is available through the
BBB or a private agency. Binding
arbitration is like going to court,
but in a more relaxed atmosphere.
The arbitrator conducts the hear-
ing, maintains decorum, receives
evidence, and hears testimony.
Both parties agree to be bound by
the arbitrators written decision,
which he will normally render a
few days after the hearing.
Of course, the parties can always
just walk away, leaving the matter
unresolved.
As Ive already said, its better to
negotiate than to litigate, but when all
your efforts have failed, and commu-
nication has ceased between you and
your customer, its time to involve a
third party. In fact, I recommend sug-
gesting this to the customer. Sometimes
the mere suggestion of involving a third
party will create a new opening for
resolution.
Notice that with the exception of
just walking away, all of the dispute
resolution options require some level
of continued communication if not
between the parties, then through or to
a third party.
The quality of your communica-
tion is critical to preventing, resolving,
and winning disputes. Here are some
tips for presenting your case in any
venue.
1. Never try to copy television attor-
neys. Be yourself and even if
youre not humble, act humble.
2. Speak clearly and confidently.
3. Avoid trying to impress them with
all your technical knowledge
whoever confuses the judge or
arbitrator usually loses.
4. Stick to the facts and dont add
things that are only stories or
embellishments. For example,
its a fact that the customer was
wearing a red shirt with a hole
in it. But unless he said so, its
only your opinion or story that he
didnt have the money for a new
one. As Sgt. Joe Friday of the old
TV show, Dragnet, used to say,
Just the facts
5. Never confront or argue with the
other party. If he or she distorts
the truth, remember; its their
story. When this happens, make
a note and when its your turn
to speak, simply correct the mis-
statement. The other party doesnt
have to agree with you only the
judge or arbitrator does. Youve
both already tried and failed to
convince each other thats why
youre in the dispute.
6. Create a chronology of everything
that took place dates and times,
what was discussed, what was
agreed to, what was done, what
was not done, etc. Again, stick
with the facts no stories.
7. Bring all available physical evi-
dence that supports your case.
The list of possibilities is endless,
but some examples include:
Written documentation
check-in sheets, diagnostic
sheets, repair orders, written
warranties, and any other mate-
rials should be arranged and
presented chronologically.
Recorded phone calls state
laws vary, but many states only
require that one party knows the
call is being recorded. Playing
back recorded calls will often
stop a complaint before it gets
out of hand.
Parts compare old to new.
Even if you dont have the orig-
inal part you can demonstrate
the difference. But if it isnt the
actual part, you must disclose
that its only an example.
Eyewitness testimony your
technicians or other staff can
help, but they should be humble
and stick to the facts.
Diagrams and schematics be
careful to use them to clarify a
point and not to overwhelm.
Tech bulletins and related arti-
cles likewise, use these to
clarify or to give credibility to
your position. Highlight the key
points that apply.
The car itself can be presented
in most arbitration hearings,
while most courts will only
allow an independent third-par-
ty affidavit about the car.
Most important, check your ego
at the door. Maintain a calm,
professional demeanor that
demonstrates how reasonable
you are in the face of a dispute
and let the customer demon-
strate how unreasonable he is.
This makes everything you say
more credible.
Im closing this article with my
opening statement to the parties in all
my arbitration hearings.
When this hearing is over, the
decision is out of your hands. I will
weigh all the evidence and testimony
you present and render my binding
decision. I can only tell you that one or
perhaps both of you will not be happy
with my decision. A man far wiser than
I am once advised me, Never litigate
when you can negotiate. So with that in
mind, would you like to make one more
try at resolving this matter between
yourselves while you still have some
control over the outcome?
About the Author
Thom Tschetter has served our
industry for over two decades as a man-
agement and sales educator. He owned
a chain of award-winning auto centers
in Washington State for over 25 years.
In 1996 his business was honored as
the No. 1 small business in the state and
ranked in the top 10 nationally.
He also volunteers on the board
of directors for the Auto Repair Good
Guys Foundation, a non-profit founda-
tion, which provides consumer edu-
cation and guidance, charitable car
repairs, and scholarships to automotive
vo-techs within Arizona.
Thom is always eager to help our
industry. You can contact him by phone
at (480) 773-3131 or e-mail to coach-
thom@gmail.com.
Never Litigate When You Can Negotiate
N
o, this isnt a sequel to 1948
movie Treasure of the Sierra
Madre, or even the 1979
spoof, Blazing Saddles. This ones even
more of a classic, called I Lost My
Pressure Gauge.
Recently I had an opportunity to
make a few post on the ATRA Fix It
forum on one of my old-time favorites:
the KM-series transaxle. It was an
F4A33 from a Mitsubishi 3000 GT that
was missing certain gears; which ones
were unclear.
One of the comments was that the
unit shifted 1-3, yet when they discon-
nected the solenoid wires it was in
second. Hmmm, I dont think someone
was clear on which gears it was shift-
ing into. I was really struggling with
the idea that the computer could shift
the transmission from 1
st
to 3
rd
, yet it
had 2
nd
with the solenoid wires discon-
nected.
This was a great time to bring out
the old war chest filled with the tech-
niques I used back when I was taking
calls on the ATRA Hotline. Connecting
a gauge would definitely tell us which
gears it was shifting into, but I learned a
long time ago that installing a gauge is
often easier said than done; kind of like
the dog ate my homework. So, over
the years, weve come up with some
simple tests for getting to the answers
fast without a pressure gauge.
Theyd already gone through the
test of energizing the shift solenoids
and it still wasnt clear which gears it
had. If you find yourself in this situa-
tion, give this a shot: Drive the car at
2000 RPM (provided it has a tach) and
record the vehicle speed for each gear
range. Running it at 2000 RPM spreads
out the vehicle speed for each gear
range, so it becomes very clear which
gear youre in.
If youre by yourself and dont
have someone to watch the speedom-
eter, heres another trick for finding
out which gear a KM transaxle is in:
Remove the servo switch. With the
servo switch removed you can look
right into the servo and watch the piston
move (Figure 1):
If the servos out, the transaxles
either in 1
st
or 3
rd
.
If the servos in, the transaxles
either in 2
nd
or 4
th
.
Beyond the Basics
Figure 1: With the servo switch removed you can watch the transmission shift.
When the servo moves in you know it shifted to 2nd or 4th.
Gauges?
We Dont Need No
Stinking Gauges!
by Dennis Madden
members.atra.com
www.atra.com
Figure 2: Easy access to the band adjustments lets you know right away if either band is applied.
If you can turn the adjustment bolts the bands are released. If the bolts are tight the bands are applied.
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You can energize the solenoids
yourself or let the computer do it.
Those computer systems arent all that
bright; theyll go ahead and shift even
with the servo switch removed. I used
this technique about a month earlier on
an A4AF3 that was binding up in 3
rd

gear. The band was suspect, so rather
than put a gauge on the front clutch tap
(which is also servo release) we just
removed the servo switch and watched
for the servo to move. Its a great test.
There are other things you can do
with servos for a quick diagnosis. If
you suspect a servo isnt applying or
applying when it shouldnt, check the
band adjustment bolts (if it has them).
5R55Es and similar units are great for
this (Figure 2). The beauty of this test
is when the overdrive band is applied
from a stop it feels like youre in 2
nd

gear. When both bands are on it feels
like 3
rd
. So you can run in circles chas-
ing the wrong component for a wrong-
gear complaint.
What do you do? Simply loosen
the band nuts so you can twist the
adjustment bolts, then run the transmis-
sion through the gears. Now you can
clearly tell when one of the bands is
applied, because you wont be able to
turn the adjustment bolt when the servo
applies.
I cant tell you how many times
this test saved the day on an old A4LD
with a 2
nd
-gear-start complaint, only
to learn a stuck overdrive solenoid was
causing the unit to overdrive 1
st
gear.
How many governors do you have to
replace to fix that one?
The trans doesnt have a band
adjustment bolt? The next best thing is
a servo thats held in with a snap ring.
Here you can pry in on the servo cover
and see when theres pressure behind
it. This test wont tell you whether the
band is actually applied, but it will tell
you when pressure applies. A 4L60E is
a good candidate for this.
If the unit doesnt seem to be going
into 2
nd
gear, try prying in on the servo
a little, then shift the unit manually
from 1
st
to 2
nd
and see if the servo
pops out. Why is it necessary to shift
manually? Because release oil goes to
the back of the servo in 3
rd
, and thatll
push the servo cover out too, which
could confuse your diagnosis.
These are all pretty straightforward
checks, and once youve used them a
few times youll find ways to apply
these techniques to a wide range of
units. But there are less obvious ways
to use them. Lets go back to the 5R55E
and use the intermediate band to diag-
nose a unit that wont provide reverse.
Two things have to be on to cre-
ate reverse: the direct clutch and the
low/reverse band. The first question
If you can devise
a test that doesnt
require moving the
shifter, youre far
better off, because
manual ranges
use a different
circuit to apply the
components.
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gcor_quarter_pg.indd 1 1/24/10 2:16 PM
you have to answer is which one isnt
working. Heres a way to answer that
quickly: Tighten the intermediate band,
then try reverse again.
When the direct drum applies for
reverse, it grabs the back of the forward
drum and turns with it; this is the input
for reverse. If the direct clutch is work-
ing, itll grab the forward clutch drum
and try to turn with it. But with the
intermediate band tightened, it wont
let the forward and direct clutch drums
turn together. Instead youll see the
engine RPM drop when you shift into
reverse. You still wont get reverse, but
youll definitely know the direct drum
applied. If the direct clutch doesnt
apply, the engine RPM wont drop
when you put the selector in reverse.
You might be asking, Gee Dennis,
I have 3
rd
gear. Doesnt that prove the
direct drum is working? or, the low/
reverse band must be working because
I had manual low. Well, maybe, maybe
not. The circuits that apply these com-
ponents for reverse are different than
the ones used for 3
rd
or manual low.
In addition, if you can devise a test
that doesnt require moving the shifter,
youre far better off, because manual
ranges use a different circuit to apply
the components.
Here again, if you dont have a
band adjustment bolt you can still ver-
ify the shift if the servo is held in by
a snap ring. Got a 4L60E with no
reverse? Pry in on the servo; use some
muscle this time and really cinch it
down. If the reverse clutch is working
itll bring the engine RPM down.
How about driving forward in
neutral and binding in reverse? This
was common with the old two-shaft
Hondas, but you can use this check
with other units, too. Heres the com-
mon scenario: Someone tightens the
nut for the 1
st
gear drum and either
misses one of the clutches or crushes
the needle bearing because he misas-
sembled the unit. Now the 1
st
gear hub
is locked to the shaft; the unit will drive
forward in neutral and bind in reverse.
In this situation, the old-school
method was to put a gauge on all the
pressure taps to find out which one was
applied. If none of the taps had pressure
(except the 4
th
gear tap; the 4
th
gear
clutch is on in reverse) you knew it was a
mechanical bind-up.
But how about this? Drain the oil.
Now start the engine in neutral and see
if it still wants to drive forward. You
can use this for other transmissions,
too. This test will quickly let you know
if a forward clutch is welded on. If the
unit doesnt try to drive with the oil
drained, suspect a crossleak problem.
Just keep the test short so you dont
damage the pump.
Okay, one last test, and this is one
of my favorites. You put the transmis-
sion into gear and bam! it kills
the engine. Your first thought is the
converter clutch is applied. Or is it?
Did the converter kill the engine or did
something else do it?
When you put the transmission
into gear, the engine assembly rocks.
When this happens theres a chance that
loose wires will short out, the air intake
system will leak, or some other malady
will take place and kill the engine. It
just happened when you moved the
shifter, so your first thought is its the
torque converter.
Try this:
Run the car on the lift with the
brakes released.
Put the transmission in gear.
With the brakes released itll go in
gear without killing the engine; the
wheels will turn instead.
Slowly apply the brakes.
As you slow the wheels, the trans-
mission will start to load the engine and
the engine RPM will drop.
If the converter clutch is on, the
engine will start to buck as you bring
the RPM down. Itll feel like you for-
got to release the clutch on a standard
transmission. At some point the engine
will begin bucking violently as you try
to bring the wheels to a stop. In that
case the converter clutch is the culprit.
On the other hand, if its some
other problem, something engine relat-
ed, itll behave differently. The engine
will just start to run poorly as you apply
the brakes. The engine will begin to
miss or stumble, but its not fighting the
brakes; its just running bad. You may
even be able to slowly bring the wheels
to a stop while the engine sits there on
its last breath.
This is exactly how we discovered
the cracked intake snorkel problem
with Mazdas and Fords equipped with
the G4A-EL, way back when. Its a
great test and it can save you a lot of
time chasing down what you thought
was a converter clutch problem, only
to discover you have a simple engine-
related problem.
These are just a few from the top of
the tech grab bag; not-so-basic tests to
find basic answers. Theyre great tests
and not one requires using a pressure
gauge to find the answer.
So, over the years,
weve come up with
some simple tests
for getting to the
answers fast
without a pressure
gauge.
Gauges? We Dont Need No Stinking Gauges! dcfgg
Access to the Industry
When you need to reach the professional automatic transmission repair industry, theres no better place to turn than ATRA.
Because ATRA is the largest association for transmission professionals in the history of the world!
And ATRA offers dozens of ways for you to reach out to your target market, with programs to ft every budget. So, whether
youre looking for a way to reach local transmission centers, or the entire worldwide market, ATRA is your best choice.
Only ATRA offers all these marketing venues for the transmission industry:
GEARS Magazine Powertrain Expo ATRA's websites
Regional Seminars Online Tech Support Hotline Access
Registration Discounts and More!
No one offers more credibility than ATRA. Sending your message through one of ATRAs many
marketing venues shows your customers that you understand their needs, and are ready to meet those
needs head-on.
For more information or to sign up to become an ATRA Supplier Member
visit http://members.atra.com
or call Frank Pasley at: (805) 604-2024
S
peak with most shop owners
and theyll tell you that they
think their shop is worth x
amount of money. Ask them how they
came up with that number and theyll
tell you its based on what they heard
another shop sold for, or its predicated
on their annual sales. But if you really
want to know what your shops worth,
first of all, forget everything youve
heard about goodwill and the fact
that you have thousands of names in
your database. Thats icing on the cake,
but its not something a buyer can take
to the bank. And although there is some
value associated with some franchise
names, there are two things that are
most important to a buyer: the tangible
assets and the income history.
Tangible assets are things like
real estate, cash in the bank, secured
receivables, inventory and equipment.
To put it another way, these are the
assets a buyer could turn into cash
if he had to. When youre establish-
ing the value of your inventory and
equipment, bear in mind that the actual
appraised value may very well be far
less than what you originally paid. So
tangible assets are always number one.
In regard to income history, we all
know past performance is no guarantee
of future performance, yet substantiated
Income history of a company is what a
buyer can use to forecast earnings. And
dont forget! The amount of money the
company made does not include any
income youve drawn out of the com-
pany as a salary, etc. The companys
income is the amount remaining after all
expenses, including your salary, have
been considered. So imagine youre
looking to buy a shop, and lets say
the tangible assets
are worth $400,000.
In addition, lets say
the shop has a his-
tory of generating
$100,000 in annual
income after all
expenses, and lets
say the owner has
been drawing a sal-
ary of $80,000. So
if you were to buy
that shop, how much
would you be will-
ing to invest? Well
only you can answer that question,
but I hope you take these 6 points into
consideration.
1. If you were to liquidate after you
purchased, how much could you
sell the assets for? I call this the
street value of assets.
2. How long has the company been
in business, how long have the
key employees been with the
business, and whats the prob-
ability that these key employees
will stay on once you buy?
3. What is the probability of the
company continuing to earn the
same $100,000 in annual profits,
and for how long?
4. In regard to the $80,000 salary
the owner was taking, would
you be willing to do what he or
she does for the company for the
same amount? Or will you be
able to hire someone to do that
job for the same or less?
5. If you were to invest the same
amount of money in any other
business or investment vehi-
cle, would you receive a better
return?
6. What are the terms of the pur-
chase price? You may be bet-
ter off to pay a higher price in
return for a lower down pay-
ment, good financing rates and a
non-compete.
So, how do you establish the value
of your business? Not by the icing, but
by looking at it through the eyes of both
a banker and a buyer.
Bob Cooper is the presi-
dent of Elite Worldwide, Inc, (www.
EliteWorldwideStore.com) an ethics-
based company that offers automotive
professionals industry-leading sales,
marketing and employee management
audio courses available for instant
download; coaching services and a
wide variety of carefully chosen ser-
vices from its affiliate companies. Visit
the Elite website for more great tips on
how to establish the value of your auto
repair business.
by Bob Cooper
How Much is Your
Business Worth?
Most shop owners have this number in the back of their mind as to
what they think their shop is actually worth. Unfortunately, more
often than not, theyre not just off a little. What they are is dead
wrong.
See You Next Year in
Las Vegas, Nevada

October 27-31, 2011
Las Vegas Hilton
Milwaukee
Nashville
Los Angeles
Toronto
Bridgeport
Portland
Salt Lake City
Detroit
Vancouver
ATRA.com has become the most visited
Web site in the transmission industry.
Thousands of new customers have been using ATRAs
Web site to fnd transmission repair shops in their area.
It can be. Being an ATRA member means ATRA
will place a link to your Web site on ATRA.com,
where customers can use the local search
feature to fnd shops in their area. This tool is
beginning to appear in top search results for
transmission repair on Google. This means
people looking for shops in search engines
are being directed to ATRAs Web site and
ATRA members.
The page views have doubled since the launch
of ATRAs local search feature. Thats potential
business you cannot even begin to gain strictly
from word-of-mouth referrals.
Your Web site is an essential tool to get
transmissions in need of repair into your shop.
Now it can be even more powerful. Join ATRA
today and start reaping the benefts of ATRAs
Web presence.

Visit members.ATRA.com
or call 805-604-2000
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
REBUILDERS ASSOCIATION
Cleveland
ATRA.com ATRA.com
Vancouver
Driving
CUstomers
Driving
CUstomers
Driving
CUstomers
to yoU
Driving
CUstomers
to yoU
is your shop one of them?
Milwaukee
Nashville
Los Angeles
Toronto
Bridgeport
Portland
Salt Lake City
Detroit
Vancouver
ATRA members.
Web presence.

or call 805-604-2000
Cleveland
ATRA.com ATRA.com
Vancouver
Driving
CUstomers
Driving
CUstomers
Driving
CUstomers
to yoU
Driving
CUstomers
to yoU
Milwaukee
Nashville
Los Angeles
Toronto
Bridgeport
Portland
Salt Lake City
Detroit
Vancouver
ATRA members.
Web presence.

or call 805-604-2000
Cleveland
ATRA.com ATRA.com
Vancouver
Driving
CUstomers
Driving
CUstomers
Driving
CUstomers
to yoU
Driving
CUstomers
to yoU
Milwaukee
Nashville
Los Angeles
Toronto
Bridgeport
Portland
Salt Lake City
Detroit
Vancouver
ATRA members.
Web presence.

or call 805-604-2000
Cleveland
ATRA.com ATRA.com
Vancouver
Driving
CUstomers
Driving
CUstomers
Driving
CUstomers
to yoU
Driving
CUstomers
to yoU
ou open your newspaper, turn
to the Features page, and it
just grabs your eye: an article
about transmissions. Thats your thing,
so you start to read the article to see
how much they got wrong.
Suddenly you notice who wrote
it; it was the owner of the transmission
shop right down the street! Your com-
petition just got a byline in the local
paper!
And not just a byline: The article
closes with a short paragraph about
him, including the name of his shop,
his location, and his phone number. He
just got terrific visibility without pay-
ing a dime!
Dont you wish that was your name
on the article? Wouldnt you love to
pick up that type of free press?
Now you can. Because ATRA has
just introduced a new service, exclu-
sively for ATRA Members: The ATRA

Pressroom.
ATRAs Pressroom is your source
for articles and press releases, all pro-
fessionally written and ready to pub-
lish. You just download, customize, and
start sending them to local news outlets.
Or you can visit your local newspaper
and see if theyd be interested in having
you write a regular column.
How does submitting articles work
for getting your name out there? Over
the last two years ATRAs been making
a concerted effort to improve its name
recognition through a series of articles.
Those articles have been showing up
in the New York Times, Progressive
Insurance online, and others. And its
working: ATRAs name recognition has
improved dramatically since we started
our media campaign.
Whats more, many of the ATRA
Members youve been reading about in
GEARS have been profiled in various
magazines and newspapers. That atten-
tion has only served to improve their
visibility and their bottom line.
Heres How the
Pressroom Works
To take advantage of the ATRA
Pressroom, just log in to the ATRA web
site, then click the Pressroom link.
The Pressroom contains articles
and press releases already published.
Theres also a downloads link to arti-
cles ATRA members can use for their
local papers. Each article is identified
with a title and a short description,
including subject and word count.
Click on the title to download the
article. As an ATRA Member, you can
download as many articles as youd
like. The Pressroom is absolutely free,
and its exclusively for ATRA Members.
Just download the file, customize
it with your information and a photo
or two, and start sending it to the news
media in your area.
Of course, we probably wont have
every subject covered in the ATRA
Pressroom. Or maybe youll need
something written to address a specific
issue or situation.
Thats okay: Click the Request link
and let us know what you need. Well
look over your request and see if its
something the Membership could use.
If we determine itd be useful for
other shops, such as an article on car
care or transmission service, well take
it from there. Well write the article or
press release, send you a copy, and put
a copy on the Pressroom page for other
ATRA Members to download. Youll
get the article you wanted and you
wont pay a cent.
Then again, maybe you need some-
thing more specific to you or your shop,
such as a press release about an award
youve received or an event youre
hosting.
Thats okay too. Weve made
arrangements with GEARS Senior
Editor Steve Bodofsky to work with
you to create exactly the article or press
release youre looking for, at excep-
tional, Members-only rates.
Whod Be Interested?
Once you have your article or press
release, who should you send it to? You
could contact a local direct mail house.
Theyll have mailing lists of media
outlets for sale and can help you label
and mail your press releases or articles.
Or you can do it yourself using the
internet: Enter the word newspaper
into your search engine, along with
the name of your town and state, such
as: newspaper, Ventura, CA. Youll get
a whole list of newspapers that serve
your region.
Repeat the process with such
media outlets as radio station, or TV
station. Then create your own mailing
list to cover your area.
However you choose to use it,
the ATRA Pressroom is a tremendous
resource for improving visibility in
your community. Its just one more
way ATRA is working to help you earn
more each and every day.
by Dennis Madden
members.atra.com
www.atra.com
MEMBERSHIP MATTERS
It was late 1975 when Frank
Slocum answered a blind ad in the
Wall Street Journal. He wrote a letter
to respond to the ad, because over his
entire career he never had a resume.
A short time later he was interviewing
with Larry Ornston in a meeting room
at the Cleveland Airport.
The interview was going well,
but when Larry asked Frank about
his transmission experience, he replied,
Its probably my weakest area.
After listening to what Larry
was looking for and what he hoped
to accomplish, Frank commented that
they were looking for the wrong person:
What they really needed was someone
who could get things done. A week later
they contacted him and offered him a
position with AAMCO Transmissions.
And so began a career in the trans-
mission repair industry thats spanned
over three and a half decades. Most
of us know Frank from his years with
Raybestos Aftermarket Products.
But many dont realize that it was
Franks vision that turned Raybestos
Aftermarket Products into an inde-
pendent company a company thats
become synonymous with innovation
and support throughout the industry.
Frank worked with AAMCO until
1983, when he left to join Raybestos as
their head of aftermarket sales.
Back then, Raybestos was sell-
ing parts to the aftermarket, but
it wasnt a well-defined part of
their business strategy. Frank
came in and turned sales around,
adding parts to their line and
establishing critical relationships
within the industry. Within three
years hed nearly tripled their
sales.
One Saturday in 1991, Frank
received a call from Raybestos
CEO Craig Smith. Frank, you
remember saying you wanted to
turn Raybestos aftermarket into
its own business? he asked.
You still want to do that?
Absolutely, Frank replied.
Okay, pick your people and
find a building, said Craig. And
with that, Raybestos Aftermarket
Products became a separate enti-
ty under the Raybestos mast-
head.
Anyone who knows Frank
knows about his love of racing, and
it was that interest that led him to
recognize an untapped market: racing
clutches. Frank took the challenge to
his tech director, John Anderson, and
asked him to make the best plate you
can; I dont care what it costs.
Probably My Weakest Area
Transmission industry icon Frank Slocum announced his retirement
after over 35 years serving our industry.
Frank Slocum
Anyone who knows Frank
knows about his love of rac-
ing, and it was that interest
that led him to recognize
an untapped market: racing
clutches.
Within a few weeks John came
back to Frank: We have something
here for you; its really strong and per-
forms well, but it happens to be blue.
That was the birth of the first gen-
eration of their highly successful Blue
Plate Special
clutch line.
Frank attended Clemson University
in South Carolina. There he joined the
Air Force ROTC. He graduated in 1966
with a degree in industrial education,
and a commission as a second lieuten-
ant in the Air Force. A year later he
entered active duty and began training
as a pilot in San Antonio, Texas.
On his first day he was seated in a
room with a hundred other airmen. The
commander addressed them saying,
Only one in three of you will make it
through training. Frank looked at the
guys on either side of him and said,
Pack your bags.
He served eight years in the Air
Force, including two tours of duty in
Viet Nam, during which he flew air
support for ground troops. One of his
jobs was to fly low over battlefields at
night and drop flares to help the ground
troops see the enemy. Once we lit up
the field, the enemy usually scattered,
explained Frank. He left the Air Force
in July, 1974 with the rank of captain.
One of his assignments was at
MacDill Air Force Base in Florida.
Thats where he met Florida native
Cheryl Hayes, who was finishing nurs-
ing school. She though I was too
short; I thought she was too tall. But I
plied her with hot fudge sundaes, and
we became best friends. They were
married in 1973, and had three love-
ly daughters: Courtney, Kyleigh, and
Whitney. Cheryl passed away in 2007.
Always one to believe in giving
back to the industry thats been a major
part of his life for so many years,
Frank endowed a scholarship at his
alma mater for students entering the
motorsports or auto technology fields.
Visit www.clemson.edu/centers-insti-
tutes/brooks-sports/scholarships.html
to learn more.
Franks proudest accomplishment
comes when hes looking out into a
crowd of transmission people. Im
always proud to know just how many
people Ive helped find jobs and careers
in the industry, he says.
Maybe transmissions were Frank
Slocums weakest area back in 1975.
But now, 35 years later, as he retires
from the industry, we can only be glad
that he stepped up to the challenge all
those years ago. Because in that time
hes impacted our industry and many
of our lives in ways we can only
begin to appreciate.
ATRA NEWS
Frank in the Air Force
Frank Slocum and Dennis Madden
Frank Pictured with his daughters - Left to Right - Courtney, Whitney & Kylie.
Sonnax Introduces
4T65-E Accumulator
Valve Kits
A number of shift complaints on
the 4T65-E can be traced back to wear
on the accumulator valves or their
bores. Heres why:
The accumulator valves respond to
torque signal influence to feed accumu-
lators and control clutch apply pressure
and shift feel. Valve and bore wear can
allow torque signal, accumulator, or
line pressures to exhaust, resulting in
various shift complaints.
The improved designs of Sonnax
replacements for 4T65-E accumulator
valves establish optimum shift con-
trol, using upgraded material to prevent
wear.
Use 84754-53K (A) or 84754-57K
(B) to correct 2-3 or 1-2 shift problems
in any 4T65-E unit. 3-4 shift problems
can be addressed with 84754-55K (C)
in GM or 84754-58K (D) in Volvo
valve bodies.
For more information, visit Sonnax
on line at www.sonnax.com.
Trans Tool Introduces
Two New Parts Washers
Trans Tool now offers two new
parts washers: The PartscrubberX and
the T-0100 Partscrubber.
The PartscrubberX will clean any
size automatic transmissions even
the larger Allisons. This is a heavy duty
washer with a 3-HP, gusher sealess
pump, 44 brass spray nozzles, 1 heavy
duty catwalk rack, with inside dimen-
sion of 48 high. All for just $3995!
Trans Tool has eliminated the cost-
ly turntable/drive system by using 44
high-pressure brass nozzles strategi-
cally placed for complete cleaning of all
transmission or engine parts.
The PartscrubberX has no moving
parts to wear out or replace. Easy load-
ing height and casters are standard and
it comes with a 2 year warranty.
The T-0100-Partscrubber is a
high quality, American made cleaning
machine. Theres no turntable in this
machine; instead, we use an expand-
ed metal platform, and configured a
40-spray pipe system that uses a very
powerful, sealess pump to completely
drench and clean the dirtiest parts. All
for just $2995!
Uses a powerful 2-HP gusher pump.
Ideal for shops who need a machine
for cleaning small parts.
Big enough to clean a full-sized
E4OD transmission case.
T-0100-Partscrubber comes stan-
dard with an oil drain valve; an optional
oil skimmer is available.
For more information visit
www.partscrubberx.info to see the
Partscrubber and PartscrubberX mod-
els; or call us toll-free at 1-800-531-
5978, or you can call your supplier.
ARGG Helps Struggling
Military Personnel
Get Back on the Road
Auto Repair Good Guys Foundation
(ARGG) has a new program that
donates cars and auto repairs to strug-
gling veterans throughout Arizona.
The Cars for Wounded Warriors
program is designed to help American
military personnel and their families
who have automobile-related needs and
are struggling financially due to death,
injury, or physical or mental prob-
lems as a result of service in Iraq or
Afghanistan.
The idea was the brainchild of
Dave Denmon of Daves Car Care in
Glendale, who presented the idea at the
last meeting of ARGG shop owners.
Everyone can appreciate how
important a car is in our daily lives,
said Denmon. A little help can go a
long way in getting people back on
their feet again and a reliable car can
make a huge difference in the lives of
our returning soldiers and their fami-
lies.
Denmons idea instantly gained the
support of the rest of the ARGG mem-
ber shop owners and from there it took
on a life of its own.
For more information, visit www.
autorepairgoodguys.com.
Superiors New
ZF6HP/6R606R80
Sure-Seal End Plug Kit
Superior Transmission Parts, Inc.
is pleased to announce its new propri-
etary Sure-Seal design, which offers
a sure seal each and every time!
POWERTRAIN INDUSTRY NEWS
GEARS does not endorse new products but makes this new information available
to readers. If you have a new product, please email the press release information
with applicable digital photo or drawing to fpasley@atra.com or send by mail to
GEARS, 2400 Latigo Avenue, Oxnard, CA 93030.
POWER INDUSTRY NEWS
With our new ZF6HP/6R606R80
end plug kits you wont have to worry
about cutting the seals on the sharp bore
clip retainer slots either.
Simple and precise, these new end
plugs seal and stop fluid leaks that
cause pressure loss and lead to shift
complaints, such as slips, flares, and
eventually burnt clutches.
The Sure-Seal End Plug Kit
works on the ZF6HP19, 24, 26, 30,
32 and Ford 6R60 through 6R75/80.
Each kit contains 6 large plugs, 6 large
O-rings, 6 large washers, 1 small plug,
1 small washer, 1 small O-ring and
1 steel PR valve support sleeve that
replaces the often-worn OE aluminum
design.
Another Simple Solution kit for
a common problem now showing up
on a transmission rebuild bench in
your shop. To learn more, visit www.
superior-transmission.com.
Transtar Industries
Names Lori Washington
Director of Emerging
Technologies
Transtar Industries, Inc., the pre-
mier provider of world-class drive-
line solutions, is pleased to announce
that Lori Washington has been named
Director of Emerging Technologies. In
this position, Lori will lead efforts to
research, gather data, and develop strat-
egies regarding future driveline tech-
nologies and trends.
With over 18 years of OEM expe-
rience, Lori joined Transtar in August
2010, filling a new position in the
company.
As our industry continues to
evolve, we fully understand the need
to stay on the cutting edge of emerg-
ing technologies, said Jim Berry, Vice
President of Marketing. We are mak-
ing this investment to ensure that we
will remain ahead of trends, and will
continue to provide the solutions our
customers need.
Lori has held positions with
International Truck and Engine Corp.
(Navistar) and General Motors. Her
career has included a variety of prod-
uct development and engineering roles,
such as designing release engineer
and controls development engineer.
She also served as adjunct faculty at
the ITT Technical Institute while at
International Truck and Engine Corp.
Lori holds a Masters in Automotive
Engineering from Lawrence
Technological University and a BS
in Electrical Engineering from Case
Western Reserve University.
Transtar would like to congratulate
Lori and looks forward to a thriving
future with her.
CVC Appoints Paul
Brown as Plant Manager
Consolidated Vehicle Converters,
Inc. (CVC) is pleased to announce the
appointment of Paul Brown to the posi-
tion of Plant Manager.
Paul holds a Bachelor of Science,
Mechanical Engineering Degree from
Wright State University and has exten-
sive experience as an operations man-
ager with a background in manufactur-
ing and industrial engineering in the
automotive, heavy-duty truck and steel
industries.
Consolidated Vehicle Converters,
Inc. is a high quality torque converter
remanufacturer located in Kettering,
Ohio. CVC employs 89 associates and
supplies customers with a full range
of automotive and heavy-duty vehicle
torque converters. CVC customers have
come to Expect the Best!
For more information, visit CVC
on line at www.cvcconverters.com.
ALLDATA Introduces
the Next Generation
of ALLDATA
Repair
SM
ALLDATA LLC announces the
release of ALLDATA
Repair
SM

S3000, its next generation of
information product. ALLDATA Repair
S3000 introduces several new features
aimed at improving efficiency and
performance.
The automobile has changed
drastically over the past several years,
explains Ben Johnson, ALLDATA
Senior Product Marketing Manager.
With sophisticated electronic and
interdependent systems, theres a
greater need for more advanced repair
information. Because ALLDATA adds
more than a million pages of data per
year to its databases, theres an increased
need for faster search capabilities and
simplicity in navigation.
ALLDATA Repair S3000 searches
ALLDATAs entire database for any
phrase relative to a specific vehicle.
The results yield much more relevant
information than previous versions.
The ALLDATA Repair S3000 search
function will return all appropriate
information, including technical service
bulletins (TSBs), component locations,
diagnostic articles, and more.
ALLDATA Repair S3000 also
allows multiple articles to display
simultaneously. Users can navigate
through the product, pinning articles
along the way to keep them open and
accessible. Take diagnostic trouble
codes, for example, says Johnson.
It isnt unusual to need the actual
diagnostic article, associated TSBs,
wiring diagrams, component locations,
and other relevant articles. ALLDATA
Repair S3000 allows you to locate
information quickly, then pin the
articles and arrange them on your
desktop for greatest efficiency.
For more information on
ALLDATA and ALLDATA Repair
S3000, please visit www.alldata.com/
aapex or call 800-697-2533.
LKQ Corporation
Announces Strategic
Acquisitions
LKQ Corporation today announced
that it has completed a number of
key transactions since the start of the
fourth quarter of 2010. The acquired
businesses facilitate the geographic
expansion of LKQs operations across
Canada. On a combined basis, the
acquired businesses announced today
have annual revenue of approximately
$100 million.
Lori Washington
The acquisitions include:
Cross Canada a leading
aftermarket parts distributor to the
collision industry with operations
in five Canadian provinces:
Alberta,
British Columbia, Manitoba,
Ontario and Saskatchewan.
PROFormance Power Train
an engine remanufacturer with
production facilities in Springfield,
Missouri.
SPI Distribution an aftermarket
heating and cooling system parts
distributor that specializes in
radiators, air coolers and related
parts.
Best Bumper a large bumper
remanufacturing facility in the
Dallas, Texas area.
Wholesale automotive recycling
business serving the Norfolk and
Virginia Beach, Virginia markets.
Self-service retail recycling
operation in Denver, Colorado.
Mr. Joseph Holsten, President
and Chief Executive Officer of LKQ
Corporation, stated, The transactions
we announced today support our
strategic priorities. The acquisition
of PROFormance integrates with our
engine product line, harnessing one
of our competitive strengths: access
to automotive drivetrain equipment
eligible to be rebuilt.
So far this year we have completed
a record number of acquisitions and will
likely execute additional transactions
before 2010 is over.
LKQ Corporation is the largest
nationwide provider of aftermarket
collision replacement products,
recycled products and refurbished
collision replacement products such as
wheels, bumper covers and lights.
Arizona Transmission
Machine Introduces
New Honda Tool Kit
Arizona Transmission Machine is
proud to announce its new Honda 4-
and 5-Speed Bushing R&R tool kit.
This new kit makes it easy to replace
bushings in the mainshaft, intermediate
shaft, and pinion shaft on the BYBA,
MAXA, and BAXA models.
The new kit comes with all
necessary hardware and two sets of
replacement bushings. Also included
are two new finishing reamers for the
8mm and 9mm bushings that always
seem too tight after installation. These
reamers will solve the problem.
To order or learn more, contact
Mike Tilley at 602-992-2961 or visit
www.ez-driver.com.
ZF Services Introduced
their 2011 SACHS Ride
Control Program
ZF Services introduced their 2011
SACHS ride control program at the
2010 AAPEX. As the leading supplier
of ride control products to vehicle
manufacturers, SACHS is ready to offer
the best coverage of OE-quality parts
to the aftermarket. Additionally, the
product line will feature a new range of
products to further satisfy the needs of
the market.
For more information, contact:
zfaftermarket@zf.com.
Superior Transmission
Parts is pleased to
announce:
The New Superior Transmission
Parts Problem Solvers
Part # K096 End Plug Package for
U150 thru U250 series
Part # K097 End Plug Package for
U140 thru U241E series
Toyota / Lexus units.
Complaint: Misc. Solenoid
Codes, Slips, Flairs, Bang/Clunk and
Burnt Frictions.
Cause: Leaking Pressure Past
the Bore End Plugs.
Correction: Install The K096 or
K097 that fits your application and rest
easy that your unit wont be back for
a bad leak due to a failed, leaking end
plug.
These New End Plug Kits From
Superior Transmission Parts, Inc.
prevent bleed-off of clutch control
pressures, solenoid modulating
pressures and secondary regulator
pressures that can cause a wide range
of issues such as codes, slips, flairs,
bumps and bangs and eventually clutch
failure.
These high quality o-ringed, Steel
end plugs are specifically designed to
be installed easily, without worry of
cutting o-rings when installed into the
bores.
Each kit comes with all of the end
plugs that are required to replace the
leaking / worn / damaged OE stock
pressurized End plugs.
A Problem Solver that will be a
must use on any Toyota / Lexus U140-
241E series or any U150-250 series
unit. Why take chances, inexpensive
protection for an expensive Comeback!
Go to www.superiortransmission.com
to find out more information or locate
your nearest distributor.
G-TEC has Discontinued
the Check Chamber II.
As of October 12, 2010 G-TEC has
discontinued the Check Chamber II.
This option will no longer be available
on our flushers. Not only does the
POWER INDUSTRY NEWS
this method of filtration to be too labor
intensive and still must be backed up by
an absorption filter.
G-TEC has found an extremely
effective and economical alternative.
We are recommending that our flusher
customers use the Oberg Filtration
System for their filtering needs. These
filters are a one-time investment, never
wear out, have checkable filter screens
(suitable for diagnostic), and come in
4 & 6 size with Viton seals. There
is also an 8 and/or multiple screen
application available for custom orders.
This filtration system can
be easily added to any cooler line
flusher or transmission exchanger on
the market. They are not limited to
shop equipment. Typical installations
include but are not limited to: engine
oil, automatic transmissions fluid, fuel,
and differential lube.
Due to a possible patent conflict,
G-TEC will not install this filter at the
factory. It must be installed by the
customer.
For more information, you can go
to: www.G-Tec.com
JT Dryers: New
Technology for Low
Cost Water Removal in
Compressed Air Systems
The automotive repair industry
endures millions of dollars in damage
every year from water build-up in
compressed air systems. Air Options,
Inc. is now offering its line of JT Series
air dryers, designed specifically to
work with the two-stage reciprocating
compressors found in most automotive
repair shops. These advanced
technology air dryers are designed to
be inexpensive, easy to install and long
lasting.
JT Series air dryers utilize the
Joule-Thomson effect to condense
water from the air stream. This means
no CFCs, desiccants or filter elements
to buy, no costly maintenance, and a
long life that will provide decades of
dry air, and cost savings, in even the
worst conditions.
JT Series air dryers are so reliable
that they carry a ten year limited
warranty, the best in the business.
With the release of this new dryer
design, Air Options continues to be the
leader in low cost, low maintenance,
long life air dryers that provide users
with a better way to dry compressed
air. For more information on the
technology, products and pricing, visit
the Air Options web site at www.Air-
Options.com, call 713-721-9619 or
e.mail: Info@Air-Options.com
GM 6L80 / 6L50 / 6L90
Enhancements
Corteco is pleased to announce
that TransTec
kit number 2508 that

covers 2006-Up GM 6L80 applications
now includes the 2nd design (late)
pump stator ring kit with expanders and
the 3-5-reverse inner D-ring for the 2nd
design (late) 3-5-reverse piston.
1st Design 3-5-Reverse inner
D-ring I.D. 121mm +/- 1.0
2nd Design 3-5-Reverse inner
D-ring I.D. 131.7mm +/- 1.0
Additionally, TransTec
kit
numbers 2523 and 2530 both also
include the late 2nd design pump stator
ring kit with expanders. Kit number
2523 fits 2006-Up GM vehicles with
a 6L50 transmission and 2530 covers
2007-Up GM vehicles with a 6L90
unit.
Kits with a date code of October
8, 2010 and after include these
enhancements.
For more information go to: www.
TransTec.com
Constant Pressure Valve
Bodies
Frequently racers and street
performance enthusiasts incorrectly
install their transmission with the
critical throttle valve (TV) cable either
disconnected or improperly adjusted.
The TV cable is a critical part used to set
internal line pressure and part throttle
shifting so that incorrect installation can
result in total transmission melt down.
TCI
recognized the need for a

product that eliminated the chance of
transmission failure and produced the
Constant Pressure Valve Body
. While
the TV cable still needs connection
for proper transmission shifting, the
Constant Pressure Valve Body

provides more freedom when setting
part throttle shift points. Line pressure
is fixed with no chance of encountering
a low line pressure condition, and shift
characteristics are greatly improved.
Kits can be installed by anyone with
basic mechanical experience.
Eliminates chance of transmission
failure
Fixedlinepressurewithnochance
of low line pressure condition
Improvedshiftcharacteristics
Compatible with stock and
aftermarket transmissions
For more information contact
COMP Performance Group at (901)
795-2400.
ERIKSSON INDUSTRIES
1 YEAR UNLIMITED MILE WTY
1-800-388-4418
Division of Wentworth Engineering
Authorized Parts Distributor
Remanufactured Units * DYNO TESTED*
5HP30, 5HP24, 5HP19, 5HP18, 4HP24, 4HP22,
4HP18, 4HP14
Specializing in SAAB 900/9000 5SP,
as well as T-37 A/T
Hard Parts: NEW / USED / REMANUFACTURED
Soft Parts / Friction Kits / Steel Kits / Repair Manuals
Lifetime Fluids / Rebuild Kits / Valvebody Kits
1-800-388-4418
Fax: (860) 395-0047
www.erikssonindustries.com
146B Elm St., Old Saybrook, CT 06475
**COMPUTERS**
Transmission Control Module
E C M & T C M
Mitsubishi-Honda-Hyundai-GEO
Kia-Mazda-Nissan-Suzuki-Toyota
BOSCH ECM
GM - Ford - Chrysler - Dodge
Next Day Air Shipping Available
One Year Warranty
Best Customer Service!
Ford *GM * Chrysler off vehicle
ECM reprogramming available
8 8 8 - 2 1 7 - 4 0 7 2
Autocomp Technologies, Inc.
8515 N. Freeway, Houston, Texas
www.g-tec.com
www.g-tec.com
Heated Cooler
Line Flusher
Transmission
Dyno/CV
Tester
800-725-6499
417-725-6400
SHOPPER CLASSIFIED ADS
1 - 8 0 0 - 8 3 5 - 1 0 0 7
GEARS Shopper advertising costs $325.00 for a one time insertion ad, (2 1/4 X 3) 2.25 X 3. Larger ads can be placed
elsewhere in the magazine and are charged at comparable rates. Check or money order must accompany all orders.
For information on Shopper advertising in GEARS, contact GEARS, 2400 Latigo Avenue, Oxnard, CA 93030, or call
(805) 604-2000.
BMW Mercedes-Benz Audi
Remanufactured to
Perfection
Hundreds of Transmissions in-stock.
Immediate installation available.
2 year unlimited warranty.
Dyno-tested.
Remanufactured torque converter included.
Toll free 800 - 372 - TRANS
1331 Rollins Road Burlingame, CA 94010
tel 650 - 348 - 3990 fax 650 - 348 - 3019
Valve Body Kits
RatioTek

RT-4L60E
Fix Code
1870 Fast
Adjust 1-2
shift firmness
without re-
moving VB.
RT-E4OD/4R
Kit fits
E40D and
4R100
Easy to Install - Low Cost - Great Results
3 High Tech
Regulator Valves.
Adjust shift firmness.
www.ratiotek.com 626-968-2754
-- Kits At Part Suppliers Now --
RT-4L60E-HD
RT-700R4
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Also 5th Edition Ratiotek
software now shipping!!
This cd contains over 1200 pages of Gears
technical articles, there are 4 years, 260 articles
and 45 issues all on this on cd!
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Our quality used hard parts are priced
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WE HAVE WHAT YOU NEED
FOREIGN & DOMESTIC
Standard Transmissions
Transfer Cases
New & Used Parts
Rebuilt Units
*ONE CALL DOES IT ALL*
CALL
BRIAN OR ALBERT
866-571-GEAR
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Northland Transmission Inc.
Phone: 715-458-2617 Fax: 715-458-2611
www.servobore.com
Fix it in less
than fifteen
minutes with
one of our
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No machine
shop required.

HARD PARTS FOR
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AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS
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WE HAVE OVER 500,000 PARTS IN STOCK
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EARS
G
EARS
This could
be
your ad!
call
(805) 604-2000
and find out how!
For The Transmission rebuilding indusTry
GEARS Shopper advertising costs $325.00 for a one time insertion ad, (2 1/4 X 3) 2.25 X 3. Larger ads can be placed
elsewhere in the magazine and are charged at comparable rates. Check or money order must accompany all orders.
For information on Shopper advertising in GEARS, contact GEARS, 2400 Latigo Avenue, Oxnard, CA 93030, or call
(805) 604-2000.

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BUSINESS FOR SALE: Very suc-
cessful automatic transmission
shop located in the interior of
British Columbia, Canada. Great
fshing, hunting and skiing. Estab-
lished in 1970, grosses $450,000
to $600,000 annually. Great repu-
tation and established clients.
Owner wishes to retire. Turn key
operation. Phone (250) 374-6284,
e-mail: sndymckinley@yahoo.ca.
ATRA Mbr
BUSINESS FOR SALE: Located
in Springfeld, Illinois Transmis-
sion, exhaust and general repair
shop, 30 years in business, four
year old facility-A/C, six lifts. All the
latest equipment, including: Dyno,
Tran X, large inventory parts and
cores. Located on busy road, ex-
cellent reputation with high repeat
customer base. $1.1million, Chuck
Schlosser (217) 891-7542.
ATRA Mbr
BUSINESS FOR SALE: Unique
transmission shop located in the
heart of Montana for sale. This
pristine shop is 40 by 60 foot, fea-
tures 2 Rotory hoists and much
more equipment. Also included,
a 2 story, 2 bath house with a full
unfnished basement. The back-
yard has a natural spring with a
pond stock with fresh trout and
5 acres of prime Montana land.
This property is 7 miles outside of
SHOPPER CLASSIFIED
GEARS classified advertising cost $95.00 for up to 50 words for a one time insertion. ATRA members are eligible to receive up to three (3) FREE classified
advertisements in GEARS annually (per 9 issues). Members wishing to place ads once their three FREE ads have been placed may do so at the cost listed above.
Ads exceeding the maximum word count will cost $1.50 for each additional word (not including phone number and address).
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Distributor of the Bosch Transmission Technology
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vehicles worldwide. Order online now or contact us on
info@pushbelt.com for an attractive quote. Our
distribution centres are located in Cairns (Australia),
Oisterwijk (Netherlands) and Yantai (China).
www.pushbelt.com
For our Canadian
Subscribers
Some of the 800- toll free numbers
listed in the shopper ad section do
not work In Canada. Therefore, as a
service to you we have listed direct
line phone numbers to our shopper
advertisers:
www.atra.com
A&REDS Transmission Parts
has multiple
locations
Eriksson Industries (860) 388-4418
Transmission Exchange Co. (503) 284-0768
Autocomp Technologies (713) 697-5511
Precision of New Hampton Inc (641) 394-5955
Lory Transmission Parts (305) 642-4621
Miami Transmission Kits (305) 885-7355
ART Auto Sport Unlimited
Remanufactured Transmissions
(616) 748-5725
Weller Auto Trucks
Has many different
shop locations
Instaclean (928) 680-4445
Silver Star Transmission (405) 330-9300
Trans-Pac Motor Parts (310) 637-9156
Transfer Case Express
has multiple
locations
Lewistown, Montana. Call (406)
538-9085 Serious inquires only
please.
EQUIPMENT FOR SALE: Trans
Dynomometer Intercontinental
Dyno model CAWDOE 50 HP
electric motor. In new condition,
turn-key system includes all tool-
ing, fxtures, computer and soft-
ware. Dynos most RWD & FWD
automatics. $35,000.00 Ask for
Dave: (250) 475-2851 Victoria BC,
Canada. Can email pictures upon
request. ATRA Mbr
HELP WANTED: Transmission
Parts Sales Rep. - GFX, a Miami
based manufacturer and distribu-
tor of automatic transmission parts
seeks an experienced sales rep-
resentative for our export market.
Knowledge of parts, industry and
distribution channels required.
Compensation is based on expe-
rience. Interested parties should
send their resumes to dgarcia@
gfxcorp.com for consideration. Ap-
plications will be held in strict con-
fdence.
HELP WANTED: Heritage Trans-
missions in Virginia Beach, Virginia
is looking for an experienced Build-
er or R&R with general auto repair
experience. Call Mike at (757) 428-
9088. Will help relocate.
ATRA Mbr
HELP WANTED: Denver Colora-
dos fastest growing family owned
transmission company is look-
ing for skilled Business Mangers,
Builders and R&R Technicians.
If you are driven to succeed and
want to be a part of something
special send your resume to:
3485 S. Zuni St., Sheridan, CO
90110. You may also call (720)
629-0695. Relocation assistance
available to qualifed individuals.
ATRA Mbr
This could be your ad!
call (805)604-2000
and find out how!
G
EARS
G
EARS
This could be your ad!
call (805)604-2000
and find out how!
For transmission rebuilding industry
X
GEARS, 2400 LATIGO AVENUE, OXNARD, CALIFORNIA 93030
or call: (805)604-2000
U.S. $30 ~ Canada $45 ~ Other Areas $65
I want my very own subscription to the next 9 issues of GEARS.
Name
Address
City
State Zip
Phone
Signature
Please enclose check or money order in U.S. funds and send to:
Subscribe Today!
Grab Your GEARS Now!
ADVERTISERS
Name Page Name Page
Active Transmission & GEAR .................................... 24
www.fifthgearrepair.com
ATRA ........................................................ 9, 47, 50, 51
members.atra.com
Certified Transmission ............................................... 33
www.certifiedtransmissions.com
ETE Reman ............................................................... 41
www.enginetrans.com
EVT Parts .................................................................. 35
www.evtparts.com
First National Merchant Solutions ............................. 42
www.fnms.com
Ford Customer Service Division ................................ 15
www.fordparts.com
G-Cor Automotive Corp ............................................. 43
www.g-corautomotive.com
General Motors Company ........................................... 7
www.goodwrench.com
Heffernan Group ........................................................ 43
www.heffgroup.com
Hot Rod Grill .............................................................. 31
www.instaclean.com
Jasper Engines & Transmissions ............................ IBC
www.jasperengines.com
Life Automotive Products Inc. .................................... 23
www.smartblend.com
Lubegard
By International lubricants, Inc. ........... OBC

www.lubegard.com
Precision European Inc ............................................. 37
www.peius.com
Precision International ............................................... 21
www.transmissionkits.com
Raybestos Powertrain ................................................. 3
www.raybestospowertrain.com
Seal Aftermarket Products......................................... 27
www.sealaftermarketproducts.com
Slauson Transmission Parts ...................................... 29
www.slauson.com
Sonnax Industries .................................................... IFC
www.sonnax.com
SuperFlow Technologies Group ................................ 24
www.superflow.com
Superior Transmission Parts ..................................... 39
www.superior-transmission.com
TCI Automotive .......................................................... 42
www.tciauto.com
Transmission Specialties ................................ insert, 25
www.transmission-specialties.com
Transtar Industries, Inc. ..............................................11
www.transtar1.com
TransTec By CORTECO .............................................. 5
www.transtec.com
VBX - ValveBody Xpress, Inc. ................................... 28
www.valvebodyxpress.com
Whatever It Takes Transmission Parts, Inc. .............. 13
www.wittrans.com
2
0
1
0
CALENDAR CALENDAR
ATRA Supplier Members
Reserve your free table top display for the
ATRA 2011 technical seminar series today!
Call (805) 604-2018
jasper ibc.indd IBC2 1/8/09 9:03:00 AM
C
M
Y
CM
MY
CY
CMY
K
MOneyMagnet.pdf 11/2/2010 9:15:23 AM

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BETTER BUSI NESS BUREAU 2010

kits make for a faster rebuild with virtually no comebacks. TransTec

kit number 2508 that

recognized the need for a

By International lubricants, Inc. ........... OBC

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