Automatic transmission, i.e. ease of launch and driving comfort in one!
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What is an automatic transmission?
In cars with a manual transmission, your activity is required to change gear while driving - you have to gently press the lever in the desired direction. On the other hand, an automatic transmission, also referred to as automatic, shifts gears automatically while driving. The driver does not have to do this, which makes it easier to concentrate on what is happening on the road. This, in turn, directly affects the safety and driving dynamics.
A few words about the history of the gearbox
The first gearbox, not yet automatic, but manual, was created by the French designer Rene Panhard in 1891. At that time it was just a 3-speed gearbox, which was installed on a 1,2-liter V-twin engine. It consisted of 2 shafts with gears with straight teeth of different diameters. Each gear change using a new automotive device was carried out by means of gears that moved along the axis of the shaft and were engaged with a wheel mounted on an adjacent shaft. The drive, in turn, was transmitted using a chain drive to the rear wheels. The driver had to show great skill to change gears, and all because the original gearboxes did not have synchronizers.
The road to perfection, or how an automatic transmission was created
The first automatic transmission was created in 1904 in Boston, USA, in the workshop of the Sturtevant brothers. The designers equipped it with two forward gears and used centrifugal force to work. Shifting from a lower to a higher gear was almost automatic as the engine revs increased. When these speeds fell, the automatic transmission mechanism automatically dropped to a lower gear. The original design of the automatic transmission turned out to be imperfect and often failed, mainly due to the use of low-quality materials in its design.
A great contribution to the development of automata in cars was made by Henry Ford, who built the Model T car and, by the way, designed a planetary gearbox with two forward and reverse gears. Its management can hardly be called fully automated, because. the driver controlled the gears with pedals, but it was easier that way. At that time, automatic transmissions were simplified and included a hydraulic clutch and a planetary gear.
The semi-automatic sequential transmission, which used a traditional clutch and hydraulically actuated planetary gear, was invented by General Motors and REO during the interwar period. In turn, the Chrysler brand created a design that uses an automatic hydraulic clutch and a manual transmission. One of the pedals was removed from the car, but the gear lever remained. Selespeed or Tiptronic gearboxes are based on semi-automatic solutions.
Hydra-matic, the first hydraulic automatic transmission
The first to go into mass production was an automatic hydraulic gearbox - hydra-matic.. They were equipped with cars. It differed in that it had four gears and a reverse gear. Structurally, it had a planetary gearbox and a fluid coupling, so it was not required to disconnect it.
In May 1939, shortly before the outbreak of World War II, General Motors introduced the Oldsmobile-branded Hydra-matic automatic transmission to cars from model year 1940, which became an option in Cadillac passenger cars a year later. It turned out that customers were very eager to buy cars with automatic transmissions, so GM began licensing hydraulic transmissions. It was bought by brands such as Rolls Royce, Lincoln, Bentley and Nash. After the 1948 war, Hydra-matic became an option on Pontiac models.
Other solutions used in automatic transmissions
Chevrolet and Buick did not use the GM license but developed their own bodies. Buick created the Dynaflow with a torque converter instead of a hydraulic clutch. Chevrolet, on the other hand, used the Powerglide design, which used a two-speed torque converter and a hydraulic planetary gear.
After initial discussions with Studebaker about the possibility of licensing a DG automatic transmission, Ford created its Ford-O-Matic license with 3 forward gears and one reverse gear, which used an integral torque converter and a planetary gearbox.
The development of automatic transmissions accelerated in the 1980s thanks to Harry Webster of Automotive Products, who came up with the idea of using a dual clutch. The DSG dual clutch transmission eliminates the torque converter used in conventional planetary automatic transmissions. Solutions are currently available using oil bath double clutch transmissions. Versions with the so-called. dry clutch. The first production car with a DSG transmission was the 4 Volkswagen Golf Mk32 R2003.
How does an automatic transmission work?
Nowadays, automatic transmissions, called automatic transmissions, are installed on cars of various brands and shift gears automatically. The driver does not have to do this manually, so he can smoothly control the car without controlling the gear ratio depending on the engine speed currently being reached.
Cars with automatic transmission have only two pedals - brake and accelerator. Clutch is not required thanks to the use of a hydrokinetic solution, which is actuated by an automatic unit.
How to avoid malfunctions and the need for automatic transmission repair?
By following a few basic rules for using the machine, you will avoid typical breakdowns. To prevent automatic transmission repair from becoming a necessity:
- do not shift gears too quickly and abruptly;
- bring the vehicle to a complete stop before engaging reverse gear, and then select R (Reverse). The gearbox will engage very quickly and you will be able to press the gas pedal to make the car move backward;
- stop the car if you select another position for the automatic transmission - P (Parking mode), which is intended for parking the car after stopping in the parking lot or the N (Neutral) position while driving.
If you press the accelerator pedal hard while driving or starting off, you will damage your automatic transmission. This can lead to premature wear of the transmission.
Automatic oil change
When using an automatic transmission, be sure to check the oil level regularly. The oil change in the automatic transmission must take place within the period provided and specified by the vehicle manufacturer. Why is it so important? Well, if you leave the used oil on for too long or the level is dangerously low, it can cause transmission components to seize and fail. Automatic transmission repair in such a situation, most likely, dooms you to high costs.
Remember to choose the right automatic transmission oils.
How to avoid damage to the box when towing the machine?
Another problem can be caused by towing the car in the wrong gear. You need to know that even in the N position, i.e. neutral, the automatic transmission is still working, but its lubrication system has already been turned off. As you probably guessed, this leads to overheating of the gearbox components and their failure. Before towing a car with an automatic transmission, read its manual to learn how to do it correctly. Towing the assault rifle is possible, but only for short distances and at a speed of no more than 50 km/h.
