Transmission valve body
The hydraulic pressure of an automatic transmission is controlled by several valves, these are the shift valves. When you put the car in Neutral or Park, the valves are closed so that there is no hydraulic oil in the system. Without this pressure, the gears are not pushed into position, and they do not turn the wheels.
When you put the car in Drive, a shift valve opens, allowing fluid to flow through a channel in the transmission. The pressure pushes the gears forward, engaging the correct gear.
Automatic transmission valve
An automatic transmission has many advantages. For example, you don't have to think about changing gears, which allows you to pay more attention to traffic. In addition, automatic transmissions are particularly well-adapted to help you to drive as economically as possible.
However, there are also disadvantages to an automatic transmission. Because the technology has been developed so far, it is a complicated system. This means repair is difficult and takes a lot of time, which in turn translates into higher costs for you. It is therefore important to keep up with the maintenance of your automatic transmission, to reduce wear.
Automatic transmission problems
The gearbox and shift valves can wear in different ways. The chance of wear is of course greater as your car gets older. However, there are reasons why this happens faster. This can be caused by contaminated transmission oil (ATF), a contaminated transmission filter, overheating or mechanical damage due to a blow or accident.
If your transmission is worn out, you will notice a grinding noise when the car changes gears, slipping gears, a burning smell when you accelerate, or an engine light on your dashboard.
If you notice that your automatic transmission is not working properly, you want to fix it as soon as possible. Driving too long can cause more damage, which means more costs. Sometimes problems can be solved by replacing the transmission fluid or adding a special ATF additive to the transmission oil, which cleans the transmission. It is important that you use the correct fluid for your transmission.
If the gearbox is really worn out, it needs to be overhauled, replacing the worn parts. Always consult a professional.
A suitable shift valve for your automatic transmission can be found at Winparts. The shift valve and many more transmission parts can be easily found with your license plate. This way you do not have to search and doubt whether you are buying the right part.
