Is a Specialist Needed for Transmission Repair?
Many people believe that they need to go to a specialist to get transmission work done. While it’s true that not every general shop can handle the big jobs, there are some providers of auto repair in Longmont who can take care of everything. Here are a couple of the transmission-related services such a shop may offer:
Fluid Flush
These aren’t needed for healthy transmissions more than perhaps once every 100,000 or 150,000 miles. Each car’s owner’s manual will have the manufacturer’s specifications for that particular make and model. Unhealthy transmissions, on the other hand, can end up with burnt fluid or fluid that’s been contaminated with metal shavings.
It can be tempting to have the fluid changed when bad fluid is seen on the transmission dipstick, but this isn’t a real solution. That’s because flushing the fluid doesn’t get rid of the underlying problem. The proper sequence of repairs is to fix the problem first and only then put the new fluid in.
Transmission Rebuilding or Replacement
This is what takes care of the actual repair. With rebuilding, the existing transmission is removed and taken apart. The damaged internal parts are replaced with new ones while the ones that are still good are kept. Then, new seals are installed and the unit is reassembled. This is a lot of work, so it can take several days for a busy shop to get the job done.
Transmission replacement doesn’t involve installing a truly new unit. Instead, the shop uses one that was rebuilt at some prior time. The pre-rebuilt one may have been worked on by the shop, but it’s more common for general mechanics to buy them in from large rebuilding companies. Either way, using one that was already rebuilt is a time saver for customers. All the mechanic has to do is take out the old unit and install the new one. Despite this, the price is usually about the same because the rebuilding work did have to be done at some point.
Other Transmission Services
The other main service offered is diagnostics. Some other car problems that seem to point to the transmission are actually caused by other things. This makes it a good idea to test and make sure that the transmission is really at fault.
If a car has been acting up, it’s a good idea to stop by an all-service garage before seeing any specialists. The general garage will likely offer better prices and a faster turnaround time.
