Auto transmission
WHAT AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION DOESĪ transmission’s purpose is to literally transmit torque to the drive wheels.Īs the engine runs, it spins the crankshaft, producing power that needs to be put into use to propel your car.Īn automatic transmission uses a few unique processes to make transmitting torque and shifting gears easier for the driver.
Auto transmission how to#
Knowing a little bit about how the automatic transmission works in your car can help you know why it’s important to maintain it well, as well as how to identify when something isn’t working quite right. It’s a difficult system to understand for even the most mechanically minded person. This one part creates all the possible gear ratios that the transmission can produce.One of the most complex parts in any vehicle is the transmission, particularly if it’s an automatic transmission. The planetary gear set is really the heart of an automatic transmission. The torque converter clarifies how the engines send power to the transmission, but the planetary gear sets explain how an automatic transmission changes gear. This minimalises churning loses and increases torque output.īy providing you with more torque, it assists you with accelerating or when your vehicle is stationary (the reason your car never stalls). Between these two components sits the stator, which redirects the fluid as it returns from the turbine to the impeller. Transmission oil flows in a loop between the impeller and turbine. It drives the turbine, which in turn is connected to the transmission input shaft where it provides torque. So how do all these parts work? Well, the impeller is part of the torque converter that connects directly to the engine. The major parts of a torque converter are the impeller, turbine, stator and the lock-up clutch.
Auto transmission manual#
You know how you have a clutch on a manual transmission ? A torque converter basically takes its place in an automatic transmission. The torque converter and the planetary gear sets are the two main components of an automatic transmission – so let’s look at them a bit closer.
Inside the transmission is the planetary gear sets, which are responsible for providing different gear ratios. The bell housing is the place where the transmission connects to the engine. To get a better understanding of how an automatic transmissionworks, the best place to start is the bell housing, which contains a torque converter as opposed to a clutch found in manual vehicles. Your transmission will ensure that your engine always spins at the optimal rate. However, if you are going downhill or slam on your breaks, it will decrease. For example, if your vehicle is starting from a standstill or going up a hill, it will increase the amount of power. It provides your wheels with the perfect amount of power depending on the situation. Your transmission sort of acts like a power switchboard for your car. If it spins too fast, the engine could potentially self-destruct. However, in order to operate efficiently, an engine must spin at a specific speed. To be able to move your vehicle, this power needs to be transferred to the wheels.
Your vehicle’s engine creates rotational power, otherwise known as torque.
While we don’t promise to give you a deep understanding of this complex system, we pledge to simplify it to point where you have some idea of what’s going on in a traditional, torque converter-based system. Well, if you have, then this blog is for you. Have you ever stopped to consider how your car shifts gears automatically or why the engine does not die when you come to a stop?
Auto transmission drivers#
Blog » How Does an Automatic Transmission Work?ĭespite the huge number of automatic vehicles on our roads, most drivers are completely unaware of how an automatic transmission works.