Improving Your Automobile

How To Prevent Gearbox Damage

14 November 2014

Addison Morris

A damaged or a malfunctioning gearbox is probably the kind of car trouble that is dreaded by most people. A car cannot move without the gearbox. It has to be towed. This can be quite expensive if your car breaks down far from a town. To top this, gearbox repairs are very costly. Mostly a gearbox malfunctions is due to contamination. Internal contamination is the most common. When the gears grind against each other, metal is ejected into the fluid. There is nothing you can do to prevent this.  Over time, the fluid becomes contaminated, and this causes the gearbox not to work properly. There are other causes to gearbox failure. Here are some tips that may help to prevent them.

Keeping the transmission fluid fresh

Since there is no way to effectively prevent the fluid from getting contaminated, it has to be changed regularly. The fluid level should be checked after every 1500 kilometres. You should never let a whole year go by before changing the fluid. If your vehicle is in constant use, change it after every six months. There are different types of fluid. Some are cheaper than others. Always use the fluid that came with the vehicle no matter how expensive it is. Keep checking for newer and more efficient fluids, however. These will often be costlier but it is worth it because they protect the transmission better.

Do not overfill

When putting in fluid, follow exactly what the manual says. Overfilling causes foaming. This can result in poor internal lubrication, erratic shifting and probable damage to the gears. Overheating of the car also causes similar problems. Overheating sometimes results from driving long distances without pause. It is advisable to stop and let the car cool for a while before continuing. When the car operates at normal temperatures, the risk of damage is significantly reduced.

Install a secondary cooler

Having a second cooler installed reduces chances of your transmission getting damaged due to excess heat. This will cost you money, but you end up saving much more in the long run. In case you use your vehicle for transportation purposes, do not overload it. An overloaded vehicle causes the transmission to work extra hard, which causes damage.

Handle your vehicle properly

Your driving habits themselves can cause gearbox damage. On cold days, allow the engine to warm up for a minute before you take off. Drive slowly for a while to let the gearbox also warm up. If you have a manual transmission, use the proper gear.

Finally, exercise a lot of caution where the gearbox is concerned. Anytime you suspect something may be wrong, have a mechanic take a look and make the necessary car repairs. 

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