I don't know if this has been discussed before, maybe someone will know.
In reference to the later sealed transmissions, is that an attempt to limit non-dealer interaction (and possible contamination of the factory spec. fluid.
It seems like somthing that might be done to see if less tampering= longer / better service life.
A long while ago a postal repair manager told me of a study the Govt. was doing on some of their fleet vehicles. With postal delivery vehicles producing
some excellent punishment with stoping and starting at every mailbox six days
a week. The fleets at a shop were divided into two groups, each group had
the same assortment of vehicles.
Group A - received normal scheduled maintence making sure the automatic
transmission received the required services, filters, fluid changes, pan gaskets
and any adjustments that might be indicated, bands etc.
Group B - received normal scheduled maintence for all other systems- but specifically left the Auto trans untouched.
As the study was going on, some of the Group A vehicles were growing their
own group of sub problems, pan gasket reseal/ retighten, adjustments, etc.
and maybe drivability complaints. With the additional shop hours charged accordingly to that vehicle.
The Group B vehicles transmissions remained untouched 'sealed and taged'
for the normal service life of the vehicle- or until failure.
As a result the group had no trans related charges unless a major failure occured.
The goal here was' as I understand it' to determine the more cost effective
and or useful method to deal with an automatic trans.
This was before any of todays electronic controlled transmissions, which have their own set of delicate problems. But at the time the study seeming
to show that the transmissions were doing quite well being left alone.
I never heard the final result.
But just as many of us on here find it necessary or desireable to perform many
service/ repair tasks ourselves - it is also quite possible to pay a wide variety
of service centers to perform less than correct service. With bulk fluid choices, flushing machines ( that were hooked to any number of contaminated
transmissions before yours or mine) and might be operated by a less than qualified operator - these might be the same oil change crews that put the wrong oil in, top off the master cylinder with some other fluid (that was a scarry ride)- leave the cap off, leave the drain plug loose, etc.
So my question is this, are the transmissions sealed to try and limit the number and type of people touching them? And if so, has it had the
desired effect of allowing the transmissions to function better?
Anyone have any input?
