(Gearbox) 5 Deadly Things From the Gearbox

5 Deadly Things From the Gearbox

If the gearbox breaks down, the repair is usually quite complex and, therefore, costly. This is why this element must be treated with care. These are the five most common mistakes to avoid:
These are 5 Deadly Things From the Gearbox. Have you ever committed them? Did you know them, at least? Watch out: because they lead to aging and breakdowns.

How does the gearbox work?

“Scratch that!” is what they say when you hear a very abrupt gear change. It hurts your ears… and your pocket! These actions with the lever are no fun at all because the rubbing can almost be understood as a cry of agony coming from deep inside the transmission.

5 Deadly Things From the Gearbox

And watch out, because once one of its components breaks, repair costs in the four-digit range are more the rule rather than the exception.

But other sins can send the transmission to hell without even knowing it. Pay attention or pray what you know!

1. Shifting gear too fast

We see it often in the movies: motorists shifting from one gear to another in less than a second. What helps romance is not so well received by the manual transmission. Inside there are gears of different sizes.

With the lever, you select the pinion – the gear – by which the movement of the engine will end up at the wheels at the chosen revolutions. However, for this to happen, there must be an element that synchronizes the speed of the motor and the pinion of the gearbox with that of the wheels, so that they rotate at the same speed. Although this circumstance has been solved by ‘dual clutch’ transmissions, there are now rings (‘synchros’) that do this job and act almost as a kind of clutch between the two gears.

If you shift to a different gear, the connecting sleeve is pushed in the direction of the appropriate gear and therefore puts pressure on the synchronizer ring, which then brakes or accelerates the gear and adjusts it to the speed needed to make everything go smoothly. But what happens if you shift too fast? Well, the synchronizing mechanism does not have time to smoothly adjust the sprocket to the speed of the wheel: so this ring rubs sharply against the sprocket during a fast shift, which leads to increased wear of this ‘mediating’ element, and can even break it.

5 Deadly Things From the Gearbox
5 Deadly Things From the Gearbox

In addition, the wear causes, as a consequence, a malfunction that worsens over time and ultimately results in very costly damage. The chips formed in the friction process float in the gearbox oil (or valvular) and contaminate it. As a result, the bearings in the gearbox and the gears themselves can no longer be adequately lubricated, which in turn increases wear.

If you shift slower, the synchronizer ring will wear over time, but not as prematurely. In addition. slow shifting has another advantage: the risk of accidentally engaging a lower ratio instead of a higher one is also significantly lower. If this happens, not only can you severely damage the gearbox, but the entire engine can suffer greatly.

2. Engaging reverse gear while the car is rolling

A reverse gear ensures that the wheels turn in a different direction. To enable this to happen, there is an ‘isolated’ reverse gear that is coupled to another gear via a connecting sleeve. Unlike the front gears, this one is generally not synchronized.

5 Deadly Things From the Gearbox
5 Deadly Things From the Gearbox

Therefore, the car must be stopped before the reverse gear is engaged. The clutch must also be depressed a little before inserting the reverse gear so that both gears stop and can engage each other without damage. This advice also applies to cars with automatic transmissions. If the selector lever is moved from ‘D’ to ‘R’ while the vehicle is rolling forward, the brake bands and multi-disc clutches inside the transmission wear much more quickly. If, on the other hand, you shift from ‘R’ (reverse) to ‘D’ (direct) when rolling backward, what happens in the gearbox is just as negative. So remember: it is always best to bring the car to a complete stop before shifting between ‘D’ and ‘R’.

3. Putting your hand on the gearshift lever

It’s cool to place your right hand on the gearshift lever. It’s very much like having everything under control, being a ‘pro’… or being very insecure. Be that as it may, in the long run, this action damages the transmission because you are gratuitously forcing the connection sleeve between the pinions we were talking about before.

5 Deadly Things From the Gearbox
5 Deadly Things From the Gearbox

This continued pressure causes ‘artificial’ stress on the gearbox, which in turn not only puts more pressure on this connection but also the synchronizer rings and the mating gears. As a result, they also wear out faster, as do other gearbox elements such as bearings. So always keep your hands on the steering wheel while driving: it’s the best thing for the mechanics and, of course, also for safety.

4. Not pressing the clutch pedal correctly

Another frequent error derived from fast and sporty shifting: not pressing the clutch pedal properly or not doing it on time. Not to mention having it partially depressed all the time while driving.

These carelessnesses end up in really expensive repairs. If the clutch does not fully separate the engine and gearbox when it should or does not do so in time and you still shift to the next gear, the gearbox often reacts with a loud creaking noise. That creaking is caused by the fact that the synchronizer rings cannot accelerate the two gears during the shifting process. While one gear rotates at wheel speed, the other rotates at engine speed and there is a mismatch.

5 Deadly Things From the Gearbox
5 Deadly Things From the Gearbox

If it still shifts, the connecting sleeve is forcibly pushed over the gears rotating at different speeds. The gears scrape the connection sleeve, unpleasant noises are produced and wear is accelerated. Some gear teeth may even break off – imagine the breakdown!

Driving in flip-flops, heels and other unsuitable footwear leads to incorrect use of the pedals.

5. Neglecting maintenance

To ensure that the gearbox remains in good shape for a long time, it must undergo regular maintenance. Many car manufacturers do not even make provisions for transmission maintenance.

5 Deadly Things From the Gearbox
5 Deadly Things From the Gearbox

Whether manual or automatic transmission, there is often a ‘fill for life’ clause for the transmission oil (valvular). However, here you should know that manufacturers often provide a service life for a car of around 200,000 kilometers. But with regular maintenance, a gearbox can last longer. Because, over time, the valvular also ages: it becomes cloudy due to normal wear and tear and also does not lubricate the bearings properly.

Impurities are removed by regular changes in valvular. A transmission oil change should be particularly noticeable in automatic transmissions, where your management as a driver does not influence so much and it is immediately noticeable that the gears go much more smoothly.

But, of course, a manual transmission also appreciates a renewed lubrication. The gearbox should be checked periodically for leaks. If there is not enough oil in this element, all components will wear prematurely. If you check the level of the valvular, change it before the stipulated deadlines (you can do it yourself or order it in the workshop, but the process – see the pictures – is simple) and use the lever as we have indicated, stepping well on the pedals, the transmission will have a long life ahead.

How do you replace the gearbox oil?

If you decide to do it yourself, make sure that the valve oil is suitable for your model of car and your type of gearbox.

The gearbox oil has its sump, although there have been vehicles in which the engine oil lubricated the gearbox and cooled some elements!

Once the gearbox oil or valve oil is removed when the engine is hot, the new fluid is injected directly with this kind of syringe. It is advisable to renew the plugs.

Conclusion
It is very tempting to delude oneself with the belief that “in today’s cars, the valvular usually lasts the life of the vehicle”. The bad thing is that if you never pay attention to the level, or to possible leaks, when the change starts to complain, it may be too late. At least follow these preventive tips!