A Closer Look at The Toyota A750E Valve Body: USA Transmissions

APRIL 2010
A Closer Look at the Toyota

A750E Valve Body
USA Transmissions,
Making It Work
FOR THE TRANSMISSION REBUILDING INDUSTRY
TM
Sonnax has valve bodies
on the brain.
The valve body is the brains of a transmission.
That transmission isnt fixed until the valve body is
right. And that means getting to the root cause of
the problem, not just treating the symptoms.
Nobody knows valve bodies like Sonnax.
TM
Automatic Drive, P.O. Box 440, Bellows Falls, Vermont 05101-0440
800.843.2600 802.463.9722 F: 802.463.4059
www.sonnax.com
SPECIAL INTEREST & TECHNICAL
4 ACloserLookattheToyotaA750EValveBodyby Mike Brown
10 KeepingItSimpleby Mike Souza
18 WITADecadeofExcellence
22 ACloserLookatVehicleDataCommunications
by Steve Garrett
28 JustSitOnIt!by Thom Tschetter
30 MAKIngITWOrK:USATransmissions
by Rodger Bland
40 PLAyIngWIThFIrE:Buildinga5-VoltSignalgenerator
by Jon Rodriguez
45 OneofThoseDaysby Jeff Yarbrough
47 MEMBErShIPMATTErS:KeepItgoing!
by Kelly Hilmer
49 ATrA'sPowertrainEXPO2010
DEPARTMENTS
2 FrOMThECEO:WhatIfItDoesntWork?
by Dennis Madden
53 PowertrainIndustrynews
58 ShoppersandClassified
64 ATrASeminars
64 ListofAdvertisers
The views expressed in this publication should not necessarily be interpreted
as the official policy of the Automatic Transmission Rebuilders Association (ATRA).
Publication of product information or any advertising does not imply recommenda-
tion by ATRA.
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published for the betterment of the transmission industry and is distributed nine
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sion industry in the United States, Canada, ATRA Members in Mexico & Europe,
and related automotive industry firms and individually. Send changes of address
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Chief Executive Officer Dennis Madden
Managing Editor Rodger Bland
Technical Director Lance Wiggins
Advertising Frank Pasley
Senior Designer Jeanette Troub
Circulation Richard Hurley
Contributing Editors Steve Bodofsky
Thom Tschetter
Jeff Yarbrough

ATRA Technical Staff Bill Brayton
Mike Brown Steve Garrett
Pete Huscher Jon Rodriguez
Randall Schroeder Mike Souza

Director of Membership & IT Svc Kelly Hilmer
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Bookstore Manager Shaun Velasquez
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
The Vess Brothers, Making it Work
in a Big Way, Texas Style
Page 30
FOR THE TRANSMISSION REBUILDING INDUSTRY
A Closer Look at the
Toyota A750E Valve Body
Page 4
A Closer Look at Vehicle Data
Communications
Page 22
G
EARS
On The Cover: WIT A Decade of Excellence
Feature story on Page 18
(Paid Advertisement)
APRIL 2010
PHONE (805) 604-2000 FAX (805) 604-2006
2 GEARS April 2010
T
hings dont always work out the
way youd like them to, espe-
cially with transmission repair.
You rebuild a unit a type youve
built a hundred times before but this
one bounces it doesnt even make
it off the rack. Maybe you tried a new
procedure or component and it didnt
work the way it was supposed to.
So what do you do? You try some-
thing else. You ask for advice. You read
up on the topic, looking for fixes for
similar problems. Maybe you go to a
tech seminar to look for the answer.
You know it can work; youve
rebuilt these units before without any
problem, so why wont it work right
this time? In most cases its something
you missed or failed to do properly, or
a modification that backfired.
It doesnt really matter what the
specific problem is: The fact is youre
going to find it, and youre going to fix
it; giving up isnt an option.
But when it comes to business
problems, shop owners dont always
exhibit that same determination. Too
often they explain away a poor month
or a bad quarter as something outside
their control: The economy has just
killed business in this town, they say.
And because they accept that premise,
they dont take the steps necessary to
invigorate their businesses.
The problem with that is it isnt
true: During my shop visits Ill often
stop in at shops that are just a few blocks
from one another. In one shop theyll be
sweeping the floor and emptying trash,
while the next one is packed. How
could the difference have anything to
do with the economy or regional issues
when the shops are so close to each
other? It cant.
So if the problem isnt regional or
economic, what is it? And why is it so
hard for shop owners to identify whats
wrong, and what itll take to fix it?
Thats because theres a difference
between identifying a problem on the
bench and one in your business model:
time.
Everything you do has a cause-
and-effect relationship. You flip the
switch on the wall and the light comes
on. Cause, effect. Usually, as with the
light switch, the cause and effect are
right next to one another, so its easy to
recognize the relationship.
The same is true with transmis-
sion repair. You replace a rolled seal
or a cracked ring, and now the clutch
applies. You know you found the cause
of your problem because it goes away
as soon as you install the new parts.
But in business theres a huge time
delay between the cause and effect.
Changes you make today can take
months even years to realize
their full effect. That delay can make it
all but impossible to identify whether
youre getting the desired effect from
the changes you made.
So at ATRA, we started to examine
the most successful and not so suc-
cessful businesses in the industry.
We compared what they were doing,
and looked for what they had in com-
mon. From that, we were able to iden-
tify practices and procedures that pro-
vide the greatest rewards for transmis-
sion repair shops.
That led to the creation of ATRAs
Whats Working program; a targeted
approach for discovering the differ-
ences between shops that are doing
well and those that are barely surviving.
Over the past five years weve learned
what works and what doesnt. There
are clear examples of this, regardless of
how big the shop is, how long its been
in business, or where its located.
Thats a critical consideration: Its
far too easy to pour time and money into
additional marketing. But, because of
the delay between the cause and effect,
you may never know for sure whether
your investment worked or not.
Thats why the Whats Working
program is so valuable: Through our
industrywide sampling, weve been
able to identify the procedures that
provide the biggest bang for your buck,
and which ones are more likely to drain
your wallet, without ever producing the
results you were hoping for.
This year, the Whats Working pro-
gram is going on-site to successful
shops across the country to see first-
hand what theyre doing and how. Well
share their stories at this years ATRA
Powertrain Expo. And well have some
of those successful shop owners on
hand to tell their stories and answer
your questions.
There are still some great opportu-
nities in this industry. The trick to suc-
cess is no different than at the bench.
You need to dig in and discover the
causes that provide the effects youre
looking for. What if it doesnt work?
You can learn what will at Expo!
FROM THE CEO
by Dennis Madden
members.atra.com
What If
It Doesnt Work?
My DAD BET ME I couldnt get
four new distributors in 2010!
Help me win that bet and become a Certified
Transmission Distributor. The Certified
Transmission Program is unique, designed
exclusively for professional transmission shops
(or: auto and truck repair shops) looking to
increase capacity, sales and profits. More than
just another reman unit, Certified transmissions
are installed by the people who build and test
them and by professional shops throughout
North America.
A designated territory
200 of your fastest moving transmissions
in stock at your location
5,000 more transmissions transfer cases
just a phone call away
A program allowing you to pay for them
after you sell them
Attract more fleet and general repair
business with immediate delivery
Able to offer same day service again
(At a premium price)
Free use of the copyrighted and
proprietary Certified Transmission
Vehicle Specific Lookup ID system
Call Terry Cash at
800-544-7520 ext.170
Join the Network of Success
Akron, OH Waterloo Transmission 800-824-6689
Baltimore/
Washington DC Glen Burnie Transmission 410-766-8500
Boston, MA Metro Transmission Distributors Inc 800-891-5508
Casper, WY Auto Dynamics 800-222-4646
Des Moines, IA All Drive Transmission 800-247-1499
Framingham, MA Bonded Transmission 508-872-1119
Ft. Dodge, IA Certified Transmission Iowa 800-362-2189
Kalona, IA Kalona Auto 800-728-3098
Kansas City, MO Certified Transmission Kansas City 800-544-7520
Madison, WI Trans Works Transmissions 608-742-5136
Minneapolis, MN Tri Star Engine & Transmission 800-322-5859
Manhattan, KS Stagg Hill Transmissions 785-539-2900
North/Central NE Norfolk Transmission 800-234-8726
Omaha, NE Certified Transmission Nebraska 800-544-7520
Philadelphia, PA Metro RMP 800-257-7418
Rapid City, SD Logan's Transmission 800-579-1742
St Louis MO JC Parts City 866-735-1960
Salt Lake City, UT Freeway Transmission 800-354-5920
San Diego, CA Metro Certified Transmission of So. Cal 888-374-8383
Scottsbluff, NE Wilburn's Transmissions Inc. 308-635-1212
Sioux Falls, SD J & M Transmission 800-504-2050
Tulsa, OK Eddie's Transmissions 918-272-6683
Youngstown, OH/
Tri -State Redlich Transmission 330-758-5555
www.certifiedtransmission.com
W A N T N E W R E V E N U E F O R Y O U R B U S I N E S S ?
PARTNERSHIP
PRODUCTIVITY
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Peter and Amanda Fink
Certified Transmission
CT-GearsMag3-1'10:Layout 4 1/30/10 7:28 AM Page 1
4 GEARS April 2010
T
he Toyota A750E was first
introduced in the 2003
4-Runner and Land Cruiser,
and the Lexus LX400 and GX470.
Since then its become quite popular,
showing up in the Tacoma, Sequoia
and Tundra in 2005 and the FJ Cruiser
in 2007.
These transmissions have been on
the road for up to seven years and are
getting a lot of miles on them. With all
the cars using this transmission, theres
no doubt youll be seeing it in the years
to come (figure 1).
A common complaint is the trans-
mission falling out of gear when com-
ing to a stop, sometimes so harsh that
it feels like someone has rear-ended
you. This happens because the trans has
fallen out of gear due to low pressure,
caused by a faulty SLT pressure sole-
noid. The ECM then ramps up the pres-
sure to max and it slams back into gear.
Replace the SLT solenoid is the fix for
this concern. But before we get into
fixes lets learn a little about this unit
Line Pressure
Specifications
Line pressure tap location and
specifications (figure 2).
ATF Temperature Sensor
This transmission uses two tem-
perature sensors, each with a different
function. The ECM uses ATF tempera-
ture sensor 1 to modify pressure control

for the clutches and brakes. If this sen-
sor fails, the ECM will prevent upshifts
into fifth gear and lockup. The ECM
uses ATF temperature sensor 2 for shift
timing control when ATF temperatures
are high.
A Closer Look at
the Toyota A750E
Valve Body
Figure 1
by Mike Brown
members.atra.com
Figure 2
A750E/F Line Pressure Specifications
Condition D Position R Position
Idling 53-59 psi 73-84 psi
Stall 196-212 psi 188-205 psi
6 GEARS April 2010
In some vehicles equipped with the
A750E, the MIL may light intermittent-
ly, and the computer may store DTC
P2742 in memory (Transmission fluid
temperature sensor 2 circuit low).
To diagnose this, monitor ATF
temperature sensor 2 and watch for it
to short to ground intermittently. When
the sensor shorts, ATF temperature sen-
sor 2 will indicate 302F (150C). This
is usually due to a faulty internal wiring
harness; replacing the harness will cor-
rect the problem.
ATF temperature sensor 2 has two
blue wires; ATF temperature sensor 1
has two orange wires (figure 3).
Solenoid ID and
Location
This chart provides
the repair manual ID
for each solenoid in the
A750E transmission,
and the part name and
description provided
in the electronic parts
catalog.
Figure 4 shows the solenoid ID and
location.
Valve Body Disassembly
There are a few procedures you
should always keep in mind when
working the A750E valve body. Two
things that you need to do are:
Make sure you record the 1.
accumulator control pressure setting
prior to removing the accumulator con-
trol valve (figure 5).
Figure 3
A Closer Look at the Toyota A750E Valve Body
Figure 5
Figure 4
Figure 6
ID Solenoid Name Parts Catalog Description
S1 Shift Solenoid A 3-Way Transmission Solenoid
S2 Shift Solenoid B Transmission Solenoid 3
SR Shift Solenoid E 3-Way Transmission Solenoid 2
SL1 Pressure Control Solenoid A Clutch Control Solenoid 1
SL2 Pressure Control Solenoid B Clutch Control Solenoid 2
SLT Pressure Control Solenoid D Line Pressure Control Solenoid
SLU TCC Pressure Control Solenoid Lockup Control Solenoid
C M Y CM MY CY CMY K
8 GEARS April 2010
Theres no factory preset specifica-
tion. From the factory setting, you can
turn the stepper in to provide a firmer
shift feel. Backing the stepper out will
offer a softer shift feel.
Make sure you record the pri- 2.
mary regulator valve setting before
removing primary regulator valve from
the valve body. The tallest step will pro-
vide the highest base pressure reading;
the shortest step will provide the lowest
base pressure reading (figure 6).
Always inspect the valves and
springs thoroughly during disassembly.
Check the valves for scoring and make
sure the valve bore is clean. Pay close
attention to the valve layout, and make
sure you put them back in the way they
came out.
Exploded View Upper
Valve Body 1
Install the checkball in the C3
check valve lineup (figure 7). If you
leave this checkball out, the transmis-
sion wont go into reverse.
Always check the B1 accumulator
in the upper valve body (figure 8). This
is where debris will build up. It can be
difficult to remove, but its important
to take it out and clean the bore thor-
oughly.
Exploded View Lower
Valve Body 1
The primary regulator valve and
the accumulator control valve are locat-
ed in the lower valve body (figure 9).
Record the settings for these valves.
A Closer Look at the Toyota A750E Valve Body
Figure 9
Figure 8
Figure 7
GEARS April 2010 9
Once youve recorded the settings, disassemble the lower valve
body, check the valves for scoring, and make sure the valve bore is
clean.
Always install the solenoid filter screen (figure 10) with the open
end up. The screen will snap into the separator plate when properly
installed. Install the torque converter check valve as shown.
Upper Valve Body 1 and 2 Checkballs
There are three sections to the
A750E/F valve body. Upper valve bod-
ies 1 and 2 are the only valve bodies with
checkballs (figures 11 and 12).
All of the checkballs are composite.
Make sure the checkballs are in good
shape; replace any that are damaged or
have decomposed. All of the checkballs
are the same size: 0.217 (5.5mm).
The coast brake relay valve is locat-
ed in upper valve body 2 (figure 12). Be
sure to remove, clean and inspect this
valve body.
Lower Valve Body 1
The purpose of the pressure limit
checkball is to exhaust pressure if it
becomes too high (figure 13). The limit
valve will blow off at about 300 PSI.
Now that weve covered all sole-
noids, control valves and checkballs in
the valve body, reassembling the valve
body should be a snap.
The A750E valve body isnt dif-
ficult to work with. But without the
proper information and understanding,
you could easily cause yourself problems
later on. Thats why its so important to
have all the information close at hand.
Its not just smart its Street Smart!
Figure 13
Figure 10
Figure 11
Figure 12
10 GEARS April 2010
Keeping It Simple
S
everal times when
handling a tech call
I forget the difficult
situations involved when
I ask a tech to back-probe
some wires and give me
the results. Ill usually
get a response of; Man
do you know where that
pin is located? There are
times when explaining a
procedure over the phone
even while the tech and
I going over the same
wire diagram can still be
confusing.
What weve done
here at ATRA is put
together some simple
diagrams and procedures
to help make diagnosing
Dodge and Chrysler vehi-
cles with the RE trans-
mission less complicated.
These diagrams along
with their procedures
should make finding the
problems faster which
will save time and money
spent chasing wires. As
we all now how difficult
it is to get paid for diag-
nostic time.
The diagrams in fig-
ures 1 and 2 will have to
be determined by look-
ing up the year make
and model of the vehicle
being worked on to know
whether the relay is pow-
ered up through the C1 or
C3 connector. The pro-
cedure for both figures
is the same; unplug the
PCM with the ignition key off, and
then jump voltage (always through a
fusible link) to the connector pin found
in the wire schematic for the vehicle
being worked on. Then after jumping
a ground to the appropriate connector
Keeping It Simple
by Mike Souza
members.atra.com
ATRA is now providing simplified schematics and
diagnostic procedures for some of todays most
difficult diagnoses.
Figure 1
GEARS April 2010 11
Figure 2
12 GEARS April 2010
Keeping It Simple
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964 East Market St., Crawfordsville, IN 47933 Toll Free: 800-729-7763 Fax: 765-364-4576 Email: [email protected]
John says: I dont have to worry when I use your products in my car
or recommend them to others. These have got to be the best clutches,
steels and bands that I have used in the past 23 years. They have
stood the test of time and hard driving. Please keep up the high
standards of workmanship.
Our commitment to quality
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diversity is unsurpassed.
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14 GEARS April 2010
Keeping It Simple
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GEARS April 2010 15
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16 GEARS April 2010
Keeping It Simple
pin, check the return voltage at the
pins shown. If necessary the positive
meter lead can be moved to the amps
jack then with the meter changed to DC
amps the same circuits can be checked
for load.
Figure 3 is a little different, the
2004 and up models do not require
voltage to be supplied to the connector.
The voltage for the relay is provided
by turning the ignition key on. Figure
4 is for diagnosing 2005 models with
the 48RE and a Transmission Throttle
Valve Actuator (TTVA). In figures 5
and 6 the electrical governor circuits
can be monitored either with a single
meter or any type of meter with dual
trace capabilities, and a pressure gauge.
With a scan tool and pressure gauge
as shown in figure 7 it can be quickly
determined as to which component is
working correctly.
Figure 8 will show basic proce-
dures to use when questions arise on
what if the results of the test do not
agree with what should be the cor-
rect voltage or amperage in figures 1
through 3. Example: what if there is no/
low voltage on one of the pins? Then
the next procedure would involve one
of the steps in figure 8 which shows the
correct procedure for checking opens
or shorts. Figure 9 is a quick test for
checking interference on speed sen-
sors or throttle position sensors for
EMI Electrical Magnetic Interference.
Problems from EMI may cause erratic
shifts and/or trouble codes.
These diagrams are derived from
information that has been carefully
compiled from industry sources known
for their reliability and should be accu-
rate. Basically this means we all know
why they put erasers at one end of a
pencil. Always verify the circuits be
tested with factory manuals whenever
possible. Mistakes can be seen in sev-
eral wire diagrams found in aftermarket
sources only to verify these mistakes
are copied right from the O.E. manuals.
Wire colors vary from module to mod-
ule as well as year to year. Always iden-
tified the circuits that are being tested
by their connector pin identification.
Figure 9
Basic Test For
TPS Or Speed
Sensor
Noise
Interference
Electro Magnetic
Interference
(EMI)
(AC Ripple)
72 72
www.wittrans.com
45RFE / 5-45RFE
RWD 4 & 5 Speed
Whatever It Takes Transmission Parts, Inc.
510
Body
899
500
898
311B
311
070 519
Front Cover Plate
777
530
544 528 036 520
778
Stator
179
037
211
Pump
Parts
507
381
554 336 341 961 051 971 879
480
880
337 862
334A
334B 574 670
Input Clutch Hub
877 960 970 980 875
560
050
047 378
177
O.Dr. / Reverse
Piston
Input Clutch
Retainer
Input Shaft
561
860
876 102
122 142*
O.Dr. Clutch
100 120 861 140 891 130 110
Reverse Clutch
150 892*
Underdrive Clutch
232 571
052
220 884 331
330
558 883 234 576 214 570
Underdrive Hub O.Dr. Hub Reverse Hub
2nd / 4th Retainer
482
054
121 101
4th Clutch
141 863*
2nd Clutch
124 104
865 968
568
333 332
962
562
874
144*
227*
226
852 978
596 873 238 584 244 612 247 582
Input Planet
251 592 235* 616 241
Reverse Planet
583
586
Reaction Planet
053 058
Input Ring
Gear
886 285 887 885* 154
134
114
Low/Rev Clutch
664 888 654
Low Roller
Clutch
644
577
893 987 977 967
567
338 339 061 557 690 895
Low / Reverse
Housing
Park
Gear
480
013
074
781
770
760
897
271
Ext. Housing
429
996
M304317B
317
438
370
370
436
846
540
Case
Parts
761
Case
782
740
420
342
347
746
V.B.
Parts
741
740
Valve Body
765
300
779
010
379
950
926B
926
352
927
352
371
494
493
Park Pawl Assy.
995
995-2
995-3
995-1
991-4
994
991-6
991-5
761-4
072
991
Linkage
E
D
C
B
A
E
D
C
B
A
800-940-0197
[email protected]
or buy online at
www.wittrans.com
Automatic Transmission Parts
Hard Parts
OEManufacturer,AftermarketNew,
Remanufactured,&Used
ClutchDrums
Shafts
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CompleteLineof Miscellaneousparts
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Threadlock
Remember that Old-Time Service?
Whatever It Takes Does!!!
A

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18 GEARS April 2010
T
en years ago a new parts sup-
plier emerged into the transmis-
sion industry. Nestled on the
outskirts of Louisville, Kentucky this
small company of around forty employ-
ees was full of life. Dreams of a long
and prosperous future ran wild amongst
the anxious few, nervous about how
to survive in a market on the brink of
major technological advances, not cer-
tain what awaited them with the onset
of Hybrids, the CVT Transmission,
advanced electronics, and the evolution
of the valve body to name a few.
It was a tough time for all parts
distributors, let alone a newcomer
says WIT president and CEO Kenny
Hester. Fortunately for WIT that core
group of loyal employees proved to be
the cornerstone for this once small busi-
ness with most of them having spent
ten, fifteen, and even twenty years in
the transmission industry. There was
certainly no shortage of expertise and
experience flowing through the halls of
this budding organization. That kind
of experience made it easy to hit the
ground running explained Kenny.
Today WIT proudly stands as one
of the top transmission parts suppliers
in the United States and believe they
are second to none in customer service
and customer satisfaction. At the end
of the day its the customer that drives
us to where we need to be says VP
/ Sales and Marketing Director Tom
Conroy. Theyve brought us this far
and thanks to our ability to satisfy their
needs, they will continue to take us
where we want to go.
Reaching new
heights
WIT currently has 22 branch loca-
tions operating in 15 states across
the country and isnt finished yet.
Averaging 2 or 3 locations per year
WIT has experienced 9 consecutive
years of growth and expansion. When
asked how theyve managed to achieve
such extraordinary growth the answer
was unanimously consistent, by listen-
ing to our customers. Filling customer
needs and looking for every opportu-
nity to make you, the customer more
efficient and profitable has long been
one of the base fundamentals of the
WIT philosophy.
WIT has made it their mission to
be a key contributor in the success of
every customer they serve. Too often
hearing the phrase, back in the good
old days or back when, they real-
ized early on the basics of old-time
service and how much the customers
wanted to be treated like that again.
Simple things like getting deliveries
during the day and at night, a com-
mitment to receiving credit for returns
within 24 hours, getting the proper
paperwork so you can better manage
your business, multiple brands of the
top quality parts you need, depth in
part coverage so you dont have to shop
multiple suppliers, consistent pricing,
and even multiple options for account
terms and methods of payment to men-
tion a few. All implemented from
listening to customers needs. Anyone
who doesnt feel they get this level of
service has a broad range of contacts
from local managers, regional manager,
VPs and even Kenny Hester, CEO, to
reach out to for help. Any issue can be
resolved as long as we communicate,
Kenny says.
A Decade of
Excellence
Charlotte Branch
GEARS April 2010 19
Its very hard to differentiate
between the many parts suppliers in the
country today. Whether a small local
supplier with years of rapport in the
community or one of the largest inter-
national parts suppliers in the country
like WIT, they all put their parts on the
same way, many of them can sell you
what you need to get the job done. WIT
agrees all suppliers have great employ-
ees ready to serve the customer, sales
reps with 20 or more years in the indus-
try, technical guys and builders that
have dedicated their lives to their craft,
buyers with strong powers of nego-
tiation to keep us all competitive, right
down to an accounting staff poised and
ready to maintain your account. They
know because WIT employs some of
the best. It all boils down to your core
philosophies and what you do with your
resources to best impact the well being
of your customers says VP/CFO John
Huff.
Faith in the strength of its employ-
ees and the belief that every employee,
from top to bottom, has the ability to
affect the level of customer service, led
them to convert the company to being
employee owned in 2004. This change
instantly gave the WIT team the added
incentive, as owners, to go above and
beyond for the customer. The owner-
ship philosophy really took hold and
the customer reaped the benefits, Tom
elaborated.
A good example of what it means
to do Whatever It Takes for the
customer is worth noting. WIT
recently had a 4 skid stock order
due to ship out to one of its branch
locations. At the last minute the
trucking company called and was
unable to pick up the shipment
for delivery. Knowing this would
cause the store to run out of key
parts the customers would need
WIT management quickly found
a trailer, secured the skids, hooked
it to a pickup truck and down the
road it went. It certainly wasnt
cost effective and it made a long
day for the driver who drove 6
hours one way to deliver the goods
while his teammates picked up
his slack in his absence, but its
what had to be done to ensure the
customer didnt feel a disruption
in service.
Quality parts and depth of
parts are very important to WIT.
WIT believes one way they must
set themselves apart is by offer-
ing the most extensive full line of
inventory available on the market.
While focusing on their primary
lines Raybestos and TTK/Parker,
having multiple brands of the same
part helps them meet the needs of
more customers. The only excep-
tion to this would be that WIT only
carries CVC converters. They
believe CVC offers one of the best
converters on the market at a very
Accounting Reps
LR: Rhonda Ballard
and Susie Ranney look
on While supervisor
Theresa Shields
Explains a new process
to Help customers.
Accounting Reps
Amanda Newton, Florence Sales Office
Kim Casey
20 GEARS April 2010
economical price. WIT is constantly
looking to strengthen their product line
offerings, a recent example being the
new relationships established between
WIT and the OE friction manufacturers
Exedy and Fuji.
WIT is one of the top suppliers of
OE products and their goal is to carry
more OE brands than anyone in the
country. This is one of the most costly
parts of our business but its necessary
to give the customers what they ask
for claims Rick Skaggs, VP / General
Manager. Being able to offer the cus-
tomer both TTK/Parker and Transtec
gasket sets, Raybestos, Borg Warner
and Dynax (by Exedy) friction plates,
or mix and match rebuild kits with
any combination of OE overhauls and
plates currently offered at WIT, helps
us to meet customer needs by offering
the product any way they want it says
Tom Conroy, Being the only company
we are aware of with this unique mix
and match offering helps us achieve
our goal of never having to tell the
customer no. This goes for hard
parts as well. WIT began immediately
in 2000 building the most extensive
hard parts inventory around, offering
everything from OE new, aftermarket
new, remanufactured and good used.
We knew getting into the hard parts
business meant getting in deep offers
Rick Skaggs, Stocking the common
pumps, drums, planets and valve bod-
ies simply doesnt do it anymore. You
have to have the pan bolts, the side pan,
shift linkage, or any other odd and end
part the customer needs to complete the
job, to be at the level of service were
committed to.
Then reaching
higher
WIT knows theres much more
to service than great employees and
deep inventory. WIT has launched an
industry leading hard parts customer
service program. When customers tell
their sales reps about a problem they
are having with a hard part or a unit, the
rep will contact the technical team and
they call the customer directly to see if
they can assist. Customers can also call
and ask for technical assistance. This
is a great benefit to both WIT and the
customer. This helps us uncover issues
they may have internally and allows
them to implement permanent fixes as
well as develop product awareness to
the customers of common issues we
already know about.
Innovative tool design has become
another way WIT has found to round
out its endless level of customer ser-
vice. Whether through partner orga-
nizations to bring the designs to life
or building it themselves WIT has
developed many new tools for use in
the industry, proudly boasting about
having five of the top ten tools in the
industry for the past two years. Some
of the winning tools were their 2006
2008 Automatic Transmission Guide,
2009/2010 Transmission Catalog,
2008/2009 Lipseal Installer, and the
2008/2009 Standard Transmission
Guide. When asked why they felt they
had to develop these tools WIT simply
felt like it was a combination of exist-
ing plastic tools breaking too easily or
there just wasnt an effective tool to
do the job right, either way, they felt
responsible to make it better for the
shop owners and builders. Take the
catalog, when WIT started to develop
the catalog there wasnt a photograph
quality picture catalog readily available
on the market. They took the reins
and began designing one. The more
detailed parts become, a good quality
photograph goes a long way in being
able to properly ID a part. The catalog
was a very expensive undertaking, but
the company stands ready to offer their
pictures and issue the rights to others so
the entire industry can benefit from it.
WIT just released the standard catalog
(pictures only) and the standard flip
chart in November 2009 with the full
text standard catalog available in the
future.
Its easy to see the shops of today
becoming much more sophisticated and
professional than in the past. Theyve
had to learn how to handle the new
transmissions that have hit the market
and theyve weathered the economi-
cal storm. Its hard to find a busi-
ness that is doing more business today
Pam McCullough,
Warehouse Supervisor
Purchaceing agents LR: Missy Dickson, Pat Olcott, Bill Aronhime, Marvina
Thompson, Learn about new products Wit is about to offer their customers
Shipping
WIT A Decade of Excellence
GEARS April 2010 21
than they did two years ago, but were
proud to say were one of them says
Kenny Hester. For all of those efforts,
WIT feels obligated to step up and
do their part. WIT is in the process
of becoming industry experts for the
new Hybrid technology. They plan
to use their knowledge to educate the
industry through seminars and product
bulletins.
Another big area of growth for the
company in the past several years has
been the accounting department. We
know how critical it is for shop owners
to be able to focus on your business
at hand and not have to worry about
whats going on with your account.
From revamping the statement to hav-
ing a highly trained staff ready to
address any concerns you have, its
one more way WIT is striving to make
improvements and prove that every
aspect of the customers business is of
the utmost importance to them.
Where Do You Go
From Here
Growth is still at the top of the list
for WIT. There are plans to expand to
more cities in 2010. WIT has managed
its growth from nearly every aspect
imaginable, from grand openings,
acquisitions, to expanding distributor
relationships. I never stop looking for
an opportunity claims David Bailey,
VP / Branch operations manager, The
key ingredient to have in any city is
someone with good parts knowledge
and sales ability to work the local mar-
ket. Were always on the lookout for
the right person and we encourage any-
one that believes they are a fit to reach
out to us. David quickly pointed out
that many of these people have sought
the company out rather than the other
way around, which makes his job a lot
easier.
Diversity is the other growth oppor-
tunity WIT is exploring. They already
own a printing company that can handle
printing needs from T-shirts to floor
mats. They print checks, invoices, ban-
ners, posters, and signs. They also offer
one of the nicest two-sided business
cards available. The best part is its all
discounted for the transmission indus-
try. One more endeavor to help the
industry as a whole. While this com-
pany is based in Louisville, Kentucky,
that doesnt stop
them from ser-
vicing every-
one. They can
ship anything
you order to you
via UPS, or if
you are serviced
locally from
a WIT store
theyll send it
to the branch
location on a
stock truck and
deliver it to you
with your next
parts order. Brochures are
available to show their entire
offering.
Through commitment to
the customers, the industry,
and the employee owners
WIT has left a lasting impres-
sion in the industry over the
past decade. Becoming more
than a parts house, more than
a just another place to work,
WIT has shown that they are
here to stay, here to make the
industry better for all of us.
What does the future hold for
WIT? Time will tell, but one
things for sure, the possibili-
ties are endless.
Atlanta Salesman, Greg Pascal, with Manager, Michyle Parr
Algie Waddell, Florence Warehouse
Shipping
22 GEARS April 2010
A Closer Look at Vehicle Data Communications
T
hrough the years weve come
to depend on the infor-
mation we can col-
lect with a scan tool. And
through those years, the
data communication
systems or data buses
have become more
complex. With OBD-
II, many of us hoped
that the data bus would
be standardized and that
all our problems would
be solved. No such luck.
Todays vehicles use a
variety of data transmission pro-
tocols. This forces scan tool manufac-
turers to constantly adapt their software
to those changes. This can be quite a
challenge, even if theyre working with
a single brand of vehicle. Lets look at
GM as an example: GM has used all
of these data communication protocols
over the years:
UART ( Uni ver sal
Asynchronous Receive and
Transmit)
E&C (Entertainment and
Comfort)
SBI (Simple Bus Interface)
SPI (Serial Peripheral
Interface)
LIN (Local Interconnect
Network)
Keyword 81,82 and 2000
Class 2
CAN (Controller Area
Network) or GMLAN (General
Motors Local Area Network)
With the average GM vehicle
containing more than a mile of wire,
dozens of computers, hundreds of con-
nectors, and thousands of terminals,
the need for a standardized diagnostic
system became imperative. A new sys-
tem was introduced for the 2010 model
year on the Chevrolet Camaro, Cadillac
SRX, GMC Terrain, Buick Allure and
LaCrosse. The new platform, known as
the Global Diagnostic System or GDS,
will be introduced in all GM vehicles in
2010/2011 models.
The new diagnostic system still
uses several communication protocols
from previous models, but it will also
by Steve Garrett
members.atra.com
A Closer Look
at Vehicle Data
Communications
Figure 1
Freudenberg-NOK
www.transtec.com
YOU KNOW YOURE GETTING
OEM QUALITY OR BETTER
WITH TRANSTEC.
T. 419.499.25O2 F. 419.499.28O4
Nilan, 0H 4484O
Peter Fink, Owner
Certifed Transmission
As a successful shop owner, you understand the importance of using the right parts. So does Peter Fink, owner of Certifed
Transmission, a respected organization that rebuilds over 25,000 transmissions a year. Thats why they rebuild with TransTec
.
Manufactured to meet the strictest OE standards, TransTec
kits make for a faster rebuild with virtually no comebacks. TransTec
kits have the broadest coverage of vehicles, and give you value-added features like clearly labeled subpacks, more technical
information and the most impressive product support.
TransTec
kits are produced by CORTECO, a division of Freudenberg-NOK, the American partnership with more than $6 billion in
resources. Resources like this guarantee youre getting the best components and support. Because quality should never be an issue,
whether you rebuild 25 or 25,000 transmissions a year.
CT ad.indd 1 10/23/09 10:34:03 AM
24 GEARS April 2010
vary greatly when it comes to diagnos-
tic processes and equipment. To under-
stand the typical Global Architecture
(Global A) well need to look at the
data bus and its operation. The stan-
dardized, 16-pin DLC connector that
you connect to your scan tool will have
these pin assignments (figure 1):
Pin 1 Low Speed GM LAN
Pin 3 Mid Speed GM LAN; +
terminal
Pin 4 Scan Tool Ground
Pin 5 Common Ground
Pin 6 High Speed GM LAN; +
terminal
Pin 11 Mid Speed GM LAN;
terminal
Pin 12 Expansion Bus High
Speed GM LAN
Pin 13 Expansion Bus High
Speed GM LAN
Pin 14 High Speed GM LAN;
terminal
Pin 16 Scan Tool Power B+
The primary function of the vehi-
cle data bus is still communication
between the different control modules.
GM has used several different data bus
configurations, including:
Ring Network Connects each

module through a serial data line.

Star Network Serial data lines
from all the modules are connected at a
single point; typically a splice pack.

Ring/Star Hybrid A combination
of the two common bus configurations.
Lets take a look at some of the
basics for a GM data bus system:
Power Moding Power moding
was introduced on GM vehicles many
years ago to reduce electrical loads,
wiring, and improve module response
time during wakeup. Years ago, GM
modules required a wakeup signal for
the module to come on line. This was
typically accomplished using an input
from the ignition switch.
In todays vehicles, wakeup is
accomplished by an assigned Power
Mode Master module (PMM). The
PMM is typically the BCM or DIM.
The PMM receives the input from
the ignition switch and then relays
that information to the other modules
through serial data on the data bus.
Messages to the modules include:
Off/A Sleep Modules need
to power down.
Off Awake Modules need
to wake up and get ready for
work.
RAP (Retained Accessory
Power) Modules that are
used after the key is turned
off but before the door is
opened should stay awake for
a set period of time; all others
should sleep.
Accessory Modules that
are used when the key is in the
accessory position should stay
awake.
Run All modules should be
awake.
Crank Modules that are
used for cranking the engine
should wake up while all oth-
ers should continue to sleep.
Gate Way Module Since 1986,
many GM vehicles have used a master
module to control data transmission
on the bus. With a CAN/GM LAN
network, the BCM typically acts as the
gateway or master control module. The
Figure 2
Figure 4
Figure 3
Figure 5
GEARS April 2010 25
gateway module translates and priori-
tizes the messages sent on the bus. In
other words, the BCM acts as the inter-
preter and traffic cop for the system.
CAN/GM LAN The CAN data
bus isnt new, but its becoming more
common throughout the industry. GM
has its own version of the CAN sys-
tem known as the GM LAN. The GM
LAN supports three types of bus con-
figurations: low speed (33.3 kilobits per
second), mid speed (95.2 kilobits per
second) and high speed (500 kilobits
per second) data transmission.
The high speed bus (figure 2) con-
sists of a twisted wire pair that transmits
a voltage signal that switches high and
low to create the data signal. The high
speed GM LAN bus is terminated with
a pair of 120 ohm resistors. One line is
driven high (3.5 volts) while the other
data line is pulled low (1.5 volts) in a
specific sequence to create the signal.
With a CAN-type system, each
message is assigned a unique identi-
fier to classify the type message and
its priority. Each module on the bus
processes only the messages related to
the identifiers stored in the modules
programmed listing. If more than one
module is trying to communicate at the
same time, priority is assigned to the
message that has the greatest impor-
tance.
The mid speed GM LAN bus (fig-
ure 3) is very similar in operation to the
high speed circuit, with one exception:
the controllers attached to it. The mid
speed GM LAN uses the same type of
message transmission protocols that the
high speed system does. The mid speed
bus consists of a twisted wire pair that
transmits a voltage signal that switches
high and low to create the data signal.
The mid speed GM LAN bus is termi-
nated with resistors.
The low speed GM LAN is a single-
wire circuit that replaced the class 2
data circuits on many GM vehicles
(Figure 4). The GM low speed LAN is
bidirectional and operates at three times
the speed of a class 2 communication
circuit. The circuit toggles from 0-5
volts. To wake up the modules on the
bus, the voltage level is pulsed to 10-12
volts. The modules are connected in
parallel on the low speed bus.
LIN The Local Interconnect
Network (LIN) is used to reduce the cost
of data bus communications. The LIN
is a single-wire network that toggles
between system voltage and ground to
produce series of voltage pulses.
Multiple LIN circuits are used in
GM vehicles. A LIN circuit doesnt
connect directly to the DLC; it commu-
nicates with various sensors, actuators
and modules on its own circuit.
An example of a LIN circuit would
be the power windows on a late model
GM (figure 5). The window switch
commands the driver or passenger
door control module to open or close
the window. The module performs the
commanded operation while communi-
cating with other modules regarding the
action it performed.
GM Expansion Bus This bus
circuit can be referred to by many dif-
ferent names, but the function is the
same. The expansion bus is designed to
reduce the congestion on the high speed
bus. By adding a bus that is designed
and functions the same as the high
speed bus reduces the amount of traffic
on the primary high speed bus. This is
like adding parallel freeway to reduce
traffic congestion in a large city.
With the global architecture, lots of
things have changed. For decades tech-
26 GEARS April 2010
nicians have used the Tech 2 scan tool
to help diagnose vehicles. With Global
A vehicles, the Tech 2 will no longer
function. GM now uses a PC-based
program known as GDS or Global
Diagnostic System (figure 6) to inter-
face with the vehicle. This means you
need to ask your scan tool manufacturer
if your scan tool will be compatible
with this new system. Lots of other
areas have also changed, including:
Swapping computers for test
purposes can cause major problems.
While this isnt new with some GM
vehicle platforms, its an issue with
all Global A applications. Swapping
an ECM, BCM, EBCM, SDM, ECC,
IPC as well as many other modules can
prevent the engine from starting or set
trouble codes. In some instances you
wont be able to clear these codes.
The modules are all coded with
specific ID information codes when
theyre programmed at the assembly
plant. So modules that have nothing
to do with starting the engine can
prevent it from starting. In addition,
other symptoms may occur such as the
IPC odometer reading ----, the radio
displays Locked, or service the theft
system is displayed on the DIC.
Not only do the Global A vehicles
use controller security codes to prevent
vehicle theft, they also use a new type
of coding known an Environmental ID.
This type of coding is designed to pre-
vent someone from stealing a vehicle
by swapping modules and keys. The
Immobilizer Master (BCM) identifies
itself to the other modules. If it has
the correct ID, the other modules will
respond with a specific Environmental
ID code. The BCM will look at all the
modules Environmental IDs and, if
theyre correct, itll allow the vehicle
to operate.
Reprogramming is sequential.
This means that several controllers are
updated at the same time in a specific
sequence to prevent software conflicts.
Typical programming now requires a
lot of data to be transferred (typically
10-40 MB). Programming will take
much longer than in the past (up to an
hour).
In addition, to protect the modules
from unauthorized programming (non
GM), the assembly plant uses a process
known as Seed and Key. The assembly
plant installs a specific Seed value
during plant programming. When the
module is connected to reprogramming
equipment, that equipment must pro-
vide a specific Key value or the module
wont accept the program.
Many modules require a spe-
cific setup procedure to relearn compo-
nent and system values.
Many modules require a secu-
rity code configuration procedure for
the module to operate properly. If the
configuration codes arent installed,
some modules will lock out immedi-
ately, while others will initially oper-
ate and then lock out after several key
cycles or after battery power has been
removed. This could lead to a customer
complaint because the engine wont
start or other conditions after you per-
formed a repair.
Well as you can see times are still
changing until next time, remember:
In the middle of difficulty lies oppor-
tunity.
Figure 6
Facts The Beast The Animal
Manufactured using a 2 Pc. (middle and low) carbon steel. The wall thickness
of the shell body is increased for added strength
Yes No
Spline is case hardened to better withstand torque during engagement Yes No
Better and stronger than conventional OEM design Yes No
The sungear shell assembly includes an injection molded plastic washer. The
plastic washer has the tabs inserted into holes formed in the neck section of
the sungear shell to form the complete sungear shell assembly
Yes No
Strengthened and reinforced the neck to reduce stress and to eliminate high
failure rate at the neck section
Yes No
Invention protected by US patent Yes No
GENERAL MOTORS
700-R4/4L60, 4L60-E, 4L65-E
SUNSHELL
It has been brought to our attention that a product called The Animal has been recently intro-
duced to the market and has created some confusion between this new product and our redesigned
sungear shell THE BEAST.
THE BEAST sungear shell is made solely by Parker Seal Aftermarket Products under US patent No.
6,561,944. We believe it is our responsibility to inform you about the main dierences between
these two products.
Neck Area
The Animal
Neck Area
The Beast

Top View
The Animal
Top View
The Beast
Marking - Patent No.
The Beast
Marking - Part No.
The Beast
Sungear Shell Assembly
The Beast
Case Hardened Spline
The Beast
PRODUCT ALERT BULLETIN
beast_animal_GEARS.indd 1 8/1/2007 1:38:02 PM
Parker Seal Aftermarket Products 2315 SW 32 Ave Pembroke Park, FL
Phone 954-364-2400 Fax 954-364-2401
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
GENERAL MOTORS
700-R4/4L60, 4L60-E, 4L65-E
SUNSHELL
these two products.
Neck Area
The Animal
Neck Area
The Beast

Top View
The Animal
Top View
The Beast
The Beast
Marking - Part No.
The Beast
The Beast
The Beast
Phone 954-364-2400 Fax 954-364-2401
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
GENERAL MOTORS
700-R4/4L60, 4L60-E, 4L65-E
SUNSHELL
these two products.
Neck Area
The Animal
Neck Area
The Beast

Top View
The Animal
Top View
The Beast
The Beast
Marking - Part No.
The Beast
The Beast
The Beast
Phone 954-364-2400 Fax 954-364-2401
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
GENERAL MOTORS
700-R4/4L60, 4L60-E, 4L65-E
SUNSHELL
these two products.
Neck Area
The Animal
Neck Area
The Beast

Top View
The Animal
Top View
The Beast
The Beast
Marking - Part No.
The Beast
The Beast
The Beast
Phone 954-364-2400 Fax 954-364-2401
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
GENERAL MOTORS
700-R4/4L60, 4L60-E, 4L65-E
SUNSHELL
these two products.
Neck Area
The Animal
Neck Area
The Beast

Top View
The Animal
Top View
The Beast
The Beast
Marking - Part No.
The Beast
The Beast
The Beast
Phone 954-364-2400 Fax 954-364-2401
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
GENERAL MOTORS
700-R4/4L60, 4L60-E, 4L65-E
SUNSHELL
these two products.
Neck Area
The Animal
Neck Area
The Beast

Top View
The Animal
Top View
The Beast
The Beast
Marking - Part No.
The Beast
The Beast
The Beast
Phone 954-364-2400 Fax 954-364-2401
28 GEARS April 2010
R
ecently I was watching an
old episode of Happy Days.
Two things occurred during
the show that I felt were a clear mes-
sage to me to re-release my Yellow
Pages report, Avoiding the Yellow
Pages Money Pit.
The first thing was hearing the
various characters in the show use
the phrase, Just sit on it! as their
way of telling someone to Kiss off!.
The second was a DEX Yellow Pages
commercial that ran during one of the
breaks. It was the one where the
character that plays the role of a talk-
ing Yellow Pages Directory ends up
serving as a booster seat for one of the
children in the commercial.
The thought that occurred to me
was that the phrase Just sit on it! was
exactly the way most people today use
phone booksthey make great booster
seats.
The Avoiding the Yellow Pages
Money Pit report is a Yellow Pages
salespersons worst nightmare. They
even try to twist the facts and concepts
in an attempt to discredit the report,
itself. Let me assure you, the informa-
tion in this report is true and accurate.
The source of most of the information
is the Yellow Pages companies, them-
selves. The report simply presents it
with a different spin, one that will help
you see the other side of the Yellow
Pages sales pitch.
Here is the story of how I first came
into possession of some of the money-
saving tips in my report, and what lead
to my quest to learn everything I could
about the Yellow Pages.
One cold rainy Northwest evening
back in 1995 I had a serendipitous
encounter with the person who first
told me about the other side of the
Yellow Pages. As we huddled in an I-5
roadside caf and warmed ourselves
over our steaming coffees, we began
to talk about our respective businesses.
He, an advertising consultant and I, an
auto repair service business owner with
a BA in Business and Marketing, had
established an instant rapport.
Well, when he said that he was
in advertising, I couldnt wait to tell
him about our companys marketing
and advertising strategy. I was very
proud of how our small regional chain
of auto repair centers had grown in
the recent years. In fact, the U.S.
Chamber of Commerce had just select-
ed us as the number one small business
in Washington State. I was receiving
a number of invitations to speak on
marketing at various trade association
seminars, workshops, and conventions.
It was fun and exciting. We were grow-
ing and I was getting the opportunity to
not only publicly brag about it, but to
get paid for doing it. It was time for me
to be taken down a peg.
Until that evening, I thought I
knew plenty about marketing automo-
tive service and repair types of busi-
nesses. It was obvious to me that
people dont typically think about car
repairs unless theyre having a prob-
lem. Only when the problem or pain
forces them to do something about it
will they act, and it seems logical that
they will refer to the Yellow Pages to
decide who to call or where to go. With
this in mind, I believed that the Yellow
Pages provided the single most impor-
tant facet to our advertising strategy.
We purchased the largest Yellow Pages
display advertising we could afford, as
well as purchasing additional features
like color and additional listings under
every classification heading that even
remotely related to our business.
Again, I was proud of how domi-
nant our business was in the Yellow
Pages. At that time, we were in several
directories serving our various market-
ing areas, and spending a combined
total of over $70,000 per year. Some of
our shops were actually spending more
on the Yellow Pages than they were on
their shop leases. While intuitively, I
had always thought of the Yellow Pages
as a necessary evil, I simply could
not conceive our not using them to the
Just Sit
by Thom Tschetter
On It!
GEARS April 2010 29
fullest extent.
We also had a modest advertis-
ing budget for direct mail, radio, and
cable television. Even though these
types of media were working for us, we
were convinced that the Yellow Pages
represented our best form of advertis-
ing. After all, when we surveyed our
customers, most of them told us that
they looked us up in the Yellow Pages.
I thought we had designed the best
advertising plan possible within our
limited budget.
Well, my new friend just took a
deep breath, sat back in his chair, and
offered a long, sincere, all-knowing
sort of an Ive heard this many times
before smile. With this he began to tell
me all anyone ever needs to know about
Avoiding the Yellow Pages Money
Pit. In that one evening, he taught
me enough money saving strategies to
save our company over $30,000.00 in
the first year, alone!
You see he was a sales rep for a
major Yellow Pages company before
becoming an advertising consultant.
He not only knew the inside sales
tricks, schemes, and gimmicks of the
trade, but he had even helped develop
some of them. He also knew what the
Yellow Pages companies tell us and
more important, what they dont tell
us.
Since that night, I have conduct-
ed additional research and have inter-
viewed other former Yellow Pages
representatives. Ive also presented
this information in my marketing semi-
nars. Ive received feedback from my
students and clients, and their stories
further confirm that this information
saves them thousands of dollars - year,
after year, after year. This report will
provide you with the information you
need to be an informed Yellow Pages
buyer rather than a victim of the Yellow
Pages Money Pit.
Perhaps the most interesting aspect
of the report is that almost all the infor-
mation that is contained in it comes
from the Yellow Pages Companies
and the National Yellow Pages Sales
Association, themselves. All Ive done
is taken a more critical look that their
own statements and the statistics they
quote. What Ive discovered is that
even if their claims are true, they dont
make good business sense.
Heres just one example. They
say that the typical business gets $14
in sales for every $1 they spend in the
Yellow Pages. On the surface, that
sounds like a good deal, but thats over
7% advertising cost. I dont know very
many automotive repair shops that can
afford an overall ad budget of 7% let
alone putting it all into just the Yellow
Pages!
The report is packed with many
more eye-popping facts as well as tips
to save big money the next time your
Yellow Pages Rep comes knocking.
Join the hundreds of business owners
who have saved and continue to save
thousands of dollars every year on
their Yellow Pages. Contact the ATRA
Bookstore today to order your very
own copy of Avoiding the Yellow Pages
Money Pit.
The
Yellow Pages
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An Insider Reveals
How to Reduce Your Costs
and Increase Your
Response
Avoiding
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time your Yellow
Pages Rep comes
knocking.
30 GEARS April 2010
I
n an examination of shops that
are making it work, no discussion
would be complete without taking
a closer look at USA Transmissions; a
5-store transmission repair operation
northwest of Houston, Texas.
USA Transmissions is owned and
operated by Gary and Gerald Vess.
They have five shops, in Cleveland,
Conroe, Huntsville, Livingston, and
Lufkin, Texas.
Today, USA Transmissions is a
model for operating a successful, small
transmission repair chain. But before
we examine their success strategy, itd
be worth taking a brief look at how they
got here.
The Vess History
Gary and Geralds father, Gary
Sr., opened the first of the familys
transmission shops back in 1981. He
opened under the name AARMCO
Transmissions, a name they used up to
about 6 months ago, when they opened
a shop near an existing AAMCO cen-
ter. It didnt take long before the larger
chain contacted them, demanding they
stop operating under the similar-sound-
ing name. Rather than get bogged down
by a long, costly courtroom battle,
the Vess family changed their business
name to USA Transmissions.
Making It Work
Marvin Hurley, Livingston shop manager Brandon Clark, Regional Manager
The Vess Brothers,
Making it Work
in a Big Way,
Texas Style
www.transmissionkits.com
The Problem Solvers.
14 Todd Court Extension, Yaphank, NY 11980
(631) 567-2000 Fax (631) 567-2640 Toll Free: 800-872-6649
Florida Office: 6790 Hillsdale Point, Boynton Beach, FL 33437
(561) 734-2332 Fax (561) 734-2375
E-mail: [email protected] www.transmissionkits.com
309-PRE-082 Transmission Digest....03/10/10 Gears Magazine APRIL 2010
L: 7.375x10.125 T: 8.125x10.875 B: 8.375x11.125 4C
Helpful how-to videos
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Who can you turn to in times of trouble? Our websites Question &Answer Forum, of
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309PRE-7.375x10.125-082:Layout 1 2/23/10 4:20 PM Page 1
32 GEARS April 2010
While still in high school, Gary
and Gerald went to work for their
father, working their way through the
ranks to learn the business.
But neither of the brothers was par-
ticularly enamored with the transmis-
sion repair business or perhaps it was
more about working in a family owned
environment so they each moved on
to other businesses. Gary went to work
for a uniform company, while Gerald
opened a quick lube store.
Over the next few years, the two
brothers moved around a bit, and took
on different jobs and responsibilities.
Gerald closed his quick lube store and
went to work for a transmission shop in
Cleveland, Texas. Then he went back to
work with his father in the AARMCO
shop behind their house.
Gary left the uniform company to
run the transmission shop in Cleveland
after Gerald left.
With each move, the Vess brothers
learned something new that would come
into play in the not-to-distant future as
co-owners of USA Transmissions.
In the late 90s, Gerald began dab-
bling in real estate with a partner. The
two opened three tire stores called Tire
Express; this is where Gerald first got
the idea of turning the family transmis-
sion shop into a multishop operation. It
would still be a few years before this
idea would pan out.
In 2003, Gary Jr. and Gerald
opened a second transmission shop in
Huntsville, Texas, called Transmissions
Etc. In addition to transmission repair,
the brothers sold just about anything
there that they could get their hands
on.
A year later, Gary bought out his
brother, and took over the Huntsville
store.
Meanwhile, Gerald and a partner
had opened a tire store called Tiremax.
Business was good; so good that they
opened additional stores. They eventu-
ally grew to 10 locations. This expe-
rience opened Geralds eyes to the
processes and benefits of operating a
franchise-style operation.
In 2007, the brothers took a trip
to Expo, to attend the Whats Working
seminar program. At the time they
had three shops, including a Tiremax
owned by Gerald. Gerald had just pur-
chased a billboard located between the
shops. During the flight to Expo, the
two decided that itd be smart for
them to share the billboard, and put
all the phone numbers on it. This was
the beginning of their joint business
venture.
5 Recurring Traits
While at Expo, they learned about
the 5 Recurring Traits of the most
successful businesses. They realized
that the first trait Attitude was
one neither had embraced yet. Gerald
claims it was after this realization that
he first fell in love with transmission
repair.
Next they began to examine their
business plan and set goals: the sec-
ond recurring trait. It wasnt long after
that they decided to merge their busi-
nesses into one company. And that
was the catalyst for turning those two,
Livingston crew L-R Louis Sanchez,
Lee Stevenson, Ed Acker
Cleveland crew L-R Doliver Valle, Terry Teufel,
Paden Reed
32
USA Transmissions, Houston Area, Texas

SUPPLIER
MEMBER

Celebrating 50 years in the
transmission industry!
34 GEARS April 2010
independent shops into the business
that USA Transmissions is today.
Once they had their plans made,
they began to create the processes and
put the systems in place to make them
work; Trait 3. They took what they
learned at Expo, and added it to what
theyd learned in their careers with the
tire and quick lube companies, and put
their ideas on paper.
They surrounded themselves with
the best people they could find
Trait 4 and then they were ready
for the last of the 5 Traits: to pull the
trigger. They opened their fourth shop
in Lufkin in 2008, and their fifth in
Conroe in June, 2009.
Why It Works
One of the things that makes USA
Transmissions work is that its owners
mesh so well together. Gary, the older
brother, likes the hands-on approach of
managing the day-to-day operations of
the shops. Gerald is more of an entre-
preneur, preferring to handle the busi-
ness end of the company.
So while Gary is making sure the
shops maintain their standards for qual-
ity and competence, Gerald is out sell-
ing their name and their brand to the
surrounding communities.
One of the biggest difficulties faced
by shop owners is focus: Their attention
usually wavers after they open the shop
doors. Before the shop opens, all they
do is think about the business: how to
advertise it, which business model to
put in place, and how to keep customers
coming back.
But after the shop opens, too many
shop owners find themselves over-
whelmed by the day-to-day distractions
associated with the business. A techni-
cal problem here, a customer complaint
there, and all you do is put out fires.
Thats the great beauty of the Vess
family situation. While Gary handles
those daily issues of running the busi-
ness, Gerald remains free to address
the business at large; creating new ways
to keep their name in front of potential
customers. Its a terrific situation thats
paying off in a big way.
The Chain Mentality
If you walk into any USA
Transmissions shop, youll notice that
everything is clean, neat and well orga-
nized. More importantly, if you stop by
a second shop, youll see that every-
thing is pretty much the same as it was
in the first shop. The shops look the
same, and they feel the same.
One of the things that both broth-
ers discovered during their stints with
the franchise world is the value of
repeatability. Maintaining a standard
of appearance creates an identity for
the shop, enhances the comfort of the
customers, and helps the management
identify and correct problems quickly.
In fact, Gary and Gerald have a
general manager for their shops, and
one of his jobs is to visit each shop
regularly. During his visits he carries
a clipboard with a 50-point checklist.
The GM looks over each item on the
Conroe crew L-R Jeffery Dickerson, Scott Yesh,
Russell Wimbrough
34
36 GEARS April 2010
checklist, and identifies whether the
item is good or needs attention.
This makes it easy to maintain
a level of consistency and quality in
the shops appearance and workflow.
And it highlights any possible issues
right away before they can turn into
problems.
Another benefit of the chain men-
tality is the ability to combine costs,
such as the cost of advertising. While
most chain store owners would prob-
ably complain about the cost of their
advertising pool, theres little doubt
about just how much bang they get for
their buck.
With five stores sharing the load,
each USA Transmissions shop benefits
from far more advertising than it could
afford on its own. Each ad in the Yellow
Pages references all five stores, so each
store gets the benefit of many more
books and regions than it could have
afforded on its own.
In addition to the more convention-
al advertising, USA Transmissions cur-
rently has 35 billboards in the Houston
area. Thats a lot of valuable ad space;
far more than one shop could afford
itself. And as any good marketer will
tell you, few ads can provide a greater
return on investment than a billboard.
Outside Sales
One of the recognized common
programs found in the most successful
transmission shops is a dedicated out-
side sales program. USA Transmissions
only reinforces that conclusion, with a
fulltime outside sales person.
As with their other advertising,
USA Transmission shares the outside
sales among all five shops. This lowers
their costs per shop, while providing
an excellent means of generating addi-
tional referrals.
And in most cases, referrals are
what theyre looking for. Gary and
Gerald will accept wholesale work, but
they prefer referrals from the general
repair shops in the area. Upon selling
a rebuild, theyll issue a commission
to the shop or individual who sent the
job.
Most shops are only too happy to
work with USA Transmissions, because
they know their customers will be treat-
ed well, theyll get quality work at a
fair price, and USA Transmissions will
stand behind its work.
Financing Available
One almost universal problem for
todays transmission repair shops is
money: A substantial number of the
folks who come in dont have enough
to get their transmissions fixed. And
lets face it, if the customer cant afford
the repair, it doesnt matter whether
they trust you or not: You arent going
to get the job.
The Vess brothers know this; thats
why they offer financing as a key part
of their business. The web site and bill-
boards proclaim financing as low as
$10 a month!
And at USA Transmissions, theres
never any question about whether the
customer will qualify for financing:
They have every customer prequalify
when they first bring their cars in. Cant
Lufkin crew L-R Geraldo, Mike Morgan, Woody Bear
36
Huntsville crew L-R Chris Pennington,
Billy Minshew, Eder Dalie
GEARS April 2010 37
afford the repair? Sure you can: youve
already been approved!
To provide this financing, USA
Transmissions offers the CarCarOne
program, and has additional backups
through local banks.
Of course, even with the financing
available, not every customer wants to
spend the money for a complete custom
rebuild. Thats why USA Transmissions
also offers repairs, remans, and even
used transmissions where possible.
Their object is to make sure every-
one gets the work they need, at a price
they can afford. And that mentality is
reflected in their bottom line.
Unparalleled
Warranty
A rebuilt transmission is a big
investment, and some customers are
very concerned about a warranty to
make sure they wont be faced with that
kind of bill again. Thats one reason
ATRA offers its Members the Golden
Rule Warranty program: To help ATRA
Members compete with the big chains
by providing coast-to-coast coverage.
Of course, providing additional
warranty coverage can provide you
with a competitive edge, and even give
you a way to earn more for your shop.
USA Transmissions offers its cus-
tomers a wide range of warranty pro-
grams, all the way up to a 10-year,
100,000-mile warranty! Of course, USA
charges a lot more for that level of war-
ranty, still some customers take advan-
tage of the extra coverage it provides.
For others who don't prefer that level
of protection, they also offer 5-year,
3-year, 2-year and even a standard
1-year warranty.
Their option based sales strategy is
working for both the customer and USA
Transmissions.
[Editors Note: Offering a longer warranty
at a higher price, without any difference to the
actual rebuild, may not be legal in your area.
Some states consider that a form of insurance,
and require it to conform to insurance regulations
for that state. Always check with your attorney
for details regarding warranty issues.]
Another Success
Story
Times are tough all over the US
and Canada. But some shops are turn-
ing lemons into lemonade, and making
a terrific living doing it.
Gary and Gerald Vess are two
brothers whove discovered how to
make it work, by taking advantage of
what theyve discovered through their
work in other businesses, along with
what they learned at ATRAs Expo man-
agement program, Whats Working.
If your shop isnt enjoying the suc-
cess that youd like to see, maybe now
would be a good time to start making
plans to attend this years Expo. And
maybe it wont be long before were
telling your story here in GEARS, as
another shop whos Making It Work!
One of the highlights of the visit was dinner with Gary Vess Sr. who
founded AARMCO Transmissions back in 1981. Pictured are Gary and
Gerald with their Dad.
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Marketing at Your
Shops Finger Tips
Mustang Marketing has created a strategic
marketing plan and ad templates for ATRA.
Money is tight for businesses today, and often
that means reduced marketing efforts. Cutting back
may make sense initially, but research and case
studies have shown companies that maintain
a focused marketing approach in a downturn
reap benefts, capitalizing on the exposure they
gain with their competitors sitting on the sidelines.
And since people tend to make repairs to their
current car in these times rather than buying a new
one, there has never been a better time to market
your shop as an ATRA expert.

marketing plan for ATRA known as the RoadMap.
Great creative results and successful marketing are
the direct result of a solid foundationa strategic
plan. The same way you would never begin
building a home without architectural plans,
you should never start actual marketing without
a strategic plan. And in 25 years of providing
marketing, public relations, and creative expertise
to a variety of clients, Mustang has seen the
importance of strategy time and time again.
To build ATRAs RoadMap, we worked
to establish the following:
Goals
Audience
Message
Vehicles
Identifying the goals of ATRAs marketing campaign,
the message of that campaign, who will receive
the message, and how the message will be delivered
creates the best possible chance of success
to maximize the marketing investment of time
and dollars.
Marketing at Your
Shops Finger Tips
marketing plan and ad templates for ATRA.
Easily customizable
templates for your
shops marketing needs
Print Advertising
Post cards and Mailers
Billboards
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
REBUILDERS ASSOCIATION
Ad Templates for ATRA Shops
Part of the ATRA RoadMap included building
ad templates for ATRAs shops to use in their
respective markets. Some of the advantages
of these templates include:
Easily customizable for shops to put their
own logo and information
Complete with ATRA logo to convey your
shops excellence
Available in print, postcard,
and billboard formats
Your shops marketing will never be easier
than with these templates. And if you are one
of the frst 20 ATRA members to express interest,
Mustang will design (at no charge!) your ad
utilizing our custom templatesa
$
375 value!
Get Your Shops Templates Today
Its time to take advantage of your opportunity
as a marketer, and the resources that are being
offered to you. Mustang has devised the strategy,
created the means to implement it, and is ready
to help you see your shop fourish with the new
business opportunities this campaign will deliver.
Call ATRA Headquarters
at (805) 604-2000
to receive the marketing
tools you need.
40 GEARS April 2010
F
or me, one of the most reward-
ing parts of my job is when
I come across a new way to
diagnose a problem. When I say new,
I mean something outside of the basic
diagnostic tree.
This was the case about eight years
ago when I was working in San Diego.
The tool truck guy showed up with this
fancy, 5-volt signal generator. Its pur-
pose was to simulate a varying 5-volt
signal for diagnosing a throttle posi-
tion sensor (TPS), mass airflow sensor
(MAF), manifold air pressure sensor
(MAP) or any other 5-volt based sensor
on a vehicle.
It cost about $150 and was a handy
tool in my arsenal until I fried it.
Apparently theres a difference between
a 5-volt signal generator and a 5-volt
power source capable of providing
enough current to bench load a 4L60E
EPC solenoid. Oops!
So when I tried replacing my trusty
signal generator, I found out that it was
discontinued. There were other models
available but they were expensive. The
alternative was to head to my local
electronics store and build my own.
Heres what I came up with:
Parts Needed
Project box 6 x 3 x 2 (Radio
Shack# 2701805)
3-pack (Red, Green and Black)
of 18-gauge wire (Radio
Shack# 2781226)
2-pack of banana jacks (Radio
Shack# 2740725) x2
5-volt regulator (Radio Shack#
2761770)
Dual printed circuit board
(Radio Shack# 2760159)
On/off switch (Radio Shack#
2750601)
Control knob (Radio Shack#
2740424)
Speaker terminal plate (Radio
Shack# 2740632)
1 Megaohm linear potentiom-
eter (Radio Shack# 2710211)
Solder
14-gauge female spade con-
nector (Blue)
22-gauge female spade con-
nector x2 (Red)
Tools Needed
Drill Bits
o
23/64 o
19/64 o
1/8 o
Drill
Phillips head screwdriver
Soldering iron
Playing with Fire
by Jon Rodriguez
members.atra.com
Building a 5-Volt
Signal Generator
Figure 1: Marking and drilling on the backside of the cover will provide a cleaner look when the box is assembled.
GEARS April 2010 41
Crimper
Preparing the
Project Box
Use the back of the aluminum 1.
cover to mark the position for
the on/off switch and potenti-
ometer.
Place the aluminum cover on top 2.
of the plastic cover and loosely
fasten both pieces to the project
box with the supplied screws.
Drill the holes for the on/off 3.
switch (1/2) and the potentiom-
eter (23/64) (figure 1).
Remove the screws and lift the 4.
cover off the project box.
Push the potentiometer through 5.
the 23/64 hole. With the poten-
tiometer leads facing the longest
end of the cover, press and turn
the potentiometer firmly against
the plastic side of the cover so
the alignment peg creates a wear
mark in the cover (figure 2).
Remove the potentiometer from 6.
the hole.
With the aluminum cover off, 7.
drill a 1/8 hole 90 to the left
of the potentiometer hole, on top
of the wear mark you just made.
If done correctly, the alignment
peg will allow the potentiometer
to sit flush in the cover, and
the contacts will face the on/off
switch.
Cut 1 off the potentiometer 8.
shaft (figure 3).
Install the potentiometer into the 9.
plastic and metal cover.
Install the on/off switch into the 10.
plastic and metal cover (figure
4).
Drill three, 19/64 holes where 11.
you want the banana jacks. The
model shown has the continuous
5-volt signal and ground on one
side, and the varying signal on
the other. I used banana jacks so
I could use standard voltmeter
leads for testing (figure 5).
Install the banana jacks into the 12.
holes.
Drill two 19/64 holes at either 13.
end of the box, 1 from one
another, for the speaker plate
contacts (figure 6).
Screw the speaker plate to the 14.
project box.
Preparing the Circuit
Board
Bend the voltage regulator fin- 1.
gers to 90 (figure 7).
Place the regulator against the 2.
blank side of the circuit board (figure
8).
Solder the contacts to the board. 3.
Be careful: Too much solder could cre-
ate a short to the adjacent circuit.
For ease of handling, cut these 4.
colored wires 6 in length: 2x Green,
2x Black, and 1x Red. Dont worry
about the extra length; theres plenty of
room in the project box to handle the
Figure 2
Figure 4: The on/off switch and potentiometer will come with all of the
mounting hardware.
Figure 3: This can also be done while installed in
the cover.
42 GEARS April 2010
excess wiring.
Strip about 1/16 insulation from 5.
one end of each wire.
Push the exposed wire through 6.
the appropriate holes on the blank side
of the circuit board (figure 8).
Using a fully heated soldering 7.
iron, use a small amount of solder to
attach the wires to the board.
Caution: Too much solder will spill
over to the adjacent contacts and ruin
the circuit board.
Assembling the Box
Cut these colored wires 6 in 1.
length: 1x Red, 1x Black, and 1x
Green.
Strip 3/8 insulation off both ends 2.
of the black wire.
Solder one end of the black wire 3.
to the B side of the speaker plate
(black).
Strip 3/8 insulation off the ground 4.
wire from the circuit board (one of
the black wires).
Figure 6
Figure 5: Some wire leads may have a protective sleeve covering the
banana jack that needs to be cut off in order to fit in the outlet.
Building a 5-Volt Signal Generator
GEARS April 2010 43
Twist the ground wire from the 5.
circuit board (black) with the
ground wire from the speaker plate
(black).
Crimp a 14-gauge female spade 6.
connector (blue) to the twisted
ends of the wires.
Attach the blue spade connector 7.
to the ground terminal of the on/
off switch.
of the red wire.
Solder one end of the red wire to 9.
the B+ side of the speaker plate
(red).
connector (red) to the red wire
from the B+ side of the speaker
plate.
Attach the red spade connector 11.
from the speaker plate to the power
terminal of the on/off switch.
Strip 3/8 insulation off the red 12.
wire from the circuit board.
connector (red) to the end of the
red wire from the circuit board.
Attach the spade connector from 14.
the circuit board to the ACC termi-
nal of the on/off switch.
of the green wire.
Solder one end of the green wire 16.
to the right side terminal of the
potentiometer (figure 8).
Solder the other end of the green 17.
wire from the potentiometer to the
red banana jack where you want
the varying signal.
Strip 3/8 insulation off the two 18.
green wires from the circuit board.
Solder one green wire from the 19.
circuit board to the center terminal
of the potentiometer.
Solder the remaining green wire 20.
from the circuit board to the red
banana jack where you want the
steady five volts.
Strip 3/8 insulation off the end of 21.
the last black wire from the circuit
board.
Solder the black wire to the black 22.
banana jack.
Using a generous amount of sili- 23.
cone, glue the contact side of the
Figure 7
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44 GEARS April 2010
circuit board to the bottom of the
project box and let the silicone
cure overnight.
Gently fold the wires into the proj- 24.
ect box and screw the lid on.
Place the knob on the potenti- 25.
ometer shaft and tighten the jam
screw.
The entire project costs about $40
in parts. Keep in mind that this simple
generator doesnt have to look just like
the one I built; there are several dif-
ferent on/off switches, knobs and wire
connection options to choose from at
your local electronics store. I liked
using the speaker terminal as a power
input because if someone trips on the
power cord, itll simply pull the wires
out of the terminals rather than damage
the circuit board.
Caution: Use a cigarette lighter
adapter with a built-in fuse to power
the generator to protect the circuit. Use
an alligator clip cigarette lighter adapter
to connect the generator directly to the
battery.
The steady 5-volt source and
ground arent really needed, but they
were easy enough to install and could
come in handy when dealing with a sus-
pect sensor ground or 5-volt reference.
The most important thing to keep in
mind with this tool is, even though the
regulator is rated at one amp, using it to
power a solenoid creates a lot of heat
in the regulator. If you use it to power
a 5-ohm solenoid, dont keep it on for
more than a few seconds or the regula-
tor may burn. The main purpose of this
tool is for diagnosing sensor circuits,
not to modulate an EPC solenoid.
Heres how you could use this sig-
nal generator to test a sensor circuit on
a 2001 Ford Expedition (figure 9):
Set your scan tool to display
data.
Unplug the TPS connector.
Backprobe the signal (middle)
wire on the connector with the
varying 5-volt signal output
from the signal generator.
Power the signal monitor using
the vehicle battery.
Turn the power switch on.
Turn the adjuster knob back
and forth while monitoring the
TPS voltage reading on your
scan tool.
On this vehicle, the scan tool
revealed the voltage signal sweeping
from 1.15 volts to a full 5 volts. This
proved that the wiring from the TPS to
the computer was in good shape and the
computer had the ability to measure the
input voltage signal.
The test took less than five minutes
and revealed valuable data that would
have saved a lot of time during an
actual TPS diagnosis.
I hope you enjoy building and
playing with this inexpensive and use-
ful tool.
Figure 8
Figure 9
Building a 5-Volt Signal Generator
GEARS April 2010 45
S
eems like its always the smallest details that can
get us into trouble. When building a unit, these are
details that are easy to miss when interrupted by a
phone call, a question from one of the guys, or just not pay-
ing attention. This was one of those days
The problem was a 95 Jeep Wrangler. It had a 5-speed
AX-15 transmission that was making some very strange
noises when the clutch was disengaged: When you took your
foot off the clutch it would howl and grind.
With the customers approval, we removed the transmis-
sion. We dismantled it to find it had suffered a bad case of
dehydration: a severe lack of vital fluids. It needed a major
overhaul, consisting of a new input
shaft, 3-4 shift fork, cluster gear, all
bearings, brass rings, seals and gas-
kets.
After the customer approved the
final estimate, we cleaned everything
and waited for new parts to arrive.
I usually assemble these units
using a vice as a holding fixture (figure
1). This makes it easy to install both
shafts and then assemble the rest of the
gears and bearings without wrestling it
all over the bench. Additionally, shifter
rods, forks, and interlock balls are
much easier to manage. Once I have
all the internal parts installed, I can
shift the unit through all of its ranges.
Everything worked smoothly at that
point.
After removing it from the vice, I
installed the rear case section and then
the front case section. When it was
all bolted together, everything worked
One of Those Days
by Jeff Yarbrough,
ATRA Certified Technician
www.atra.com
Figure 1
Figure 2
46 GEARS April 2010
great except it wouldnt go into 4
th
. 3
rd
gear went in just
fine, but as soon as you entered the 4
th
quadrant the shifter
would lock up.
I removed the front case section and then the unit went
into 4
th
perfectly. After removing and reinstalling the front
case section several times and inspecting everything, I finally
narrowed down the problem:
I removed the bolt that locked the 3-4 shift fork to the
shifter rod and then reinstalled the front case section with two
bolts. Although the 3-4 shift fork didnt move, it allowed me
to examine the linkage from the shifter, down through the
case, all the way to the shift rod. It shifted smoothly there.
I knew the problem was in the movement of the fork,
slide, keys, etc., but everything looked great when I could see
it with the front case off. After pulling out some more of
my hair, I started looking inside the front case where the rod
operates and thats when I saw the problem. Right where the
3-4 shift fork would be operating back and forth, I could see
something had been scratching the inside of the case (Figure
2).
The new 3-4 shift fork had a little keyway arch casting on
it that was hitting the inside of the case (Figure 3). Turns out
it was too tall by just a few thousandths of an inch enough
to strike the inside of the case and basically wedge the shift
rod as it approached 4
th
gear.
A few seconds with the air grinder solved it nicely (Figure
4). Apparently the new 3-4 shift fork had been cast with just
a little too much material left in that area or maybe the
casting of the case had just a few thousandths left there. The
difference was hardly noticeable, but it was enough to cause a
problem. Good thing I had checked its operation before I put
the trans back into the car!
It was just one of those days; nothing I did wrong, but the
fates were conspiring against me. In the end, I won, and all it
took was a few extra minutes to pay attention to the details.
One of Those Days
Figure 4 Figure 3
The new 3-4 shift fork had a little keyway arch casting on it that was
hitting the inside of the case (Figure 3) ... ... A few seconds with the air
grinder solved it nicely (Figure 4).
GEARS April 2010 47
by Kelly Hilmer
members.atra.com
MEMBERSHIP MATTERS
N
ow more than ever its important to make sure youve
got a good message for consumers and youre doing
everything you can to reach them. In the last issue, we
discussed ATRAs plan to reach more consumers and make them
more aware of the benefits to selecting an ATRA member shop.
There are a lot of great reasons for a consumer to choose an ATRA
member shop but up until now its been one of the publics best
kept secrets. Since the last reporting in Gears, ATRA has received
even more press; bringing more attention to consumers. Most nota-
bly, thereve been articles in the New York Times, Detroit News
and Progressive Insurance. There was also a mention of an ATRA
member, Dales A-1 Transmissions in Mitchell South Dakota in
the New Republic. Which makes the point that there are a lot of
ways ATRA and ATRA members can keep this effort going. Using
the ATRA logo in all your advertising will help increase the brand-
ing of ATRA and its members; working to create insistence for an
ATRA member shop in the minds of the consumer.
Keep It Going!
Keep It Going!
48 GEARS April 2010
Membership Matters: Keep It Going!
Continuing that idea, ATRA,
through the help of Mustang Marketing
in Thousand Oaks California have cre-
ated a range of marketing pieces and an
in-depth plan called the ATRA Member
Roadmap illustrated on pages 38 and
39. The marketing pieces are based
on the theme of ATRAs new con-
sumer site, made exclusively for the
interests of the motoring public and
for locating ATRA members shops
across the USA and Canada. This site
is scheduled for April, around the time
this issue of Gears magazine hits the
street. Its phase two of the new ATRA
web site project and will replace the
current ATRA site: www.atra.com.
The consumer-reach project required
a separation of member and consumer
content from the single ATRA web
site. Phase one was to strip the member
components from the original site and
build an exclusive industry/member
site. Here, members can access all the
member information contained in the
previous site without the interference
of consumer-related material. They can
also purchase items from the ATRA
Bookstore and register for events, just
like the old site. Whats new on this site
is the ability for members to manage
their account, renew their membership,
add employees and even create forums
and discussion groups with other mem-
bers, and is accessible at
http://members.atra.com.
Like any new change it takes a
little patience to maneuver through the
different areas because its different
than the old site, but you wont have to
do that because this site has a power-
ful search feature that makes finding
what you want a snap. Looking for a
certain book? Just type in the transmis-
sion type and system does the rest.
Looking for information on ATRAs
Golden Rule warranty? Type golden
rule and whamo, it takes you right to a
listing of warranty topics: order forms,
procedures etc.
And oh, the ATRA Tech Center
is faster than ever and has a far more
powerful keyword search capability.
Just use it like a search engine; type in
the complaint and go! You need infor-
mation on a 4L60E with a no second
gear complaint? Just type 4l60e no
second, the system finds the informa-
tion for you.
The changing economy has brought
on a new set of challenges. But with it
come new ways of reaching customers
and doing business. ATRA is changing
with the times to help keep members in
front of the pack. Lets keep it going!

September 9 - 12 San Antonio, TX
San Antonio Convention Center
2 ATRAs Powertrain Expo September 9 - 12, 2010 3
Join us in
San Antonio, TX!
G
r
a
b
y
o
u
r
p
a
r
tn
e
r
fo
r
a
n
ig
h
t o
f fu
n
o
u
t
a
t R
io
C
ib
o
lo
R
a
n
c
h
!
Discover San Antonio
Group Tour
Saturday, September 11
Full Texas style buffet
Enjoy the pleasant sounds of the resident country fiddler
Feed the resident Texas Longhorn cattle in the big Texas sized RCR Rodeo Arena
Listen to stories of the Old West & Texas Revolution while roasting marshmellows by the fire
Jump on for a hay wagon ride throughout the ranch or try some Texas linedancing
Look for more information to come in the May/June issue of GEARS!
Get em In The Door!
Management Seminars
Learn and share proven strategies to take your business right to the top from business owners
making it work in their shops everyday!
Creating Visions for sustainable success!
Setting the Right Goals and achieving them!
Developing the Right Plan and how to apply it!
Getting the Right People onboard
Applying What Works and measuring your success!
Get em Out The Door!
Technical Seminars
Proven professionals bring you proven fixes and introduction to some new products, stay on
top of the changing industry. Using the information as soon as you get back to the shop!
Learn quick diagnostics to finding the fixes fast!
Tips and tricks on how to rebuild some of the toughest units!
Whats coming down the line from the big manufacturers!
Most importantly, how to Get em out the door fast and efficiently!
Hotel Accommodations
$149 single/double
Mention ATRA to get discounted rate
San Antonio Marriott Riverwalk
889 East Market Street, San Antonio, TX 78205
Phone: (800) 648-4462
G
r
a
b
y
o
u
r
p
a
r
tn
e
r
fo
r
a
n
ig
h
t o
f fu
n
o
u
t
a
t R
io
C
ib
o
lo
R
a
n
c
h
!
Group Tour
Join us in
San Antonio, TX!
G
r
a
b
y
o
u
r
p
a
r
tn
e
r
fo
r
a
n
ig
h
t o
f fu
n
o
u
t
a
t R
io
C
ib
o
lo
R
a
n
c
h
!
Group Tour
Full Texas style buffet
Enjoy the pleasant sounds of the resident country fiddler
Feed the resident Texas Longhorn cattle in the big Texas sized RCR Rodeo Arena
Listen to stories of the Old West & Texas Revolution while roasting marshmellows by the fire
Jump on for a hay wagon ride throughout the ranch or try some Texas linedancing
Look for more information to come in the May/June issue of GEARS!
Get em In The Door!
Management Seminars
Learn and share proven strategies to take your business right to the top from business owners
making it work in their shops everyday!
Creating Visions for sustainable success!
Setting the Right Goals and achieving them!
Developing the Right Plan and how to apply it!
Getting the Right People onboard
Applying What Works and measuring your success!
Get em Out The Door!
Technical Seminars
Proven professionals bring you proven fixes and introduction to some new products, stay on
top of the changing industry. Using the information as soon as you get back to the shop!
Learn quick diagnostics to finding the fixes fast!
Tips and tricks on how to rebuild some of the toughest units!
Whats coming down the line from the big manufacturers!
Most importantly, how to Get em out the door fast and efficiently!
Hotel Accommodations
$149 single/double
Mention ATRA to get discounted rate
San Antonio Marriott Riverwalk
889 East Market Street, San Antonio, TX 78205
Phone: (800) 648-4462
G
r
a
b
y
o
u
r
p
a
r
tn
e
r
fo
r
a
n
ig
h
t o
f fu
n
o
u
t
a
t R
io
C
ib
o
lo
R
a
n
c
h
!
Group Tour
Which works best for you?
September 9-12
San Antonio, TX
San Antonio
Convention Center
C
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all tech
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Trade Show Only
Friday, September 10
Your Trade Show Only pass will give you
access to two full days in the exhibit hall.
Come see the only trade show dedicated to
transmission repair with the latest tools and
equipment. With ATRAs Powertrain Expo
being the largest gathering of automatic
transmission repair professionals, youre sure
to find all the newest innovations all in one
location!
Golf Tournament
Thursday, September 9
Arrive early in San Antonio and join your
industry peers and colleagues for a great day
of golf at the Brackenridge Golf Course. Its
a great way to mix business and pleasure
and kick off your Expo experience. This
years course is the first public course in San
Antonio and is home to the 2010 Texas Golf
Hall of Fame. Reserve your spot when you
sign up for Expo!
Group Tour
Fun, Food and Excitement! Discover what
Texas is all about on this group tour of
Rio Cibolo Ranch. Your ticket includes
transportation, a full Texas buffet, linedancing,
hayrides, and much more! Purchase your tickets
when you register for Expo!
Registration opens June 1
GEARS April 2010 53
TRC Extends Spring
Jacket Promotion to
GEARS Subscribers
TRC is offering their latest promo-
tion to all GEARS subscribers. For a
limited time, subscribers will receive
a heavy-duty canvas jacket with every
third transmission purchase.
TRC has been in business since
1981; they ship transmissions (automat-
ic and standard, foreign and domestic),
transfer cases and differentials nation-
wide.
For more information visit
www.TRCtrans.com, or call toll-free
1-800-524-0485.
Sonnax 4L80-E Reverse
Servo Spacer Kit
1996-and-later 4L80-E reverse
servo pistons often break because they
receive more stress than the servo pis-
tons in earlier units.
The Sonnax Reverse Servo Space
Kit 34528-01K is a simple, low-cost
way to add durability to your 4L80-
E rebuilds and eliminate the need to
retrofit early design servo pistons for
late units.
The kit works by increasing con-
tact area, reducing the pressure between
the pin spacer and piston by more than
60%. Durability is further enhanced
with the addition of a belleville spring
washer to reduce shock during servo
apply.
This kit can be installed as part
of the normal assembly procedure and
doesnt require any modifications or
special tools.
For more information, visit Sonnax
on line at www.sonnax.com.
Valve Body PRO Offers
Fix For Worn TF80SC
Accumulator Bores
Valve Body PRO is excited to offer
remanufactured valve bodies for the
Volvo TF-80SC.
Valve Body PRO has researched
the valve body issues that affect the
shifting characteristics of late model
Volvo models, which use the TF80SC
transmission. One of the problem areas
involves excessive wear in the five
accumulator bores.
Most of the accumulator bores
show signs of surface loss which cre-
ates an out-of-round bore. In addition,
some of the bores are heavily notched
by the constant rubbing of the accumu-
lator piston into the bore wall.
Bob Sanghera, CEO of Valve Body
PRO said, After studying the pos-
sible remedies, we came to the conclu-
sion the only way to solve it was to
have new high quality aluminum inserts
installed.
In addition to the usual overhaul
of the valve body, these inserts bring
the accumulator bore diameter back to
factory specs.
For more information, visit www.
valvebodypros.com or call toll free
1-877-611-7767.
TransTec Introduces New
Kit for Ford 6R80
TransTec is pleased to announce
the availability of TransTec overhaul
kit 2546.
This kit includes coverage for
the 6-speed Ford 6R80 transmission
found in 2008-up Ford F-150, 2009up
Ford Expedition and 2009-up Lincoln
Navigator models.
The new kit includes:
For more information, visit them
on line at www.TransTec.com
PML Introduces Low
Profile 200-4R GM
Transmission Pan
PML has just introduced a low
profile transmission pan for the GM
200-4R, in response to requests from
the performance automatic overdrive
transmission market. PML has had a
deep extra capacity 200-4R transmis-
sion pan since 2003 and designed this
low profile version to accommodate
applications with little clearance.
This low profile pan features fins
and aluminum construction for cooling
POWERTRAIN INDUSTRY NEWS
GEARS does not endorse new products but makes this new information available
to readers. If you have a new product, please email the press release information
with applicable digital photo or drawing to [email protected] or send by mail to
GEARS, 2400 Latigo Avenue, Oxnard, CA 93030.
TF80SC Accumulator Bores Before
TF80SC Accumulator Bores After
Press Release

VALVE BODY PRO Offers Fix For Worn
TF80SC Accumulator Bores

Valve Body PRO is excited to offer remanu-
factured Valve Bodies for the Volvo TF-80SC.
Valve Body PRO has researched the valve
body issues that affect the shifting characteris-
tics of late model Volvo models which use the
TF80SC transmission. One of the problem
areas involves excessive wear in the 5 accumu-
lator bores. Most of the accumulator bores
show signs of surface loss which creates an
out-of-round bore. In addition, some of the
bores are heavily notched by the constant rub-
bing of the accumulator piston into the bore
wall. Bob Sanghera, CEO of Valve body PRO
said, After studying the possible remedies, we
came to the conclusion the only way to solve it
was to have new high quality aluminum inserts
installed. In addition to the usual overhaul of
the valve body, these inserts bring the accumu-
lator bore diameter back to factory specs.

For more information, visit
www.valvebodypros.com or call toll free
1-877-611-7767
TransTec

Number
Description
B33324 Molded Rubber Pan Gasket
B37047 Front Seal
B37141 Extension Housing Seal; 2WD
B37142 Extension Housing Seal; 4WD
3533 Sealing Ring Kit
54 GEARS April 2010
POWER INDUSTRY NEWS
and a drain for easy oil changes.
Stock pans are thin stamped steel;
this PML transmission pan has thick
walls to increase the torsional strength
of the transmission case, and a thick,
machined gasket flange for a leak-free
seal.
The transmission pan has stock
capacity and is 3 1/8-inches tall from
the gasket surface to the fin top so its
slightly taller than stock.
The pan kit includes mounting bolts
and a magnetic drain plug to collect
any metal bits, keeping the oil cleaner.
Theres also a cast-in boss that can be
machined for a temperature sensor.
PML offers this transmission pan
in three finishes: cast aluminum, black
powder coat with shaved fins, and pol-
ished. The PML part number is 11070.
Made in the USA by PML, youll find
pictures and dimensions online at www.
yourcovers.com.
Transtar Promotes Jim
Berry to VP of Marketing
Transtar Industries, Inc., the pre-
mier provider of world-class driveline
solutions, is pleased to announce the
promotion of Jim Berry to vice presi-
dent of marketing for the Domestic
Distribution Group.
Berry joined Transtar in July 2005
as director of marketing, and quickly
became an integral part of Transtars
management team. Jim has proven to
be a valuable team member helping to
shape our strategic direction, said Neil
Sethi, group vice president, Transtar
Distribution Group.
To me, the responsiveness of a
marketing team is a good gauge of
the effectiveness of the department,
Berry observed. I take pride that our
department has a reputation of quick
response, both to the sales team as well
as our customers.
Most recently, Jim has focused his
team on developing new, customer-
driven product solutions in support of
their mission statement: The premier
provider of world class driveline solu-
tions.
It became apparent several years
ago that the transmission repair indus-
try was going through an evolution,
Berry continues. We knew that we
had an opportunity to be the industry
leader, and doing so to be a true partner
to our customers to live up to the
standard set forth by the Transtar Seal
of Quality.
Jims marketing and sales career
includes positions with Quaker State
Corporation and ICI Paints. During
his tenure with ICI, Jim held several
marketing and sales positions including
director of marketing support.
Transtar would like to congratulate
Jim and looks forward to a thriving
future with him.
Full Spectrum
All-In-One Dye
Pinpoints All Leaks
T r a c e r
Products has
developed a
st at e- of - t hear t
fluorescent dye
TP-3405CS
Dye-Lite All-
In-One dye
which greatly
improves leak
detection in all oil
and oil-based fluid
systems, including
gasoline and die-
sel engine oil, gas-
oline, diesel fuel,
automatic trans-
mission fluid, power steering fluid,
hydraulic and lubrication fluids. This
dye has proven to be 100% effective
with all UV and blue light lamps.
TP-3405CS Dye-Lite All-In-One
dye assures optimum leak detection
because it actually contains two fluo-
rescent dyes: One fluoresces best under
UV and the other under blue light.
Whatever type of inspection lamp is
used, All-In-One dye will glow bril-
liantly and spotlight every leak even
a pinhole in a system.
Dye-Lite All-In-One dye is safe
and easy to use. Just one bottle of dye
per application is all you need! The dye
is circulated through the vehicles fluid
system, and will escape with the host
fluid through the tiniest leak. When
you scan the system with a high-inten-
sity Tracerline UV lamp, the dye will
glow brightly, spotlighting the exact
location of every leak.
All-In-One is available in standard
and concentrated formulas.
For more information about
TP-3405CS Dye-Lite All-In-One
dye, call toll-free 1-800-641-1133.
Outside the United States and Canada,
call 516-333-1254. Or visit them online
at www.tracerline.com.
Arizona Transmission
Machine EZ-DRIVER Set
Arizona Transmission Machine
introduced its EZ-DRIVER bear-
ing installation sets. The master set is
highly adaptable, with a series of 28
interchangeable force distributors in
two styles, to install bearings and other
components onto or over a shaft.
Create more than 200 different
usable setups. EZ-DRIVER offers ver-
satility for working on components
from bearings to seals, gears, hubs and
sleeves.
Dan and Tom Tarkus, owners of
Tarkus Complete Automotive Services
in Milwaukee, were extremely positive
about all the EZ-DRIVER press kit was
helping them get done.
Weve been doing lots of press
work and its nice to have press tools
that are really press tools instead of
what we make we make a lot of
our own tools, Tom said, who has a
tool-and-die background. Its compact
and out of the way for shops with little
room. I like how it fits on the rack. It
has nice drivers, mounting and bearing
braces. This set is wonderful because it
REVIEW
TOOL
P
T
E
N
rizona Transmission
Machine introduced
its EZ-DRIVER bear-
ing installation sets. The
Master set is highly adapt-
able, with a series of 28
interchangeable Force
Distributors in two styles,
to install bearings and other
components onto or over
a shaft. Create more than
200 different usable setups.
EZ-DRIVER offers versatil-
ity for working on compo-
nents from bearings to seals,
gears, hubs and sleeves.
The review
Dan and Tom Tarkus,
PTEN review panelists and
owners of Tarkus Complete
Automotive Services in
Milwaukee, were extreme-
ly positive about all the
EZ-DRIVER press kit was
helping them get done.
"We've been doing lots
of press work and its nice
to have press tools that are
really press tools instead of
what we make ... we make
a lot of our own tools," Tom
said, who has a tool-and-die
background.
"It's compact and out of the way for shops with
little room," Tom said. "This is all really nice how it
fits on the rack.
"It's got nice drivers; and the mounting and bear-
ing braces, [this set] is wonderful because it comes
with so many sizes, even some that many shops
might never use."
Another nice feature was the O-rings to keep the
tube extensions together, Dan said.
"This set has proved to be very useful for us.
I like that it has all the different-sized couplers.
Nice brace tools and a lot of good flat tools too.
"The tools are soft so that they don't mar the fit-
tings you're trying to get in," Dan said.
"It's probably the best press tool kit we've seen
here in 25 years in business," Tom said.
Circle 117 on inquiry card
or click e-inquiry at pten.com
A
Arizona transmission Machine eZ-DriVer set
www.pten.com February 2010 34
GEARS April 2010 55
comes with so many sizes.
Another nice feature was the
O-rings to keep the tube extensions
together, Dan said. This set has
proved to be very useful for us. I like
that it has all the different-sized cou-
plers. Nice brace tools and a lot of good
flat tools too.
on line at www.bearinginstaller.com.
2010 Smart Blend ATF
Service Guide and
Application Chart
Smart Blend Synthetics, a leader
in automatic transmission additives,
protectants, supplements, cleaners and
fully formulated CVT fluid, announces
the release of its new 2010 ATF Service
Guide and Application Chart.
This comprehensive guide offers
easy-to-follow charts that list manu-
facturer, year, model, and transmis-
sion type with total fill and service fill
capacities. Also listed are fluid type and
Smart Blend low-cost alterative fluid
recommendations.
This service guide is an excel-
lence tool for every technician, shop
manager/owner, and installer. Smart
Blend makes servicing automatic trans-
missions and CVTs simpler and more
profitable.
For more information call 1-888-
422-9099 or visit them on line at www.
smartblend.com.
Larry Barnes Joins the
Sales Team at Smart
Blend Synthetics
Smart Blend Synthetics by Life
Automotive Products is proud to
announce the addition of Larry Barnes as
national sales coordinator to the Smart
Blend team.
Larry has a lifelong career in
the automotive service industry. His
automotive career beginning in 1988
with NAPA Auto Parts in distribution
center management and sales manage-
ment throughout areas in the Southeast
United States.
In 2003, Larry joined Mighty Auto
Parts where he was responsible for the
extensive VS7 Chemical program. He
was instrumental in all aspects of train-
ing and authored over 25 technical arti-
cles for numerous trade publications.
It is a pleasure to represent an
industry leader like Life Automotive /
Smart Blend Synthetics. The dedication
of the entire team to produce innovative
and quality driven products to the auto-
motive market is second to none. I look
forward to carrying this tradition of
excellence out to the field, Larry said.
Larry, an avid golfer, brings vast
automotive and fast lube industry expe-
rience to Smart Blend Synthetics and
we look forward to his future contribu-
tions.
For more information contact Life
Automotive Products at 1-888-422-
9099 or visit them on line at www.
smartblend.com.
Transtar Announces
New Line of Complete
Automatic Transmissions
solutions, has just introduced its new
line of complete automatic transmis-
sions. With the addition of this line,
Transtar can now offer new solutions to
transmission shops.
I was talking to a shop owner the
other day and his rebuilder was on vaca-
tion for a few days, says Mark Russell,
who was recently chosen as director,
complete transmission solutions. He
purchased a unit and was able to do the
repair and get his customer back on the
road again.
Before joining Transtar, Mark
led the northeast region for Axiom
Automotive Technologies Inc. He came
to the company with great expertise in
the industry and has successfully man-
aged the establishment of the AT Units
line. Jim Berry, vice president of mar-
keting, said, When we hired Mark, we
knew we needed a senior manager who
knew this industry and our customers
he was the perfect fit.
Remanufactured in the US and to
OE quality, this new line offers applica-
tions for all major foreign and domes-
tic vehicles, and their comprehensive
inventory enables Transtar to deliver to
most markets within a day.
All units are fully tested using state-
of-the-art equipment and include the
Transtar Seal of Quality. AT Units are
also updated with the latest pieces and
fittings, and are backed by Transtars
18-month/18,000 mile national war-
ranty with extended 36-month/100,000
mile warranty availability.
For further details or purchasing
information, customers should contact
their Transtar representative.
Profit Boost Builds New
Online Home
Profit Boost, the leader in web-
based shop management solutions for
the automotive industry, has launched
its new web site at www.profitboost.
com.
With its fresh, new look and easy nav-
igation, the web site coincides with Profit
Boosts commitment to provide leading
web-based automotive software systems
to automotive professionals. The web site
is powered by Autoshop Solutions, an
automotive industry partner.
Profit Boosts PIF Pro, the only
web-based software shop management
program for the automotive industry,
provides secure, protected shop man-
agement solutions. PIF Pro streamlines
the RO process and provides in-depth
customer and vehicle tracking features.
We are thrilled to be launching
our new web site, said Scott Johnson,
CEO. Profit Boost is committed to
FAX: 281-631-0460 www.smartblend.com
For more information
Call: 1-888-422-9099 or Email: [email protected]
NEW PRODUCT RELEASE
2010 Smart Blend
ATF Service Guide &
Application Chart
SMART BLEND SYNTHETICS a leader in automatic
transmission additives, protectants, supplements,
cleaners and fully formulated CVT fluid; announces
the release of our new 2010 ATF Service Guide &
Application Chart. This comprehensive guide offers
easy to follow charts that list manufacturer, year,
model and transmission type with total fill and
service fill capacities. Also listed are fluid type and
Smart Blend low cost alterative fluid
recommendations.
This service guide is an excellence tool for every
technician, shop manager/owner and installer.
Smart Blend makes servicing automatic
transmissions and CVTs simpler and more profitable.
For Immediate Release
LARRY BARNES
JOINS THE SALES TEAM
AT SMART BLEND SYNTHETICS
Smart Blend Synthetics by Life Automotive Products is proud to announce the addition of Larry Barnes as
National Sales Coordinator to our Smart Blend team.
Larry has a lifelong career in the automotive service industry. His automotive career beginning in 1988 with
NAPA Auto Parts in Distribution Center Management and Sales Management throughout areas in the
Southeast United States.
In 2003, Larry joined Mighty Auto Parts where he was responsible for the extensive VS7 Chemical program. He
was instrumental in all aspects of training and authored over 25 technical articles for numerous trade
publications.
It is a pleasure to represent an industry leader like Life Automotive / Smart Blend Synthetics. The dedication of the
entire TEAM to produce innovative and quality driven products to the automotive market is second to none. I look
forward to carrying this tradition of excellence out to the field. Larry adds.
Larry, an avid golfer, brings vast automotive & fast lube industry experience to Smart Blend Synthetics and we
look forward to his future contributions.
[email protected]
more information contact Products
at 1-888-422-9099 FAX: 281-631-0460
www.smartblend.com
For Life Automotive
Larry Barnes, National Sales
Coordinator, Smart Blend
56 GEARS April 2010
POWER INDUSTRY NEWS
developing leading software solutions
that help automotive and transmis-
sion shop owners succeed in this ever-
changing industry. Our new web site is
one piece of that plan. We have many
new features that will be announced at
this years annual ProfitBoost Training
Expo in Phoenix, April 21st to the
24th.
Web-based software is needed now
more than ever. Real time informa-
tion is essential and directly related to
bottom line profits. Connectivity with
other partners for marketing, credit
cards, online parts ordering, consulting,
technical information, and real time
financial information has made web-
based online software an essential tool
for automotive business owners and
service writers.
Visit Profit Boosts new site on line
at www.profitboost.com.
27 New Products
Available from Rostra
Transmission
Rostra Transmission announced
the addition of 27 new items to its
line of over 200 automotive transmis-
sion parts. The newly added products
include individual solenoids, kits, and
harnesses.
Leading the list is an improved
governor pressure solenoid for Chrysler
transmissions, fitting all years of the
Chrysler 46, 47, and 48RE transmis-
sions. The enclosed can assembly
provides cleaner operation, improved
durability, longer life, quicker response
time, and increased fluid flow over the
OE unit.
The newly released kits include 15
complete solenoid kits for many late
model Toyota automatic transmissions,
a four-piece kit for the recently discon-
tinued Ford A4LD solenoid parts, and
a solenoid kit for the 2000-07 Hyundai
Accent and other models.
Other products now available from
Rostra include a new universal external
wire harness repair kit and test har-
ness for the General Motors 4L60-E,
4L80-E, 4T80-E, 4T65-E, 4T45-E and
Allison LT series transmissions, three
linear solenoids for the AW 55-50SN
automatic transmission, and two pres-
sure switches for Honda 5-speed trans-
missions.
Rostra Transmission is the pow-
ertrain division of Rostra Precision
Controls, Inc. of Laurinburg, NC, and
is a leading manufacturer and distribu-
tor of OE transmission products for the
auto industry.
More information on these and
other new products can be found at
www.rostratransmission.com.
Rostra Introduces New
Products Continued.
Improved governor pressure sole-
noid for Chrysler transmissions fits
all Chrysler 46, 47 and 48RE (A500/
A518) transmission. Rostra part num-
ber 52-0275.
Hyundai A4BF3 solenoid kit
fits 2000-07 Hyundai Accent and other
models. Rostra part number 52-9023
replaces OE part number 46313-22700
in all applications. This six-solenoid
kit comes with wire harness and case-
through connector.
Jatco JF506E solenoids three
new solenoids are now available for the
Jatco JF506E transmission family. We
now offer the three-way shift solenoids
A, B & C for Mazda and Volkswagen
applications from 1999-on; Rostra
part numbers 52-0431, 52-0432 and
52-0433.
Toyota expanded coverage and
solenoid kits 15 solenoid kits for
many late model Toyota automatic
transmissions. Complete kits avail-
able for the U140, U240, U340, U341,
U150, U151, A241, A245, A246, A247
and AW450-43LE transmissions.
Ford A4LD solenoid kit and case
connector our four-piece kit includes
a 3-4 shift solenoid and valve, the lock-
up solenoid, and the three-prong case-
through electrical connector; Rostra
P/N 52-9005.
GM test harness/universal repair
harness for 4L60-E, 4L80-E, 4T80-
E, 4T65-E, 4T45-E and Allison LT
series transmissions. Rostra P/N 350-
0083 includes 21 lead wires (all white)
for repairing GMs most popular vehi-
cles.
AW 55-50SN linear solenoids
three linear solenoids for the AW
55-50SN automatic transmission;
Rostra part number 52-0458 (SLU),
52-0464 (SLS) and 52-0466 (SLT).
Honda pressure switches two
pressure switches for the Honda 5-speed
transmissions; Rostra part numbers
50-1028 (38 PSI Green) and 50-1029
(33 PSI Black).
For more information on these and
other new products, visit Rostra online
at www.rostratransmission.com.
Sonnax TASC Force
Meets in Europe
The Sonnax TASC Force met in
Europe last month, bringing together
experts from 11 countries to tackle
industry developments and technical
challenges faced by todays transmis-
52-0275
Ford A4LD
Jatco JF506-1
honda press switch
Jatco JF506-2
AW 55-50
GM test harness
Jatco JF506-3
Hyundai
Toyota expaned
Sonnax Transmission Technical Specialist
Gregg Nader (center) and Technical Group
Manager Scott Jackson (right) led one
afternoons TASC Force workshop on valve
body reaming procedures, inspection and
vacuum testing. Here, Nader demonstrates a
Sonnax valve body reaming fixture.
GEARS April 2010 57
sion specialists.
The Sonnax TASC Force includes
experienced transmission rebuilders
and technicians with a hands-on under-
standing of the latest units and industry
developments. Working closely with
Sonnax design engineers and techni-
cians, TASC Force members contribute
product ideas, test new products, and
troubleshoot results, then meet on a
regular basis to compare findings.
Ganzeboom Transmissies in
Almelo, Netherlands, hosted the January
22-23 meeting. For the first time, tradi-
tional participants from the US and
Western Europe sat side by side with
their counterparts from Eastern Europe
and the Middle East, a reflection of
the automotive industrys increasing-
ly global nature. Attendees included
Sonnax representatives as well as indi-
viduals from Belgium, Germany, Latvia,
Sweden, the Netherlands, Poland,
Russia, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, the
UK and the US.
Working with industry leaders in
the European automotive aftermarket
is one of the most important ways in
which Sonnax pursues timely, effec-
tive product development, said Steve
Jassaud, Sonnax VP of Sales. The
recent TASC Force meeting was an
opportunity to demonstrate that we are
listening and responding with real solu-
tions for transmission rebuilders around
the world.
Adapt-A-Jack,
Safety is #1
Safety is the #1 priority on the shop
floor. Many automatic transmissions
have irregularly shaped oil pans. Ford
RWDs are known for this, typically
making necessary the use of chunks of
wood to level the unit on the jack to
ready it for installation. Ask any R&R
tech and theyre likely to admit to how
awkward this can be. Unfortunately,
too often we find this out when we hear
an expletive shortly before a crash. Or
when the tech is out for a week laid up
with a strained back or, worst case, their
career is ended.
We decided to put pen to paper to
solve this problem.
Weve developed this sturdy solu-
tion that has already been hailed as the
new must-have shop item. Adapt-
A-Jack is designed to fit the most
popular, air-assisted undercar transmis-
sion jacks: Gray, Snap-on/Bluepoint
and NAPA.
Answering challenges with prof-
itable solutions. www.Adapt-A-Case.
com.
CORTECO Introduces
New GM 4T65E Kit
CORTECO now offers 4T65E kits
with the molded rubber side cover gasket.
TransTec kit number 2549 covers the
traditional 1997-up 4T65E found in General
Motors models; kit number 2550 covers
1999-up Volvo applications.
Both kits include the molded pan gas-
ket as well as the molded side cover gas-
ket.
Heres whats included in these kits:
on line at www.TransTec.com.
Sonnaxs Green Initiative
On Dec. 30, 2009, Sonnax began gen-
erating electricity from the solar photo-
voltaic power-generation system installed
on the roof of its corporate headquarters
in Vermont. An impressive array of 424
photovoltaic
panels, which
can generate
up to 100KW
of electric-
ity, was put in
place by gro-
Solar of White River Junction, Vt., on
some of the coldest days of the winter.
This latest step in Sonnaxs Green
Initiative is good for our community,
good for our company and good for our
customers, stated Sonnax CEO Tommy
Harmon. Lower energy costs are just
one way we continue to reduce operating
costs and help keep prices in check.
The company also began participat-
ing in a Power Shed Program in coop-
eration with the electric company. Under
this program, Sonnax will operate on
its generator when requested to help
reduce power consumption in the local
grid demand. All of these initiatives com-
plement an ongoing commitment to recy-
cling and minimizing material waste.
Transtar Promotes Nancy
Parker to VP of Corporate
Human Resources
solutions, is pleased to announce the
promotion of Nancy Parker to vice pres-
ident of corporate human resources.
Parker, with 20-plus years of
experience in HR management, joined
Transtar in December, 2006, as director
of human resources.
Nancy is a highly experienced
HR professional, said Greg Gyllstrom,
president and CEO of Transtar
Industries. Her leadership was instru-
mental to the successful integration dur-
ing our merger with Axiom Automotive
Technologies, Inc.
Nancys manufacturing and dis-
tribution career includes plant, divi-
sion and corporate level positions with
blue chip companies such as Cooper
Industries, Cummins Engine, Goodrich
Aerospace and Invacare. Nancy has a
BS degree in Biology/Psychology, and
a MA in labor relations/HR.
Transtar would like to congratulate
Nancy and looks forward to a thriving
future with her.
TransTec

Number
Description
B29046 Front Seal
B29047 Left Axle Seal
B37024 Right Axle Seal
B36455 Molded Side Cover Gasket
B33212 Molded Pan Gasket
3448 Sealing Ring Kit
Adapt-A-Jack
Safety is the #1 priority on the shop floor.
Many automatic transmissions have irregularly shaped oil pans.
Ford RWDs are known for this, typically making necessary the
use of chunks of wood to level the unit on the jack to ready it
for installation. Ask any R&R tech and theyre likely to admit
to how awkward this can be. Unfortunately, too often we find
this out when we hear an expletive shortly before a crash. Or
when the tech is out for a week laid up with a strained back or,
worst case, their career is ended.
We decided to put pen to paper to solve this problem.
Weve developed this sturdy solution that has already been
hailed as the new must-have shop item. Adapt-A-Jack is
designed to fit the most popular, air-assisted undercar
transmission jacks: Gray, Snap-on/Bluepoint and NAPA.
Answering challenges with profitable solutions.
- -
www.Adapt-A-Case.com
Adapt-A-Jack
Safety is the #1 priority on the shop floor.
Many automatic transmissions have irregularly shaped oil pans.
Ford RWDs are known for this, typically making necessary the
use of chunks of wood to level the unit on the jack to ready it
for installation. Ask any R&R tech and theyre likely to admit
to how awkward this can be. Unfortunately, too often we find
this out when we hear an expletive shortly before a crash. Or
when the tech is out for a week laid up with a strained back or,
worst case, their career is ended.
We decided to put pen to paper to solve this problem.
Weve developed this sturdy solution that has already been
hailed as the new must-have shop item. Adapt-A-Jack is
designed to fit the most popular, air-assisted undercar
transmission jacks: Gray, Snap-on/Bluepoint and NAPA.
Answering challenges with profitable solutions.
- -
www.Adapt-A-Case.com
58 GEARS April 2010
SHOPPER CLASSIFIED ADS
GEARS Shopper advertising costs $325.00 for a one time insertion ad, (2 1/4 X 3) 2.25 X 3. Larger ads can be placed
elsewhere in the magazine and are charged at comparable rates. Check or money order must accompany all orders.
For information on Shopper advertising in GEARS, contact GEARS, 2400 Latigo Avenue, Oxnard, CA 93030, or call
(805) 604-2000.
ERIKSSON INDUSTRIES
1 YEAR UNLIMITED MILE WTY
1-800-388-4418
Division of Wentworth Engineering
Authorized Parts Distributor
Remanufactured Units * DYNO TESTED*
5HP30, 5HP24, 5HP19, 5HP18, 4HP24, 4HP22,
4HP18, 4HP14
Specializing in SAAB 900/9000 5SP,
as well as T-37 A/T
Hard Parts: NEW / USED / REMANUFACTURED
Soft Parts / Friction Kits / Steel Kits / Repair Manuals
Lifetime Fluids / Rebuild Kits / Valvebody Kits
1-800-388-4418
Fax: (860) 395-0047
www.erikssonindustries.com
146B Elm St., Old Saybrook, CT 06475
**COMPUTERS**
Transmission Control Module
E C M & T C M
Mitsubishi-Honda-Hyundai-GEO
Kia-Mazda-Nissan-Suzuki-Toyota
BOSCH ECM
GM - Ford - Chrysler - Dodge
Next Day Air Shipping Available
One Year Warranty
Best Customer Service!
Ford *GM * Chrysler off vehicle
ECM reprogramming available
8 8 8 - 2 1 7 - 4 0 7 2
Autocomp Technologies, Inc.
8515 N. Freeway, Houston, Texas
Automatic Soft Parts
Rebuilt Standards Transfer Cases
Clutches Bearing Kits
NEW & USED PARTS
Foreign
or
Domestic
800-578-8726
Sanford, FL
866-798-8726 800-773-8726
Tallahassee, FL Saucier, MS
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Make ONE Call and
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www.g-tec.com
www.g-tec.com
Heated Cooler
Line Flusher
Transmission
Dyno/CV
Tester
800-725-6499
417-725-6400
1 - 8 0 0 - 8 3 5 - 1 0 0 7
DOMESTIC-FOREIGN-
AUTOMATIC-STANDARD
1946 - 2009
Quality Parts-
Fair Prices-
Excellent Service
(805) 604-2000.
GEARS April 2010 59
BMW Mercedes-Benz Audi
Remanufactured to
Perfection
Hundreds of Transmissions in-stock.
Immediate installation available.
2 year unlimited warranty.
Dyno-tested.
Remanufactured torque converter included.
Toll free 800 - 372 - TRANS
1331 Rollins Road Burlingame, CA 94010
tel 650 - 348 - 3990 fax 650 - 348 - 3019
Valve Body Kits
RatioTek

RT
AX4S
Also fits AXODE
RT
4F50N
Also fits AX4N
RT
4L60E
Fix Code
1870 Fast
Adjust 1-2
shift firmness
without re-
moving VB.
RT
E4OD/4R
Kit fits
E40D and
4R100
Easy to Install - Low Cost - Great Results
Billet retainers
your gonna love!
Saves main booster.
Includes a bypass
booster valve &
sleeve.
Includes a bypass
booster sleeve.
Saves main booster.
3 High Tech
Regulator Valves.
Adjust shift firmness.
www.ratiotek.com 626-968-2754
-- Kits At Part Suppliers Now --
60 GEARS April 2010
(805) 604-2000.
INSTA-CLEAN
PARTS WASHERS
INSTA-CLEAN
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We Ship Anywhere
Our quality used hard parts are priced
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All parts are cleaned and inspected
O1d Ad O1d Ad O1d Ad O1d Ad
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WE HAVE WHAT YOU NEED
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Phone: 715-458-2617 Fax: 715-458-2611
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Fix it in less
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CORES
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Find vintage cores on *Memory Lane*
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AAEQ Gears Ad 1-4 pg 031209:1-17 AAEQ Gears Ad 3/12/09 2:31 PM Page 1

HARD PARTS FOR
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WE HAVE OVER 500,000 PARTS IN STOCK
CALL 602-971-0477
getithardparts.com

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www.atiracing.com
GEARS April 2010 61

Leading The Industry Since 1978
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62 GEARS April 2010
BUSINESS FOR SALE: Located in
Lancaster, California Transmis-
sion and Auto Repair Shop with a
6200 sq. ft. storage, and 1.75 acres
of land. All located on a main ave-
nue. Plenty of room to work on ve-
hicles, contains 7 car lifts (9,000lbs
capacity) plus a 18,000lbs truck lift.
Heated and air conditioned offce
and waiting room. $975,000 OBO,
call Miguel at (661) 350-0171 or
email: [email protected].
ATRA Mbr
BUSINESS FOR SALE: Largest
Transmission and General Re-
pair Center in sunny Saint Peters-
burg, Florida 9700 sq. ft. build-
ing, 14 bays, 10 lifts, (9 -7000lbs,
2-9000lbs, 1- 25000lbs). Three air
condition offces and air condition
building room completely equipped.
Located on Route 19 main high-
way address 1201-34 Street South.
Same location, same owner and
ATRA member for 30 years. Low
cost transmission only 195K, long
term lease or building available.
Contact George Douglas, (727)
420-8558 or [email protected].
Owner retiring due to health.
ATRA Mbr
SHOPPER CLASSIFIED
GEARS classified advertising cost $95.00 for up to 50 words for a one time insertion. ATRA members are eligible to receive up to three (3) FREE classified
advertisements in GEARS annually (per 9 issues). Members wishing to place ads once their three FREE ads have been placed may do so at the cost listed above.
Ads exceeding the maximum word count will cost $1.50 for each additional word (not including phone number and address).
April 2010
USED, NEW
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We offer a complete machine shop
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GEARS April 2010 63
Name___________________________________________
Address_________________________________________
City_____________________________________________________
State_____________________________ Zip___________________
Phone___________________________________________________
Signature________________________________________________
X
Please enclose check or money order in U.S. funds and send to:
GEARS 2400 LATIGO AVENUE OXNARD, CALIFORNIA 93030
or call: (805)604-2000
U.S. $30 ~ Canada $45 ~ Other Areas $65
I want my very own subscription
to the next 9 issues of GEARS.
Subscribe Today!
Grab Your GEARS Now!
BUSINESS FOR SALE: Floridas
West Coast. 38 year established
ATRA member business with two
buildings plus a half acre Real Es-
tate in popular Beach area. Well
known & highly respected shop.
Can expand or rent 1 unit for in-
come. Extensive equipment with
11 lifts plus a 30,000lbs Truck & RV
lift. Owner retiring. Business and
property priced right at $795,000
for complete Turnkey operation
ready to start making money!! Call
Pam Edgington, Prudential Florida
Realty (941) 812-6324. E-Mail pa-
[email protected] Website:
www.gopam.com . ATRA Mbr
HELP WANTED: California If you
are a technician with 2 to 3 years of
experience in rebuilding transmis-
sions, doing diagnostics & general
repair, call Al at Als Transmissions
in Turlock, CA (209) 634-5229 or
fax resume to (209) 634-5257 to-
day. All work areas are inside with
modern equipment and all rebuild-
ing tools plus upgraded scanners
for diagnostic. You could be look-
ing at long term employment in a
very clean work environment with a
guarantee of 32 hours per week if
willing to do odd jobs during slow
times. Hours 8:00 to 5:00, Monday
through Friday. For more informa-
tion visit our website at: www.al-
stransmissions.com. ATRA Mbr
HELP WANTED: DFW Metroplex,
TX High quality, well established
honest shop looking for a transmis-
sion technician and service man-
ager. Tech must be experienced
and have strong diagnostic and
electrical skills. Manager must
be honest and have good people
skills. Contact: North Texas Trans-
mission, Inc. at (817) 265-0921.
Resume can be faxed to (817)
277-0049 or emailed to Richard@
northtexastransmission.com.
HELP WANTED: Repair facil-
ity located in Rancho Cucamonga,
California is seeking experienced
transmission R&R technician for
all makes and models. Knowl-
edge of Honda/Acura Automobiles
and diagnostic experience pre-
ferred. Medical, Dental and 401K
benefts offered. Submit resume to
[email protected] or fax (909)
941-9460 attention: Rory. (Drug
Screen Required) ATRA Mbr
64 GEARS April 2010
2010
ADVERTISERS
Name Page Name Page
ATRA .................................................................. 38, 39
members.atra.com
ATRAs Powertarin Expo 2010 ............................ 49 - 52
members.atra.com
Arrow Uniform ........................................................... 42
www.arrowuniform.com
Certified Transmission ................................................. 3
www.certifiedtransmissions.com
ETE Reman ................................................................. 5
www.enginetrans.com
EVT Parts .................................................................. 33
www.evtparts.com
First National Merchant Solutions ............................. 43
www.fnms.com
Heffernan Group ........................................................ 46
www.heffgroup.com
Jasper Engines & Transmissions ............................ IBC
www.jasperengines.com
Life Automotive Products Inc. .................................... 25
www.smartblend.com
LUBEGARD By International Lubricants, Inc. ... OBC
www.lubegard.com
Precision European Inc ............................................. 63
www.peius.com
Precision International ............................................... 31
Raybestos Powertrain ............................................... 13
www.raybestospowertrain.com
Seal Aftermarket Products-Parker
Hannifin Corporation .............................................. 27
www.parker.com
Silver Star Transmission............................................ 43
www.silverstartransmission.com
Slauson Transmission Parts ...................................... 37
www.slauson.com
Sonnax Industries .................................................... IFC
www.sonnax.com
SuperFlow Technologies Group ................................ 42
www.superflow.com
Superior Transmission Parts ..................................... 35
www.superior-transmission.com
Transtar Industries, Inc. ........................................... 7, 9
www.transtarindustries.com
TransTec By CORTECO ............................................ 23
www.transtec.com
Whatever It Takes Transmission Parts, Inc. .............. 17
www.wittrans.com
2
0
1
0
CALENDAR
4/10/10 Minneapolis, MN
4/17/10 Boston, MA
5/1/10 Fremont, CA
5/8/10 Denver, CO
5/15/10 Vancouver, BC
5/22/10 Des Moines, IA
5/22/10 Dallas, TX
8/7/10 Los Angeles, CA
9/9/10 9/12 ATRA's Powertrain Expo, San Antonio, TX
9/25/10 Chicago, IL
10/9/10 Portland, OR
10/16/10 New York, NY
ATRA Technical Seminar Schedule
jasper ibc.indd IBC2 1/8/09 9:03:00 AM
ONLY
2010 ILI. All rights reserved.
www.Lubegard.com
The Only Synthetic Formula That Works as Hard as You.
Recipient of the prestigious 2009 North American Automotive Lubricants Technology Award.
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Emmy.pdf 3/18/2010 9:42:18 PM

A Closer Look at The Toyota A750E Valve Body: USA Transmissions

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APRIL 2010

A Closer Look at the Toyota

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