Transmission Basics: Understanding the Basic Parts

By Mister Transmission

Before you hand over the keys, brush up on the basics of automatic transmissions so you can understand why your transmission is acting up. Here we’ll cover the basic parts of a transmission, basic transmission problems and how to know if a rebuild is in your future.

What is a Transmission?

The transmission allows you to shift your car from gear to gear, knowing how fast you need to go and how quickly you need to get there. Remarkable stuff.

Parts of a Transmission: 101

While there are many little parts inside, your transmission is essentially made up of 4 key parts of systems:

Bell Housing: This is the cone shaped metal case that you can see when you peek underneath your car. If you have a front-wheel-drive car it’s stuck on the side of the engine under the hood. If your car is rear-wheel-drive, the transmission will be mounted underneath the car behind the engine.

Gears: Even though you’re not shifting them, an automatic transmission has gears. They are broken into main gears and planetary gears. You need all of these to be able to drive.

Fluid: Transmission fluid is very important to an automatic transmission. All of the magic happens in the fluid. Most cars come with red transmission fluid, good to know if you are looking for a leak.

Filter: All of that fluid has to be clean for your car to shift gears at the right time. To keep things fresh, your transmission has a filter to catch any gunk.

Transmission Problems: 101

If your car won’t start or doesn’t run smoothly, these problems are caused by the same faults in your transmission, so whichever your car is doing, the following applies:

Is your fluid level correct?

It’s important to check your transmission fluid at least twice a year. Not only can a low fluid level cause your car to shift poorly, it can eventually lead to transmission damage, and a costly repair. If your car seems to be losing fluid on a regular basis, you may have a leak.

Is your transmission leaking?

Checking for leaks isn’t as difficult as it may seem. The transmission is a closed system, so there are only a few places that can spring a leak. Unless it’s been changed to a non-dyed fluid, your car will have red transmission fluid. Here are a few places to check for leaks:

  • At the filler tube base.
  • At the drain hole underneath the transmission.
  • Between the transmission and the engine.
  • At the selector shaft – the rod that connects your gear shift to the transmission.
  • At the speed sensor mounting point: This will either be your cable screwing into the transmission housing or an electronic sensor bolted to the housing.
  • In the radiator: If your car has a transmission cooler, it’s possible that a leak will cause transmission fluid to leak into the radiator fluid. They don’t mix well, so you’ll see it floating around in there.

Is Your Filter Clogged?

Your transmission’s filter is vital to its performance. If you haven’t replaced your filter in a while, or ever, be sure to do this before you start talking about rebuilds or replacements.

Time for a Rebuild?

When your transmission is worn out, you’ll have to have it rebuilt. For some makes and models of car this is true a little too often. The important thing is checking any other possible causes to your problem before you have it taken apart. If you haven’t replaced your filter yet, start there as this fixes a good percentage of transmission problems. If your filter is in good condition and nothing simple is out of adjustment, it’s likely you’ll need a rebuild. The good news is that at Mister Transmission we offer a rebuild warrantee so you’ll know it will get fixed and stay fixed.

Generally, transmission problems can’t be fixed by the average do-it-yourselfer. There are just too many specialized and expensive tools and pieces of equipment needed. We recommend keeping up with your regular maintenance to keep you out of the shop as much as possible.

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Customer Reviews
My CVT transmission died. Spoke...
Andrea Casale
My CVT transmission died. Spoke to Dave on phone and told me get in for a free analysis. When I got there Frank went through all the possible solutions to attack the job and how to fix it giving me different price structures. Ultimately however I decided to scrap the vehicle because of the many kilometers it had. Thanks again gentlemen
Date: March 12, 2024
Website: Google
Great service as always, Dan
Dan Macinnis
Great service as always, Dan
Date: March 12, 2024
Website: Google
Really great and professional service....
Viv Naidoo
Really great and professional service. Aki does well to explain what's wrong and they had my vehicle sorted out on time and professionally. Highly recommend
Date: March 10, 2024
Website: Google
I just wanted to write...
Richard Mintah
I just wanted to write something for everyone to know, there is still good peoples out there, but it took God direction to meet them. I met Aki and his team, this guy's are awesome, infact they are doing a great job. I would recommend mister transmission Dixie road to everyone who need to fixed their car and you will never regret.
Date: March 10, 2024
Website: Google
Very reliable and helpful place...
-Courteney -
Very reliable and helpful place to go get your transmission work done. They stay within the quote they give you before tax. 10/10 recommend these gentleman helping you out.
Date: March 9, 2024
Website: Google
These guys are great!!! I...
Paul Poirier
These guys are great!!! I had an issue with my transmission called them and they got me in the same day. They had the issue diagnosed in minutes. Solved the problem and got me out in the same day. Really impressed and will go to them first if I ever have a transmission issue again. Thank you!!!
Date: March 9, 2024
Website: Google
There is customer service and...
Pam Shere
There is customer service and then there is amazing customer service. These guys have the amazing. I can't say enough good things. I can always rely on staff to give me an honest assessment, and show me what is going on, and treat me well during the experience. I never feel like a woman being taken advantage of. The staff makes me feel welcome, almost like a part of their own family. The prices are fair, the shop is clean, and the location is easy to access. Even if you just need to come in for an assessment or to investigate what is going on, these guys have you covered. I highly recommend.
Date: March 8, 2024
Website: Google
Had a great experience here...
Brooke Berkech
Had a great experience here at mister transmission. great customer service and kind gentleman. highly recommended for any transmission issues you have:)
Date: March 8, 2024
Website: Google
Friendly, professional staff from start...
Rhonda Holland
Friendly, professional staff from start to finish. On time and very knowledgeable. Knew what the issue with my Acura was and fixed it.
Date: March 7, 2024
Website: Google
best transmission shop around
Jordan Leslie
best transmission shop around
Date: March 7, 2024
Website: Google
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