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This Document Copyright 1999 © by
John F. Uske (All Rights Reserved)

<a manual transmission>

Fujitsu Computer Systems Corporation
www.autopartswarehouse.com
Automotive transmission repairs

I learned very early, in fact from my 1st car onward to stay away from cars with automatic transmissions. Automatics usually work most of the time, but when they breakdown and need work they cost a fortune to get repaired. The problem today is compounded by the fact that many cars today have front wheel drive. That means on some cars one has to literally remove half of the engine to get to the transmission. Cars have become so complicated and so festooned with electronics that they are no longer fun to work on or play around with. I loved my Datsun Z cars because they were easy to work on. I have had several of them. The early model 240z was especially easy to work on. Everything was accessible. To change the clutch all I had to do was jack up the front end of the car high enough. Then drop the rear support yoke, unbolt the transmission and slide it back off the engine and the pressure plate and clutch disk where right there. I used to get 60 to 70 thousand miles out of each disk. The clutch had hydraulic assist so driving this car in traffic was quite effortless. Today being a resident of NYC, I do not own a car anymore. I walk or take mass transit to go everywhere. I do not miss having a car at all.