Back to all

It Pays to Take Care of Your Transmission at Sovel's Auto Service

January 7, 2019

If you've been paying attention, you've noticed that vehicle engines are getting more and more powerful in Novi. At the same time, they are getting better and better fuel economy. I've gotta tell 'ya, most of that's because of technological advances in transmissions. To get a better understanding of why that is, let's talk bicycles.

You've probably seen plenty of cyclists on Novi roads. Perhaps you ride yourself. Then you know that a cyclist's cadence is the number of times per minute he or she pedals. The ideal pedal speed is the zone where they can most efficiently generate power over a sustained period of time. The experienced Michigan cyclist uses her gears to keep her pedal speed in the ideal zone whether she's climbing a hill, cruising on a flat stretch or killing a downhill.

Think of it this way: if you have a 1-speed bike, you really have to pump hard to get up to speed. Your top speed is limited by how fast as you can pedal. And if you're climbing a steep Michigan hill – forget about it.

Now let's add a couple of gears: one lower and another one higher. With the lower first gear, you can get up to your ideal pedal speed more quickly. When you shift to second, your pedal speed drops below ideal for a while as you work to get back to peak efficiency. Same thing happens when you shift to third, but now you can go much faster than you could with a 1-speed bike using the same effort. Add more gears and you can see that it's much easier to maintain ideal pedal speed. The result, quicker starts, better hill climbing, higher top speed and, most of all, a lot less fatigue for the Novi rider.

Like a cyclist on a bike, every vehicle engine has an ideal engine speed called its power band. When an engine is running in that zone, it can make power very efficiently. It's the vehicle transmission's job to keep the engine in the power band over a wide range of operating conditions. Today 5 or 6 speed automatic transmissions are pretty much the minimum, and 7 and 8 speeds are fairly common in Novi.

Obviously these sophisticated transmissions are very expensive. In fact, next to your vehicle engine, your transmission is the most expensive component in your vehicle, so it pays to take good care of it. Your manufacturer has a recommended service interval for changing your old, contaminated transmission fluid. Servicing your transmission on schedule at Sovel's Auto Service keeps it operating at its best and can prevent costly damage. Ask your friendly and knowledgeable Sovel's Auto Service advisor if it's time for transmission service. Come see why smart Novi drivers trust their transmissions to Sovel's Auto Service.

Give us a call.

Sovel's Auto Service
41425 W. 10 Mile Rd.
Novi, Michigan 48375
248-348-7337

Need Service?

Request a Quote

More articles from Sovel's Auto Repair Novi

Getting Off to a Running Start (Starter Replacement)

July 6, 2025

When you start your vehicles engine, theres another motor that makes that whole process possible. Its called the starter, and its a small electric motor that gets your vehicle running. As you can imagine, its quite a chore for a little electric motor to turn over the big engine that powers you... More

U and your U-Joints (Lubricate U-Joints)

June 29, 2025

If your vehicles power goes to the rear wheels, then you have something called U-joints in the drivetrain. U-joints are connectors that allow the rotating power from your vehicles engine to deliver its power through a driveshaft to make the rear wheels rotate. You need U-joints because the surfa... More

Losing Your Spark (Spark Plug Replacement)

June 22, 2025

When's the last time you thought about spark plugs? You probably don't remember. That's because spark plugs usually last a long time and don't need much attention. But they don't last forever, and when they start going bad, they'll send you a few clues. Vehicle is hard to start. Fuel economy ... More