Nobody wants to put an engine or transmission in their car. However, when that time comes, it’s important to make an informed decision - here are some things to consider when installing a used engine or transmission, from Skip's Auto Repair in Frederick, MD.

It can be very alarming to hear unusual sounds coming from your vehicle. If you are hearing any humming, whining, or even clunking noises emitting from under your vehicle, it is most likely a transmission issue. Luckily, these noises can help you pinpoint what issue you may be having with your transmission. Some of these issues are minor and can be easily taken care of, but some of them are much more major and may require special attention and service. Read on to see just what your transmission problem may be.

Your transmission’s shift points are exactly what you think they are - the points at which your transmission shifts. From the transmission experts at Skip's Auto Repair in Frederick, MD, here’s what you need to know about them.

U-joints are a small, simple component - in fact, they have changed much since the very first automobiles. However, on any vehicle with a driveshaft, its ability to move depends entirely on the u-joint being there. You’ll often hear “maybe it’s the u-joints” as a solution offered for problems with a vehicle - but what are they, what do they do, and how do you know if yours is bad? Skip's Auto Repair in Frederick, MD has the answers.

At Skip's Auto Repair in Frederick, our priority is keeping your transmission shifting smooth and running strong for years to come. While proper maintenance, driving habits, and a myriad of other conditions affect the life and reliability of a transmission, there are also ways to increase the overall efficiency of your unit, even above stock performance.

At Skip's Auto Repair in Frederick, our mechanics have diagnosed and repaired every transmission problem in the book. We’d like to pass some of our knowledge along to you, in order to help you understand your transmission a little better. Here, we discuss the synchronizers in your manual transmission, and how to know if one of yours is faulty.

If you drive a car, truck, or SUV with a manual transmission, the pressure plate is an integral part of your vehicle. From Skip's Auto Repair in Frederick, here’s what you need to know.

The term “overdrive” is one you are most likely familiar with. What is overdrive though, really, and why is it important? Skip's Auto Repair in Frederick, MD has the answer.

At Skip's Auto Repair in Frederick, our goal is to keep your car, truck, or SUV shifting and riding as smoothly as it did the day it rolled off the lot. A big part of that is the mounting hardware that keeps the moving parts in your drivetrain running smooth.

Over the past decade, vehicles with CVTs, or Continuously Variable Transmissions, seem to have taken over the market. While many people have different opinions on CVT transmissions, what are they, and how do they work? Skip's Auto Repair in Frederick has a simple explanation for you.

Sometimes your car, truck, or SUV stops performing quite like it used to. At Skip's Auto Repair in Frederick, we can fix that. A simple but common issue on vehicles equipped with a manual transmission is shifter bushing issues. Your shifter has a bushing on the end of it, where it connects to the actual transmission. Its purpose is to provide tight, smooth shifting. 

You’ve probably heard the term “transmission flush” before at some point in your automotive experience. But what exactly does it mean to have your transmission flushed, and why does it matter? Skip's Auto Repair in Frederick, MD has the answers.

“Transfer case” is a term you may have heard in discussions about transmissions. But what is it, and what does it do? Skip's Auto Repair in Frederick wants to keep you up to date and knowledgeable in your vehicle. Different aspects of your vehicle provide different issues and solutions.

At Skip's Auto Repair in Frederick, we understand the importance of keeping up with and understanding the latest in automotive technology. Gone are the days when fluids and vacuum lines were all that controlled the function of your engine and transmission, and we’ve moved into an era where computer control reigns supreme.

You may occasionally hear the term “transaxle” used in place of “transmission” for your car or SUV. Is there a difference, and if so, what is it? Skip's Auto Repair in Frederick is here to help.

You’ve heard the term “slipping transmission” before, and you know it’s nothing good. What exactly does a transmission slip feel like, and how much of a problem is it if your transmission is slipping? At Skip's Auto Repair in Frederick, MD, our expert technicians have diagnosed and repaired every type of transmission issue in the book. Here’s a short explanation of transmission slippage, and what action you should take to get rid of it.

The condition of your transmission fluid can tell you a lot about the condition of the transmission itself. At Skip's Auto Repair in Frederick, MD, we want to help you be aware of what to look for and what we look for when servicing your transmission. 

Hydraulic power has a lot to do with how your transmission operates. There are some basic hydraulic components that keep your transmission running smoothly.

Your drivetrain is where most of the process of moving your vehicle occurs. The drivetrain includes all the parts powered by the engine to turn the wheels, including the transmission, axles, or driveshafts that combine efforts to propel your car forward (or backward, when you’re in reverse.) At Skip's Auto Repair in Frederick, MD, our drivetrain specialists are well equipped to keep your car, truck, or SUV reliably on the road and running smoothly along.

Unless you use your vehicle to tow every day for work, odds are you haven’t paid much attention to your truck, SUV, or crossover’s towing capacity. Maybe you’re looking to buy a boat for some summer fun or just need to rent a trailer to get your belongings from one dwelling to the next. Whatever the reason for pulling something behind your vehicle, it’s important to get a firm grasp on what exactly your towing capacity means. Understanding how each of the components in your vehicle contributes to your overall tow rating can keep you from putting undue stress on your rig and keep you and your family safe.