Lesson 6:

Drivetrains
In this lesson we will cover:
 1. How Drivetrains Work
◦ Layouts
◦ Transmissions
◦ Disconnecting devices
◦ Driveshafts
◦ Differentials
◦ Axles
◦ Transfer Cases
 2. Drivetrain Maintenance
◦ Checking/changing/adding Fluids
◦ Inspecting CV boots
◦ Recognizing clutch wear
◦ Driving habits that minimize clutch wear
What is the drivetrain?

The drivetrain includes all of the components that are involved in

transferring the power from the engine to the wheels. This picture
of a four-wheel-drive vehicle shows these components. The
transmission is connected to the engine and receives power from it.
The transfer case, driveshafts, and differentials carry the power
from the transmission to the wheels.
Rear-Wheel-Drive Layout
This picture shows the drivetrain layout of a
typical rear-wheel-drive vehicle. It is made up
of the following parts:
•Transmission

•Driveshaft

•Differential
•Axles

Engine Each component

is necessary to
complete the
link between the
engine and the
wheels.
Four-Wheel-Drive Layout
In addition to the components that are on a rear-wheel-drive vehicle,
four-wheel-drive vehicles have the following components that allow
the power to be transferred to all four wheels:

•Transmission
•Driveshaft

•Differential
•Axles

•Transfer Case

•Front Driveshaft

•Front Differential

•Front Axles
3-Dimensional views of RWD and
4WD drivetrains.
Front-Wheel-Drive Layout
Most of the small cars on the road today are front-wheel-drive
(FWD). The layout is very simple, reducing the number of
components required and decreasing the weight of the vehicle.
Because of these advantages these cars typically get better fuel
economy and require less maintenance. This design also
concentrates all of the weight of the drivetrain over the drive wheels,
giving the car better traction on slippery surfaces.
•The transmission
and differential
are combined into
one component
called a
TRANSAXLE
•The AXLES
connect the
transaxles directly
to the front
wheels
3-dimensional view of a FWD
drivetrain
Transmissions

All cars have transmissions. The transmission provides different

gear ratios for the drivetrain. When a car is starting from a stop,
a lot of torque (force) is required, but very little speed is needed.
In 1st gear, the transmission uses a gear ratio that causes the
wheels to turn slower, but with more torque.

As the car gets going faster, less torque is required, but more
speed is needed. Therefore the transmission could be shifted into
2nd gear and so on. If, once the vehicle is moving down the
highway in 5th gear, it comes to a hill, more torque will again be
required to climb the hill. The driver must shift down to a lower
gear. A car has many different gear ratios to provide the right
ratio of torque to speed that is required for any given condition.
 Transmissions—How Gears Work

In the gear set on the left, the driven gear is larger than the driver gear.
Therefore the driven gear will turn only one-third as fast as the driver gear.
However, it will have three times more torque (turning force). This would
make a good 1st gear.

In the gear set on the right, the driven gear is smaller than the driver gear.
Therefore the driven gear will turn three times faster than the driver gear.
However, it will have only one third of the torque. This might make a good
5th gear.
Transmissions
Another important function of a transmission is to
provide a reverse gear. By adding an idler gear to
the gear set, the driven gear will run in the
opposite direction than it would otherwise.

This manual
transmission allows
the driver to choose
between five
different gear ratios
and a reverse gear.
Automatic vs. Manual
Automatic and manual transmissions perform
the same functions. They both have 1st, 2nd,
3rd gears, and so on. The biggest difference is
that the manual transmission must be
“manually” shifted by the driver, while the
automatic transmission “automatically” shifts
gears.

Did you know? Today some transmissions are

being used which blur the lines between
“automatic” and “manual.” These include
Continuously Variable Transmissions (CVT’s) and
Dual Clutch Transmissions (DCT’s).

Optional Links:
How manual transmissions work
How automatic transmissions work
How CVT’s work
How DCT’s work
Disconnecting Device
The drivetrain must include some way of disconnecting the
engine from the drivetrain. If not, there would be no way to
stop the wheels from turning without stopping the engine also.
In cars that have manual transmissions, a clutch performs this
job. The clutch disconnects the engine from the transmission
so that you can stop the car, start the car, and shift gears.
The clutch is located
between the engine and the
transmission. When the
driver presses the clutch
pedal, the engine is
disconnected from the rest
of the drivetrain.

To understand how
important its role is,
imagine trying to stop a car
with a manual transmission
without pressing in the
clutch pedal!

Optional Link:
How clutches work
Disconnecting Device
On a car with an automatic transmission, there is obviously no clutch. The job of
disconnecting the drivetrain from the engine is done by a torque converter.

The torque converter works similarly to two fans placed next to each other. With
one fan turned on and the other one left off, soon the air movement of the first fan
will cause the second fan to begin to move. The second fan could easily be
stopped and held still, but as soon as it is released again, the airflow would cause it
to turn again.

Now, imagine that the first fan is connected to the engine and the second fan is
connected to the transmission. Then, imagine both fans very close to each other
inside of a housing filled with fluid. This is how a torque converter works, and this
is why you can stop a car with an automatic transmission without stopping the
engine.

Optional Link: How torque converters work

Driveshafts
The Driveshaft (also known as a driveline) is simply a long tube
that transfers the rotational power from the transmission to the
differential. Typically these are only used on rear-wheel-drive and
four-wheel-drive vehicles.

Driveshafts
Driveshaft often include
universal joints
that allow the
shaft to change
angles when the
car’s suspension
system goes up
and down in
Universal response to
Joints bumps or dips in
the road.
Differentials
The differential splits the torque and sends it to the left and
right wheels. When a car is going straight down the road, the
wheels are both turning at the same speed and the torque is
split equally. However, when cornering, the outside wheel
must turn faster in order to cover a greater distance than the
inside wheel. The differential allows the wheels to turn at
different speeds while still applying some torque to each wheel.
Differential The differential gears are
what allow the wheels to
turn at different speeds.
Click on the picture to
see an animation
To right
Differential showing how the
wheel
gears differential gears work.

One drawback of a regular

differential is that if the car
gets stuck, it will send all
of the power to the wheel
with the least traction,
causing only the one tire to
spin. Because people have
seen this, many people
To left have mistakenly assumed
wheel that only one wheel drives
the car.
From
transmission/ Optional link:
driveshaft How differentials work
Axles
Axles transfer the torque from the differential to the wheels. They
can either be solid shafts, or CV axles, which have flexible joints at
each end. The flexible joints, known as CV joints (constant velocity
joints) are designed to compensate for the up-and-down movement
of the suspension as well as the turning of the wheels during steering
(front wheels only). CV axles may be found on FWD, RWD, and 4WD
vehicles.

Axles
 Four-Wheel Drive vs. All-Wheel Drive
Four Wheel Drive (4WD) and All Wheel Drive (AWD) vehicles are similar. Both
use a transfer case to transfer the power to all four wheels. However, there is
one very BIG difference:
4WD: Drivers of 4WD vehicles
select 4WD, locking the transfer
case, forcing the front and rear
wheels to turn at the same speed.
This works fine on snow, ice, dirt &
gravel, but does not work well on
pavement. When cornering, all Transfer Case
four wheels must turn at different
speeds; if the vehicle is on dry
pavement and wheels are locked
into 4WD some part of the
drivetrain will likely break,
resulting in expensive repairs.
AWD: Vehicles with AWD transfer power to all four
wheels, but also allow the front and rear wheels to turn at
different speeds. Therefore, AWD vehicles can be driven on
all types of road surfaces without damaging the drivetrain,
and do not need to be shifted in and out of AWD. AWD
vehicles are becoming more common as the technologies
that make them possible are advancing rapidly.
Inspecting and Servicing
your Drivetrain
The next few slides will guide you through the routine
checks and services that you, as an informed owner, can
perform on your vehicle’s drivetrain.
Inspecting CV boots
CV boots are typically located on
each end of the CV axles on your car
(each axle has two boots). Front-
wheel-drive cars have CV axles on
the front wheels. 4WD and AWD
cars may have them on all four
wheels and sometimes on the
driveline(s). The boots keep the
special grease inside the joint and
keep dirt and water out.

If the boots crack or

tear, the CV joint will
soon be destroyed
because of lack of
lubrication. If you
have a cracked boot,
the boot (and
probably the joint)
must be replaced.
Inspecting CV boots
A good time to inspect for cracked CV boots is at every oil change.
The boots that fail most often are the front outer boots near the
front wheels. They are under the most strain because the front
wheels are constantly moving in every direction. Besides the cracks,
the tell-tale symptom of a CV joint that must be replaced is a
repetitive clicking noise heard during sharp turns. A worn CV joint
can sometimes be ignored for short periods of time but, if not
repaired, it can eventually break off completely, leaving you
stranded.

Most repair shops today will

recommend that you replace
the entire axle when the
boot or joint is damaged.
This is because it is often
less expensive to replace the
axle than to pay the labor
cost of having someone
repair the joint or boot.
Checking Automatic Transmission
Fluid (ATF) Because procedures vary from car to
car, refer to your owner’s manual for
specific instructions for checking your
automatic transmission fluid.

Checking the ATF level typically requires

that you start the car, let it warm up,
then leave it running in park or neutral
while you remove the dipstick.

Make sure the fluid level is between the

“full” and “add” marks. Unlike engine
oil dipsticks, one pint is typically
required in order to bring the level from
the “add” line to the “full” line.

Note: Don’t confuse the engine oil dipstick with the ATF
dipstick. The ATF dipstick is often red, but not always. Check
in your owner’s manual to make sure. If transmission fluid is
low, there may be a leak. If you have to add fluid, use a
funnel and add it through the dipstick tube. There are many
types of ATF, and they are not all the same! To prevent
damage to your transmission, only use the exact type of fluid Return to I-learn now
that is called for in your owner’s manual. and watch the video
entitled, “Checking ATF.”
Checking Manual Transmission,
Transfer Case, and Differential Fluid
Although some manual transmissions
have dipsticks for checking the oil
level, most do not. When checking
the fluid level on a manual
transmission, transfer case, or
differential, you usually have to locate
the fill plug, remove it, then stick
your finger in the hole to determine
the level. The fluid should be right to
the bottom of the fill plug hole.

Transfer case

If the fluid level is low, check for leaks. Add Differential

fluid through the fill plug hole. Again, make
sure you use only the right types of fluid for
each application. Some manual transmissions
use motor oil, ATF, or a special synthetic fluid
with required additives. Using the wrong
fluids can cause thousands of dollars in
damage to your drivetrain.

Return to I-learn now and watch the video entitled, “Checking Manual
Transmission and Other Drivetrain Fluids.”
Changing Drivetrain Fluids:
Just like your engine oil, your drivetrain fluids must be checked
and serviced regularly!
 Check the maintenance schedule in the owner’s manual of your vehicle to find out
which fluids and filters need to be changed and how often. For best results, stick as
closely to this schedule as possible, because it will be much less expensive in the
long run than neglecting it would be. For example, having your transmission
serviced could cost between $75-$150 (and because you know when it should be
done, you can schedule and budget for it), but having the transmission replaced or
repaired could cost $2000-$4000.
 Recognizing a clutch that is
wearing out:
The final point in this lesson deals with knowing how to recognize a clutch that is wearing out.
If you are shopping for a used car or if you just want to get a problem taken care of before it
leaves you stranded, you should know the symptoms of a clutch that is on its way out!

When you let your foot off of the clutch pedal,

the car usually starts to move when the pedal
is about half-way up. If you start to notice
that the pedal has to come up farther and
farther before the car moves, you likely have a
worn out clutch. If you don’t get it fixed,
eventually the pedal will come all the way up
and the car just won’t go!

How long should a clutch last? Some people only get a few hundred miles out of a clutch while
others get close to 200,000 miles.
What is the difference? It all depends on the way you drive your car. Here are some tips to get
the most out of your clutch:
•Start out from stops gently but quickly (more than 90% of clutch wear happens when
beginning from a stop)
•Don’t rest your foot on the clutch pedal while you drive
•Make shifts as smooth as possible, trying to match engine speed to vehicle speed
•Don’t use your clutch to hold your car on a hill; that’s what the brakes are for (any time the
clutch pedal is partially depressed, the clutch is wearing, otherwise no wear ever occurs)
Drivetrains Summary:
In this lesson we have covered:

 What the drivetrain is

 Different layouts
 The purpose of the transmission
 Disconnecting devices (clutches & torque converters)
 Driveshafts and differentials
 Axles
 Transfer cases (all-wheel drive & four-wheel-drive)
 How to check CV boots
 Checking and changing drivetrain fluids
 Recognizing and preventing clutch wear

Feel free to go back and review any part(s) of this lesson

before taking the quiz.