Playing with with Fire Fire
by Jon Rodriguez by Jon Rodriguez
Playing with Playing with Fire at
Fire at D D M M C C
Transmissions Transmissions
Figure 1: This is about the dirtiest that you'll ever see the build area be.
Figure 1: This is about the dirtiest that you'll ever see the build area be.
SPEAKER SPEAKER
GEARS
GEARS July July 2009 2009 3737
backed
backed up up with with work. work. On On top top of of tak- tak-ing over 100 pictures and rebuildtak-ing ing over 100 pictures and rebuilding three transmissions, I got
three transmissions, I got to experienceto experience how this young transmission shop does how this young transmission shop does business; I’m going
business; I’m going to save to save the rebuildthe rebuild procedures for the ne
procedures for the next issue. This timxt issue. This timee I’m going to go over a few things that I’m going to go over a few things that make DMC Transmissions one of the make DMC Transmissions one of the best shops I’ve ever worked in.
best shops I’ve ever worked in.
The DMC crew runs a clean shop The DMC crew runs a clean shop (figure 1). There’s nothing on the floor (figure 1). There’s nothing on the floor that doesn’t belong and the building that doesn’t belong and the building is spotless. The benches have no is spotless. The benches have no rem-nants of past transmissions, whether nants of past transmissions, whether it’s a trough full of old checkballs and it’s a trough full of old checkballs and springs, or parts from another rebuild springs, or parts from another rebuild in progress. Donny is well aware of an in progress. Donny is well aware of an important rule in the industry: important rule in the industry: organiza-tion equals efficiency.
tion equals efficiency.
It’s happened to all of us… a It’s happened to all of us… a spring or checkball rolls off the bench spring or checkball rolls off the bench or into the trough and we end up on our or into the trough and we end up on our hands and knees, sorting through the hands and knees, sorting through the junk
junk of of the the past past that that we we ignored. ignored. Is Is itit the blue spring or the red one? It’s the the blue spring or the red one? It’s the only
only spring when you keep your areaspring when you keep your area this clean!
this clean!
I eagerly stared down the bone I eagerly stared down the bone
stock 4L80E awaiting my service.
stock 4L80E awaiting my service.
The entire building area is set up in The entire building area is set up in a triangular, assembly line-style format:
a triangular, assembly line-style format:
benches at the back ce
benches at the back center with the sol-nter with the sol-vent tank to the left and a parts washer vent tank to the left and a parts washer to the right. Carts are used to transport to the right. Carts are used to transport disassembled units from the three disassembled units from the three loca-tions, and to
tions, and to store dismantled units. Thestore dismantled units. The
benches
benches are are cleared cleared and and cleaned cleaned after after every teardown.
every teardown.
I tore down the 4L80E, inspecting I tore down the 4L80E, inspecting each piece as I removed it. I placed the each piece as I removed it. I placed the good parts on the cart, and the failed good parts on the cart, and the failed and questionable parts on the right side and questionable parts on the right side of the bench. Donny came over and I of the bench. Donny came over and I dictated the list of what I
dictated the list of what I needed. Goodneeded. Good Figure 2:
Figure 2: From left to right From left to right Randy Knox, Susie Randy Knox, Susie Caccamise, and Donny Caccamise.Caccamise, and Donny Caccamise.
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parts were in th
parts were in the cart and ee cart and everything onverything on the bench was beyond specs or the bench was beyond specs or avail-able for an optional upgrade.
able for an optional upgrade.
DMC is so proud of their work that DMC is so proud of their work that they cover their rebuilds with a 3-year, they cover their rebuilds with a 3-year, 50,000-mile warranty. Everything I had 50,000-mile warranty. Everything I had on the bench was replaced, without on the bench was replaced, without hesitation. This was getting fun!
hesitation. This was getting fun!
By the time I had the 4L80E cleaned By the time I had the 4L80E cleaned and awaiting parts, swingman Jorge and awaiting parts, swingman Jorge had a 41TE out of a 1998 Caravan that had a 41TE out of a 1998 Caravan that showed up the day before. Thanks to showed up the day before. Thanks to DMC’s cart system, I was able to have DMC’s cart system, I was able to have the cleaned 4L80E stacked neatly in the the cleaned 4L80E stacked neatly in the cart, covered in plastic to help keep the cart, covered in plastic to help keep the dirt out, and tucked away in the corner dirt out, and tucked away in the corner ready for it to be assembled once the ready for it to be assembled once the new parts arrived. This gave me a clean new parts arrived. This gave me a clean bench to start work on the
bench to start work on the 41TE. Same41TE. Same story with this one: tear it down, put the story with this one: tear it down, put the parts list t
parts list togetherogether, and cle, and clean the usean the useableable parts to ha
parts to have everytve everything readhing ready for wheny for when the new parts arrived.
the new parts arrived.
There are many ways to get a job There are many ways to get a job done and this isn’t the only way to done and this isn’t the only way to perform
perform your your teardowns. I’ve teardowns. I’ve built built for for shops that liked to roundtrip every unit shops that liked to roundtrip every unit without stopping. I’ve worked with without stopping. I’ve worked with builders who will only
builders who will only build one trans-build one trans-mission at a time, and I’ve worked with mission at a time, and I’ve worked with builders
builders that that will will tear tear down down and and cleanclean units for half the week and build them units for half the week and build them at the end. Whatever works for you and at the end. Whatever works for you and your shop.
your shop.
What I’m focusing on here is What I’m focusing on here is orga-nization. Whether you’re a 30-year nization. Whether you’re a 30-year vet-eran or a rookie in your first year as Transmissions’ efficiency is their Transmissions’ efficiency is their easy access to technical information.
easy access to technical information.
It’s nearly impossible, not to today’s transmission shops. So DMC today’s transmission shops. So DMC Transmissions has a computer right in
Everything from the latest Everything from the latest ATRA bulletins and ATRA bulletins and semi-nar books to wiring nar books to wiring dia-grams and diagnostic trees grams and diagnostic trees for driveability issues can for driveability issues can be
be retrieved retrieved and and printedprinted in seconds, without the in seconds, without the technician ever having to technician ever having to leave the shop. This may
And don’t think DMC And don’t think DMC forgot about the forgot about the driveabil-ity aspect of the business.
ity aspect of the business.
Donny uses a
Donny uses a laptop-baselaptop-basedd scan tool and has full scan tool and has full reprogramming capability reprogramming capability using the Ease
using the Ease DiagnosticsDiagnostics system. Whether the job system. Whether the job is hopping up a 700R4 in is hopping up a 700R4 in a classic rod, or a classic rod, or diagnos- diagnos-ing an electrical issue with ing an electrical issue with a modern-day, a modern-day, fully-elec-tronic six-speed, DMC tronic six-speed, DMC
Transmissions has the equipment, Transmissions has the equipment, envi-ronment, and know-how to get any job ronment, and know-how to get any job out the door.
out the door.
I’m looking forward to many more I’m looking forward to many more days working with the crew at DMC days working with the crew at DMC and gaining some valuable, everyday and gaining some valuable, everyday tech stories to share. I’d like to thank tech stories to share. I’d like to thank Donny, Susie, Jorge and Randy for Donny, Susie, Jorge and Randy for quickly making me feel like one of the quickly making me feel like one of the crew, and a special thanks to Susie and crew, and a special thanks to Susie and Donny’s son Chris for the great Donny’s son Chris for the great conver-sation (this kid knows his
sation (this kid knows his MetallicaMetallica!)!) Figure 4:
Figure 4: AATRA's Dave Skora offered to lenTRA's Dave Skora offered to lend me a handd me a hand with a hot rod
with a hot rod 700R4 valve body.700R4 valve body.
Figure 5:
Figure 5: One of the most One of the most important tools in theimportant tools in the shop is kept close to benches for easy builder access.
shop is kept close to benches for easy builder access.
Figure 3:
Figure 3: Yours Yours truly, getting truly, getting dirty.dirty.
Playing with Fire at DMC Transmissions Playing with Fire at DMC Transmissions
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