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Since the mid-1990's, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) of automobiles have been implementing torque converter clutches in automatic transmissions with a continuous, controlled slip mode, in order to improve the fuel economy of their vehicles. These Continuously Slipping Torque Converter Clutches (CSTCCs) are prone to an undesirable phenomenon commonly called shudder. This phenomenon has been attributed to specific shapes or slopes in the friction coefficient versus sliding speed curve of the fluid/clutch interface. Here, a method is explained that was developed to be able to screen fluids for shudder tendency, both in fresh and used states. Also included is a description of the reason for implementing CSTCCs, some background on shudder, and supporting data showing how the test method can distinguish between fluids that have different shudder tendencies.

General Motors (GM) currently uses about 1000 different seals for manufacturing all of its automatic transmissions worldwide. In order to assure that these seals function correctly in service, a method of measuring seal performance with service fill automatic transmission fluids (ATFs) has to be specified. Along with this measure, a pass/fail criterion for the evaluation of seal performance is implemented. Due to the large number of seals that are utilized, it would be impractical to test each one with every fluid that is submitted for GM DEXRON®-III and/or Allison C4 certification. It is also very difficult to use production seals in testing, due to the irregular shapes and material combinations, which make measurement of the seal material properties difficult. Therefore, a revised test will be included in the DEXRON®-III and Allison C4 service fill specifications to evaluate the compatibility of service fill ATFs with a representative sample of seal materials used in production.