Once you know what's in your transmission, and what’s connected to it, it’s much easier to understand how it works. Let's take a look at how it all comes together. At Harold's Used Auto Parts Inc in Philadelphia, PA, we want to make sure you know how your car works so you can keep it in great condition.

When the car is running with the shifter in neutral, the transmission is engaged but none of the gears are. The input shaft is spinning, but it’s not turning the output shaft. The clutch is engaged as it would be in gear, but the car doesn’t move.

To move your car forward, you need a gear. You push in the clutch pedal, which disengages the clutch via hydraulic pressure, a cable or linkage. Now the transmission and engine are disconnected, making it possible to shift it into first gear effortlessly, without the vehicle taking off.

The shifter moves the forks that slide the sleeve into place, locking the output shaft into first gear. Letting off the clutch pedal allows the pressure plate to re-apply pressure, sandwiching the clutch disc in between the pressure plate and the flywheel on the engine. Now the clutch is engaged again, and the engine and transmission are once more connected.

This time, as the pedal is released, the car moves forward and speed increases relative to the engine RPM as you take off. To shift into second, the pedal is depressed again, allowing the transmission to be shifted freely, disengaged from the engine. The clutch allows for smooth transitions in and out of gear. 

At Harold's Used Auto Parts Inc in Philadelphia, PA we want to inform our customers of how their vehicle works. If we are able to inform customers about how their vehicle works then they will be able to understand how to better maintain it.