Why a Transmission Service Is Just as Important as an Engine Service

When it comes to servicing a car, most drivers immediately think of engine oil. However, changing the transmission oil is equally important to ensure your car is maintained properly. Here’s why.

It’s commonly thought that a transmission service is really only required for cars that are used in very high demand conditions like performance and racecars. Some even think that it is an unnecessary expense, especially since some OEMs claim that their transmissions have “lifetime oil”.

However, transmission oil is very important not only for lubrication of gears and parts and reducing friction, but it also helps to keep the unit cool and makes gear changes smoother. Good oil also keeps everything clean, reduces vibrations, protects against corrosion and increases the lifespan of your transmission.

It is better to change oil in your transmission sooner rather than later. It will help to keep your transmission in optimal condition, extend its life and reduce the odds of failure or damage occurring.

When transmission oil loses its pressure you can experience delayed shifting. Residue in the transmission oil can make shifting more difficult, potentially resulting in crunching or grinding. You also risk the transmission overheating which can lead to serious damage to many parts of the transmission. This can all happen if the transmission oil is not in good shape or is low (usually due to a leak) and hasn’t been replaced.

Contact us at Dodson if it’s time to change your transmission oil. We will be able to determine when the right service interval for your car is and what type of transmission oil is best to use, whether you have a manual gearbox, DCT or automatic.

What Is The Best Service Interval For Your DSG?

DSG transmissions are complex and how long they last is very dependent on how they were serviced. Regular service intervals for DSGs are crucial to keep them in optimal condition. But how often is regular?

How the car is driven will greatly determine the interval of servicing the DSG. A car that is driven in a more “spirited” manner, or raced, will need to have it serviced more often than a car than is just being driven on the road. The recommended service interval for a DSG that isn’t seeing a lot of hard driving is 60,000 kms or 6 years. If you drive your car hard, you’ll want to service it more often.

What’s involved in the DSG service?

When we at Dodson carry out a DSG service, we first scan the car for any fault codes to ensure the DSG is working properly and that all sensors and pressures are correct. We then drain the old oil and remove the old filter, replacing the filter with new parts and cleaning all components before putting it back together. Then we fill it our specially mixed DMS high performance transmission fluid which has been specifically designed for DSG gearboxes.

Once that is all done we will take the car for a test drive to ensure everything is operating correctly, the gears are shifting smooth and that there are no other issues. If necessary, we will perform a clutch/gear calibration & adaption drive to solve any shifting problems.

If it’s time for your Audi or VW to get a DSG service, speak to us today to book your car in!

Why We Use Our Own Oils & Fluids for Some Cars

At Dodson we service a wide variety of high performance cars which are used in many different applications, from simple daily drivers to dedicated race cars. This has given us the opportunity to see how various oils work under many different circumstances, and has given us the ability to provide improvements in certain areas.

This is why, depending on the application, we use our specifically blended Dodson oils and fluids when the circumstances require.

Many times OEM oil is the best option for the car. After all, the guys who made the car usually know what’s best for it. But there are a few instances where it is possible to improve on it, such as with cars that are heavily used in racing rather than on the road. Different climates can also affect what oil needs to be used, and sometimes the manufacturer’s recommended oil isn’t the best that’s available.

In some applications, the manufacturer recommended oils are made quite thin, which helps driveability on the clutches and makes them appear to drive smoother (which can give the driver the impression that the oil is better than what was previously in there). But this usually means less gear protection during extreme conditions such as racing or ‘spirited’ driving.

For this reason we have a wide variety of specially crafted oils made to our specification as well as OEM supplied oils to best suit the vehicle we are working on. This ensures we are able to offer the maximum protection to the transmission components whilst maintaining maximum performance.

One example of where we use our Dodson oil is the Nissan GTR, as it offers better gear protection over some of the other oils on the market whilst not being so thick that it interferes with clutch operation. We also manufacture different oils for the GTR based on climates or applications (such as drag racing).

We are here to ensure you get the best oil for your car depending on how you plan to use it. Speak to us today and we will be able to recommend which oils you should go with when getting your car serviced by us!

Book Your VW in for Servicing at Dodson!

If it’s time to get your VW serviced, now is the time to book it in with us at Dodson. We are closed during Level 4, but are booking out fast for when we all reopen at Level 3, so it wouldn’t be a bad idea to get your booking in now.

We at Dodson Motorsport offer a complete servicing package for modern VWs such as Golf mk5, Mk6 and Mk7 including GTIs and Rs. Servicing engines, DSG transmissions and Haldexes, we will make sure that your VW is ready for another round of performance driving.

What is included in the VW servicing?

Engine Service

Our VW engine service is a premium oil change using only the best oils and materials from VW, AP Racing and Castrol. Included in the service is:

Replacement of engine oil & filter
New sealing washer on sump plug
Check and top-up of any low fluids
Inspection of engine air filter and offer replacement if necessary
Vehicle safety check
Quality test drive

DSG Transmission Service

Our DSG transmission service is only done with our DMS blended fluid specifically designed for DSG transmissions to exceed manufacturer’s specifications and ensure your DSG remains in top condition. Our VW DSG Service includes:

Scanning the vehicle for any fault codes to ensure the sensors and pressures are correct
Draining the transmission oil and removing the filter
Replacing the filter and cleaning all components
Filling the transmission with DMS high performance transmission fluid
Quality test drive
Optional clutch/gear calibration & adaption drive

Haldex Service

To complete the service package for you VW we also offer Haldex servicing which can either be just a fluid change or fluid change and pump clean. The Haldex service includes:

Draining the old Haldex fluid
Filling with new high quality fluid
Optional pump and filter clean

If you need to get your VW serviced, talk to us today to book your car in for when we go back to Level 3. Call Mike on 021 441 869 or email us on service@dodsonmotorsport.com now.

Here’s Why You Should Get Your DCT Transmission Serviced at Dodson

DCT Transmission Service by Dodson Motorsport

Getting the oil changed in your DCT transmission may seem like a simple task of just putting new fluid in. However, there’s quite a bit more to it than that, and we at Dodson Motorsport are here to ensure that it’s done right on your car.

DCT Transmissions are actually quite particular about the fluids used in them. This is due to several factors:

1. DCT Fluids are not all equal. Some are better than others, and along with that, different DCT transmissions actually require different oils, as not all oils work effectively on all platforms. This means that using the correct oil in your DCT will make a big different to how long the transmission lasts and how it performs.

The reason for this is that some DCT fluids are not viscous enough (otherwise referred to as thicker) and affect the way the clutch behaves and drives as well as any auto adaptions the car may be trying to carry out. Other fluids are a lot more viscous (thinner) and do not have adequate additives for great protection, which can result in unnatural wear of the gearset and ultimately premature failure of the gearset.

Some DCT fluids will have the wrong additives which, if incorrect for the transmission, can leave behind residue and gunk which can block up or jam solenoids and clutch seals, all resulting in premature failure of the transmission.

2. The service intervals specified by manufacturers for DCTs are often not correct. For example, Nissan states that the service interval for GTRs is from 30,000 up to 60,000km, which is practically suicide for those transmissions.

As we at Dodson Motorsport have serviced an incredible amount of DCT transmissions and have seen more Nissan GTR DCTs than any other company in NZ, probably by a large factor. So we are well aware of the end results of incorrect fluids and service intervals on DCT transmissions.

Along with this, we have been working closely with our 200 worldwide dealers on all DCT platforms for both servicing and performance. This is why we have the knowledge and experience required to make recommendations we believe are more accurate than those provided by car manufacturers. We have seen the real world results and our aim is to ensure that your car is properly serviced and taken care of.

We also have the ability to perform programming and calibrations of many DCT platforms using genuine and aftermarket service tools, some of which only dealers typically have access to. This allows us to ensure that everything is working correctly in your DCT and to pick up any faults that may be otherwise have been missed.

So no matter what car with a DCT transmission you have, our aim is to help you service it and service it right, ensuring it continues to perform and lasts the test of time.

To book your DCT transmission in for a service, give us a call now on 09 441 3635 or email us on service@dodsonmotorsport.com.

Is It Really Worth Paying More For a Quality Oil Change?

Oil is the lifeblood of your car and ensures that the engine remains healthy and performs at it peak. But is there really a difference between oils? Should you pay extra for “top quality” oil?

The short answer is “Yes!”. But you’d expect us to say that, so here is why:

Using low quality oils that don’t meet the specifications of your engine can lead to costly engine damage and increased fuel consumption. It will also void the engine’s warranty because manufacturers are aware of the consequences.

Top quality oils are design with better durability, doing their job of lubricating your engine better for longer. This helps to extend the life of your engine and keep it in optimal condition, which helps it to perform better. Especially when it comes to high performance cars, using the correct oil is crucial because the engines are even more precision-made and highly strung than a regular car.

Many high performance engines are designed to use a specific type and viscosity of oil. The viscosity of the oil is essentially how easily it flows, but it’s also known as the thickness of the oil. Using the incorrect viscosity will lead to the oil not following as designed around the engine, which can lead to serious problems.

Aside from the viscosity, the additives used in the oils are what make a big difference. One of the issues that can result from using an oil with the wrong additives is that they are not compatible with the materials in the engine, which can lead to serious failure. Low quality oils often use low quality additives, the wrong additives or no additives at all, which will lead to the same result. This is why it’s so important to follow the manufacturer’s specifications.

This other issues with low quality oils are that they break down quicker (meaning they can turn into sludge) and often have a much higher level of impurities, resulting in more wear to your engine.

We at Dodson Motorsport only use the highest quality oils recommended by each car’s manufacturer. This will ensure that your engine remains in excellent condition and performs at its peak for years to come. To book your car in for a service contact us now on 09 441 3635 or service@dodsonmotorsport.com.

The Better Way to Get Your Lamborghini Serviced in Auckland

Trusting someone to service your Lamborghini is no joke. These cars are expensive, you don’t want to take any chances making sure the job gets done right and that your car will be looked after.

That is exactly what we at Dodson Motorsport offer with our Lamborghini service in Auckland. We know how valuable these cars are to our customers and are here to offer a premium service you can trust to service your Lamborghini all while being cheaper than the dealership.

What Exactly Do We Offer?

We offer premium engine and transmission servicing for Lamborghinis from our workshop in Wairau.

Our engine service includes:

Replacement of engine oil & filter
New sealing washer on sump plugs
Check and top-up of any low fluids
Inspect engine air filters and offer replacement if necessary
Vehicle safety check
Quality test drive

Our transmission service includes:

Scan vehicle for any fault codes to ensure the sensors and pressures are correct
Draining transmission oil, removal of sump and filter
Clean of all components and replace filter
Refitting of all components with a new pan gasket
Filling transmission with DMS high performance transmission fluid
Quality test drive
Optional clutch/gear calibration and adaption drive

For all Lamborghinis we only use high quality, Castrol and AP Racing fluids and parts. Our service exceeds manufacturer’s specifications so you can be sure you are getting the absolute best for your supercar.

If you’d like to book in your Lamborghini or talk to us about your service, call us now on 09 441 3635 or email us on service@dodsonmotorsport.com.

How Often Should You Service Your Porsche with PDK Transmission?

Porsche Engine & PDK Transmission Service

If you drive a Porsche, you paid a premium for a top notch vehicle. No doubt you want to keep it that way. Making sure that it gets serviced properly will ensure it keeps its value and continues to run at its peak for years to come.

The question of how often should you service your Porsche often comes up when talking about maintenance.

The service intervals we at Dodson recommend are:

Engine: every 10,000kms or 1 year
PDK transmission: every 60,000km or 6 years

Engine Service

Our engine service will ensure that your engine is properly maintained and all parts necessary are replaced or upgraded to keep the car in top condition. That includes:

Replacing engine oil & filter using Mobil & other high quality parts and oils
New sealing washers on sump plug and reservoir
Checking and topping-up any low fluids
Vehicle safety check
Quality test drive
Optional – performing any additional standard or intermediate maintenance as required by Porsche service manual

PDK Transmission Service

Our PDK Transmission service is the complete maintenance package needed to ensure your PDK transmission runs like new. It includes:

Scanning vehicle for any fault codes to ensure the sensors and pressures are correct
Draining old transmission oil, remove sump with filter
Replacing sump and filter and cleaning all components
Filling transmission with DMS high performance transmission fluid
Performing clutch/gear calibration
Quality test drive

If it’s time for your Porsche engine or PDK transmission service we at Dodson Motorsport are here to help. Our service packages will ensure that your Porsche remains in the best running condition possible. Give us a call now on 09 441 3635 or email service@dodsonmotorsport.com to book in your Porsche service.

We Now Offer Porsche Servicing in Auckland

Getting your Porsche serviced can be daunting. Either go do to a dealer and prepare for a large bill, or take your chances with an independent shop but not know what they are doing with your car or if they are using quality materials.

That’s why we at Dodson offer Porsche servicing in Auckland to solve this problem.

While we are not a dealer, we are experts in performance cars and particularly transmissions. We have been building record breaking transmissions and clutches for years, and are more than equipped to handle servicing your Porsche.

Another plus side of our service is that we only use quality brand-name components and parts. We always use OEM where possible, Mobile or Castrol, and we also have our own special blend of oils for when the situation calls for it. This means that you know only quality products are going into your Porsche so your engine or gearbox won’t blow up due to the wrong, low quality oil.

We offer both engine and PDK transmission servicing options so that you can get the complete service done when you come to see us.

Our engine service includes:

Replacing engine oil & filter
New sealing washers on sump plug and reservoir
Check and top-up any low fluids
Vehicle safety check
Quality test drive
Optional – perform any additional standard or intermediate maintenance as required by Porsche service manual

Our PDK service includes:

Scanning vehicle for any fault codes to ensure the sensors and pressures are correct
Drain transmission oil, remove sump with filter
Replace sump and filter and clean all components
Fill transmission with DMS high performance transmission fluid
Perform clutch/gear calibration
Quality test drive

To book in your Porsche service, give us a call on 09 441 3635 or send us an email on service@dodsonmotorsport.com.

Here’s What’s Involved in a Typical DCT Transmission Service

DCT transmissions are not quite automatics and not quite manuals, and they require a specific servicing procedure that’s not the same as either.

Why do DCT transmissions need to be serviced?

The way that DCT transmissions are designed means that they use a “wet-clutch” setup, which shares the same oil as the rest of the transmission. This is so that the clutches are stronger and can hold more power. However, clutches are wear and tear items, and as they wear the materials from the clutches contaminate the oil, which is why the oil needs to be changed.

Typically, a DCT transmission service will involve replacing the fluid and the filter of the transmission. Most DCTs have two filters, and internal and an external one. Only the external one can be accessed during the service (the gearbox has to be stripped to get to the internal one), so only the external one is changed during the service.

Typically the car will first be scanned for any fault codes to ensure that the sensors and pressures in the gearbox are correct and that there are no other errors. The old oil will then be drained, the oil pan removed (if necessary) and old filter replaced with a new one, and any internal parts such as the valve body will be cleaned. The oil pan will be reinstalled with a new gasket and the new oil will then be poured into the transmission.

The clutch and gear calibration will now be performed and then the car will be taken for a test drive to ensure everything works correctly, and any necessary adjustments will be made.

If you need to get your DCT transmission serviced, speak to us at Dodson today by calling 09 441 3635.