Reborn in 1982: I Became the Richest Man by Repairing Cars

"Okay, 1000 yuan in foreign exchange certificates it is."

Andrei's biggest fear was being deceived.

Or perhaps their boss and colleagues feel they've been deceived.

As long as there is a reasonable reason, everything is negotiable.

Therefore, the amount of repair costs is not the main point.

Their embassy doesn't lack this kind of funding.

After hearing Jiang Hui's explanation, he felt that the other party's offer was reasonable, so he naturally agreed.

In fact, Jiang Hui is also subtly changing the subject here.

Can 1000 RMB and 1000 foreign exchange certificates be considered the same thing?

Although the official exchange rate is 1 to 1.

However, in reality, 1 yuan of foreign exchange certificate can be exchanged for at least 1.3 yuan of RMB, or even 1.6 yuan.

Even if we calculate it using the middle ratio of 1.45, 1000 yuan in foreign exchange certificates is equivalent to 1450 yuan.

This price is absolutely very high.

Of course, there would be this exchange rate difference for foreign exchange certificates. The main reason is that foreign exchange certificates can be used to directly purchase in-demand items such as electrical appliances in places like Friendship Store.

And no additional tickets are required.

That alone makes it incredibly appealing.

As a result, foreign exchange certificates suddenly became scarce.

"Then go and prepare the transmission fluid and clutch plates."

"Also, you have jacks, right?"

After agreeing on the price, Jiang Hui prepared to get to work.

"I have a jack, I'll bring it over for you later."

To disassemble the gearbox, it's naturally easier to lift the car up.

I only brought light car repair tools today; I didn't bring the jack.

"Yes, wait here and don't wander off. I'll be back in a bit."

After Andrei finished speaking, his bear-like body surprisingly began to move lightly.

Not long after, when Andrei hurriedly returned with spare parts and a jack, Jiang Hui had already neatly arranged the tools on the ground.

Oil pan, socket set, screwdriver, various wrenches, pry bar, copper rod, and clean cotton cloth were all neatly stacked.

Lin Yuanwu and Fan Weimin stood around, ready to study hard.

"Master, no one in China dares to disassemble the automatic transmission of this GAZ-13, right?"

Fan Weimin asked in a low voice.

As a newcomer to the auto repair industry, Fan Weimin already knows some industry common sense.

To date, no factory in China has been able to mass-produce automatic transmissions.

Even this 3AT automatic transmission, which has actually been in mass production internationally for decades.

Jiang Hui squatted down and skillfully used a jack to lift the front of the car.

Then he peered down into the engine compartment and touched the oil stains on the edge of the oil pan.

"Even some of the precision gears for manual transmissions in China now have to be imported, let alone three-speed automatic transmissions like this."

"The hydraulic torque converter, planetary gear set, multi-plate clutch, and valve body oil circuit of the 3AT are all interconnected."

"Our factory has no experience in machining precision, material strength, or hydraulic pressure control for each part."

"It's simply impossible to manufacture it in a short period of time."

"So, no matter which auto repair shop the mechanics are in, they don't dare to repair automatic transmissions for the time being."

It's not that China doesn't want to manufacture automatic transmissions, it's that it truly can't.

Or rather, they can't produce a mass-produced automatic transmission that meets the operating conditions of automobiles.

Even in 2000, the number of domestically produced automatic transmissions was almost zero.

The global automotive automatic transmission market is almost entirely monopolized by products manufactured by automakers such as ZF (Germany), Aisin (Japan), BorgWarner (USA), and Honda.

China only began to make new breakthroughs after entering the 21st century.

"When repairing this kind of imported automatic transmission, the order in which the parts are removed cannot be confused."

"Remove each screw and put them back in order. If you miss one or make a mistake, the gearbox might be ruined as soon as it starts working."

Jiang Hui spoke as he began to work.

"First, remove the drain plug."

"Remember, you need to warm up the engine before draining the oil so that impurities can be removed."

"But don't reach out immediately after turning off the engine, the gearbox housing is so hot it'll peel off."

He slowly loosened the oil pan bolts with a wrench.

The dark, murky transmission fluid slowly flowed out, carrying a burnt smell, and was mixed with fine metal shavings and friction powder.

"Look, the oil has gone bad. The residue in this oil is all friction powder and iron filings, and the filter is basically clogged."

"If the filter is clogged, the oil pressure will not be able to rise, the clutch plates will not engage properly, resulting in a lack of power when starting and slipping when going uphill."

After waiting for about ten minutes, when the transmission fluid had been almost completely drained, Jiang Hui began to remove the oil pan.

After unscrewing a few bolts, the oil pan was lifted open, revealing the filter inside.

It was completely clogged with friction debris, making it almost impossible for oil to pass through.

Andrei leaned closer for a look. "Jiang, is this... a blocked oil line?"

As a car enthusiast, Andrei also knows some basic car repair knowledge.

He even tried to fix the car's malfunctions, but ultimately failed.

"Yes. The oil pump can't draw in clean oil, the valve body is stuck, and there's a noticeable jerking and shock when shifting gears."

Jiang Hui removed the filter screen, carefully cleaned it with kerosene, and then used the air pump from the embassy next door to blow out every gap.

After doing all that, he didn't rush to put it back.

"Once it's cleaned up, is it fixed?"

Andrei felt a little uncomfortable when he asked that question.

It was so easy to fix, yet they charged 1000 yuan in foreign exchange certificates for the repair?

Was I scammed?

"It's not that fast yet; this is just the appetizer."

"The real test of skill will begin now."

Jiang Hui didn't even look up, and simply asked Lin Yuanwu to help him shine a flashlight.

He then reached further inside and began to remove the bolts connecting the gearbox housing to the engine.

"Next, we need to remove the gearbox directly, otherwise it will be inconvenient to repair it."

"The GAZ-13's V8 engine is quite large, the gearbox is hidden on the side, the space is narrow, and every movement must be precise."

"Otherwise, you might accidentally break the bolt."

"I just drained the transmission fluid, mainly to reduce weight."

Jiang Hui explained as he worked.

Although with his skills, he could actually repair it without disassembling it, it just wouldn't be as convenient or easy.

However, even Andrei began to question whether the repairs were being done too quickly.

He definitely needs to start changing his strategy.

This gearbox absolutely cannot be fixed unless we spend the whole day on it.

It is necessary to fully satisfy customers' emotional value.

"Come over here and help catch the gearbox. We absolutely cannot let it fall."

With limited auxiliary tools, we can only rely on manpower.

Fortunately, there was a gearbox, and two adults were supporting it, so it wouldn't fall off no matter what.

After another ten minutes or so of tinkering, the automatic transmission was finally removed from the engine compartment and taken outside.

"The GAZ-13 3AT was the car that Gorky Automobile Factory used to compete with American Cadillac and Lincoln."

"The final decision was to copy the 3-speed automatic transmission from the Chrysler TorqueFlite."

"This type of transmission has a compact structure, with the clutch encased inside. If you remove the wrong screw, the entire transmission may be rendered unusable."