TD 200808

VOLUME 27, NO.
12
AUGUST 2008
The Automotive Powertrain Industry Journal
68RFE U140/240 ZF 5HP24 ZF 6HP26
3 New Sonnax Kits Correct Noise & 4WD Engagement

Issues in Borg Warner 4405 & 4411 Transfer Cases
COMPLAINT
SECONDARY COMPLAINT
Grinding, clicking, jumps out of four-wheel-drive engagement

Slotted case Worn bearing housing
Cause
Borg Warner 4405 & 4411
Minimal OE engagement at roller and

control groove allows roller to drop
out of groove resulting in loss of four
wheel drive. Soft case materials are
subject to extreme wear. This wear is
visible when the pump tab slots out
the case.
Main Bearing
Shim Kit
100567A-01K
COrrection
The longer pin and roller improve
roller engagement with the control
groove. Shims reduce bearing/shaft
end play and the new pump tab stop
relocates the contact point.
Main Bearing
Shim Kit
Shift Fork Guide

Roller Repair Kit
100329-01K
Pump Tab Stop

Repair Kit
100912-01K
100567A-01K
4 Rear Output Bearing Shims
4 Input Bearing Shims
Problems Include
Shift Fork Guide Unexpected loss of four-wheel-drive engagement.

Roller Repair Kit Erosion at the case material (slotting) where the pump tab contacts the case,
100329-01K
1 Roller
1 Push-on Retainer
1 Roller Shaft
Pump Stop Tab

Repair Kit
100912-01K
1 Pump Tab Stop
1 Spring Pin
2 Bolts
2 Washers
allowing excessive motion at the pump tab.

Excess axial play in the main bearing pockets.
Features & Benefits
No special tools required.

Shift fork guide roller & guide roller shaft improvements increase the depth of
roller engagement.
New pump tab stop relocates the contact point.
Shims reduce bearing/shaft end play and reduce stress on all internal components.
T I M E T E S T E D I N D U S T RY T R U S T E D
2008 Sonnax Industries, Inc.
TM
Automatic Drive P.O. Box 440

Bellows Falls, VT 05101-0440 USA
800-843-2600 802-463-9722 F: 802-463-4059
www.sonnax.com info@sonnax.com
Circle No. 13 on Reader Card
Visit www.sonnax.com for more

information about all our products and
tools, and to locate a Sonnax Transmission
Specialties distributor near you.
AUGUST 2008
VOLUME 27, NO. 12
On The Cover
Dramatic Turnaround
Surging Forward
Superior Transmission Parts looks
optimistically to new products and
new markets for its future. Pictured
are sales manager Bob White; Dennis
Erickson Jr., with the companys
recently earned ISO 9001:2000 certification plaque; and Russell Erickson.
See page 14.
New sales and marketing strategies

implemented a few months ago have
increased sales at Steve Hotzs AAMCO
shop in Arkansas by 50%.
See page 4.
Technical
Shift Pointers . . . . . . . .10
A melted plastic relief
valve blocks fluid flow
through the pump cover in
a ZF 6HP26
Technically
Speaking:
. .18
Operational oddities of the

Toyota U140/240-series
transmission
Tech-to-Tech . . . . . . . . .28
Some basic precautions to
prevent technician injuries
Torque Converter
Tech Tips . . . . . . . . . . .41
Features
Whats Standing Behind
Reman Units? . . . . . . .35
Suppliers of Outsourced
Units . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36
Business
Its Your Business . . . . .50
Just as in golf, followthrough is important in
dealing with customers.
Rebuilding the Chrysler 68RFE

torque converter
TASC Force Tips . . . . . .43

TCC cycling bang in an Audi A8
Quattro with the ZF 5HP24
Up to Standards . . . . . .45
Diagnosing noises in manual transmissions
News & Previews

From the Publisher ..........2
Information Source....48-49
Powertrain
Products..................54-55
Industry News
Highlights.................56-57
Marketplace ..................59
Index to Advertisers .......64
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August 2008
PRINTED IN THE U.S.A.
TRANSMISSION DIGEST
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(417) 866-3917
Executive
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President
From the
Publisher
By Bobby Mace
Michelle Dickemann
Vice President
Bobby Mace
Publisher
publisher@transmissiondigest.com
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Gary Sifford
Editor
gsifford@mdpublications.com
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Terry Greenhut
Management Editor
Mike Weinberg
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Art Department
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Circulation
Dudley Brown
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Credit Manager
Donna Blackburn
Showpower 2009
March 26-28
Louisville, Ky.
Bob Jacobsmeyer
Exhibit Manager
Founder
Les Langsford,
19281993
o matter where you live,

theres likely a county or
state fair this month. Lots
of exhibits and livestock displayed to sweltering people
wearing those wife-beater Tshirts. The rides and performances are what attract most of us, but
the purpose of those fairs is
competition.
A couple of
years ago I visited the pie-baking contest (I
think theres also
a whipped-creampie throwing thing at
the fair as well). When
somebodys pie is up for judging,
its being considered among the
other entrants. One baker may
disparage the ingredients used
by another or have a preference
for lattice crust as opposed to
open top or full crust. In the end,
its the amount of satisfaction the
pie-eating judge gets from a forkful that determines a winner.
Longtime participants learn to
know what judges prefer and
modify their baking to please.
Entering the competition for
transmission jobs, we can disparage the other shops selection of
clutches, kits etc. We can have a
preference for the way we approach a rebuild or installation of
a reman. Still, in the end, its the
amount of expected satisfaction
and the feeling of perceived

value we convey to the driver
that will determine whether we
win the job.
My point is that working to
win a potential customer is a lot
like baking a pie that will satisfy
a judge. It is important to know
what that customer wants to
buy, whether hes
looking for dirtcheap, long-lasting, great
warranty, HD
towing reliability
or whatever is
motivating this person to repair this vehicle.
The selling of a transmission job
begins with questions to determine the sales message. Like
blending the recipe ingredients,
savvy shop marketers adapt to
their customers concerns and
present the benefits they will
provide to address them. There
may be 100 reasons for doing
business with Bobs
Transmission; an individual will
make the choice on the basis of
only a handful of those. Knowing
what the judge likes is important.
Sometimes in the competitive
rush to win customers, the competition more resembles the pie
fight than the baking competition. That said, year in and year
out the best bakers always win
the blue ribbons. TD
Transmission Digest
Owner Steve Hotz
small gesture can make a big difference in a

prospective customers perception of a business. At
Steve Hotzs AAMCO shop in Fort Smith, Ark.,
everybody who comes through the door is offered a free
bottle of good-quality drinking water.
You would not believe the friction breaker that that can be, shop
manager Steve Summy said of the
bottled water thats offered to
every visitor, whether its a customer, the delivery person from a
parts store, the letter carrier or
whoever. Hes seen customers
come in angry but calm down as
soon as he handed them a bottle of
water. Its like putting the fuse
out on a stick of dynamite.
The water costs relatively little
and has resulted in several transmission jobs for the shop, he said.
Thats just one of several new
marketing and management concepts put into practice about six
months ago after Hotz hired
Summy to manage the shop. Those
concepts have worked so well for
continues page 6
Transmission Digest
The shop in Fort Smith has five lifts.
Hotzs business that his son Seth

Hotz and Summy have developed
a DVD video training series and
are marketing it to other transmission shops through a new venture,
Transmission Sales & Management
LLC (www.transmgmt.net).
For about the first two and a
half years that Hotz owned the
franchise, business volume wasnt
what he had hoped for.
I was actually totally new to
the business, he said. I had come
out of the manufacturing corporate
world and needed something else
to do. Basically it just kind of staggered along for a few years, a good
A disassembled transmission on a
table in the customer waiting
area attracts a lot of attention.
212 years. About six months ago

was when we started these other
practices. Our sales since then are
up by 50% for the past six months,
since weve started these other approaches.
He credits Summy, who has two
decades of experience in the transmission-repair business, for the
turnaround.
Summy started with AAMCO in
1986 in Southern California and
later moved to competitor chain
Cottman to manage a shop in the
same region. From there he went to
Cottmans home office and traveled the country for about 10 years
as a national troubleshooter. After
that, he bought a Cottman shop in
St. Louis and after operating it for
about two and half years sold it
and took a couple of years off.
Hotzs five-bay shop in Fort
Smith has two R&R technicians, a
full-time builder, a builder/R&R
technician and another office employee in addition to Summy. He
also owns a shop in Springdale,
about 70 miles north of Fort Smith.
Like other AAMCO franchisees,
Hotz offers brake repairs and several other services in addition to
transmission and driveline service
but doesnt heavily promote those
other services. I wouldnt say that
we really push it. Transmission is
what we specialize in, and thats
what were known for in the area.
If a technician notices badly
worn brakes, for example, on a car
while its on the lift, the shop will
Thomas Hull is a rebuilder and diagnostician.
mention it to the customer and

offer to do the repair. The engine is
the only part of the driveline on
which the shop doesnt perform
major services, he said. About the
only thing we do with an engine is
tune it up if needed.
His preference with non-drivetrain work is to refer it to other
shops that in turn refer their transmission business to his shop. He
has developed that type of relationship with several good shops
in town.
It gives you a handful of extra
jobs a week just from that kind of
referrals, aside from what we bring
in on our own, he said.
If a shop or a parts store or
somebody refers a customer to us,
Im kind of known as the cookie
man in town at those places. I go
out and buy these gourmet cookies
at Sams. I pull their Sams sticker
off and tape our business card on
there and take it to those shops to
say thanks for the referral. Its just
a $6 box of cookies, but its going
to make them want to refer again.
They know me when Im coming
in. They recognize me.
Hotz is a strong proponent of
having the customer accompany a
technician on a road test before
leaving the car.
We actually go on a road test
continues page 8
Transmission Digest
Rebuilder Bill Mcgillivray
Gary Merchant is one of the R&R technicians.
with the customer, just to ensure

that we know what their complaint
is. The customer is surprised when
we invite them into the shop. We
encourage them, almost demand,
that they come back and see their
transmission once weve got it out
and apart so we can show them
what was broken. They actually
make comments like, You know,
usually they try to keep me out of
the shop, and here you are encouraging me to come in.
Summy believes that shops
often lose jobs by not handling the
road test properly.
A lot of business is lost on the
road test, he said. They tell the
customer to drop the car off, that
theyll call them the next day. A lot
of these customers, lets face it;
most people out there, their car is

the most-expensive item they own.
I know theres a lot of homeowners
out there and that sort of thing, but
most people dont own homes.
They want the car checked
right now in their presence, and
they prefer not to have someone
that they dont even know driving
around in their car by themselves.
Theyd rather be in the car with
them.
The other reason for taking the
customer along is that a transmission problem may occur only
under certain conditions, and the
technician otherwise might conclude that theres not a problem.
If theyre in the car with you, you
can get that information out of
them, he said.
After the road test is completed
and the customer has agreed to removal of the transmission, Summy
prefers to have the customer come
back in for a bench inspection. If
the vehicle owner comes into the
shop and sees the transmission
taken apart in 500 pieces and the
subframe hanging off the bottom
of the car, the axles out of it, the
engine braced up, the reality sinks
in that fixing the transmission is a
big, complicated task, he said, so
your sales resistance drops drastically.
After a transmission repair, the
customer is asked to return after
about 200 miles for a checkup.
Every customer who pays for a
major transmission repair gets a
coupon for a free transmission
Manager Steve Summy fills out a

repair order.
flush and fluid refill for one additional car, Summy said. It gives us
a chance to check that car to see if
theres something wrong with it.
Both Hotz and Summy believe a
yellow-page listing is an important
part of a transmission shops marketing effort, but Summy says the
size of an ad is not as important as
the quality. Noting that many professionals such as dentists and attorneys use photos of themselves
and team members in their ads, he
said photographic artwork is significantly more effective than clip
art or cartoon-type illustrations.
In addition to a yellow-page ad,
Hotzs shop is using a billboard
campaign, and he writes an article
once a month for a weekly feature
in the local newspaper called Ask
the Pro. The articles are based on
questions submitted by newspaper
readers.
Im surprised how many comments I get from people who say,
Oh, I saw your article, and Im
only in it once a month. But everybody has questions about their car,
in particular a transmission, because thats like the big unknown
to most people. Its a relatively inexpensive advertisement, so to
speak, but it kind of gives you
credibility in the neighborhood.
I think it helps if people always
know your name so that when a
problem happens, when they open
the phone book theyll say, Oh, I
know this shop. Until then, most
people dont even think about a
transmission shop. TD
Transmission Digest
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Shift Pointers
Subject:
Melted relief valve blocks
fluid flow through pump
cover
Bad Bimmer,
Unit:
Bad
ZF 6HP26
Vehicle Applications:
BMW X5
Essential Reading:
Rebuilder
Shop Owner
Center Manager
Diagnostician
R&R
Author:
Pete Luban,
ATSG
BMW X5 SUV came into the

shop on the hook with a nomove condition and a major
leak from a cooler line.
The ZF 6HP26 transmission was
removed, disassembled and inspected, and no clutch damage was found.
However, some strange pieces of
rubber were found and the converter
was blue.
The transmission was rebuilt and a
brand-new converter from ZF was installed, along with a new set of cooler
lines. When the SUV was started up,
the converter started to make a horrendous rattling noise.
The transmission was removed
and inspected again and no damage
10
was found, so another brand-new ZF

converter was installed with the
transmission. Once more, when the
SUV was started up the same rattling
noise was coming from the converter.
At this point some spare transmission parts were located, and in the
meantime the original valve body
was disassembled. Upon inspection
of the valve body, one of the plastic
pressure-relief valves was found to
be severely melted and welded to its
spring (see Figure 1).
The damaged relief valve was replaced and the valve body was put
back into the transmission, which
was reinstalled in the vehicle. The
continues page 12
Melted relief valve
Transmission Digest
Shift Pointers
Lube hole clear
Lube hole plugged
noise was gone, the SUV road-tested beautifully for a few days, and
the vehicle was delivered to the
customer.
A short time later, the transmission started to operate poorly, and
the vehicle surged when coming to
a stop. The shop removed the
transmission again and disassembled and inspected it but found
nothing to which the complaints
could be attributed.
Again the spare-parts bin was
raided and a new pump was disassembled and inspected, then compared with the original pump.
When both pump covers were laid
side by side, the cause of the problem reared its ugly head. Figure 2
shows the new pump cover; the indicated area shows that the lube
hole is clear. In Figure 3, showing
the original pump cover, this same
lube passage is blocked by some of
the melted plastic relief valve from
the original valve body. Once the
transmission, with the new pump,
was reinstalled in the SUV, all was
well.
Sometimes when a part is found
to be bad, that may be only the tip
of the iceberg; careful inspection
and, sometimes, comparing a
known good part with the original
one may solve the mystery.
One more point to this story: It
could be assumed (I hate that
word) that the leak in the cooler
12
Restricted radiator
line and a low-fluid condition

probably caused the relief valve to
melt and the converter to turn blue
from excessive heat, but look at the
radiator in Figure 4 that was removed from the SUV. I think it
would be safe to say that that also
could have been a contributing factor to the damage seen. TD
The Bottom Line:

Tell us your opinion of this article:
Circle the corresponding number on the free information card.
93 Useful information.
94 Not useful information.
95 We need more information.
Many thanks to Sean OConnor

from AC/A&M Gearbox Center in
Dublin, Ireland, for sharing his experience and also for the photos.
Transmission Digest
Russell Erickson
shows one of Superiors two
computer numerically controlled (CNC)
machines used to manufacture kit components.
Superior Transmission founder and president Dennis

Erickson Sr.
14
here arent many shops in North America that

arent familiar with the Superior Transmission
Parts family of shift-correction packages. The
company in Tallahassee, Fla., says it looks to continue
those rebuilder relationships into the future as it simultaneously seeks to develop more products for the
line and to find additional distribution throughout the
globe.
Superior was founded in 1987 by Dennis Erickson
Sr., who was joined shortly thereafter by his brother
Paul. The companys original purpose was supplying
remanufactured pumps for automatics. Later, the
Superior shift-correcting kits were added, and the
company grew in 1995 through the acquisition of the
Fairbanks Racing line of products.
Shift-correcting packages and related problem
solvers for everyday rebuilding constitute the
Superior-branded line. And, says sales manager Bob
White, We have a high-performance line that is marketed under the Fairbanks brand name that continues
Transmission Digest
Final packaging of Fairbanks Racing kits. This year, the

Fairbanks brand name will expand to include kits for
heavy-duty and towing applications as well.
to serve the racing community. That line will be enhanced significantly in coming months as we roll out
Fairbanks products that are directed to heavy-duty,
towing and full-race off-road applications.
Russell Erickson, who with his father, Dennis Sr.,
and brother, Dennis Jr., are company owners, says: A
Superior shift-correction package isnt something designed assuming OEM specifications. When a rebuild
occurs the transmission will have been driven 90,000
to 100,000 miles. Extensive use of weight-reducing
materials, like aluminum for the valve body, results in
Side Bar 1
Continuing the Tradition
uperior Transmission founder Dennis Erickson says hes

proud that his two sons, Dennis Jr. and Russell, have elected
to continue the family business into the future. Dennis Jr. and
younger brother Russ have been with the firm for 13 years. In
2007 they purchased the interest of their uncle Paul, who
remains involved as a technical consultant.
Dennis Sr. explains that as his sons have assumed responsibilities, he has taken a reduced role in daily operations. He says
theyve found a good working relationship in which Dennis Jr.
oversees administrative and purchasing duties while Russell concentrates on manufacturing and product development.
Longtime sales manager Max Stephens left Superior last year
because of health problems. He is, say the Ericksons, missed
equally by the Superior team and the companys customers.
The sales-manager position has been filled with transmissionshop owner (Doctor Transmission) Bob White of Hemet, Calif.
White has long been a contributor to the development and testing
of Superior products as one of a network of shop owners partnering with the company. When he was offered the sales-manager position, White says he considered it an honor.
To accommodate current and future growth of the Superior
and Fairbanks kit lines, the companys original business, a pumpremanufacturing department, was closed. Space formerly occupied by the pump department has been converted into additional
machine-shop and product-development space.
What were doing today is to restructure ourselves and our
work in such a way that we speed up the development time for
what has become a backlog of products we want to introduce to
the marketplace, White says. The ISO structures (the company
earned the ISO 9001:2000 certification in 2007) actually are helping us streamline many of these tasks.
August 2008
Nelson Ramirez and Superior Sales Manager Bob White

attend the PAACE show in Mexico City to expand the
companys business in Latin America.
a lot of wear that needs to be addressed. Wear causes

pressure losses that are addressed in the correction
package. We specify materials for the components we
design that extend the life of the rebuild and protect
the transmission from future wear.
White continues discussing the market for shiftcorrecting packages: Nobody thinks its easy to add
cost to a rebuilt unit in this economy. But, when we
show the rebuilder the value of the kit from the standpoint of the longevity and quality of the rebuild, its
an investment that most conscientious guys will make
in their work. There are even instances where we provide a minimal increase in gas mileage by the way we
modify the shift patterns. Thats not our goal, but
when everything is correctly timed and taking place
when it should, the result is a more-efficient operation
for the entire powertrain.
Superior was the first to offer the comprehensive
valve-body kit that included the boost valve, the PR
valves and components that others might sell as a separate item. It was our approach to get the entire fix incorporated into a single box.
There have been those who say you dont have to
Working from a bill of materials, workers package small

parts to create kits.
15
Sonya Butler is the office

administrator. Her
expanded duties include
working with Superiors
distributor customers
throughout the world.
Kenner Fletcher works

the parts counter through
which Superior acts as a
local parts house serving
transmission rebuilders in
the greater-Tallahassee
area.
use all the parts every time. We disagree. At rebuild,

those known wear parts that still appear OK visually
are likely to be the weak link in the unit if theyre not
replaced. Using one of our kits assures longevity and
allows guys to warrant their rebuilds with confidence.
Ive been a transmission rebuilder and shop
owner. I appreciate that it takes an explanation to get
a customer to understand why we suggested putting
those parts into his rebuild. But, once educated, the
customer would fully support taking those steps to
avoid future failures. I think if we have a leading difficulty or problem as an industry its our lack of ability in educating the driving customer on the difference
between rebuild jobs based on what parts are replaced
and based on the components we use when we do replace parts. We need to help the builder to understand in such a way that he can effectively
communicate the benefits of using these kits to his
customer. The bottom line is that the driver is the one
who benefits from having a shift-correction package
in his car.
All Superior and Fairbanks kits are made up from a
number of component pieces developed by the company. A network of about 30 rebuilding shops is used
to communicate rebuilder needs to the company and
Gerald Harden inspects a newly machined Superior

component.
16
to help test designs that address those concerns.

Dennis Sr. was a tradesman before founding
Superior. He says he continues to believe that the
Made in the USA label is a symbol of quality.
Were building everything in this country as opposed to sending the manufacturing overseas. We
want to make sure we arent exporting jobs from this
country, he says.
Furthermore, we continue to believe that for a majority of the components in our kits, hardened steel is
the material of choice. Working with steel adds expense, not only for the alloys but for tooling as well.
Working with aluminum is less expensive, but, I
think, less precise as well. Once aluminum parts are
machined, you send them out to be hard coated, a
process of anodizing a thin coating where half pene-
New Products Primed
ccording to Bob White, Superior sales manager, three new

products are soon to be in the marketplace. Two are shift-correcting packages, and the other is, according to White, a truly
beneficial product that everybody who rebuilds transmissions will
use every day.
There is a 48RE Shift Correction Package that corrects soft or
weak shifts, maintains the second-gear TCC-apply function while
addressing band burn-up and addresses wear in some valve
bores, White says. A heavy-duty version will appear late this
year in the Fairbanks line.
We also have a new kit for JR403E and RE4R03A. These units
are found in a variety of applications including Isuzu medium
trucks and, notably, the Infinity Q45. Thats such a high-dollar
luxury vehicle that we believe people are keeping those past the
lifetime of the original transmissions.
The truly beneficial product, one with patents pending, is what
we call the Bench Buddy. It consists of four brushes (with a specialty coating) in various sizes that attach to a standard drill in
order to clean and polish surfaces inside valve bores.
During a rebuild, if you encounter a stuck valve or raise a burr
while trying to remove the valve, you can run the correct-sized
brush in the bore. The problem bore will be good to go! When
you have a no go caused by a stuck valve, you can drop the
valve body, run the Bench Buddy down the bore three or four
times and then put the valve body back in the vehicle. Its out the
door!
Dennis Erickson Sr. continues: As simple as it looks, it will
relieve most problems with sticky valves. Its the perfect balance
to clean and polish without removing material that would result in
an oversized bore. It removes any burrs, glazing or embedded
materials within the bore.
We researched the characteristics of abrasives that could be
impregnated into a brush that would remove imperfections and
improve the Ra finish or smoothness without compromising the
integrity of the bore. Rebuilders normally waste a lot of time trying to straighten out a less-than-perfect bore. The Bench Buddy
puts an end to taking a piece of coat hanger and some emery
cloth to fashion a crude drill attachment. I think the Bench Buddy
is a tool you will soon see on every rebuilders bench worldwide.
Transmission Digest
Dennis Erickson Jr. demonstrates a quality-control

measure to ensure correct spring loads.
trates and half acts as a jacket to the surface. As the

anodized coating erodes, the softer material below is
much quicker to wear, the clearances go away and the
pressures drop. That is when failures occur.
While we work with billet aluminum, mainly for
our Super Servos, the majority of our parts call for a
different process, hard turning. We start with hardened steel rather than aluminum to assure a quality
component with great longevity. When a part comes
out of one of the CNC machines here, its been manufactured to the measurement standards and doesnt
require any further processes. It costs more to do it
our way, but we think the result is worth it.
Russell continues to explain the manufacturing
processes: Often, the tools for our CNC machines are
commercially available; if not, we have to design the
tooling and fabricate in house. Depending on the application, we may work in either aluminum or steel in
the CNC equipment. Even though we can and do
make long production runs, theres still a human
there every moment.
Most of the technical product-development tasks fall to

Jim Arledge.
August 2008
Superiors sales manager, Bob White
Since we hold to tight tolerances and are turning

hardened steel, there has to be someone constantly
monitoring each part. The hardened material wears
on the bits, and once we see a couple of parts rejected
for a problem well pause the process and replace one
or more of the bits or change an offset command in
the software slightly before we continue the run. Both
CNC machines run 24 hours, five days a week. We
schedule two 12-hour shifts for operators, who also
do the inspecting.
Superior sees a couple of areas that promise growth
in coming years. White says the domestic market
probably will reverse direction to an extent: We believe that there will be more drivers fixing transmissions in the future than has been our experience in
recent years. For most people there just isnt any way
to justify trading cars every few years. When the vehicle does sell, somebodys going to fix it whether that
somebody purchases it in the secondary market here
or in the tertiary market in Mexico or wherever.
Developing more business throughout Latin
America is one of Whites top priorities as sales manager.
We currently have a number of distributors in
Mexico taking our products to market. A lot of what
we do in non-domestic markets is much like what we
did domestically 15 years ago. The products used
there tend to be older ones, and the need for training
on units that are past their prime in this country is
still in high demand.
Central American rebuilders are so starved for information and for better ways of doing things that we
see major opportunities there. We attended the July
PAACE show in Mexico City to identify opportunities
in Central and South America.
Concluding, Russell and Dennis Jr. say they intend
to continue the traditions and product lines that have
made Superior successful over the past 21 years. At
the same time, they are eager to grow by increasing
the number of products developed and through penetrating emerging markets in Europe, Asia and Latin
America. TD
17
Technically Speaking
Subject:
Operational characteristics
Unit:
U140/240
Toyota/Lexus U140/240
Oddities & Wear-Out, Part 1
Vehicle Applications:
Toyota, Lexus
Essential Reading:
Rebuilder
Shop Owner
Center Manager
Diagnostician
R&R
Author:
Wayne Colonna, ATSG
Transmission Digest
Technical Editor
18
im Dial and David Chalker have

been working diligently in writing, illustrating and explaining the
teardown, reassembly and operation
of the Toyota U140/240-series transmission for an ATSG manual that is
near completion. Available
now is the U140/240
1
Technicians Diagnostic
Guide, which is very helpful in understanding the hydraulic operation of the
transmission and more. But
in writing these two manuals, they have fielded many
tech calls that enabled them
to discover multiple complaints stemming from
planetary failures, directclutch failures and solenoid
faults, to name a few, aiding them in their work in
putting together a manual
for this transmission. From
their work, this months article will cover a few oddities they discovered with
some of the operational
characteristics of this transmission, and Part 2 will
cover some wear problems
that they have been running
into.
In past articles and bulletins we have talked about
functions of the torque-converter-clutch (TCC) solenoid on the 4L30-E family
and how on BMW and
2000-up Isuzu models this
solenoid is responsible for
TCC application and a reverse-inhibit solenoid. The
U140/240 series has one-upped

that, as we are going to find out in the
following illustrations.
The DSL solenoid shown in figures
1 and 2 (page 20) is normally closed
text continues page 22
DSL-TCC Solenoid
DSL-TCC Solenoid
Solenoid modulating
pressure
Connected
to B2 control
valve or lockup
relay valve
Transmission Digest
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Driveline and Chassis Technology

DSL-TCC Solenoid
Off
On
Solenoid modulating
pressure
Solenoid modulating
pressure
Blocked to B2
control valve
or lockup
relay valve
Connected to B2
control valve
or lockup
relay valve
AD03W
AD03W
11-15 ohms
Normally closed
DSL Theory of Operation TCC On
On
TCC
Off
x
TCC apply circuit
Lockup
control
valve
From SL1 off

2nd, 3rd & 4th
Cooler
Lockup
relay
valve
To sump
From
reverse
circuit
through
manual
valve
To pinion
lube circuit
0.046 in.
xX
From reverse circuit

through manual valve
0.039 in.
Summary
When the torque-converter
clutch is on, the lockup relay
valve is stroked to the left
and orificed line pressure is
fed to the cooler circuit
20
Primary
regulator
valve
To
secondary
regulator
valve/lube
From SLT
DSL on
Normally
closed
Solenoid
modulating
pressure
Transmission Digest
and opens when it is supplied with
battery voltage. This is a typical
on-off solenoid, but its hydraulic
function is the odd part.
Figure 3 shows the DSL solenoid
in TCC mode. When the TCC is
commanded on, solenoid pressure
strokes the lockup relay valve to
the left and the TCC is applied.
Figure 4 shows the DSL-solenoid function in manual low.

Believe it or not, this solenoid is actually energized in manual low to
turn on the low/reverse B2 brake
to provide engine braking. The reason for this function is that the
manual-valve circuits are the same
in the D, 2 and 1 positions. The
PCM controls upshifts based on

the position of the transmission
range sensor.
Figure 5 (page 24) shows the
DSL function during reverse inhibit. The DSL will be commanded on
if the vehicle is moving forward,
typically above 7 mph, and the
continues page 24
DSL Theory of Operation 1st Gear Manual Low

2NDB1
2nd
B1brake
BRAKE
Low/reverse
B2 brake
Line Pressure
x
X
Line
pressure
From
Reverse from
reverse
Manualmanual
valve
valve
x
X
C2 lock
lock
C2
valve
valve
C2 Ex.
exhaust
valve
valve
X
x
xX
From 3-way
checkvalve,
D ranges
Solenoid
Mod.
Solenoid
Pressure
modulating
pressure
From 3 way
From
check3-way
valve
checkvalve,
D ranges
D ranges
C2 circuit
To lockup
relay valve
To Lockup
To lockup
control
valve
control valve
xX
B-1B1Lock
lock
valve
valve
Solenoid Mod.
Solenoid modulating
Pressure
pressure
Line pressure from

manual valve,
D ranges
DSL
DSL
on
"ON"
Normally
n.c.
closed
B1 control
valve
Solenoid
Solenoid
mod pressure
modulating
pressure
xX Xx
X
x
Line pressure from manual valve, D ranges

B2 control
valve
Summary
When the DSL solenoid is on in 1st gear manual 1,
the B2 control valve is stroked to the left, connecting
line pressure from the manual-valve D ranges to the
B-2 brake
22
SL1
SL1on
0.078-in.
cross-drilled orifice
Solenoid
modulating
pressure
Normally
"ON"
applied
n.a.
Transmission Digest
driver selects reverse. Pressure
from the DSL solenoid will travel
through the C2 lock valve and
stroke the B2 control valve to the
left, shutting off line pressure to
the low/reverse B2 brake.
Heres the oddest part of all: A
call comes in through the tech line
and the complaint is no reverse
and a bind on the 1-2 upshift. As

you can see in the previous figures,
we can have a complaint of no reverse from the DSL solenoid if it is
stuck open. Referring to Figure 6
(page 26), notice that if the DSL solenoid is stuck open it also can
cause a bind on the 1-2 upshift by
allowing the low/reverse B2 brake
to be on while the 2nd-gear B1

brake is on.
It would be very hard to find a
common denominator for this
complaint without the help of an
oil-circuit diagram. The illustrations and information contained in
this article are from the U140/240
continues page 26
DSL Theory of Operation Reverse Inhibit

2nd B1
brake
Low/reverse
B2 brake
Line pressure from

reverse manual
valve
C2 lock
valve
C2 exhaust
valve
x
To lockup
relay valve
From 3-way
checkvalve,
D ranges
C2 circuit
Solenoid
modulating pressure
From 3-way
checkvalve,
D ranges
C2 circuit
To lockup
control valve
x
B1 lock
valve
Solenoid modulating
pressure
Line pressure from

manual valve,
D ranges
DSL on
Normally
closed
B1 control
valve
Solenoid
modulating
pressure
X
x Xx
x
Summary
When the DSL solenoid is on in reverse, line
pressure from the manual valve in reverse is
blocked from applying the B2 brake. Note: If
the DSL solenoid is stuck open, the complaint
will be no reverse, there will be engine braking
in Drive 1st gear and there will be a bind on
the 1-2 shift because the B2 brake can stay on
in 2nd gear through the hydraulics.
24
Line pressure
from manual
valve, R range
B2 control
valve
SL1 on
0.078-in.
Solenoid
modulating
pressure
Normally
applied
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DSL Theory of Operation 2nd-Gear Bind-up

Low/reverse
B2 brake
2nd B1
brake
Line pressure from

reverse manual
valve
C2 lock
lock
C2
valve
valve
C2 exhaust
valve
x
x
From 3-way
checkvalve,
D ranges
Solenoid
modulating pressure
From 3-way
checkvalve,
D ranges
C2 circuit
To lockup
relay valve
To lockup
control valve
x
B1 lock
valve
Solenoid modulating
pressure
Line pressure from

manual valve,
D ranges
Solenoid stuck open

DSL off
Normally
closed
B1 control
valve
Solenoid
modulating
pressure
xx
x
Summary
When the DSL solenoid is stuck open and the
SL1 solenoid has turned off, making the transition into 2nd gear, the B2 control valve will be
held to the left, allowing the B2 low/reverse
clutch to engage. This will cause a bind-up
condition, because the low sprag will not be
able to freewheel. Note: DSL solenoid stuck
open can cause no reverse, engine braking in
1st gear in D and a bind on the 1-2 upshift.
Technicians Diagnostic Guide

mentioned at the beginning. This
manual provides theory of operation, passage identification and full
oil-circuit diagrams. Aftermarket
parts distributors and the ATSG
bookstore have this manual available.
Part 2 next month will cover
some common wear areas of the
26
B2 control
valve
SL1 off
0.078-in.
Solenoid
modulating
pressure
Normally
applied
U140/240 valve body and parts

availability. TD
The Bottom Line:

Transmission Digest
Sonnax Expands AW55-50SN Product Line!

COMPLAINT
SECONDARY COMPLAINT
Delayed forward engagement, low line

Lube & converter pressure Flare 2-3 upshifts Harsh shifts Erratic SLT pressure
Cause
AW55-50SN
Broken accumulator springs and/or

line pressure control accumulator pistons are leaky, jammed or bound.
Rear Control
Valve Body
COrrection
The Sonnax line pressure control accumulator piston kit restores correct
hydraulic dampening action to the
line pressure circuit.
Piston
LPC
Accumulator
Piston Kit
Spring
O-Rings
59947-LPC
1 Piston
2 Springs
2 O-Rings
Spring
Note: Also fits AW55-51SN, AF 23/33
and RE5F22A.
LPC
Bore Wear
Features & Benefits

No special tools required.
O-rings eliminate fluid leakage between LPC piston and bore.

O-rings eliminate metal-to-metal contact between piston and bore that causes wear.
You need 59947-LPC if....
The original LPC accumulator piston is found to be jammed, the piston or bore are visibly worn
or the springs are broken.
T I M E T E S T E D I N D U S T RY T R U S T E D
2008 Sonnax Industries, Inc.
TM
Automatic Drive P.O. Box 440

Bellows Falls, VT 05101-0440 USA
800-843-2600 802-463-9722 F: 802-463-4059
www.sonnax.com info@sonnax.com
Visit www.sonnax.com for more

information about all our products and
tools, and to locate a Sonnax Transmission
Specialties distributor near you.
Tech-To-Tech
Subject:
Technician safety
Essential Reading:
Rebuilder
Technician Safety
Basic steps or precautions can save
your shop unwanted injuries
Shop Owner
Center Manager
Diagnostician
R&R
Author:
Brian Manley
recent newspa1
per column circulating on the
Internet caught my
eye with the headline
Mechanic Injured
When Garage Burns.
How could I not read
it! The story goes,
The employee was
trying to cut a gas
tank off a car and it
fell on top of a lamp,
which caused a spark
and there was still
some gas in the tank
Follow safe practices when using your lift.
that caused it to catch
on fire. Thirty-six
firefighters were need2
ed to extinguish the
blaze, which left the
building a total loss
and the technician
with second- to thirddegree burns. That is
the part that hurts
literally.
Yet another recent
headline reads
Officers Revive
Home Mechanic After
Car Falls on Him. All
Do you depressurize your fuel system before removing
you need to know
the filter?
about this story is that
the young man was replacing a starter co-worker welding a piece in a vise on
motor while the car was propped on a a bench with an oxyacetylene welder,
scissor-style jack with no jack
and when he moved the torch to the
stands. These reports, along with a re- side and lifted his mask, he inadvercent flesh wound I sustained, have me tently set the solvent tank on fire. That
pondering the safety of my shop
was a fast flash of fire, a frantic race for
and yours.
the extinguisher and a quick decision
As a young tech, I witnessed my
continues page 30
28
Transmission Digest
Tech-To-Tech
Safety goggles are a simple and

inexpensive way to stay safe in the
shop.
We use aqueous cleaner to prevent

visible dust.
When injury occurs, be ready to

treat it right away with a wellstocked first-aid kit.
These gloves normally protect me

from most small nicks and cuts, and
they keep those nasty oils and fuels
from contacting my skin most of the
time. I have been using latex gloves
for 20 years.
30
to put him out, then the solvent

tank. No major injuries, thank
goodness.
How honest are we with ourselves in regard to our safety practices? Do we occasionally find
ourselves cutting corners or ignoring safety practices in our bays?
According to the U.S.
Department of Labor, from 2003 to
2005, 147 mechanics lost their lives
on the job. In 2005, non-fatal injuries and illnesses led to mechanics missing 15,680 days from work.
The No. 1 event or exposure for
workplace fatalities during 2003 to
2005 was contact with objects and
equipment. The primary sources of
fatalities were vehicles (44.9%),
bullets (19%), and parts and materials (10.2%). Sixty-six cases were
cited as ones where the vehicle was
the source of the fatality. Of those
cases, 40.9% were transportation
incidents and 34.8% were from
being struck by falling objects,
such as a car falling off a lift, rack
or jack. Rounding out the list, asphyxiations and suffocations comprised 15.6% of the fatalities to
mechanics during this two-year
period.
If we take the bullets out of the
equation and I almost never service a vehicle with those anymore
those are some sobering statistics.
Lets begin with our lifts. How
many of you are using a vehicle lift
with frayed lift cables, leaking hydraulic cylinders or missing lift
pads? I have distinct memories of a
shop long ago where the hydraulic,
center-post, in-ground lift would
shoot up while raising a car
when the lift reached three-fourths
of its travel! It would also drop
several inches when lowering; a
scary time, and a lift that was long
overdue for service!
How many of you depressurize
the fuel system before popping off
those retaining clips and letting a
little (or a lot) of fuel squirt? When
it does squirt, is it hitting you in
the eye, or, worse yet, do you have
an older, hot, incandescent light
bulb hanging nearby?
Exhaust extraction system.
Use proper personal protection

when handling cleaners and fluids.
How is your personal protection? Safety glasses (and safety

glasses that fit over regular glasses) are often optional in shops, and
used only during grinding. That
being said, have you, or anyone
you know, ever had a serious piece
of metal or debris cause discomfort
or a trip to the E.R.? How many of
you are using fluorescent lights (to
minimize risk of fire)?
In our training program, we require that all techs-in-training
wear safety glasses. We are constantly checking (and adjusting)
jack-stand placement and lift-arm
location and looking for oil spills
on the floor. We switched to an
aqueous parts-washing solution
for its healthier-than-the-old-solvent feature and, in hindsight, for
its non-flammable qualities as
well.
When you are servicing brakes,
are you practicing the no visible
dust rule for brake service? Are
you taking every precaution to
avoid inhaling harmful dust and
chemicals? The older I get, the
continues page 32
Transmission Digest
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Tech-To-Tech
more I worry about the long-term
effects of those chemicals I had my
hands in, and the brake dust that I
inhaled so many years ago.
Are you using the right gloves
in the right situations in your
shop? As I write this, my wound is
still healing (and it got me even
through my glove!). How up to
date is your first-aid kit? I discovered that after my cut, we were
running low on antibiotic cream
and Band-Aids, so I restocked. I
shouldnt have had to have a

bloody reminder to check our
stock of bandages.
Do you ever run a vehicle for
just a little while in the shop and
suffer a headache as a result? I see
technicians do this, and the carbon
monoxide affects everyone in the
shop and lingers. Some hoses push
through a garage door, and others,
like ours, have an in-ground system with an exhaust fan. Yes, we
sometimes still have our young
techs forget to turn on the exhaust fan!

As technicians, we all have a responsibility to maintain a safe
working environment, free from
falling objects and as many dangerous chemicals as possible. It
makes sense to take a few minutes
to discuss this with your co-workers and perform a quick inspection
of:
Clutter
Oil spills and cleanup procedure
Eye protection
MSDS sheets
Pass or Fail
Robinair DiscovR
Model 16009
Protects your A/C service

equipment from contaminates
Helps prevent costly repairs
(Avg.$300) to any RRR
equipment
Uncovers hard to find
system air contamination
Verifies refrigerant purity with
simple Pass and Fail lights
Checks new refrigerant from
your supplier for purity
Exhaust-system integrity and

correct tailpipe adapters
All lift components
First-aid kit
Grinder rest, stone and face
shield
Adequate supply of protective
gloves
Brake-parts-washer function
Oxyacetylene-torch hoses and
gauges
Power and extension cords
Floor jacks and stands
Droplight type and function
Fire-extinguisher location and
inspection date
TD
Refrigerant Identification has

never been this affordable and easy!
Dont assume the R134a refrigerant in a vehicle is
pure enough to recycle theres too much at stake.
The new DiscovR from Robinair is the first affordable R134a
Refrigerant Identifier that reliably detects the presence of contaminates before
you recycle. Contaminates will damage your recovery equipment and void the
warranty. Why take chances? Get the DiscovR Refrigerant Identifier today!
2008 SPX. Robinair is a registered

trademark of SPX. DiscovR is a trademark of SPX.
For more information call 1-800-533-6127
www.robinair.com
Circle No.
32
Brian Manley is a vocational automotive

instructor for the Cherry Creek school
district in Aurora, Colo. He is an ASE
master certified automobile technician
and a former member of the National
Automotive Technicians Education
Foundation board of trustees.
He can be reached at
manley_brian@hotmail.com.
This copyrighted article is reprinted with the permission of AutoInc.,

the official publication of the
Automotive Service Association
(ASA). To learn more about ASA and
its commitment to independent automotive-service and repair professionals, visit www.ASAshop.org or call
800-272-7467.
9 on Reader Card
Transmission Digest
Shop Management
07-M01 Earn What Your Services Are Worth
Terry Greenhut
Profit pointers to get the most out of every service offered in
your shop.
Technical
07-M02 Better Time Management
07-T01 Hydraulic Secrets of the 01M
Maylan Newton
Strategies to accomplish more through effective time
management.
Jim Dial, ATSG

The inner workings of this late-model unit found in VW/Audi
applications. Discussion includes diagnostics and rebuilding tips.
07-M03 Transmission Shops Can Profit From Brake Service

Jay Buckley
A look at synergies and the ability to create earnings from a
brake-repair profit center in your shop.
07-T02 Ford/Mercury Six-Speeds

Wayne Colonna, ATSG
A tour of the FWD six-speed AWF21 and its similarities to the
Aisin TF_8ISC. Presentation includes parts identification and
rebuilding procedures.
07-M04 Selling New Services
07-T03 Do You Really Know Electronics?
Terry Greenhut
Adding new services to perform in the shop requires some
strategy and analysis. Terry shows ways to find extra profit in
any shop.
G. Jerry Truglia, ATTS

Making full use of electronic testing and diagnostic machines
available for finding where and identifying what on late-model
vehicles.
07-M05 Maximizing Sales Goals

Maylan Newton
A look at setting sales goals and putting plans and procedures in
place to assure meeting your goals.
07-M06 Hiring & Retaining Good Technicians

Tom Langer & Bob Leone
It takes time and money to train even accomplished mechanics
to work within the structure of your shop. Here are some easily
implemented methods for hiring good people and making sure
they want to stay at your shop.
07-T04 The Builders Bench

John Parmenter, Precision Intl. Advisory Board
A buffet of technical fixes and finds from shop owner, rebuilder
and technical consultant John Parmenter. A variety of units are
covered.
07-T05 Re-Flashing GM Units

John Thornton, Autotrain
What you need and where to find it to reprogram the latest
Mechatronic transmissions with on-board controllers.
Management Package of 6 CDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $90
Technical Package of 5 CDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $75
Handouts
Documentation and diagrams covering Management and Technical Sessions in a three-ring binder . . . . . . . . . . . $75
U.S. Orders:
Add $1 Per CD Postage & Handling
Add $10 Handouts Postage & Handling
Allow 4 to 6 weeks for delivery
Non-U.S. Orders:
Please inquire for shipping charges
Phone: 417-866-3917
800-274-7890 (U.S.)
Fax: 417-866-2781
Mail: P.O. Box 2210
Springfield, MO 65801-2210
email: publisher@transmissiondigest.com
Visa and MasterCard Accepted Make Checks payable to: M D Publications, Inc.
Remanufacturing/R&R Section
t can seem a little like performing without a net when a reman

unit is installed and none of the
in-house building staff is responsible for the job. As the professional
transmission shops acceptance of
reman units has expanded during
the past decade, the support offered by volume remanufacturers
has grown and matured as well.
For the most part, the growth of
formalized support networks is a
process of selling to shops that either are more distant or have less
familiarity with installation and
testing protocols, as in the case of
the general-repair facility.
Still supporting a predominantly regionalized clientele, Dave
Helms from Adin/Valley reports
that a technical-support hotline
serves his customers well. Peter
Finks Certified Transmission is an
independent remanufacturer serving professional installation shops,
including company-owned facilities, nationwide. Fink says that beyond including all necessary
installation parts, Certified provides detailed installation sheets
with information on fluids, technical bulletins and recommended vehicle updates. A technical
department at Certified also mans
a support hotline.
By way of training, Certified
August 2008
sends customers a monthly

newsletter with information the
technical department deems important to the installer. Certified
also offers opportunities, according to Fink, for installers to visit
one of the company-owned shops
and gather firsthand experience
from one of the technicians there.
Similar in scope to Certified,
Jasper Engines and Transmissions
provides reman units to shops and
fleet customers nationwide. Jasper
support includes the technical hotline connected to TSBs and technical online-resource databases. The
company also provides instructors
to conduct training clinics through
the local branch-warehouse network.
Representative of the OEM remanufacturing programs is the
Ford/Motorcraft line of remanufactured transmissions. Steve
Lopez, who is responsible for
Fords aftermarket transmission
program, says the company relies
on a well-staffed technical hotline
as the mainstay of support. The
same hotline also serves to handle
warranty issues with installing
shops.
Motorcraft training and reference materials are available from
the companys Web site. A number

of the reference manuals are available for purchase through
Transmission Digests Information
Source section as well. Ford offers
Web-based and live training courses for installing shops. Most often
with Ford and other OEM programs, the dealership can sponsor
its installation customer into such
factory courses. The recent
Showpower 07 in St. Louis featured Fords factory training
through the sponsorship of a St.
Louis Ford dealership.
Although few would argue that
there is a replacement for a rebuilder and installer who both
have 30 years of experience, there
has been significant growth in the
resources offered by production rebuilders. The application of information technology, coupled with
the need to create satisfied customers, results in an excellent
array of technical support and
training being offered by nearly
every volume transmission remanufacturer. TD
35
Suppliers of Outsourced Units

The following listing reflects wholesale suppliers
of rebuilt transmissions and other drivetrain
systems that replied to our recent survey. The
publisher assumes no liability for errors or
omissions from this list. Notation is made of
suppliers that provide additional drivetrain units
beyond automatic transmissions. However, the
ALLISON
8001 AT500 SERIES
detail of the product line offered by each supplier

has not been reported because of space
considerations.
Indicates multi-location supplier.
Consult March 2008 Buyers Guide for nearest
location.
IMPORTS
HONDA
8002 HT700 SERIES

8003 MT600 SERIES
8004 MD World Trans
8401 Honda 4-Spd 2-Shft

8402 Honda Accord
8403 Honda Odyssey
CHRYSLER
8101 45RFE
MAZDA
8102 A404/413/470/670
8103 A500/42RE/44LE
8104 A518/618/46RH et.al.
8105 A604/606/40TE
8501 Mazda 4F27E

8502 Mazda F4EAT/F4AEL
8503 Mazda G4A-EL/HL
8106 Torqueflite 6 TF6/A998

8107 Torqueflite 8 TF8
MITSUBISHI
FORD
8601 Mitsubishi F4A41/42/51
8201 5R55N/5R55W
Adin Automotive Products /Valley

Transmission Mfg., 2742 Homedale Rd,
Klamath Falls, OR, 97603-6868, PH:541-8500203, TF:800-409-1540, FX:541-882-3497,
WEB: valleytransmissionmanufacturing.com,
aap@fireserve.net
8001, 8002, 8003, 8004, 8101, 8102, 8103,
8104, 8105, 8106, 8107, 8201, 8202, 8203,
8204, 8205, 8206, 8207, 8208, 8209, 8210,
8301, 8302, 8303, 8304, 8305, 8306, 8307,
8308, 8309, 8310, 8311, 8312, 8313, 8401,
8402, 8403, 8501, 8502, 8503, 8601, 8602,
8701, 8702, 8801, 8901, 8902, 8903, 9101,
9102
8602 Mitsubishi KM-170 et. al.
8202 A4LD
8203 A4LDE/4R44E et. al.
NISSAN
8204 AOD/AODE/4R70W
8701 Nissan RE4F04A/4F20E
8205 AX4N
8702 Nissan RL4/RE4R01A et. al.
ATI Performance Products Inc., 6747

Whitestone Rd, Baltimore, MD, 21207-4103,
PH:410-298-4343, TF:877-298-5031, FX:410298-3579, WEB: www.atiracing.com,
info@atiracing.com
8207, 8208, 8302, 8310, 8311, 8313 - High
Performance
8206 AXOD/AXODE/AX4S
8207 C4/C5
8208 C6
8209 CD4E/LA4AEL
SUBARU
8801 Subaru 4 SPD R4AXEL
8210 E4OD/4R100
GM
TOYOTA
8301 4L30E
8901 Toyota A340 et. al.
8302 4L60E/4L65E
8902 Toyota A540E/H/A541E
8303 4L80E
8903 Toyota U140/240E
8304 4T40E/4T45E
8305 4T60E/4T65E
8306 4T80E
8307 Saturn
VOLKSWAGEN/AUDI
9001 VW AG4/095/01M et. al.
8308 TH - 125/C/3T40
8309 TH - 200-4R
ZF
8310 TH - 350/ et. al.
9101 ZF 4HP
8311 TH - 400//3L80HD et. al.
9102 ZF 5HP
8312 TH - 440-T4/4T60
8313 TH - 700-R4/4L60
Authorized Transmission Remanufacturing

Inc.(ATR), 350 Corporate Woods Pkwy,
Vernon Hills, IL, 60061-3107, PH:847-5664488, TF:866-738-7267, FX:847-793-0763,
WEB: www.atreman.com
8001, 8002, 8003, 8004, 8101, 8102, 8103,
8104, 8105, 8106, 8107, 8201, 8202, 8203,
8204, 8205, 8206, 8208, 8210, 8302, 8303,
8305, 8310, 8311, 8313
Auto Sports Unlimited, 200 N Franklin St Ste
100, Zeeland, MI, 49464-1094, PH:616-7485735, TF:800-624-3876, FX:616-748-5709,
WEB: www.autosportsunlimited.com
8001, 8101, 8102, 8103, 8104, 8105, 8106,
8107, 8201, 8202, 8203, 8204, 8205, 8206,
8207, 8208, 8209, 8210, 8301, 8302, 8303,
8304, 8305, 8306, 8307, 8308, 8309, 8310,
8311, 8312, 8313, 8401, 8402, 8403, 8501,
8502, 8503, 8601, 8602, 8701, 8702, 8801,
8901, 8902, 8903, 9001, 9101, 9102
continues page 38
36
Transmission Digest

Automotive Wholesalers Inc., 9345 Penn Ave
S, Bloomington, MN, 55431-2320, PH:952884-2336, TF:800-231-3011, WEB:
www.uslink.net/~jurkovsj/index.htm,
jurkovsj@uslink.net
8001, 8101, 8102, 8103, 8104, 8105, 8106,
8107, 8201, 8202, 8203, 8204, 8205, 8206,
8207, 8208, 8209, 8210, 8301, 8302, 8303,
8304, 8305, 8306, 8307, 8308, 8309, 8310,
8311, 8312, 8313, 8401, 8402, 8403, 8501,
8502, 8503, 8601, 8602, 8701, 8702, 8901,
8902, 8903
Blumenthal Companies, 504 SW 4th St.,
Oklahoma City, OK, 73109-1301, PH:405-4091157, TF:888-236-4800, FX:405-232-0436,
WEB: www.blumenthalmfg.com,
sales@blumenthalmfg.com
8001, 8002, 8003, 8004, 8101, 8102, 8103,
8104, 8105, 8106, 8107, 8201, 8202, 8203,
8204, 8205, 8206, 8207, 8208, 8209, 8210,
8301, 8302, 8303, 8304, 8305, 8306, 8307,
8308, 8309, 8310, 8311, 8312, 8313, 8401,
8402, 8403, 8501, 8502, 8503, 8601, 8602,
8701, 8702, 8801, 8901, 8902, 8903, 9001,
9101, 9102
Certified Transmissions, 1801 S 54th St,
Omaha, NE, 68106-2316, PH:402-558-0267,
TF:800-544-7520, FX:402-558-2202, WEB:
www.certifiedtransmission.com,
mteder@certifiedtransmission.com
See Our Ad Page: 31
8001, 8004, 8101, 8102, 8103, 8104, 8105,
8106, 8107, 8201, 8202, 8203, 8204, 8205,
8206, 8207, 8208, 8209, 8210, 8301, 8302,
8303, 8304, 8305, 8306, 8307, 8308, 8309,
8310, 8311, 8312, 8313, 8401, 8402, 8403,
8501, 8502, 8503, 8601, 8602, 8701, 8702,
8801, 8901, 8902, 8903
Consolidated Transmission Parts, 2850 W
Airport Blvd, Sanford, FL, 32771-1610,
PH:407-321-2055, TF:800-578-8726, FX:407321-2433, WEB: www.consolidatedtrans.com,
sales@consolidatedtrans.com
8102, 8103, 8104, 8105, 8106, 8107, 8201,
8202, 8203, 8204, 8205, 8206, 8207, 8208,
8209, 8210, 8302, 8303, 8305, 8306, 8308,
8309, 8310, 8311, 8312, 8313
38
D & D Transmission Wholesale Whse Inc.,

14044 Highway 231 431 N, Hazel Green, AL,
35750-8919, PH:256-828-6571, TF:800-7824790, FX:256-828-1342, WEB:
www.drivetrainsolution.com,
cbendle@oceansidgetransmission.com
8001, 8002, 8003, 8004, 8101, 8102, 8103,
8104, 8105, 8106, 8107, 8201, 8202, 8203,
8204, 8205, 8206, 8207, 8208, 8209, 8210,
8301, 8302, 8303, 8304, 8305, 8306, 8307,
8308, 8309, 8310, 8311, 8312, 8313, 8401,
8402, 8403, 8501, 8502, 8503, 8601, 8602,
8701, 8702, 8801, 8901, 8902, 8903, 9001,
9101, 9102
Dacco Inc., PO Box 2789, Cookeville, TN,

38502-2789, PH:931-528-7581, TF:800-4432226, FX:931-528-9777, WEB:
www.daccoinc.com
8001, 8002, 8003, 8004, 8101, 8102, 8103,
8104, 8105, 8106, 8107, 8201, 8202, 8203,
8204, 8205, 8206, 8207, 8208, 8209, 8210,
8301, 8302, 8303, 8304, 8305, 8306, 8307,
8308, 8309, 8310, 8311, 8312, 8313, 8401,
8402, 8403, 8501, 8502, 8503, 8601, 8602,
8701, 8702, 8801, 8901, 8902, 8903, 9001,
9101, 9102
Dalenzie Torque Converters, 2517 S Santa Fe

Ave, Vista, CA, 92083-8227, PH:760-7341200, FX:760-734-1280, WEB:
www.dalenzie.com,
jpicens@oceansidetransmission.com
8101, 8102, 8103, 8104, 8105, 8201, 8202,
8203, 8204, 8205, 8206, 8207, 8208, 8209,
8210, 8301, 8302, 8303, 8304, 8305, 8306,
8307, 8308, 8309, 8310, 8311, 8312, 8313,
8401, 8402, 8403, 8501, 8502, 8503, 8601,
8602, 8701, 8702, 8901, 8902, 8903
Dartco Transmission, 4390 N Long Rd,

Columbus, IN, 47203-9010, PH:812-3789599, TF:800-371-7957, FX:812-378-9939,
WEB: www.dartcotransmission.com,
jsellars@dartcotransmission.com
8001, 8002, 8003, 8004
Drivetrain Solutions, 229 S Coast Hwy,

Oceanside, CA, 92054-3108, TF:888-3748383, FX:760-722-7538, WEB:
www.drivetrainsolutions.us,
dkuhn@oceansidetransmission.com
8101, 8102, 8103, 8104, 8105, 8201, 8202,
8203, 8204, 8205, 8206, 8207, 8208, 8209,
8210, 8301, 8302, 8303, 8304, 8305, 8306,
8307, 8308, 8309, 8310, 8311, 8312, 8313,
8401, 8402, 8403, 8501, 8502, 8503, 8601,
8602, 8701, 8702, 8901, 8902, 8903
Eds Transmission Exchange, 10226 State
Ave, Marysville, WA, 98271-7214, PH:360653-1835, TF:800-356-3303, FX:360-6581488, WEB: www.edstransmissions.com,
edstransexch@aol.com
8001, 8002, 8003, 8101, 8102, 8103, 8104,
8105, 8106, 8107, 8201, 8202, 8203, 8204,
8205, 8206, 8207, 8208, 8209, 8210, 8301,
8302, 8303, 8304, 8305, 8306, 8307, 8308,
8309, 8310, 8311, 8312, 8313, 8401, 8402,
8403, 8501, 8502, 8503, 8601, 8602, 8701,
8702, 8801, 8901, 8902, 8903, 9001, 9101,
9102
Engine & Transmission Exchange (ETE), 8155

N 76th St, Milwaukee, WI, 53223-3203,
PH:414-586-0777, TF:800-934-9479, FX:414586-0778, WEB: www.enginetrans.com,
sales@enginetrans.com
8101, 8102, 8103, 8104, 8105, 8201, 8202,
8203, 8204, 8205, 8206, 8208, 8209, 8210,
8301, 8302, 8303, 8304, 8305, 8306, 8307,
8313, 8401, 8402, 8403, 8501, 8502, 8503,
8601, 8602, 8701, 8702, 8801, 8901, 8902,
8903, 9101, 9102
Transmission Digest
Eriksson Industries, 146B Elm St, Old

Saybrook, CT, 06475-4105, PH:800-3884418, TF:800-388-4418, FX:860-395-0047,
WEB: www.erikssonindustries.com,
eriksson.indust@snet.net
9001, 9101, 9102
ETX Transmissions Inc., 401 Terrace Dr,
Mundelein, IL, 60060-3899, PH:847-5498100, TF:800-428-7726, FX:847-549-9474,
WEB: www.etxtransmissions.com
8001, 8002, 8003, 8004, 8101, 8102, 8103,
8104, 8105, 8106, 8107, 8201, 8202, 8203,
8204, 8205, 8206, 8207, 8208, 8209, 8210,
8301, 8302, 8303, 8304, 8305, 8306, 8307,
8308, 8309, 8310, 8311, 8312, 8313, 8401,
8402, 8403, 8501, 8502, 8503, 8601, 8602,
8701, 8702, 8801, 8901, 8902, 8903, 9001,
9101, 9102
European Exchange Inc., 240 Lodi St,

Hackensack, NJ, 07601-3107, PH:201-4897770, FX:201-487-4707, WEB:
www.europeanexchange.com,
european@europeanexchange.com
8101, 8102, 8103, 8104, 8105, 8106, 8107,
8201, 8202, 8203, 8204, 8205, 8206, 8207,
8208, 8209, 8210, 8301, 8302, 8303, 8304,
8305, 8308, 8309, 8310, 8311, 8312, 8313,
9001, 9101, 9102
Ford Genuine Parts/Motorcraft, 16800
Executive Plaza Dr # 2N1, Dearborn, MI,
48126-4261, TF:800-392-7946, FX:313-3904669, WEB: www.motorcraft.com,
pac@ford.com
See Our Ad Page: 23
8201, 8202, 8203, 8204, 8205, 8206, 8208,
8209, 8210
Fort Dodge Transmissions, 3553 5th Ave S,

Fort Dodge, IA, 50501-6407, PH:515-5738800, TF:800-622-4836, FX:515-573-4631,
WEB: www.fdtrans.com, tech1@fdt.com
8101, 8102, 8103, 8104, 8105, 8106, 8107,
8201, 8202, 8203, 8204, 8205, 8206, 8207,
8208, 8209, 8210, 8302, 8303, 8304, 8305,
8306, 8308, 8309, 8310, 8311, 8312, 8313,
8502, 8503
Future Transmission Parts, 1227 Medical
Center Pkwy, Murfreesboro, TN, 37129-2222,
PH:615-895-4405, TF:800-635-2877, FX:615849-3438, WEB:
www.futuretransmissionparts.com,
futuretrans1@bellsouth.net
8101, 8102, 8103, 8104, 8105, 8201, 8202,
8203, 8204, 8205, 8206, 8208, 8209, 8210,
8301, 8302, 8303, 8304, 8305, 8306, 8307,
8402, 8403, 8501, 8502, 8503, 8601, 8701,
8702, 8901, 8902, 8903, 9101, 9102
continues next page
Circle No.
August 2008
4 on Reader Card
39

General Motors Service Parts Operation, 6200
Grand Pointe Dr, Grand Blanc, MI, 484395501, PH:810-606-3541, FX:810-606-3250,
WEB: www.gmgoodwrench.com,
joseph.johnson@gm.com
See Our Ad Page: 9
8301, 8302, 8303, 8304, 8305, 8306, 8307,
8308, 8309, 8310, 8311, 8312, 8313
Goodale Auto Truck Parts Co. Inc., 1100 E 5th
Ave, Columbus, OH, 43201-3000, PH:614294-4777, TF:800-282-2204, FX:614-2941637, WEB: www.goodale1.com,
parts@goodale1.com
8001, 8002, 8003, 8004, 8101, 8102, 8103,
8104, 8105, 8106, 8107, 8201, 8202, 8203,
8204, 8205, 8206, 8207, 8208, 8209, 8210,
8301, 8302, 8303, 8304, 8305, 8306, 8308,
8309, 8310, 8311, 8312, 8313
H & A Transmission Inc., 8727 Rochester

Ave, Rancho Cucamonga, CA, 91730-4908,
PH:909-941-9020, TF:866-4-A-TRANS,
FX:909-941-9460, WEB: www.hnatrans.com
8401, 8402, 8403
Howard Engineering Corp. - H.E.C., 227 W
140th St, Los Angeles, CA, 90061-1005,
PH:310-523-2296, TF:800-831-2223, FX:800647-7059, WEB: www.hecreman.com,
info@hecreman.com
8401, 8402, 8403, 8701, 8702, 8901, 8902,
8903
Mopar Parts, 26311 Lawrence Ave (CIMS

423-15-10), Centerline, MI, 48015-1201,
PH:586-497-0958, TF:800-356-3490, FX:586497-0250, WEB: mopar.com,
dealerreferral@moparwholesale.com
8101, 8102, 8103, 8104, 8105, 8106, 8107
Northeastern Transparts Co. Inc., 2695 Bailey
Ave, Buffalo, NY, 14215-3266, PH:716-8330792, TF:800-876-0321,
northeasterntransparts@yahoo.com
8001, 8101, 8102, 8103, 8104, 8105, 8106,
8107, 8201, 8202, 8203, 8204, 8205, 8206,
8207, 8208, 8209, 8210, 8301, 8302, 8303,
8304, 8305, 8306, 8308, 8309, 8310, 8311,
8312, 8313
Quality Trans Parts Inc., 39 Mary St, Newark,

NJ, 07105, PH:973-465-9525, TF:888-4408726, WEB: www.qualitytranspartsinc.com,
qualitytransmissionparts@yahoo.com
8001, 8002, 8003, 8004, 8101, 8102, 8103,
8104, 8105, 8106, 8107, 8201, 8202, 8203,
8204, 8205, 8206, 8207, 8208, 8209, 8210,
8301, 8302, 8303, 8304, 8305, 8306, 8307,
8308, 8309, 8310, 8311, 8312, 8313
Silver Star Transmission, 214 W Edmond Rd,
Edmond, OK, 73003-5510, PH:405-330-9300,
TF:800-369-6601, FX:405-330-9446, WEB:
silverstartransmission.com,
sstrans2@coxinet.net
Med. Dty. Truck Units
TbR, 965 Huff Rd NW, Atlanta, GA, 303184348, PH:404-351-0726, TF:866-351-0726,
FX:404-355-0042
9101, 9102
Jasper Engines & Transmissions, PO Box

650, Jasper, IN, 47547-0650, PH:812-4821041, TF:800-827-7455, FX:812-634-1820,
WEB: www.jasperengines.com,
sales@jasperengines.com
See Our Ad Page: 7
8001, 8002, 8003, 8004, 8101, 8102, 8103,
8104, 8105, 8106, 8107, 8201, 8202, 8203,
8204, 8205, 8206, 8207, 8208, 8209, 8210,
8301, 8302, 8303, 8304, 8305, 8306, 8308,
8309, 8310, 8311, 8312, 8313, 8402, 8403,
8501, 8701, 8901, 8902, 9101, 9102
40
Transmission Exchange Co., 1803 NE Ml King

Blvd, Portland, OR, 97212-3926, PH:503-2840768, TF:800-776-1191, FX:503-280-1655,
WEB: www.txchange.com,
mail@txchange.com
8001, 8002, 8003, 8101, 8102, 8103, 8104,
8105, 8106, 8107, 8201, 8202, 8203, 8204,
8205, 8206, 8207, 8208, 8209, 8210, 8301,
8302, 8303, 8304, 8305, 8306, 8307, 8308,
8309, 8310, 8311, 8312, 8313, 8401, 8402,
8403, 8501, 8502, 8503, 8601, 8602, 8701,
8702, 8801, 8901, 8902, 8903, 9101, 9102
Transmission Remanufacturing Company

(TRC), PO Box 1088, Kent, WA, 98035-1088,
PH:253-872-8200, TF:800-336-5525, FX:253867-1611, WEB: www.trctrans.com,
inquiries@trctrans.com
8001, 8002, 8003, 8004, 8101, 8102, 8103,
8104, 8105, 8106, 8107, 8201, 8202, 8203,
8204, 8205, 8206, 8207, 8208, 8209, 8210,
8301, 8302, 8303, 8304, 8305, 8306, 8307,
8308, 8309, 8310, 8311, 8312, 8313, 8401,
8402, 8403, 8501, 8502, 8503, 8601, 8602,
8701, 8702, 8801, 8901, 8902, 8903, 9001,
9101, 9102
Weller Auto/Truck Parts Inc., 2525 Chicago Dr
SW, Grand Rapids, MI, 49519-1602, PH:616538-5000, TF:800-822-2375, FX:616-5384159, WEB: www.partsbyweller.com,
dolin@partsbyweller.com
8001, 8002, 8003, 8004, 8303
Whatever It Takes Inc.(WIT), PO Box 547,

Hillview, KY, 40129-0547, PH:502-955-6035,
TF:800-940-0197, FX:502-955-6077, WEB:
www.wittrans.com, sales@wittrans.com
See Our Ad Page: 53
8001, 8002, 8003, 8004, 8101, 8102, 8103,
8104, 8105, 8106, 8107, 8201, 8202, 8203,
8204, 8205, 8206, 8207, 8208, 8209, 8210,
8301, 8302, 8303, 8304, 8305, 8306, 8307,
8308, 8309, 8310, 8311, 8312, 8313, 8401,
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TD
Transmission Digest
Rebuilding the
Chrysler 68RFE
Torque Converter
By Ed Lee
2008 Sonnax Industries Inc.
t the beginning of the 2007 model year,

Chrysler introduced the 68RFE transmission.
This transmission replaced the 48RE for use in
many of its Cummins diesel, high-performance
Cummins diesel and V-10 gas applications.
Along with this new transmission came a new
torque converter, manufactured by ZF Sachs. The converter may look somewhat similar to its predecessor,
but, as they say, looks can be deceiving. The stator in
the 68RFE converter is the same type that was used in
the 47-48 RE converters, but that is where the similarities end. The turbine looks as if it is the same as the earlier models, but appearance is all they have in common.
Circle No.
August 2008
Clutch plate / piston / damper

The shell of the 68RFE turbine is made from a
stronger material than the 47-48RE turbines, and to
make them even stronger, all the 68RFE turbines are
furnace brazed. You may be able to retrofit the 68RFE
turbines into the earlier-model converters as a durability upgrade, but you would never want to use a
47-48RE turbine in a 68RFE converter.
continues next page
11 on Reader Card
41
O-ring groove
Drive flats
48RE hub
68RFE hub
The lockup clutch is the next major difference in the

converters. The single-plate clutch found in the 4748RE converters was replaced with a dual-plate clutch
in the 68RFE. The turbine damper also changed from a
single-stage to a dual-stage damper (see Figure 1).
Also note that this is a captive-clutch design, similar to the newer ZF torque converters. However, instead of having the clutch secured by bent tabs or
welded in place, the clutch assembly is bolted to the
front cover. Converter builders will be surprised to
find that they will be digging for the correct-size hexdrive tool to disassemble these clutch components.
The impeller hub also has been changed, and converter rebuilders will need to pay careful attention to
these changes. Figure 2 shows the obvious differences.
An O-ring groove like the one found on the 45RFE converters has been added to the hub. The two slots on the
hub that drive the inner pump gear have been removed
and have been replaced by four flats. The biggest
change to the hub, however, is not a visible change.
The material used to make the hub is now AISI grade
4140 chrome-molybdenum (4140 chrome-moly). Lesser
grades of chrome-moly steel have used for OEM impeller hubs in the past, including 4130; however, this is
believed to be the first time 4140 chrome-moly has
been used for an OEM hub.
Welding cautions
4140 chrome-moly is a medium-carbon steel that is
easily hardened. It has good fatigue characteristics and
is very abrasion and impact resistant. The most-impressive characteristic of this material is its ability to
maintain its high impact resistance along with high
levels of hardness and tensile strength. 4140 chromemoly is suitable for severe-service areas and also works
well in high-temperature, high-stress conditions.
Since the 4140 chrome-moly hub is an exotic metal
for most transmission shops, there may be some fear of
the unknown. In addition, there is the concern that the
4140 hub is being welded to a mild-steel (1018) impeller. Welding 4140 in the normalized condition to
mild steel will be comparable to welding mild steel to
mild steel. It is recommended that the welder consult
with his filler-material manufacturer for the proper
wire and parameters to start with.
The main issue with 4140 steel is that it can easily be
42
heat treated and welding can result in heat treatment

in localized areas around the weld. This condition can
be problematic if the welder is not prepared for it in
advance. Verifying the weld parameters is always advisable when starting a new process. If the welding
process and material are not understood, getting some
assistance from a qualified welding engineer will help
ensure the development of sound procedures.
Using a pulsing inverter welder also will help in
achieving a weld that will have improved deposition
rates for higher travel speed or more output per hour.
Pulsing programs also have higher peaks for weld penetration while maintaining an average that is similar to
conventional gas metal arc welding. Pairing with the
right wire and gas will make the process even more
manageable. The key for a good weld is controlling the
process variables and optimizing the process potential
for cycle times, energy input for cooling rates and weld
quality.
Why the change?
It is not difficult to speculate why this superior material was chosen for the 68RFE impeller hubs. One
good reason could be the fact that the 68RFE converters
are almost 13 pounds heavier than their predecessors.
The 68RFE converter weighs almost 65 pounds; the 4748RE converter weighed about 52.3 pounds.
Another reason could be the relatively thin wall of
the hub. At the O-ring groove, the cross section of the
hub is only about 0.070 inch thick. The high tensile
strength of the 4140 chrome-moly would be quite beneficial in this area.
Another reason could be the distance between the
areas of support for the converter. Unlike in the 4748RE converters, there is no bushing to support the
hub at its midsection. The 68RFE converter is supported by only the pilot at one end and the inner pump
gear at the other end.
Another factor could be the higher pump pressure.
When the 48RE transmission was introduced at the beginning of the 2003 model year, Chrysler stopped reducing line pressure when the transmission was in the
lockup mode. Maintaining the higher line pressure
meant better holding pressure for the lockup clutch but
also meant higher stresses on the impeller hub to turn
the pump at the higher pressure. The high pressure
and resulting high stress were continued with the
68RFE design.
Using an exotic material like 4140 for converter hubs
may mark the beginning of the next generation of converters. Developing the ability to refine welding procedures and material understanding now likely will
prove beneficial down the road. TD
Ed Lee is a Sonnax technical specialist who writes on issues of
interest to torque-converter rebuilders.
Sonnax supports the Torque Converter Rebuilders Association.
Learn more about the group at www.tcraonline.com.
Transmission Digest
Audi A8 Quattro
ZF 5HP24 TCC Cycling Bang
By Bob Warnke & Brian Workman

2008 Sonnax Industries
ne of the benefits of being a part of the Sonnax

TASC force is the sharing of information and
ideas that goes on between members. Knowing
that someone else has been down the road you are on
and may have learned about or at least worked on the
same problem you are facing is always reassuring. It is
not uncommon for members to share their hardearned knowledge with each other and with other industry contacts as well.
In this case, knowledge shared between European
and U.S. TASC members reached outside the group to
help a non-TASC member. Brian Workman does hotline duty and other technical chores for Cottman
Transmissions. Not one to forget a favor, Brian shares
with you what he learned.
If you have ever driven an Audi A8 or any other
high-end car using a ZF 5HP19 or 5HP24 transmission,
you know these units are pretty smooth shifting and
lockup is almost undetectable. This particular Audi
came in with a customer complaint of a clunk or bump
when the vehicle slowed. Initially, the car was diagnosed, and the unit was removed and rebuilt. The converter was cut open, inspected and welded back
together. The unit was reinstalled, bulk fluid was used
to refill it and then it was road-tested. Unfortunately,
the problem was still there. When I received the call, it
was described to me as going in and out of lockup
while slowing from 80 to 60 miles an hour and then,
magically, it stopped.
The easiest thing to check first is the nose switch on
the throttle-position sensor; it tells the computer when
you are at closed throttle. If it were malfunctioning,
the computer might see the switch opening and closing, causing the problem. The technician tested the
nose switch and said the contacts opened and closed
perfectly.
At this point, we had to answer the following question: Is the transmission shifting the way the computer
is commanding it to or is there still a problem in the
unit or the converter? Hooking up a DVOM to the
ground lead of the TCC solenoid will let you watch the
TCC command from the computer. If the computer is
commanding the TCC on and off, you should see voltage go up and down. That is exactly what was happening. Why would the computer command the
lockup on and off while the vehicle was slowing?
Many imports pulse their lockup on and off when
August 2008
slowing, but this one you could actually feel. You

could compare the feeling with stepping on and off the
brakes fairly hard. In addition, there was another
problem present. The unit had a clunk when coming
out of third gear. It was staying in lockup until it
downshifted into second.
In this situation, the shop had a SOLUS Pro with the
VAG Com software. This made it possible to do some
thorough diagnostics before attempting any further repair. Watching the data on the scan tool, nothing
jumped out at as being wrong. Throttle position, mass
air flow, the nose switch all appeared good. With this
particular problem, what you need to watch is trans
temp, TCC slip and TCC-solenoid amperage. The scan
tool will have the TCC solenoid labeled as DCSV 4.
That stands for damper-clutch solenoid valve. These
particular parameters are found under Trans Data
Logs. There are many log files, so you will have to do
some searching to find the right ones. Remember to set
your scan-tool view to 4 graph mode.
Watching those three parameters during the road
test, you will see that TCC-slip rpm and solenoid amperage are inversely proportional. As TCC amperage
goes up, the lockup piston is applied more and TCC
slip will go down. Figure 1 is a snapshot of the recorded data. Where TCC slip is high, the amperage is low,
0.144 amps. At 0.744 amps, maximum TCC apply is
being commanded. Watch the amperage as the vehicle
was slowing. It was being toggled down 0.736 amps,
then right back up to 0.744 amps. That is a clear indication that the computer is commanding lockup cycling.
Where you see the sharp spike is where you would
feel the bump.
Amperage should not change unless the computer
picks up a slip. Just as with a GM or Ford, when you
see TCC duty cycle go to 100%, you know the unit is
commanding full lockup. Could the clutch be slipping? Could the valve body be worn like those on a
GM or Ford? The graph in Figure 1 on the next page
shows that there is TCC slip. You replace the valve
body first and see whether that makes a change. With
the replacement valve body installed, the second road
test proved there was a problem with the original
valve body. The unit now shifted more smoothly and
lockup was better (not as hard), but still not right.
Figure 2 shows the same parameters that were
graphed in Figure 1. The difference is that the ampercontinues next page
43
age spikes are not as sharp. You can see the

1
small ramps as TCC amperage is increased and
then drops off. What was seen on the scan tool
matched what could be felt on the road test.
After making a few phone calls to get some
feedback on these units, I learned from contacts
at Sonnax that these ZF units are known to have
converter problems, and this complaint is very
common, according to the builders in Europe. In
fact, these converters are so problematic, the
builders recommend using a tested ZF or a ZF
2
rebuilt converter with synthetic fluid. The shop I
was helping ordered a high-end remanufactured
converter. The unit was expensive, but the results were worth it! Installing the converter and
using synthetic transmission fluid gave us phenomenal results. Not only did the transmission
shift more smoothly than before, but also lockup
engagement was undetectable. The only way
you knew it was in lockup was to look at the
scan tool.
3
Figure 3 shows the data from the final road
test. On TCC command you see amperage go to
0.744 and you are in full lockup. TCC slip is 0
rpm. On closed throttle you can see TCC desired
amps drop to 0.416 and remain steady. TCC slip
is minimal. No more spikes, no more ramping of
the TCC solenoid and, most important, no more
TCC thump or bump. When the vehicle is slowing to a stop, desired amperage will remain at
0.416 until the transmission is commanded into second
gear. At that point lockup is turned off and desired
amperage drops to 0.144. Again, you wont feel any
thump or bump.
With this type of torque converter and programming, the computer tries to control TCC slip on deceleration. If it cant get the transmission input speed in
line with the engine speed, the computer will keep increasing the amperage until it reaches full lockup.
There is the bump. At that point, it saw that the ratio
between the two speed sensors was not what the program intended, and it immediately reduced the TCCamperage command. In this case the computers
inability to control the slip was caused by a worn-out
lockup-clutch lining. In the transmission, when frictions wear, clutch-pack clearances and piston travel increase. The same thing happens with torque-converter
lockup clutches and linings. This added piston travel
resulted in the thump or bump you felt going in and
out of lockup. These ZF units use a captive-clutch design. Two characteristics of this design are the critical
importance of piston travel on lockup function and the
difficult disassembly, inspection and rebuild process.
This could be why the converter was not repaired or
replaced when it was initially cut open.
Another factor that contributed to the problem we
experienced was a worn pressure-regulator-valve
44
bore, which resulted in higher line pressures. Since

main line has an effect on all pressures in the unit,
high line causes high converter-charge pressure.
Remember that all ZF 5HP19s and 5HP24s have this
captive lockup clutch. If you happen to get a car in
with this transmission and complaint, use a good converter, check the pressure-regulator-valve bore for
wear, and always use a good full-synthetic transmission fluid. TD
For more information on captive clutches, see technical
articles by Joe Rivera in December 2005 and Ed Lee in
March 2007 Transmission Digest.
Bob Warnke is Sonnax vice president of technical development and a member of the Sonnax TASC Force (Technical
Automotive Specialties Committee), a group of recognized
industry technical specialists, transmission rebuilders and
Sonnax Industries Inc. technicians.
Brian Workman is technical trainer and consultant for Cottman
Transmissions LLC. In addition to his technical-hotline duties,
Brian is a technical instructor, speaker and author of newsletter and magazine articles.
Sponsored by
Transmission Digest
Up To Standards
Subject:
Diagnosing noise problems
in manual transmissions
Essential Reading:
Rebuilder
Shop Owner
Center Manager
Diagnostician
R&R
Solving Common
Noise Problems, and
Problems with
No Solutions
Author:
Mike Weinberg,
Rockland Standard Gear
Contributing Editor
oise is one of the great mysteries of the transmission world.

Noise is subjective, and people
rarely can interpret noises in the same
manner. Noise travels much faster and
farther in solid objects such as the steel
of an automobile than it does in air.
There is driveline noise, engine noise,
suspension noise, exhaust noise and
road-generated noise.
There is also the mysterious never
had that before noise. This noise usually comes to the customers attention
as a result of a change of habits created by having shelled out a large sum
to repair their vehicle. After such an
expense, the customer is driving the
vehicle with the radio off and all inte-
Two-mass flywheel with sealed casing
August 2008
rior appliances such as A/C shut

down, listening intently to the transmission they just paid for. Present are
the normal tire and road-surface
noise, wind noises and rattles that
have been with the vehicle for many
moons but are now readily apparent
to the driver, who no longer is listening to his favorite tunes at 120 decibels.
Manufacturers go to great lengths
to produce vehicles with very low
noise levels. The car is tuned and insulated to get rid of harmonic vibrations
that cause discomfort for the driver.
Transmissions and final drives are designed with gear angles for strength
and low noise generation. Interiors are
continues next page
Two-mass flywheel, sealed casing
45
Up To Standards
heavily insulated against noise, vibration and harshness (NVH), and
the entire chassis is designed with
various devices to make NVH
occur at acceptable levels to the
driver. Any changes to the chassis
such as insulation or items left off
during the installation of the transmission can open the door for customer NVH complaints. The
carmaker is profit motivated, and
no part installed on the vehicle has
no function; they are all necessary.
The most-common transmission
noise and the greatest waster of
labor hours is neutral-rollover
noise. There is no such thing as a
completely silent transmission. All
rotating parts create some level of
noise and vibration. The engine
creates harmonic vibrations because of the firing pulses of each
cylinder. If these harmonic vibrations are allowed to travel into the
transmission through the input
shaft, they cause the gear train to
rattle, and this is gear rattle or neutral-rollover noise. The manufacturers do all they can to damp
these vibrations in the engines
with balance shafts and dual-mass
flywheels, and proper clutch-dischub damper springs.
Gear rattle or neutral-rollover
noise occurs in neutral with the
clutch engaged, and at various
speeds in other gears to a lesser degree. The best test for this type of
noise is to start the engine, place
the transmission in neutral, have
the clutch engaged (pedal up) and
slowly add throttle from idle speed
to 2,500-3,500 rpm. If it is gear rattle the noise will float out as the
engine speed increases.
Gear rattle or neutral-rollover
noise does not affect the operation
of the transmission or do any damage to the gear train, but you cant
sell that to a customer who has just
spent money on repairs. On larger
transmissions in pickup trucks you
can actually see it occur. Drain out
the lubricant and remove a powertakeoff plate. Start the truck in
neutral with the clutch engaged,
and watch the gears shake.
46
Since this is not a transmission

problem, nothing you do inside the
transmission will make this go
away. The cause is engine harmonics influencing the gear train. To
get rid of the noise we need to go
to the clutch, dual-mass flywheel
or the engine running condition
and sort that out.
Dual-mass flywheels have primary and secondary plates with
spring loading between them. If
the springs have lost their tension,
engine harmonics will rattle the
gears.
On the clutch disc we will have
damper springs on the hub that are
calibrated to the engine firing pulses to damp them from passing
through to the transmission.
Installation of an incorrect clutch
disc for the application or hub
dampers that are no longer functional will create rollover noises.
The condition of the engine tune
is critical to this discussion. Bad injectors, plugs or wires, or worn
cams and timing chains can create
harmonics that no dual-mass flywheel or clutch disc can stop from
rattling the gears. On diesel engines pay attention to the injector
pump, which is how diesels are
timed. A worn or out-of-time
pump will greatly magnify engine
harmonics and create customer
complaints.
Certain models of transmissions
are highly prone to gear rattle, and
to be successful in their repair one
needs to fully inspect the clutch
and flywheel components and the
engine tune level. These transmissions are the New Venture Gear
1500 in 2.2-liter GM 2WD trucks;
2550 in 2.5-liter Jeep 2WD and
4WD models; 3500 in 4.3-, 5.0- and
5.7-liter GM and Dodge trucks;
3550 in 4.0-liter Jeep 2WD and
4WD; 4500 in GM/Dodge trucks;
and the 5600 in Dodge trucks. The
ZF Ford truck transmissions, S5-42,
S5-47, S6-50 and S7-50, and the
Corvette S6-40 transmission also
have had gear-rattle complaints.
Once more, if it is gear rattle that
leaves with a slow increase in en-
gine speed in neutral, no amount

of disassembly of the transmission
will make it go away.
Problems with few or
no solutions
In 1988 GM introduced the HM
290 series of five-speed transmissions for its C and K truck transmissions. Designed by Getrag,
these were extremely over-engineered designs, with too many
parts (there were 96 pieces in the
shift mechanism alone) and requiring special essential tools for repairs. GM and Chrysler created a
joint venture called New Venture
Gear involving the GM Muncie
plant and the New Process Gear
division of Chrysler.
As I had predicted in conversations with engineers at Hydramatic
all those years ago, the HM 290 design was a nightmare. The transmission was redesigned and called
the 5LM60, and this too proved to
be problematic. A further redesign
produced the second variation of
the 5LM60, which still had four
shift rails and the same problems.
The engineers at New Venture
redesigned the latest version of the
5LM60 into what you now know as
the NV 3500, which was a singlerail transmission. The unit had internal noise concerns that were not
to be cured. The 3500 countergear
is supported by straight roller
bearings at the front and rear.
Without tapered roller bearings or
washers to shim the endplay on
the shaft, there is no way of controlling the endplay.
These units frequently suffer
from a tip-in clunk when the clutch
is engaged and a similar clunk on
coast-down when the clutch is released. This occurs because of excessive movement of the
countershaft due to the natural
tendency of helical-cut gears to try
to move away from each other
under torque and to contract together when the torque load is released. This problem often results
in as much as 14 inch of endplay in
the shaft.
Transmission Digest
If you have a customer complaint of tip-in clunk, remove the

oil drain plug, which is at the bottom of the transmission case. After
the lube drains out, take a long
flat-blade screwdriver and place it
on the counter gear and see how
much endplay you have. This will
be your clunking noise, and we
have found no way to cure it. I
have seen a C truck in which a
Chevy dealer installed five factory
units with no good outcome, and
GM finally bought the vehicle
back under a lemon-law case.
The NV 3550 is a variation of
the 3500 that is used behind the
4.0-liter engine in Jeeps. This
unit suffers from incurable gear
rattle, gear jump-out and notchy,
noisy shifting. There is one cure
for this condition, and that is to
replace the unit with an AX15,
which is a direct bolt-in, using
the same clutch set, hydraulics,
cross member and driveshaft.
Depending on the model and
year of the Jeep it may be necessary to change the shifter and
the input shaft of the transfer
case. We have developed a kit
for this replacement.
The joint venture between the
GM Muncie plant and the New
Process division of Chrysler has
ended. The GM Muncie plant
has been closed and all the machinery sold off. Chrysler kept
the New Venture name for the
New Process plant but no longer
builds any of the previous models.
Subsequently, Chrysler sold
the New Venture/New Process
Division to Magna International,
a major tier-one OEM supplier.
This partnership sucked $80 million to $100 million of profit out
of New Process Gear when it
was owned by Chrysler and produced a great number of transmissions for which no OEM
replacement parts are available.
When you have to rebuild one of
the units you now have to rely
on aftermarket parts. Many of
these parts are well made and
will give good service, but most of

these Getrag-based designs have
noise issues that cannot be resolved. If you are working on one
of these units discuss these issues
with the customer so you dont
The Bottom Line:

Circle No.
August 2008
wind up taking responsibility for

something you did not create. TD
17 on Reader Card
47
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Its Your
Business
Subject:
The importance of
follow-through in
customer service
Finish
the
Swing
Essential Reading:
Rebuilder
Shop Owner
Center Manager
Diagnostician
R&R
Author:
Terry Greenhut,
Transmission Digest
Business Editor
50
ardon me for all the golf analogies

I use. Its just that to me the game
of golf is an awful lot like the
games of business and life. It has so
many of the same elements.
There are the good shots and the bad,
many times caused by the good and bad
decisions we make just before or as we
are hitting them. There is the attitude we
bring to the course on any given day,
same as the attitude we bring to work or
to our personal relationships. There are
the distractions that can keep us from
playing or working well if we let them.
There is the way we approach the
game and our businesses. Do we play to
win or just to play? There is the luck of a
ball bouncing the right way or the unlucky occurrence of it bouncing wrong.
Then there is the recovery shot when it
doesnt bounce right. Can we save our
par; can we save the day in our business?
There is the honesty or the lack thereof. Do we play the ball where it lies (as
the rules state) or do we move it from
behind the tree to get a better shot? Are
we honest with ourselves, our customers and our employees?
Do we know our strengths and weaknesses so we can capitalize on the former and work on the latter?
The reference to finishing the swing
has to do with the completeness of our
actions. In golf, if you stop the swing
just as the club makes contact, the ball
isnt likely to go very far or straight or
up in the air for that matter. Any pro
will tell you that you have to finish the
swing, meaning to follow through, if
you want good, consistent results.
Many of us dont finish the swing in
our relationships with customers. Some
of us have mastered the art of taking
them through the sales process and
making certain that their vehicles are

properly repaired, but we arent great at
working the relationship that should follow such a successful beginning.
Sometimes its because we dont know
what to do next or how to do it. More
often its because we dont see the importance of following through because
that doesnt get us the instant gratification that we desire and are used to.
Were into sell it, fix it and collect the
money for it, then move on to the next
job. The so-called after-sale has little importance because it doesnt generate instant revenue. Its future money, and
you cant count or spend future money.
You also cant touch it, smell it or taste
it; therefore, it doesnt carry much if any
importance. Whats important is now,
today, this week.
The problem is that if you dont start
to follow through you might not have
much of a future in this business.
Relationships are everything today. You
cant rely on advertising to build a business the way you used to, because
everybody is advertising the same services. The unique skills we possess as
transmission experts are being assimilated into the mainstream of auto repair
and services. So if our advertising to get
new customers doesnt give us an edge
over our competitors, we need something that will.
We have it, but many of us dont realize it. Its a base of customers weve already satisfied. Yes, we might have
worked on only one part of their cars,
but it is one of the most-expensive and
complex parts they are likely to ever
have fixed. So there is a good chance
that after weve fixed it to their satisfaction they may just want us to do other
repairs and services. In fact, we all know
that many of them have asked over the
Transmission Digest
years, Do you do any other kind

of repairs here? They were trying
to tell us how much they trust us
by asking that question.
Being a transmission guy has always been the coolest thing to be in
the automotive trades, because mechanics who dont work on transmissions are always a little bit in
awe of those who understand how
they work and are able to fix them.
Its really great if you own or are
employed by a shop that does
enough transmission work that it
doesnt need to perform other
functions.
The reality is that most of us
dont have the luxury of specializing in only one area anymore. We
have to add more specialties or just
take the plunge and begin to service the entire vehicle.
The major difference between
the transmission specialty and providing nearly all the necessary auto
repairs and services doesnt lie in
the difficulty of the work. The
work is the work. Most jobs on a
car are far easier to do than transmission work, and most mechanics
who do transmission work can fix
almost anything on a car with little
or no additional tools or training.
The difference lies in the volume of
vehicles and the number of customers that must be handled.
A transmission shop that writes
five to 10 repair orders a week can
gross $10,000-$25,000 in that period, but a general-repair business
would need to write three to four
times that amount and deal with
that many more customers to gross
similar numbers. The transmission-only shop might not care all
that much about following up with
additional maintenance and services other than those that could adversely affect their transmission
repair, so no great amount of aftersale contact would need to be done
other than to check and make sure
the job went well and the customer
was happy.
In general repair, continual contact is necessary. Unlike transmission work thats completed when
the transmission is returned to

full functionality, the rest of the
vehicle is never finished being repaired and serviced. There is always more to do.
The follow-through is the act
of finding and recommending additional repairs and services, then
following up to make sure customers have them done and if
they dont, trying again and again
to sell them. Its also about getting customers vehicles on a regular maintenance schedule so you
have a valid reason to contact
them when their services are due.
More than any other action
you can perform, the future success of your business relies on
how well you can stay on top of
your customers ongoing maintenance requirements. Mailing out
or e-mailing service reminders
and following up with phone
calls is the only way to get it
done. Its a constant. It cant be
done for just one or two months
when business gets slow or when
you feel guilty about having let it
slide. Follow-up needs to be done
relentlessly. Mail should be going
out every week and phone calls
made every day. It should become part of the routine of the
shop, with somebody in charge of
making sure it gets done.
Transmission people as a rule
never scheduled much of anything in the way of appointments.
They were famous for being the
first-come, first-served segment
of the auto-repair industry. Thats
why most of their sales graphs resembled the roller-coaster ride at
the local amusement park. They
would go from really busy to really slow and back to really busy
in a matter of days.
Todays success lies in smoothing out that bumpy road, getting
rid of those hills and valleys by
filling up the shops schedule at
least a week in advance. Dont
worry about leaving time slots
open for checking vehicles or for
emergency repairs. Squeeze them
continues next page
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Save Eve A Distributor!
Becoming
Circle No.
August 2008
7 on Reader Card
51
Its Your Business

in as add-ons to the schedule. You
need to sell every hour of available
shop time every week. You dont
have the luxury of selling only 100
hours of billable time when you
have 200 available. Every hour
goes toward paying a bill or making some profit. They must all be
sold.
Once more, follow-through
comes into play. So youve made
all these bookings. Will they all
show up? They will if you call them
in advance to remind them. If any
of them cant make it for any reason it at least will give you a
chance to sell that open time. Just
like at the golf course, we are successful only if we sell all those open
times. Time is fleeting. Once its
gone theres no getting it back. We
have it, then we dont.
When you figure out that your
entire universe of time is the calculation of the number of technicians
you have times the number of
hours they are available to work,

you will know, for example, that
four technicians each available to
book 40 hours a week gives you a
universe of 160 hours to sell. You
need to sell as close to all of it as
you can. If you lose any of it you
cant get it back! Another consideration is that every hour of time that
isnt sold has a corresponding parts
profit that isnt realized. No labor
sale = no parts sale.
If there is an advantage that
transmission people have, its in
customer service. If we know anything at all its how to take care of
customers with major issues. We
have been known to bite the bullet
many times for thousands of dollars in our effort to keep customers
happy. Most of the other automotive trades have never had to give
back that much and would be
shocked by the thought of it. We do
it in the regular course of doing
business. In other words, we know
how to smile when it hurts, an art

that many others have not mastered.
This is where we need to finish
the swing, where we have to have
the follow-through. We need to be
on top of every job and every customer situation. We cant take anything for granted. Good enough
is no longer a phrase to be in our
vocabulary. Nothing is good
enough. Its either 100% right or it
isnt, and if it isnt it has to be fixed.
You cant let out a car that isnt
100%. You cant let customers talk
you into compromising your principles to take on low-priced jobs
you know you shouldnt do. You
cant let employees who have no financial interest in your company
dictate customer policy. They
should be welcome to make suggestions, but the ultimate decisions
must lie with the owners.
Heres a situation from another
business that indicates why we
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The Automotive Powertrain Industry Journal
Circle No.
52
3 on Reader Card
Transmission Digest
have to either be perfect or have a

means to rectify a problem quickly
and with perfection. The pharmacy
from which I get my prescriptions
is usually pretty good about getting things right, but not always.
The problem is that when they
dont get something right, fixing it
becomes a major problem because
they apparently do not have a system for handling such situations.
Case in point: Last week I called
in to have some prescriptions refilled. Each prescription has a
unique number, so its pretty hard
to screw up; you would really have
to try. They punch the number into
their computer and it tells them the
name and address of the patient
and the doctor, the medicine, the
dosage, any interactions there
might be with other drugs the patient takes and how many refills
are left before they have to call the
doctor to see whether it can be extended not rocket science.
Circle No.
August 2008
One of the prescriptions called

for 60 pills in a 30-day supply, because I take one in the morning and
another at night. The vial showed
up with only 30 pills in it. When I
called I was immediately told that
the doctor lowered the dosage to
one pill a day. That was a lie. My
doctor would never change one of
my meds without first consulting
me. So, strike one.
After a minute of muffled gibberish, while he was talking with
someone else with his hand over
the mouthpiece, he said they had
made a mistake and would send
the other 30 pills over to my house.
They never got there. Strike two.
I called yesterday to see what
happened. Oh, were so sorry.
Well send them right over. They
didnt. Strike three. They never finished that swing, losing my trust
possibly forever.
Following through or not with
perfect performance, appointment
22 on Reader Card
scheduling and customer service

will make the difference between
the shops that will prosper and
those that will barely squeak by or
fall by the wayside. The winners
will be the shops that make a good
profit by building and maintaining
the largest base of happy customers. TD
Terrys 450-page book, How to Market
and Sell Automotive and Transmission
Service and Repair, for only $98.32 will
teach you all the techniques you need to
make profitable sales and retain your customers for future business. If youve been
thinking about ordering yours, now would
be a good time. You can then get additional copies for your employees, friends and
competitors for only $49.16 each. Or for a
free 45-minute audiocassette or CD that
will introduce you to Terrys philosophy of
the industry and selling concepts please
call 1-800-451-2872 or visit
www.TerryGreenhut.com, where you can
order any of Terrys training materials or
take your 20-question self- and businessevaluation test. Although no one can see
the results but you, its a real eye opener.
Circle No.
20 on Reader Card
53
Valve-Body Bore Brushes

The new Bench Buddy from
Superior Transmission Parts is a set
of four brushes that will work in the
majority of valve-body bores ranging
from 14 to 1 inch and can improve the
surface finish by up to 50%.
Impregnated with a mild abrasive, the
brushes will remove contaminants
such as rust, scale and metal chips,
break glazing and remove small burrs,
leaving a smooth, polished finish that
virtually eliminates sticking valves
without affecting the integrity of the
bore, the company said. The brushes
can be used in any low-speed drill.
Circle No. 101 on
Reader Card
Workcenters and Workbenches

Shures Realiti Workcenters and Workbenches are
engineered for the true professional, according to the
company. The workbench has a high-quality stainlesssteel top and custom backstop with an accent color decal
available in four colors. There are
two large drawers and four
swing-out doors, and locks are
standard. Workcenters include all
the features of the workbench
plus a stainless-steel tool board
with work-order holder, 60-inch
flip-front locking upper storage
cabinet with gas spring shocks, a
slim fluorescent technician task
light and free-standing uprights
Circle No. 103 on
to secure the tool board and
Reader Card
upper storage cabinet.
AW55-50SN Planetary Bushing
4L60-E/65-E Hardened Accumulator Pins
The bushings in the planetary unit of an AW55-50SN

have a high failure rate. There are two bushings in the
planet, and the one closer to the sun gear is poorly
supported and tends to spin in the housing. This ruins
both the bushing and the cage, destroying the bushing fit.
Reminiscent of the one-piece rear-case bushing it
developed in the 1990s, Omega Machine has
developed a single one-piece
bushing to replace the two
bushings. The planetaries are
available on an exchange basis,
the company said.
Now available from Pro-Built Automatics are these

hardened (RC52) accumulator pins for the 4L60-E and
4L65-E. These formerly unavailable pins are much harder
than OEM, the company said. Made in Germany, the standard-diameter pins fit forward and second accumulators.
Discounts
are available
for volume
purchases.
Circle No. 102 on

Reader Card
54
Transmission Digest
722.6 TCC Regulator-Valve Kit
GM Transfer-Case Anti-Wear Plate
In 722.6 units used in Mercedes and Chrysler vehicles,

excessive wear in the bore of the TC lockup-clutch regulator valve results in reduced lockup apply pressure and
creates TCC-related complaints ranging from harsh TCC
apply to no apply, TCC slipping and burn-up. New Sonnax
kit 68942-10K contains an oversized anodized valve and
custom spring to restore normal converter charge and
cooler flow, while salvaging the expensive valve body, the
company said. The valve body must be reamed using
Sonnax tool kit F-68942-TL10 coupled with the VB-FIX
valve-body fixture.
Adapt-A-Cases anti-wear plate for NP236, 246, 261

and 263 transfer cases used in GM vehicles is a costeffective repair for damage to the magnesium case
caused by the harder aluminum pump. The drop-in plate,
part number BRNY4080, provides a permanent solution
to wear in the pump pocket, according to the company.
Chrysler A727 Pump-Gear Set
GM, Aisin-Warner Overhaul Kits
TCS Products offers a new precision-machined

Max-Lug Pump Gear Set for the Chrysler A727 transmission. With 45% more drive-lug surface area than the OEM
version, this gear set provides superior strength and
durability, the company said. This 100% drop-in gear set
has been redesigned to greatly reduce the possibility of
pump failure.
Its made for
extremeservice and
high-performance applications.
Corteco has introduced two new TransTec overhaul

kits for GM and Aisin-Warner transmissions. Kit 2508,
which covers the six-speed rear-drive 6L80 unit found in
several 2006-up GM vehicles, includes a molded pan
gasket, front and rear seals and 4X4 adapter housing. Kit
DP2512 covers the front-wheel-drive six-speed
AW TF80-SC/GM AF40 unit found in several GM
applications such as
Saab & Opel; 2006-up
Volvo V70R and XC90;
and Lancia, Citroen,
Vauxhall, Peugeot & Alfa
Romeo vehicles. The kit
includes a Farpak pan
gasket, front seal, both
axle seals and valveCircle No. 109 on Reader Card
body gasket set.
Extreme-Duty TH 400 & TH 475
Battery-Powered Cart
Transmission Exchange Co. of Portland, Ore., has

introduced the Tow Matrix super-heavy-duty transmission
for Chevrolet and GMC TH 400 and TH 475 transmissions
engaged in towing, engine braking, ambulance, motorhome, snowplowing and other extreme applications. The
package includes Alto Red Eagle clutches, heavy-duty
sprag, heavy-duty
band, TransGo
reprogramming,
straight-cut front and
rear planetary assemblies, Allison-type
reinforced torque
converter, and protection kit with extrahigh-capacity cooler,
the company said.
DealerCaddy is designed for pushing stalled vehicles

into or out of service bays, pulling utility and cargo trailers, and hauling tools or heavy parts around in a car dealership or service center. After pushing a 10,000-pound
stalled truck onto a car lift, for example, the push pad
quickly flips back to expose a 2-inch ball hitch
for pulling up to a
10,000-pound trailer into
a service bay. The operator also can use the flat
bed of the unit to carry
up to 1,000 pounds of
parts such as tires,
transmissions or toolboxes around the shop
floor, the company said.
August 2008
55
Industry
News
Industry Veteran Joins Sonnax

to Direct Marketing Strategy
Sonnax Industries has appointed
David McGee vice president of marketing and strategic development. In
this position, McGee will be responsible for developing the marketing strat- David McGee
egy for Sonnax products in all market
segments. He will also collaborate with other members of the Sonnax executive team to determine the
overall strategic direction that will maximize the
companys potential.
McGee is an industry veteran with more than 30
years experience in the transmission aftermarket.
Since 1999, he had been with Axiom Automotive
Technologies, most recently as vice president of marketing and procurement. For 13 years prior to 1999,
he served in a variety of positions with FreudenbergNOK, concluding his tenure there as director of aftermarket operations and general manager of the
TransTec business unit. He began his career in the
transmission industry in 1976 with Garlock GarKit, a
unit of the Precision Seal Division of Colt Industries,
which was acquired by TransTec.
McGee is a native of North Carolina and attended
East Carolina University and the University of North
Carolina at Charlotte. In his new position he will be
based in Los Angeles and will travel frequently to the
Sonnax corporate headquarters in Bellows Falls, Vt.
TransTec Adds
Online Catalog
Corteco, the aftermarket business of
Freudenberg-NOK
that supplies
TransTec brand
transmission products,
now has an online catalog that makes it easy
to search for automatic-transmission components for
domestic or import vehicles.
The online catalog at www.transtec.com identifies
transmission components by vehicle manufacturer
and product group e.g., metal-clad gaskets, the
company said. Search results include TransTec part
numbers and the OE manufacturers part number
along with additional transmission information. You
can select Gasket & Rubber Components for a Ford
56
4EAT-F, for example, and review search results that

include oil-pan gaskets, pump-to-case gaskets and filter-to-valve-body gaskets.
Superior Transmission Parts

Names Global Sales Manager
Superior Transmission
Parts Inc. has named Robert
Bob White, also known on
the West Coast as Doctor
Transmission, global sales
manager.
White has more than 30
years of experience in the
Robert Bob White
automotive/transmission
industry, including owning his own shop for the past
15 years. He is ASE certified in seven categories and
has worked with Superior as an inventor for more
than 10 years. He is fully educated in all of Superiors
products as well as Fairbanks performance products,
having used all of them for the past 20 years.
Superior is glad to have Bob here to execute an aggressive sales strategy as well as answer any questions
that may arise involving a Superior product, said
Dennis Erickson, president of Superior Transmission
Parts.
Automotive-Lift Standard Revised;

List of Certified Lifts Now Online
The Automotive Lift Institute recently announced
the revision of ANSI/ALI ALOIM-2000 to ANSI/ALI
ALOIM:2008, which was recently approved by the
American National Standards Institute (ANSI). This
new standard, which is now available through ALI,
becomes effective on Sept. 24. The current standard
(ANSI/ALI ALOIM-2000) remains effective and will
continue to be available until then.
Visit the ALI Store at www.autolift.org for information on how to buy this and other ANSI-approved
standards as well several other safety materials offered in support of ALIs mission of promoting the
safe design, construction, installation and use of automotive-lift products.
The lift institute also announced that the ALI
Directory of Certified Lifts is now available online and
is updated on a continuing basis. The site is maintained by Intertek Testing Services, the nationally recognized testing laboratory that administers the
Transmission Digest
Automotive Lift Institutes Certified Automotive Lift

Program. A printed directory was issued quarterly
prior to April 2000 and is no longer available.
AMI Accepting Applications

for New Technician Scholarship
The Automotive Management Institute (AMI) is accepting applications for the new $1,000 Automotive
Electronics Service Inc. (AESWave.com) Building a
Learning Culture Technician Scholarship. AMIs resource-development effort, EXCEL, in conjunction
with AESWave.com established the scholarship to
help automotive-service professionals obtain the management education and technical training essential for
success in todays industry.
AESWave.com specializes in the manufacturing,
sales and support of hand-held electronic-systems diagnostic equipment.
The educational-scholarship program is aimed at
helping develop quality technicians, managers and
shop owners. The scholarship will be applied toward
the recipients expenses to attend the 2008 Congress of
Automotive Repair and Service (CARS) Nov. 5-8 in
Las Vegas. CARS is sponsored by ASA and offers an
educational lineup of AMI seminars, technical-training
courses and industry sessions, a trade show with the
latest products and services, and the opportunity to
network with other automotive professionals.
Applicants must meet the following requirements:
be a first-time CARS attendee and at least 21 years old;
have a minimum of two years work experience in the
mechanical-repair industry; demonstrate an interest in
self-improvement through education and training;
and, if the applicant is not the business owner, be recommended by the owner.
To request a scholarship application, call AMI at
800-272-7467, ext. 241, or complete the scholarship application online at www.amionline.org. Applications
must be received by Aug. 15.
New BorgWarner AWD Technology

Offered on Two 2009 Chrysler Cars
The Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger will offer
BorgWarners new InterActive Torque Management
Transfer Case (ITM tc) all-wheel-drive technology as
optional equipment for the 2009 model year. ITM tc offers enhanced response and controllability with reduced noise, vibration and harness in a compact,
August 2008
efficient design.
Chrysler has said that
the system is the first active
on-demand transfer case
to be coupled with an ondemand front-axle disconnect feature, providing
all-wheel-drive vehicles
with improved fuel economy comparable to that of
two-wheel-drive systems.
The ITM tc implements BorgWarners advanced
software, designed to work in cooperation with other
vehicle systems, and enables the integration of the allnew front-axle disconnect logic. The disconnect logic
allows the system to seamlessly switch between rearwheel drive and all-wheel drive automatically, based
on an innovative control strategy.
We are proud of our collaborative efforts with
Chrysler LLC to launch this new all-wheel-drive system that helps improve fuel economy, said Tim
Manganello, BorgWarner chairman and CEO. As a
global leader in all-wheel-drive technology, we are
pleased to provide the next generation of Chrysler 300
and Dodge Charger drivers with the enhanced vehicle
performance, safety and fuel economy that they are
seeking in their all-wheel-drive vehicles.
Stertil-Koni Buys 2 Lift Producers

Stertil-Koni USA, a provider of heavy-duty lifts to
the vehicle-maintenance industry, has announced
completion of the acquisitions of two lift manufacturers. Stertil-Koni USAs parent company, Stertil B.V.,
acquired ALM Corp. and all the assets of Fleet
America Service Technology in early July.
The acquisition of ALM, a 23-year-old company
based in Streator, Ill., fulfills Stertil-Konis goal of establishing a world-class manufacturing presence in the
United States and a platform from which to supply the
increasing global demand for the companys full range
of heavy-duty lift products, the company said.
Fleet America Service Technology, a Maryland corporation with a plant in Manheim, Pa., is responsible
for the development and fabrication of an innovative
shallow-pit-designed heavy-duty scissors lift for axlebased vehicle lifting. The proprietary lift will continue
to be manufactured in the Manheim facility.
Stertil-Konis products include mobile two-post
lifts, four-post lifts, parallelogram lifts, in-ground hydraulic lifts and half-scissor lifts. TD
57
TECH/TALK READERS KNOW THE ANSWERS ALREADY!

Timely
Transmission Tech/Talk delivers answers and updates
for an unending variety of transmission systems.
Answers for the units youre just starting to see and
updates for transmissions that youve been seeing
for years. Hydraulics, electronics, mechatronics and
more.
Concise
Transmission Tech/Talk is not a textbook nor a rambling collection of long-winded articles. Tech/Talk is
for transmission professionals who need current
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Direct: 847-709-6808
Main: 847-228-8787
Fax:
847-228-8799
gsajenko@remanindustries.com
Use old cases in

NEWER applications
Available for immediate delivery
Made to OEM specifications
For more information contact:
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AUTOMATIC HARD PARTS WAREHOUSE

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Software
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SuperFRED powered by Management
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Easy to use automotive shop management
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August 2008
AXLES
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NORTHLAND TRANSMISSION INC.
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CALL
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New & Used Transmission Hard Parts

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IRUHLJQ GRPHVWLFDSSOLFDWLRQV
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GBY
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Full line of quality hard parts

Reman valve bodies
Soft parts
Torque converters
Specializing in hard-to-find parts
State-of-the-art machine shop!
WE WELCOME RETAIL AND WHOLESALE
888-782-0901
www.automatickings.com
E-mail:sales@automatickings.com
Transmission Digest
MARKETPLACE
Parts
Parts
Tools & Equipment
CALL
TEMCO FIRST
DONT FALL FOR CHEAP IMPORTS OR
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O.E.M. PARTS
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Authorized ZF Parts Distributor For Passenger Cars

Automatic Transmission Parts
Toll Free (USA) 1-866-351-0726

GEORGIA 1-404-351-0726
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Let us show you the TEMCO
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WE STOCK OVER
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Toll Free: 1-888-440-8726
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stedave@earthlink.net
www.stecouplers.com
August 2008
61
MARKETPLACE
Tools & Equipment
Tools & Equipment
Remanufactured Units
Equipment for Sale: Like new top of the line

Intercont Transmission Dyno with only 35 working
hours, 4-cylinder gasoline engine. Test FWD/RWD
+325 & 425-4L.
Call for details. G-TEC, 417-725-6400.
Specializing in all Domestic &

Foreign manual front wheel drive
transaxles & rear wheel drive
transmissions.
All are Dyno-tested & have a
12 month unlimited mileage,
nationwide warranty.
Pushes Cars, Trucks, &

Buses up to 50,000 lbs.
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We have new & good used

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Businesses for Sale
smissions Axi-Line dyno-tested

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Busy 6 bay transmission shop

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Contact Mike at 1-516-428-3392.
800-725-6499
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ph. (417) 725-6400 fax (417) 725-3577
Call Mike Anderson

at 1-800-274-7890
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Transmission Parts Supply Store.

Two locations. Steady customer base. Small
machine shop and rebuilding facility. Building
available. Includes rental property. All or part.
Located in beautiful Charleston, SC.
Contact James, mr.parts@comcast.net.
Support
1
19 8
Since
OVER 1000 TRANSMISSIONS

IN STOCK READY TO SHIP
Supply automatics, standards, transfer
cases, torque converters, & hard parts
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Heavy Duty applications for towing or industrial use
Nationwide warranty; Lifetime/extended available
All factory updates incorporated into our transmissions
TRNW Transmission Rebuilders Network

Worldwide. Get technical assistance from a very
knowledgeable group of transmission technicians.
Website features: Fix database, tech tips, TSBs,
four e-mail forums and more! www.trnw.net.
Tod Chretien, 209-551-0599, tod@trnw.net
Toll-free Technical Support
Ship nationwide & international
TOLL FREE: 800.336.5525

WWW.TRCTRANS.COM
Transmission Digest
MARKETPLACE
We Add Years
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We Specialize in
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Authorized
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I 1 YEAR UNLIMITED MILE WTY I
Call us today
if you have any
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Soft Parts / Friction Kits / Steel Kits / Repair Manuals
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August 2008
Call: 616.748.5735
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contact:melissa@autosportsunlimited.com
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MARKETPLACE
Torque Converters
Valve Bodies
Central Valve Bodies

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Sonnax Updates 100% Guaranteed
Call Today Ship Today
1-877-341-0266
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www.centralvalvebodies.com
Affordable new equipment.

1) Gisholt Turret lathe with new converter
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Call 256-381-0167.
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Call Mike Anderson

at 1-800-274-7890
for ad placement!
64
Valve Bodies
Employees and shop owners

call
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or visit our website
www.transteam.com
Trans Shop Sales Mgr(s)
Life is too short to live anyplace other than Sunny
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Lets talk. Art Eastman, Consultant,
714-325-7777, MR0007@webtv.net
Index to Advertisers
Page Reader
Advertiser
#
Card #
ASA Membership ................................29 ...........99
Certified Transmission ........................31 .............1
EVT Parts ...........................................25 .............2
Ford Genuine Parts .............................23
Gear Wizzard ......................................52 .............3
GM Service Parts ..................................9
Hardparts For Transmissions ..............39 .............4
Information Source.........................48-49
Jasper Engines & Transmissions ..........7 .............5
LUBEGARD
by International Lubricants..............BC .............6
Randys Ring & Pinion ........................51 .............7
Raybestos Powertrain ...........................3 .............8
Robinair, an SPX brand ......................32 .............9
Schaeffler Group/LuK..........................13 ...........10
Showpower 2009 ..............................IBC .........100
Slauson Transmission Parts ...............41 ...........11
Smart Blend Synthetics .......................37 ...........12
Sonnax ..............................................IFC ...........13
Sonnax ................................................27 ...........14
SuperFlow Technologies Group..........21 ...........15
Superior Transmission Parts ...............33 ...........16
Teal Automotive ..................................47 ...........17
Transmission Digest Binder ................52
Transmission Tech/Talk ......................58
Transmission University Seminar CDs34
Transtar Industries ................................5 ...........18
TransTec by Corteco...........................11 ...........19
WIT......................................................53 ...........20
ZF Sales and Service North America ..19 ...........21
Zoom Technology ...............................53 ...........22
Transmission Digest
Louisville Ky March 26-28, 2009


TD 200808

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VOLUME 27, NO.

The Automotive Powertrain Industry Journal

68RFE U140/240 ZF 5HP24 ZF 6HP26

3 New Sonnax Kits Correct Noise & 4WD Engagement

Grinding, clicking, jumps out of four-wheel-drive engagement

Borg Warner 4405 & 4411

Minimal OE engagement at roller and

Shift Fork Guide

Pump Tab Stop

Shift Fork Guide Unexpected loss of four-wheel-drive engagement.

Pump Stop Tab

allowing excessive motion at the pump tab.

Features & Benefits

No special tools required.

Automatic Drive P.O. Box 440

Circle No. 13 on Reader Card

Visit www.sonnax.com for more

VOLUME 27, NO. 12

New sales and marketing strategies

Operational oddities of the

Rebuilding the Chrysler 68RFE

TASC Force Tips . . . . . .43

News & Previews

PRINTED IN THE U.S.A.

o matter where you live,

and the feeling of perceived

Circle No. 8 on Reader Card

Owner Steve Hotz

small gesture can make a big difference in a

Circle No. 18 on Reader Card

The shop in Fort Smith has five lifts.

Hotzs business that his son Seth

212 years. About six months ago

Thomas Hull is a rebuilder and diagnostician.

mention it to the customer and

Circle No. 5 on Reader Card

Rebuilder Bill Mcgillivray

Gary Merchant is one of the R&R technicians.

with the customer, just to ensure

most people out there, their car is

Manager Steve Summy fills out a

GM PARTS AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS

NOW HERES A TRANSMISSION

SAME- OR NEXT-DAY DELIVERY

$100 MAIL-IN REBATE

BMW X5 SUV came into the

was found, so another brand-new ZF

Melted relief valve

Circle No. 19 on Reader Card

Lube hole clear

Lube hole plugged

line and a low-fluid condition

The Bottom Line:

Many thanks to Sean OConnor

Circle No. 10 on Reader Card

Superior Transmission founder and president Dennis

here arent many shops in North America that

Final packaging of Fairbanks Racing kits. This year, the

Continuing the Tradition

uperior Transmission founder Dennis Erickson says hes

Nelson Ramirez and Superior Sales Manager Bob White

a lot of wear that needs to be addressed. Wear causes

Working from a bill of materials, workers package small