Help with transmission diagnosis

[FirstVolvo]

You can splice the wires without soldering if you have the proper crimper tool for the wire size and type of butt connector used (insulated or not). This can provide a reliable wire splice. There are insulated butt connectors with heat shrink that could be crimped and then sealed with heat but you would need make sure you get a high quality connector with insulation that can stand to high heat and transmission fluid. Or you can use non-insulated connectors and heat shrink tubing to finish the splice.
It probably would be best to remove the wire harness completely but I think it could be done from the top side if you remove the air filter box and intercooler to throttle body tube, which I recommend anyway because it's easier to remove the top pan bolts and easier to install the VB cover from above. You have to remove the radiator fan and deal with working blind to remove and install the ETM pipe clamp but it does provide a lot more access from above.

[Xfingers]

FirstVolvo, I'm gonna follow my instincts and order the new harness. If I had exp. with soldering, I'd probly go for it but I think I'll have my hands full with the rest of the repair. Right now it looks like a way to save some $$ but when I'm in the middle of the job, I'll be happy to have the new harness. Thanks for the offer.

I've removed the fan shroud 2x before so if that'll give me more access, I'll pull it out again. I'm thinking of driving the car up on a stack of 2x12s on all four corners so the tires will be 3" off the pavement. This gives me enough room to changes the oils, check the angle gear so I'm hoping I'll have enough room to get at the valve body. I'm assuming using jack stands at the jacking points is a no-go since we're trying to lower the subframe?

[Brett San Diego]

Good luck, xfingers. The new valve body has restored my transmission to perfect operation (so far), but I'll note that my transmission wasn't slipping in any gears before the valve body swap, and there were no fault codes. I think it did go into limp mode once when I was driving it, but I never got any codes.

As far as crimping vs soldering, my understanding is that you do one or the other. You either crimp a butt connector, or you solder the bare wires. No soldering once you've crimped the butt connector. I practiced crimping with the butt connectors that I used using spare wire from the donor harness before tackling my own harness. And, there are 5 wires to lengthen, two wires each for the SLS and SLT linear solenoids and one wire for the S1 solenoid. Make each one 1.5 inches longer. But, if you've made the decision to go with a new harness, this is moot.

You mentioned not using jack stands at the rear subframe mounts. I was able to use jack stands. I placed them as far rearward on the bracket as possible to allow as much flex up front. I also loosened the left rear subframe bolt to give some more flex to drop the front left. I had to battle pretty hard to lever the subframe down far enough to slip in a deep well socket to hold it. I don't think that was due to the jack stand, just the normal stiffness of the subframe. The valve body cover gasket is great. Use it. Just clean the surfaces of all the old rtv sealant. I tried to pass the cover through the subframe and into place cleanly, but I couldn't maneuver it into place without potentially smearing any sealant that would have been on the surface of the cover. The gasket saves a lot of headache in my opinion.

Brett

[Xfingers]

Thanks for the info, Brett. I'm waiting for the various parts to arrive so maybe I'll have a chance to do the repair the end of this week. I haven't received the new harness yet but hopefully it'll work. Looking at the wiring photo in Astro's tutorial, I wonder if you were to re-route the wiring in the early harness, maybe you could get it to reach the new connector locations? This would involve cutting open and removing the clear plastic tubes which keep the wires commingled with each other. Maybe this is a BAD IDEA?



Thanks for the heads-up on lowering the subframe. I've got a 550 lb.-rated hoist which I'm planning to use with some wood scaffolding built over the engine bay to raise up the engine. I'm assuming the engine cross brace needs to be removed first. I've got a 12" prybar to separate and lower the subframe and an 18" breaker bar if more leverage is needed. Astro says raise the engine 20mm (.78in) and lower the subframe 55mm (2.16in). I thought I came across a post on MVS saying they raised engine/lowered subframe an additional 1/2" and "that made all the difference." I have to think there's an upper limit to how much you can raise/lower before you run into misalignment problems. Any thoughts?

[vtl]

55 mm of total combined clearance.

Subframe does not have much movement, you can freely get all bolts loosen and tighten them back with no alignment aftermath. VIDA says to almost tighten all 4 bolts, then do left bolts, then right ones.

[Xfingers]

thanks, vtl. Maybe it'll all become clear when I'm under the car but you're raising the engine just to take its weight off the frame (or subframe?). After removing the downward force of the engine, then it becomes possible to separate the subframe from the frame after all the bolts are loosened. If the engine is raised 20mm, then the subframe will have to be "pried down" 35mm to fit the 55mm divider (socket, etc.). And you guys who have replaced the VB found that 55mm is sufficient separation to remove it from the engine compartment.

[vtl]

It's just easier to raise the engine if you have the bar. Lowering subframe can be done with engine attached firmly, but that would require much more work. For example, I don't want to stress steering rack.

2 inches is more than enough, first time I did the VB with like 35 mm of clearance.

[Brett San Diego]

Thanks for the info, Brett. I'm waiting for the various parts to arrive so maybe I'll have a chance to do the repair the end of this week. I haven't received the new harness yet but hopefully it'll work. Looking at the wiring photo in Astro's tutorial, I wonder if you were to re-route the wiring in the early harness, maybe you could get it to reach the new connector locations? This would involve cutting open and removing the clear plastic tubes which keep the wires commingled with each other. Maybe this is a BAD IDEA?



Thanks for the heads-up on lowering the subframe. I've got a 550 lb.-rated hoist which I'm planning to use with some wood scaffolding built over the engine bay to raise up the engine. I'm assuming the engine cross brace needs to be removed first. I've got a 12" prybar to separate and lower the subframe and an 18" breaker bar if more leverage is needed. Astro says raise the engine 20mm (.78in) and lower the subframe 55mm (2.16in). I thought I came across a post on MVS saying they raised engine/lowered subframe an additional 1/2" and "that made all the difference." I have to think there's an upper limit to how much you can raise/lower before you run into misalignment problems. Any thoughts?

Yeah, easier if you completely remove the strut tower brace. Good opportunity to replace the upper rear engine mount. It takes a lot of force to raise the front of the engine from the lifting eye at the flywheel side of the engine while the rear is still attached at the rear mount. I picked up a Harbor Freight engine support bar (1000 lb capacity), and it was bowed under the force after I cranked it up initially. If you look at the location of the lifting eye vs the rear mount that is holding the rear of the engine down, you have very little mechanical advantage to raise the front from that eye with the rear mount as the fulcrum. It may even be a mechanical disadvantage because the center of gravity may be more forward of the lift eye from the rear mount. You're also working against the right side mount. It's easier to raise if you detach the right side mount. I can't recall, but I may have put a jack under the engine when the right side mount was removed, or maybe I just removed the bolts that attach the right side mount to the frame so the mount could dislodge but still rest on the frame rail as the front left of the engine rotated upward. I decided to replace all the engine mounts while I was in there for the valve body job, so the mount was coming out anyway. The more you can raise to get more clearance, the better. I think the limit could be the drive axles. You don't want to over-extend the drive axles and damage the CV joints. If you're using jack stands, the wheels will be hanging so the axles will be extended somewhat already. So careful.

On the wiring harness, I don't think the SLS and SLT connectors would reach even with a more direct wire routing, but I'm not 100% sure. By the pic, I think the S1 solenoid wire could be made to reach the new location. But, routing wires over the front face of the valve body could put the wires into contact with the valve body cover and cause chafing of the wires, or they may be stretched tight and chafe against the valve body. I don't know what the clearance is like between the valve body and cover, but not a good option in my opinion.

One other comment... The one nut that scared me was the cooler return line fitting at the top of the valve body cover. Mine was pretty darn tight. I didn't have a 22 mm flare nut crow foot (the best option in my opinion if you can fit it), but I found I could use a straight open-end wrench angled upward. I couldn't break it loose with just the wrench. I had to put a cheater bar on the wrench and put quite a bit of force on it. It broke loose with a gut wrenching pop, and I was expecting the worst, but it was OK. I replaced the fitting nut with a much lighter touch, and after a couple days of test driving, I noticed some seepage. I was able to snug it up to stop the leaking with the 22 mm open-end angled down underneath this time. No room up top with the air box back in place and engine lowered back down.

And those thick factory wire ties are releasable and reusable unlike ordinary zip ties. Press a tab to release. The one on the side of the valve body cover stays attached to the cover. I tried to pry it out of its attachment and snapped it off. Had to order a new one from the dealer. Well, I didn't have to, but I like to have things like that be original. Actually, the mount for it is a threaded hole. It may be possible to unscrew it if you want to try to get it out of the way (after you've released the wires from it). It's one of those barbed push-in plastic fittings. If you just pull it out, it'll probably break like mine.

Brett

[Xfingers]

thanks, vtl and Brett. Just waiting for the new harness to arrive, which could be a few days. Brett, you said the 1000 lb. rated bar on your engine lift was bowed under the weight? I've been making assumptions a few times in this thread and hope I'm not setting myself up for trouble. Maybe I need to find specs on the engine weight. Could that engine weigh more than 500 lbs? My hoist is rated for 550 lbs.

[vtl]

Engine is about 150 kg, transmission - 70, bevel gear - 10, round up to 250, convert to lbs = 550. Should be sufficient.