General Repair Instructions

Maximum possible care and cleanliness, as well as proper tools, are essential for satisfactory and successful transmission repairs. All general rules of basic workshop safety also apply when carrying out any transmission repair work.

A number of general instructions that apply to most individual repair procedures, otherwise listed at several other points in the procedures, are summarized here.

Automatic Transmission:
- When exchanging the automatic transmission, the levels of ATF in the planetary gearbox and gear oil in the final drive must be checked, and corrected as necessary.
- When installing the transmission, make sure that the engine-to-transmission alignment sleeves are correctly installed.
- After installing, check gear oil level or ATF level and correct as necessary.

Gaskets And Seals:
- Always replace O-rings.

Radial Shaft Seals:
- When replacing a transmission seal that requires lubrication prior to installation, lubricate the sealing lips with gear oil or ATF. DO NOT lubricate the seal with grease.

Circlips:
- Do not over-stress circlips, replace if necessary.
- Circlips must be properly seated in their grooves.

Bolts, Nuts:
- Fasteners that attach housings and covers must be loosened and tightened gradually in stages, and evenly by alternating in a diagonal pattern.
- Tightening torques in repair procedures apply to non-oiled nuts and bolts, unless otherwise specified.
- Threads for fasteners that are secured by locking compound are to be cleaned using a wire brush, then installed using AMV 185 101 A1.
- Always replace self-locking bolts and nuts.

Bearings:
- Install needle bearings with the inscribed side (thicker metal) facing the drift or other installation tool.
- During installation, lubricate all transmission bearings with the fluid (gear oil or ATF) that lubricates them in normal use in the transmission. Lubricate bearings particularly carefully before measuring turning torque.
- Heat inner races of tapered roller bearings to approx. 100°C (212°F) before installing.
- Do not interchange inner and outer races with those of other bearings of the same size.
- Tapered roller bearings on the same shaft must always be replaced as a set, and must be from the same manufacturer.

Shims:
- Measure shims at several points using a micrometer to determine their thickness.
- Production tolerances in shims of the same nominal size make it possible to select the precise thickness required.
- Check for burrs or other damage. Only install shims that are undamaged and in good condition.

Inner Splined Plates:
- Soak new inner splined plates in ATF for 15 minutes before installing.

Valve Body:
- If any of the shift components are scored, the valve body should be replaced.

Clutches:
- As this information is being prepared, it is recommended that the K1, K2 and K3 clutches be disassembled only for cleaning. If individual parts are worn or damaged, replace the entire clutch.

On Board Diagnostic (OBD):
- Before beginning automatic transmission repairs, determine the cause of the malfunction as precisely as possible using the On Board Diagnostic (OBD) capability of the Transmission Control Module (TCM).