As some of you may be aware, I had a problem with my transaxle in January this year, which eventually led to the transmission being replaced twice. The thread is: https://www.nairaland.com/2096734/rav4-2007-v6-transmission-problem

I called many established auto shops, and none of them rebuilds transmissions. Everybody said 'replace the transmission; you are wasting your time trying to fix it'. I found it hard to stomach, especially when I hear '13 pin cannot be repaired; anybody that tells you he can fix it is trying to rip you off!'. My technical part kept telling me there is no mechanical equipment that cannot be repaired, albeit at card level.

When all attempts to repair it failed, I decided to buy another one. That one too, got fried, even though I suspect poor installation job. Another one was procured, and the vehicle eventually got on the road again. The truth? I have never experienced the drive and quietness of my original transaxle. Now, I know where the issue is coming from. If I knew what I now know, it would have been easier.

Before my troubles, I had no idea what a valve body does (believe it or not, I never heard about it! ). When the auto mechanic told me the problem was from my valve body, I started searching the internet. My first forage into the world of automatic transmissions! I was helpless, so are many other car owners; I hate helplessness! So, I devoted resources to study auto transmissions, and enrolled for training.

The truth is that MOST transmissions at Ladipo either have issues, or close to having one. Nobody replaces a working transmission! If you get one removed from accidented vehicle, you are happy, but don't know the effect of the impact on the transmission. The engine is much more tolerant to impact than the transmission, given the fact that the transmission is built to much higher precision.

Okay, no more stories! Lets get to business!

I had told my mechanic to secure my old transmission as I plan to repair it. He never believed me - 'Oga, na dirty work o!'. Two weeks ago, I went and carried it from him, and started looking at it. Sorry I am stingy with pictures, dirty oily hands and a white camera dont mix well. Wifey helped with the shots. Meanwhile, the transmission expert that worked on it told me he had changed the 'fibers' (friction disks), but I have realized I am the first to take off the bell housing

For me, the first place to start is the valve body, as that is the root cause of 90% issues with automatic transmissions. If you don't fix the valve body, you will keep toasting your rebuilds.

In the picture below, the sump has been removed, and the solenoid cables disconnected. The filter is to be discarded.

Next, the filter and valve body itself removed. It is very important to pay attention to the screws. Some are guide, some (on the casing and covers) require adhesive on reassembly, etc...

Next was to take out all the solenoids. But before then, each must be marked against its bore so they are not mixed up at reassembly. If you miss, there would be problems! It can even be as bad as your car driving in neutral

Sorry, not picture

Valvebody taken apart, drained of oil, and being washed. Many will wonder why am using water. Yes, you can use hot water with all solenoids, valves, plungers and springs removed. I used dish washing soap. After using hot water, allow the valvebody parts to cool off on their own. If you pour cold water, you will risk thermal shock. The part pictured is the lower valvebody. The same method is used on the upper valvebody.

A rule is to ensure you get rid of all traces of water before putting them back together. Time and/or compressed air works.

Below is the picture of the upper valves. It is important to lay them out as they are brought out. Mix them up at your peril They all must be out for cleaning, and also allow access to clean and inspect their bores. Mine was dirty! I noticed my transmission 'expert' retentioning two springs he could access - bad practice!

Sorry, no picture of the lower valves. That is where the primary pressure regulator valve resides. I missed to mark the OEM pressure setting has to be figured out. Anyways, the upper valvebody has more than twice the number of valves in the lower valvebody.

Accumulators to be removed for cleaning and inspection. Most standard kits come with a piston and o rings. Replace the most worn!

The accumulator pistons out. Notice they are all the same apart from the springs? The springs are color coded, but almost completely washed off as seen in the picture.

Valve body washed and cleaned. The next step would be to check all ports for leakages. If any is out of spec, it will be repaired. My chinko vacuum pump died on me without doing much . Need to get another soon - praying for time....

I will post test results when ready; enjoy!

Congratulations Kashif.

May the rebuild be successful.

There is something wrong about most transmission repair shops in Nigeria, they shouldn't be called transmission repair shops but transmission replacement shops, and at times they actually wreck the transmissions they replace if not outright create conditions that cause them to fail sooner than later.

I am yet to rebuild a transmission but that is most definitely on the cards although I have removed and replaced one, it took me a few days short of a week. If and when I do decide to rebuild one of the several I have lying around, I think I will refer to you for inspiration and wisdom.

Necessity is the mother of invention.

Definitely following, and I do remember the mishap that led to this.

Which goes to show that not all bad that happens to one is really bad, sometimes a bad turn could lead to even greater good in the end.

When I grow up I want to be like kashif

inze:


sarcasm

I also want to be like INZE

I agree with you Idara. If I had not faced that, and if the second transmission did not fail, I would not have known.

Transmissions are updated from time to time - improved seals, valves, pistons, etc. For now, Ladipo is the option very body has, without really getting value for money.

But, quality rebuild is not cheap.

GAZZUZZ:
When I grow up I want to be like kashif

LOL! Oga, na me get you Thursday o

GAZZUZZ:
When I grow up I want to be like kashif

When I grow up I want to be like Kashif and Gazzuzz

kingreign:

When I grow up I want to be like Kashif and Gazzuzz

I want to be like Kingreign, Kashif and Gazzuzz when I grow up.

That Gazzuzz and his humour, no be here.

Kashif, this is very commendable. This must require a lot of determination and paying attention to details. The greatest challenge here for me would be the amount of time to be expended. Great work Kashif!

And btw, my regards to your understanding wife.

BTT:


I want to be like Kingreign, Kashif and Gazzuzz when I grow up.

That Gazzuzz and his humour, no be here.

Kashif, this is very commendable. This must require a lot of determination and paying attention to details. The greatest challenge here for me would be the amount of time to be expended. Great work Kashif!

And btw, my regards to your understanding wife.

As in ehhh!

did you purchase a rebuild kit(complete with new gaskets, seals and o-rings) prior to this rebulid?

or are u using the old ones?

Inception:
did you purchase a rebuild kit(complete with new gaskets, seals and o-rings) prior to this rebulid?

or are u using the old ones ?

Work done=0

BTT:


I want to be like Kingreign, Kashif and Gazzuzz when I grow up.

That Gazzuzz and his humour, no be here.

Kashif, this is very commendable. This must require a lot of determination and paying attention to details. The greatest challenge here for me would be the amount of time to be expended. Great work Kashif!

And btw, my regards to your understanding wife.

Your mind dey there! You must pay great attention to details. Again, markings, notes, reference etc help. Of course, you need the factory specifications.

My wife has been a great support. Initially when I was battling hydraulic circuits, she would ask, 'are you sure you wanna do this? You sure say your brain never block?' But when she saw the drive, it became part of her prayer point

Inception:
did you purchase a rebuild kit(complete with new gaskets, seals and o-rings) prior to this rebulid?

or are u using the old ones?

There are standard rebuild banner kits, but its possible to find a defect they cannot address. I can go ahead and install them like that but, I am doing a complete teardown. What am doing is as good as a remanufacture. I have no plans of using any old soft parts. If I also find any hard part that is out of tolerance, it goes. I can source any part of the transmission I need, new. So, new kit is the very least. It is new kits plus any other.

Kashif:


There are standard rebuild banner kits, but its possible to find a defect they cannot address. I can go ahead and install them like that but, I am doing a complete teardown. What am doing is as good as a remanufacture. I have no plans of using any old soft parts. If I also find any hard part that is out of tolerance, it goes. I can source any part of the transmission I need, new. So, new kit is the very least. It is new kits plus any other.

Am suspecting that you will open a transmission shop soon! Given the popularity of vehicles with '13 pin' transmissions ...

IdaraCHODB:


Am suspecting that you will open a transmission shop soon! Given the popularity of vehicles with '13 pin' transmissions ...

LOL! I have a full-time job that is doing its job o. As the saying goes, anything can happen bro.

Below is a vacuum pump. This drives the vacuum test stand. One stage or two stage is fine. It is a 3 cfm pump.

This is the vacuum test stand. You cannot diagnose a valve body manually without this. After calibration, it will consistently indicate bore or/and valve wear. It is reliable.

The two complementary tools mated for calibration. If properly calibrated, the guage reads between 5 and 25 at both extreme ranges.

In testing, the test pad is used to seal the port to be tested. Ensure there is proper sealing, without sealing the supply port. If not, false reading will be recorded. For clarity, I used the sealing pad only, to show an example of a port to be tested (that is the primary regulator valve). The hole on the right will be used. You can see the test port is completely covered by the pad.

A closer shot.....

Well done Kashif!
Following without blinking...

Diagnosis of the valve body carried out today. All valves were returned to their bores after cleaning. Ran into a little confusion, but the callipers came to my rescue

Like I said earlier, there are standard rebuild kits in the market - for valve body and the gears themselves, even though most Rebuilder only concentrate on the soft parts for the gears. You can go ahead and install these kits as they come but, there could be some problems beyond these kits. This has played out today. I vacuum tested all known diagnostic ports in my valve body and found that all shift valves checked out. Some ports that returned poor vacuum pull at the plugs are covered by the rebuild kit. However, the most important, and busiest valves returned very poor vacuum pulls

These are the primary and secondary pressure regulator valves. Below is an excellent pull from a healthy port. His is how the ports come from factory, even though I think this is extreme, and could starve the valve of lube.