General repair instructions

The maximum possible care and cleanliness and proper tools are essential for satisfactory and successful transmission repairs. The usual basic safety precautions also naturally apply when performing vehicle repairs.

A number of generally applicable instructions for the various repair procedures - which were previously repeated at numerous places in the article - are summarized here. They apply to the work described in this article.

Special tools 

For a complete list of special tools used in this article "Special tools".

Transmission 

• Read the rules for cleanliness when working on the automatic transmission → Rules for cleanliness .
• Do not run engine or tow vehicle with oil pan removed or when there is no ATF in the transmission.
• If the transmission has been removed from vehicle, secure torque converter to prevent it from falling out.
• Thoroughly clean all joints and surrounding areas before disassembling.

• Before installing transmission check position of torque converter.
• When installing transmission make sure dowel sleeves are correctly seated.
• Carefully cover or seal open components if repairs cannot be carried out immediately.
• When installing a new automatic transmission, check the following fluid levels and top off if necessary: ATF in the planetary gearbox → ATF level, checking and correcting , the gear oil in the front final drive → Front final drive gear oil , the transfer gear oil → Transfer gear oil . Capacities and specifications → Capacities 

• When installing a new rear final drive, check the oil level in the rear final drive and top off if necessary. Capacities and specifications →
  • 00 GENERAL, TECHNICAL DATA for REAR FINAL DRIVE
  • 00 - GENERAL, TECHNICAL DATA for REAR FINAL DRIVE 0AR
  .

O-rings, oil seals, gaskets 

• Always install new O-rings, oil seals and gaskets.
• After removing gaskets and seals, always inspect the contact surface on the housing or shaft for burrs resulting from removal or for other signs of damage.

Fig 1: Identifying Space Between Oil Seal Sealing Lips

Courtesy of VOLKSWAGEN UNITED STATES, INC.

• Before installing oil seals, fill the space between the sealing lips - arrow  - half full with sealing grease G 052 128 A1  .
• The open side of the oil seals faces toward the side with fluid filling.
• Before installing, lightly lubricate outer circumference of seal and sealing lips with ATF or gear oil, depending on location.
• Lightly lubricate O-rings with ATF before installation to prevent them from getting crushed during assembly.

• Use only ATF in ATF area. Other lubricants will cause the transmission hydraulics to malfunction.
• When installing a new oil seal, position the seal in the housing so that sealing lip does not contact the shaft in the same place as the old seal (make use of insertion depth tolerances).
• Replace paper gaskets, clean all sealing surfaces thoroughly and remove previous gaskets completely.
• After installing, check the relevant fluid levels and top off if necessary: ATF in planetary gearbox → ATF level, checking and correcting , gear oil in front final drive → Front final drive gear oil , transfer gear oil → Transfer gear oil , gear oil in rear final drive →
  • 39 FINAL DRIVE, DIFFERENTIAL for REAR FINAL DRIVE
  • 39 - FINAL DRIVE, DIFFERENTIAL for REAR FINAL DRIVE 0AR
  . Capacities and specifications → Capacities 

Nuts, bolts 

• Loosen bolts in reverse sequence to the specified tightening sequence.
• Nuts and bolts which secure covers and housings should be loosened and tightened in diagonal sequence and in stages if no tightening sequence is specified.
• The tightening torques stated apply to non-oiled nuts and bolts.
• Always replace self-locking bolts and nuts.

• Clean threads of bolts which are secured by a locking compound with a wire brush. Then apply locking fluid AMV 185 101 A1  to bolts again before installing.
• Threaded holes which take self-locking bolts or bolts coated with locking compound must be cleaned (using a tap or similar). Otherwise there is a danger of the bolts shearing when subsequently being removed.

Locking elements 

• Do not over-stretch circlips.
• Always replace circlips which have been damaged or over-tensioned.
• Retaining rings/circlips must be properly seated in the base of the groove.

Bearings 

• Lubricate bearings with gear oil or ATF, depending on location.

Mechatronics unit 

• Replace the transmission if any of the shift elements are scorched.
• Allocate mechatronics unit according to transmission code letters .

Fig 2: Identifying Vehicle Diagnosis, Testing And Information System VAS 5051 A

Courtesy of VOLKSWAGEN UNITED STATES, INC.

Guided fault finding, vehicle self-diagnosis and testing system 

• Before servicing the automatic transmission, the exact cause of the failure must be determined as precisely as possible via the vehicle diagnostic, testing and information system VAS 5051 A in the modes "Guided Fault Finding", "vehicle self-diagnosis" and "testing system".