Another Case of Mistaken Identity - Transmission Digest

Main Navigation

Advertisement
Social Connect
Resources
Our Brand Family
Transmission Digest - Babcox Media
Helping transmission shops achieve successful and profitable operation.
Automatic Transmission

Another Case of Mistaken Identity

When he removed the valve body and started to compare it with his original valve body, he noticed that the manual valves were different lengths. Since the valve bodies looked identical in every other way, he decided to use his original manual valve in the replacement valve body. When he installed the valve body it worked flawlessly.

Wayne Colonna
By Wayne Colonna
Published:
Another Case of Mistaken Identity Technically Speaking Subject: Use of incorrect manual valve Unit: U140E Vehicle Application: Toyota RAV4 Essential Reading: Rebuilder, Diagnostician Author: Wayne Colonna, ATSG, Transmission Digest Technical Editor

Technically Speaking

  • Subject: Use of incorrect manual valve
  • Unit: U140E
  • Vehicle Application: Toyota RAV4
  • Essential Reading: Rebuilder, Diagnostician
  • Author: Wayne Colonna, ATSG, Transmission Digest Technical Editor

I recently was informed of an interesting scenario by a good acquaintance, Dave Gombash, in Chicago. It concerned a time when he had to replace a U140E valve body in a Toyota RAV 4.

Related Articles

He bought a good experienced (or so he thought) valve body from a hard-parts supplier. After it was installed the transmission had no reverse unless he played with the shifter. When he selected Drive the transmission had a very bad delayed engagement, but if he pulled the selector down one more notch the transmission would engage immediately.

When he removed the valve body and started to compare it with his original valve body, he noticed that the manual valves were different lengths. Since the valve bodies looked identical in every other way, he decided to use his original manual valve in the replacement valve body. When he installed the valve body it worked flawlessly.

This, of course, piqued my attention, as I had not heard of the U140E valve bodies having different-length manual valves. After looking into it, I discovered that all U140Es do indeed have manual valves of the same length. The difference is between the U140E and U150E transmissions, as you can see in figures 1 and 2. The U140E manual valve in Figure 1 has a longer shoulder behind the manual-valve link slot than the U150E manual valve in Figure 2.

Figure 3 is a line drawing of the two valves with dimensions of spool and manual-valve lengths to assist you in recognizing the difference between the two. Apparently what happened to Dave is that he had received a U140E valve body with a U150E manual valve in it from the hard-parts supplier. Another case of mistaken identity!

You May Also Like

Automatic Transmission

Sherlock Holmes Approach to an AB60 No-Move Situation

The effectiveness in diagnosing automatic transmission malfunctions is an art form. Although there are similarities among the wide varieties of transmissions on the road, each transmission has its own peculiarities. Aside from having mechanical, hydraulic, and electrical hardware systems to contend with, software/programming issues and various vehicle platforms make diagnostics much more difficult.  Using scopes provides

Wayne Colonna
By Wayne Colonna
Published:
ab60

The effectiveness in diagnosing automatic transmission malfunctions is an art form. Although there are similarities among the wide varieties of transmissions on the road, each transmission has its own peculiarities. Aside from having mechanical, hydraulic, and electrical hardware systems to contend with, software/programming issues and various vehicle platforms make diagnostics much more difficult. 

Read Full Article

More Automatic Transmission Posts
GM 6T40 Pump Identification Guide

The 6T40 was introduced in 2008 for General Motors front-wheel-drive cars in the Chevrolet Malibu and has gone through several changes throughout its three generations, specifically in the pump area. The 6T40 is closely related to the more lightweight 6T30 and the heavier duty 6T45 and 6T50. Generation one started phasing out during the 2012

By Jason Larochelle
Seeing the Forest AND the Trees

They say that the proverbial phrase “I couldn’t see the forest for the trees” means that a person or organization cannot see the big picture because it focuses too much on the details. Related Articles – 4L60E Harsh 1-2 Shift – TASC Force Tips: Diagnosing 8L45 & 8L90 Shift Complaints – TASC Force Tips: Hydraulics

By Wayne Colonna
The Manifold Pipeway

The Honda six-speed transmission has been on the bench of many specialty shops for one reason or another (figure 1). But, for those of you who have yet to lay your hands on one, mounted on the upper side of the unit is one of the largest, if not the largest solenoid and pressure switch

By Wayne Colonna
8L90 Vacuum Testing

Below are the diagrams for vacuum testing GM 8L90 transmissions. Note: OE valves are shown in rest position and should be tested in rest position unless otherwise indicated. Test locations are pointed to with an arrow. Springs are not shown for visual clarity. A low vacuum reading indicates wear. For specific vacuum test information, refer

By Sonnax

Other Posts

Sometimes, a diagnostic code is all you need

With ATSG having the opportunity to help shops solve problems, sometimes we get faced with some real doozies. A shop will call and give us a laundry list of DTCs, leaving us to think someone must have a bulkhead connector unplugged. We then go through the arduous task of deciding which codes prompted other codes

By Wayne Colonna
10L80 and 10R80 pump gear differences

You may have seen an article in the August 2023 issue of Transmission Digest called “GM 10L80: A new kind of pump noise,” which goes over how the front cover housing in the 10L80 is fitted with a converter drive gear and idler gear. The idler gear drives the pump’s driven gear, and is press

By Wayne Colonna
Spotting different 68RFE designs through the years to avoid issues

The Chrysler 68RFE has had several changes through the years. Its four-speed predecessor began with a noisy solenoid pack identified by a black colored pass-through case connector (seen in Figure 1).  Related Articles – Shift of the shaft: Diagnosing Chrysler 48RE manual shaft issues – Top 20 Tools and Products: The Winners – Performance supplier

By Wayne Colonna
Sometimes, you should sweat the small stuff

It’s a common phrase: There may have been a time when you worried about something, and someone who knew what you are going through said, “Hey, don’t sweat the small stuff.” Sometimes, this may be good advice. But other times, it may be wise to handle the small stuff before it becomes bigger “stuff.”  Related

By Wayne Colonna