After overhaul the transmission continued to have shift quality complaints such as flared shifts. All parts and components have been inspected and have either been repaired or replaced as needed during the rebuild procedure and the necessary memory resets have been performed yet the flared shift condition remains.
The 09G is highly dependent on a wide range of things for proper shift overlap. If any of these items are compromised it affects shift quality. These items consist of clutch adaption issues, fluid pressure concerns, solenoid failure, valve body bore or valve wear, counterbalance piston problems, transmission fluid temperature, worn bushings, shrunken sealing rings, K2 Clutch sealing ring sleeve leakage, excessive clutch clearances and excessive end play.
Before performing the clutch regulator valve adjustment, take the vehicle for a road test with the scan tool connected. Scan the “Data Blocks” until you reach Data Block 10, this block should be “Trans Condition.” (Figure 1)
If the window displays “ERROR,” back out of this screen and go to “Clear Codes.” Even if it reads, “No Codes Found,” do it anyway! This may have to be done more than once. After each code clear check Data Block 10 to see if it no longer displays “ERROR.” At this point in time your flared shift condition may be gone. If the transmission still exhibits flared shifts, then perform the procedure under “CORRECTION” below.
With all other causes of flared shifts addressed, it is possible to cure the shift quality concerns by adjusting the spring tension on the clutch regulator valves. For example, if there is a flared 3-4 shift, which is the apply of the K2 Clutch, then turn the K2 Regulator Valve adjustment screw out 1.5 turns. Use the chart in Figure 2 to determine which clutch and solenoid is used during the flared shift.
Each clutch has its own regulating valve and solenoid. There are adjustment screws on the lower valve body for each clutch regulating valve (Figure 3).
Turn the adjusting screw for the offending clutch counterclockwise 1.5 turns to increase clutch pressure, this should eliminate the flared shift condition.
When installing the B2 clutch assembly into the case, the technician may experience difficulty getting the B2 clutch housing and support all the way down against the park gear.
The fit of the B2 clutch housing support to the case is a precision fit, which provides almost no clearance between the support and case. Therefore, the support must be absolutely level with the case in order to get it to go down against the park gear. In addition, the support bolt holes must be facing the six o’clock position so they line up with the bolt holes in the case.
Should the support become cocked in the case DO NOT try to force it down to the bottom. This will damage the outer surface of the support as well as that area of the case making it impossible to get the support into its correct position.
Install the park gear (Figure 4).
Install the support by itself making certain that the K3 Clutch feed hole seen in Figure 5 is at the six o’clock position and the bolt holes line up with those in the case.
Then install the two support bolts only by a few threads (Figure 6).
Lube the rubber sealing rings on the B2 clutch housing generously as well as the sealing area for the rubber O-rings on the support. Align the window in the B2 clutch housing at the six o’clock position as seen in Figure 5. Then, install the B2 clutch housing into the support which can only go one way due to the lug configuration. Finish by carefully pressing the B2 clutch housing down into the support evenly as possible.
Note: The feed holes identified in the photos is that of a 722.6 transmission. The B2 piston guide feed hole is the B3 feed hole with the 722.9 transmission. What is the B3 feed with the 722.6 is closed off with the 722.9. The B2 piston guide feed hole is a B2 clutch counter pressure circuit in the 722.6 transmission. This is used to control a garage shift into drive. This strategy is not used in the 722.9 transmission allowing the B3 clutch feed circuit to be moved to this location.
A 2006 Nissan Frontier using the RE5R05A transmission comes into the shop with a no start condition along with the transmission being contaminated with glycol due to a ruptured cooler in the radiator. Due to the extent of the damage the transmission had suffered, the shop opted to install a unit from the dealer. Once installed the vehicle still exhibited a no start condition. The OD light had a faint flicker while the gear select indicator was bouncing back and forth from P to D to P continuously. A scan tool is unable to communicate with the TCM. Neither could the scan tool communicate with another known good TCM that was plugged into the vehicle harness externally.
The cause is a blown fuse for the TCM located under the right-hand side of the dash by the glove box. This will prevent the TCM from being able to operate the Starter Relay causing the vehicle to not start.
The mistake that occurs at times is when the fuse is checked, the wrong fuse is inspected. Figure 7 shows how the inside of the fuse box cover identifies all the fuses. The first fuse identified on the top right side is a 10-amp fuse for AT Control meaning the TCM. When looking at the fuse box, the uppermost fuse on the right side is pulled and checked and found to be good. A new fuse may be installed in its place anyway which does not resolve the problem. This prompts the tech to begin checking the fuse with a test light. That is when it is discovered that the fuse has no power on either leg (because it is in reality a “spare fuse”). In some instances, this had begun a search as to why the fuse lost power entirely. In other cases, all the other fuses are quickly checked as well when it is discovered that what is thought to be a “stop-lamp” fuse is also blown. This fuse however has power to one leg, so it is replaced and immediately it is observed that the problem with the vehicle is resolved.
The confusion is in the way the cover is being read. The upper two empty spaces in the cover above the 10-amp fuse for AT control are actual locations for spare fuses. A line drawing of the fuse block is provided in Figure 7, which identifies these spare fuses. The 10-amp fuse for the TCM is the third fuse down from the very top of the fuse box itself and is identifies as fuse # 22.
Replace the # 22 10-amp fuse for the TCM as identified in Figure 7.
The fuse in this scenario blew due to the original problem with glycol intrusion damaging the TCM. With the transmission being changed the new fuse was installed without incident. This # 22 fuse supplies “hot at all times” power to the TCM through terminals 1 and 2 at the transmission’s pass-through connector (Figure 8). Should this fuse continue to blow, a short to ground will need to be investigated from the fuse box to the transmission.
Note: There was a time when buying new TCM’s that they came plug and play. They are now blank and will need to be programmed. When a blank TCM is installed the OD Off lamp stays illuminated. The scan tool will communicate with the TCM showing Range Sensor information and all solenoids will show OFF. With a blown fuse the OD Off lamp flickers and there is no communication to the TCM.
October 2019 Issue
Volume 36, No. 10
- Volkswagen/Audi 09G: Flared Shifts
- 722.6, 722.9, NAG1: B2 Clutch Assembly
- Nissan Frontier RE5R05A: No Start