42LE Archives - Transmission Digest
Chrysler Solenoid Switch Valve Plug Kit

Sonnax releases new switch valve plug kits that fit multiple Chrysler units.

Sonnax-92835-39K
Getting (and Staying) Connected

Being the technical director for the valve-body and solenoid department, I’ve seen more than my share of errors and mistakes that people have made while working with automatic transmissions. The majority involve electrical components, most of them involving the connectors in some way. Often damage to a connector is done during the disconnection process. We’ve all been told not to wiggle a connector to get it off because it can expand the pin cavities in the connector and cause the pins to have poor or no connection when the connector is plugged back in; for example, in Chrysler 604s.

Changing Converter Designs Change Your Approach

The 10-inch front-wheel-drive Chrysler converter used in the 604 and 606 (41TE & 42LE) transmissions has undergone some changes in recent years. From the outside you can see that the surface of the impeller, smooth on the earlier models, now has dimples (see Figure 1).

You Can’t Rely on the Relay

Chrysler’s 41TE transmission has been in use since 1989, the 42LE since 1993, the 45RFE since 1999 and the 42RLE since 2003. With each of these transmissions having similar electronics, they also have similar diagnostic codes and testing consistencies.

The SB or SSV – What’s The Difference?

Often, DTCs related to the solenoid switch valve (SSV) in any 41TE or 42LE transmission are misinterpreted as a problematic solenoid body (SB). This may be attributed to the use of the word “solenoid” in the code definition. Code 37 is the solenoid switch valve stuck in the TCC position, and 47 is the solenoid switch valve stuck in the L/R position. Either of these will place the transmission in “limp mode.” The solenoid switch valve is not in the solenoid body but in the valve body (see Figure 1).