Hello

Ive been having problems with the Powershift transmission for about 3-4 weeks with increasing frequency, code p2715 solenoid D

So ive bitten the bullet and tackled the repair.  I intended to document here the progress and outcome.

Ive found some brilliant youtube videos by an Australian that shows pretty much everything. Ill link them in later.

Youtube vid 1 of 3  part 2  part 3  6DCT450 manual

To remedy this problem the solenoid pack needs to be opened up and cleaned. To do so the following was necessary.

Car on ramps. Battery disconnected. Air filter box removed. Gearbox oil drained from both drain plugs underneath and ideally radiator drained* I learned my mistake later. Remove the round plug from the gearbox

Underneath remove the large diameter metal pipe from in front of the solenoid cover. Next you need as much access to the mecatronics by removing the hose from the oil cooler and lower radiator... Do it now.

Remove the plastic cover from the solenoid pack. this is secured with Torx T30s and 3 bolts.

Remove the 11 Torx T30 screws from the pack - 7 on your left, 4 on your right. I could do all but lowest left from above.

Tie/secure all the wires and hoses. I cant stress this enough, you need every mm of access to get the body out.

Unclip the gear selector arm by pressing the button on the arm, and lifting off, then move selector to D position.

Remove the bolt next to the selector arm.

Remove the 2 Torx T25 screws at the top of the pack going through the black plastic either side of the round connector.

GENTLY remove the small black connector with three wires next to the round connector. Be gentle with this its the speed sensor.

now with a flat bladed screwdriver tease the pack back from the gearbox. there are two long metal guide pins, and two metal gaskets. the guide pins are essential to help you clear the gearbox with the protruding black sensors of the mechatronics. youll see why you need EVERY spare mm of clearance.

I found the best way was to draw it back to the radiator, then jiggle around so the sensors were half out and above the gearbox body, then tilt towards the windscreen and clear the lower sensors. it can be done from above but be prepared for a struggle and it gets damn heavy while struggling! 

Breath a sigh of relief when out and congratulate yourself!

Clean up etc. Be very careful of the black round connector- it has a delicate ribbon cable. 

 

Now with the sensors upwards and round connector to your left, youll find about 8 Torx T30s all short except one very long on the extreme right/closest to you.

Lift off this plate and set aside carefully.

The body now gives access to the solenoids. Youll need Torx T15 bit at least 50mm long to reach the two screws securing each solenoid. Be careful not to strip the head of the screw, theres no access to get it out!

Take one out at a time. there are 2 of one type, 2 of another and 5 of a third type. 

I took one out, and applied an 8 volt supply via small test leads to each solenoid, and cheked for movement - the 5 are hardly discernable but the other 2 and 2 are very noticable.  Once youre sure it works, clean it up- I used WD40 contact cleaner, then compressed air, then used a ten quid watch demagnetiser from Amazon to demagnetise the solenoid body so the plunger activates only when a charge is applied, as it should.

Clean up and reinsert.

Refitting is reverse of above.... so far!

So far: Gearbox solenoid pack removed (took 5 hours of toil and strong language) solenoids cleaned, demagnetised and tested, and restored to the pack. Wont be able to refit until monday, wish me luck!

 

I'll post an update Monday evening with the verdict.

EDIT:

How-to:

 

 

Weather stopped play on Monday but going out soon. Solenoid pack at the ready...

 

Remembered to buy some silicone gasket sealant for the plastic cover. Got 7 litres of BO-DC fully synthetic DCT fluid, and some OAT premixed coolant.

Shouldn't need anything else except strong language ...

Edited November 14, 20232 yr by Meekoblue
Additional

Sorry for the spam!

Update: solenoid pack a bugger to get back in but achieved. Two metal gaskets kept flapping around. Found it useful to remove the washer filler point out of the way and ty-rap cables and pipes clear.

Solenoid pack in place, gear selector attached and long bolt through selector wheel. 11 torx t30's in place just need tightening. Need to remember to connect speed sensor cable to the socket on the selector wheel assembly!

Taking a break.

Next steps: tighten torx. Fit plastic cover with a smear of gasket sealant. Refill with transmission fluid. Put plug back in. Reconnect turbo pipe and oil cooler pipe. I'm leaving the stone guard off for now. Air filter/MAF to Refit. Top up coolant. Fire it up! Clear DTCs and test drive. Should be on the road in a 2-3 hours. Wish me success, I need it! Will report back later.

Verdict: BUGGER!

Won't turn over. CEL on. Transmission selector locked in Park. TCM code P0705:2F-27 Transmission Range Sensor A Circuit PRNDL input - signal erratic.

 

Won't clear. Disconnected round plug and reinserted. Tried manually repositioning the selector lever. Nothing.

TCM reset and self test checks out so I'm believing a hard issue. Worst case damage to the position sensor wheel sensors? Or slightly out of alignment when reassembling?

 

Having a swear/cry/tea and disconnected battery for 30 mins.

 

Any ideas? Much needed!

 

For completeness all the DTCs

TRM P0705:2F27

PCM P068A:00-27

ABS U0101:00-08

ABS U0402:68-8A

TRM U2101:00-2F (existing)

IPC U0402:68-2B

IPC U0184:00-2A

that's all.

Edited November 14, 20232 yr by Meekoblue
Additional info

Just checking that you have gone through the full drum relearn and calibration ?

This thread might just give you somethings to look at.

 

4 minutes ago, unofix said:

Just checking that you have gone through the full drum relearn and calibration ?

This thread might just give you somethings to look at.

 

Thank you for your speedy response!  I dont think I can do much with it at the moment as its disabling taking transmission out of Park, and also disabling cranking the engine. I've done a good job of it!!! But I'll look at the thread, thanks.

Gave in and called the AA. He can use his fancy machine and see what codes we get. I'm trying my best with Forscan and laptop but maybe I'm missing something simple.

I'm skeptical of the battery: it's barely managing to output 12.0v with things turned off. I tried my jumpstarter but was flat 😞 typical!

 

So... nice AA man managed to bypass interlocks and start the engine (wires to the starter motor directly), turns over but still locked in Park. Instrument cluster doesn't show ANY letter.

Then with engine running he ripped out the trim around the gear lever and managed to bypass the interlock there by a yellow plastic lever(?) And voila it was in reverse! No clunk's or whine's. Instrument cluster now shows P R N etc and parking assist complains in Reverse.

Got it off the ramps but now stationary again. Wanted to tow me to a transmission specialist (bye bye 2grand) but I declined.

I'm thinking it's the selector wheel out of alignment by one gear tooth when I put the solenoid pack back. I followed the advice in the videos and used some threaded rod to hold it in position but maybe not accurate enough.

Thinking of bypassing again, back up on ramps, drain new oil and pull off the plastic cover, loosen the torx bolts on the solenoid body, NOT removing it, but repositioning the sensor wheel and this time trying to find some way to check it's position is being read correctly.

Sorry to go on about it. Might help someone else though.

Any thoughts most welcome!

Edited November 14, 20232 yr by Meekoblue
Adding info

(Partial) Success!

By pressing the yellow Park lock lever and jiggling around the gear lever then turning the key the engine runs.

Trying to put into reverse or drive only partly effective. I guess it's all out of sync due to that wheel.

Throwing "solenoid performance" errors but could be while oil circulates or still just out of sync. It tries to roll forwards/backwards but not too well. Early day's yet.

Plan: drain oil and reposition sensor wheel etc... :sigh: 

Additional info for anyone daft enough (like me) to tackle this job.

I've found another video by the Australian guy that has a tip: when reinserted the solenoids on the plate, only partially tighten up the torx screws; then fit the mechatronics plate; only then finally tighten the the torx for the solenoids, this allows them to find their own level and make best electrical contact. Makes sense on reflection.

 

As for my problem: I've found there is a GSM module under the gear lever that send the S +/- selections by CAN bus to the TCM. So it's important the lever and the selector wheel are perfectly in sync. 

I've an idea to get it onto the ramps again. Disconnect the lever cable. Start the engine. Have Assistant hold brake down. I will manually move gearbox selector to Drive position while Assistant selects Drive as best as possible. Then go!....hopefully.

Hi Meeko

I have a 100 odd page manual - it does NOT tell you how to strip and rebuild the box - but with lots of diagrams/pictures it tells you how the transmission works including setting up the centre console "selector wheel" etc

I cannot post the pdf up on here but if you want it, send me a PM with your own actual e mail address and I will send it to you

2 hours ago, TrevorB said:

Hi Meeko

I have a 100 odd page manual - it does NOT tell you how to strip and rebuild the box - but with lots of diagrams/pictures it tells you how the transmission works including setting up the centre console "selector wheel" etc

I cannot post the pdf up on here but if you want it, send me a PM with your own actual e mail address and I will send it to you

Sent, thanks!

OK so I've finished drinking/crying/swearing/kicking the tyres, and assessed the situation and it appears relatively simple:

On ramps again. (Or jack up and on stands) drain oil and loosen turbo pipe from front hose. Remove lower bolts from plastic cover. Then remove air filter box, upper bolts from plastic cover and disconnect TCM.

With cover now removed LOOSEN the 7 + 4 torx T30 bolts but not remove them. Remove 2 torx T25 at the top and the M8 long bolt through the wheel. Disconnect the linkage.

I only need to slide the mecatronics out about 5-10mm to clear the toothed lever inside from the wheel. Reposition wheel with alignment hole. File down an M3.5 screw to snugly fit into alignment hole and ensure selector lever in correct position. Then slide back and bolt together.

I've read conflicting info on the selector lever position. Some say there are just 4 positions (PNRD) but at least one mentions a 5th! So unsure where to align. I'm pretty sure this only has the 4 so I'm going for Drive position (where it was when I took it apart originally). 

I'm hoping with mecatronics back in place and plug back in temporally, I can attach Forscan and read the position data to confirm lever changes BEFORE bolting back together and refilling.

Simple enough, if I'd thought of it I could have done it last time and wouldn't be here, but hindsight is a marvelous tool...

 

By the way I'm writing all this as a way for me to "talk through" with anyone who might be interested in risking the solenoid problem with a Powershift transmission: learn from my errors! But it also helps me clarify ideas in my own mind too.

Sorry for all the spam! Buy if it can help one person it's been worth it.

Manual sent to Meeko

I hope it helps

I bit the bullet last year, cost 3.5k to fix mine. its never been right since 😞

2 hours ago, Ronnyuk said:

I bit the bullet last year, cost 3.5k to fix mine. its never been right since 😞

Ouch. 

To be honest it's not just that I don't have the money, it's more I don't TRUST a garage to do what they are being paid for.

Many years ago I took an old Volvo 240 to Mr Clutch for a straightforward manual clutch replacement. I discovered later they had let the engine drop onto something and had cracked the cylinder head!

On another occasion I took a Saab 9-3 (notorious for the sump sludge problem) religiously for its oil change to another chain garage and they charged me but when I checked at home I found it was still the original oil filter!  

 

So now I try to do it myself on the driveway. I have neither the skills nor the tools but I'm buggered if I'll pay someone to do a bodge I can do for free, and possibly better.

 

Like this gearbox issue. If I could pay a garage to have done what I've done this week, I'd gladly have worked a couple of extra shifts rather than ending up with cuts and bruises. But they wouldn't have taken on the struggle I did. 

Update:

Drained oil again and Took plastic cover off, removed the 2 Torx T25s from the TCM connector and got access to the selector wheel.

 

Found the selector arm (PRND) has a 5th detent position! Moved to 4th (I think Drive?) And most errors went away!

 

Put back together and refilled. Won't move. Engine starts and selects Reverse or Drive (or S 2 - not 1!) Feels like it wants to go but not moving.

Errors P0766:00-27 and P0771:00-27 solenoids D and E stuck off.

 

I really could cry.

Looks like I need to pay someone.

 

Waiting for oil to warm to try some Forscan programs but not expecting much.

 

Question is: would you risk buying a used mecatronics unit and fit that or just tow to transmission specialists?....

Any and all thoughts gratefully received.

Question is would a used unit be anymore broke than yours? 

9 minutes ago, unofix said:

Question is would a used unit be anymore broke than yours? 

That's a very good question!

 

Update again. Tried a clutch relearn - went to 5000rpm didn't do a thing so I cancelled.

Power off. Back on. Clear errors. Now CEL light goes off. 

Forscan again. Clutch relearn works. Clear errors (only trailer module error still) and now drives!!!

 

Going for a test drive. 

Well, not cracking open a bottle just yet. need coolant topping up, must have been emptier than I thought.

Done 15 miles of urban driving. Two transmission limited function occurrences. Oddly, first offered to press "ok" so I did and it cleared without power off/on. The second needed the key off/on three times and then cleared. about 10 miles since then without issue.

Going to top up fluids and try another clutch retrain program on Forscan and then take it to work tomorrow and chance it. What's the worst that can happen? 🤐😝

 

Well it seems the radiator hose I couldn't quite reach to remove, is partially disconnected and leaking XD that's why it's empty.

Looked again with Forscan and no errors. Just the trailer. Going to work tomorrow then will put it up on the ramps Monday and sort out the hose. Fill with coolant again and finish Forscan clutch relearn again.

Might also need to topup transmission fluid. Then risk it!

2 hours ago, Meekoblue said:

Forscan clutch relearn again

Is this the Drum relearn or a different function? 

6 minutes ago, unofix said:

Is this the Drum relearn or a different function? 

? Not sure but definitely wasn't "drum" relearn

Then I think you need to find the Drum relearn option in FORScan and follow the instructions exactly. It teaches the gearbox where exactly each gear is. There is a serious amount of clucking while it's in progress. Make sure the parking brake is fully on. 

There are two relearn options displayed for my car in forscan but can't remember what they are. Neither take more than about 3mins to complete and not a lot of clunking, just some change in revs. They pass on completion.

I'll take another look tomorrow are report back.