Need a DAD

jmsokol

New member
See the other thread I'm on here: https://sprinter-source.com/forums/showthread.php?p=393232#post393232

I'm located in western Maryland (Hagerstown) and need to purchase, borrow or rent a DAD for a week so I can reset my Transmission Error Codes and hopefully get my 2002 Sprinter out of 2nd gear. My local FL/Sprinter shop wants $300 a pop to reset the error codes and has already diagnosed it as needing a new transmission, shifter and Transmission Control Module to the tune of $7,000. I think it's something stupid, perhaps transmission fluid wicking up the wire into the TCM or a bad relay, etc... But it's in permanent Transmission LHM so I won't know if I've fixed anything until I can read and reset the transmission error codes.

I'll be glad to pick up the DAD if one's in my area, or pay shipping both ways. Or if you've got a DAD you don't need anymore due to buying a new Sprinter, then give me a price.

Mike Sokol
301-964-5682 (Cell)
 
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jmoller99

Own a DAD ODB2 Unit.
Could just be the Valve Body (holds the Shift Solenoids) just needs cleaning. Everyone wants to replace things that may not be broken.

I have my DAD with me when I travel. I would never loan it out (it requires the use of PC), but if you are within 100 miles of me, I usually will meet you and help (my help is always free). I am in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
 

jmsokol

New member
Could just be the Valve Body (holds the Shift Solenoids) just needs cleaning. Everyone wants to replace things that may not be broken.

I have my DAD with me when I travel. I would never loan it out (it requires the use of PC), but if you are within 100 miles of me, I usually will meet you and help (my help is always free). I am in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Yeah, I've used a DAD before and it needs a properly setup PC to operate. I don't think it's the valve body since this was drained and cleaned 50,000 miles ago, but anything's possible. I did find that the O-ring on the mult connector is leaking, and transmission fluid has wicked up to the TCM under the driver's seat. Fluid literally dripped out of the TCM connector when I turned it up on its side. I've carefully cleaned that connector, but since the transmission is now in permanent Limp Home Mode it needs the codes reset. It appears that a Autel MD802 can see and reset ECM, TCM and a bunch of other Sprinter codes, so I ordered one this morning. Should be in my hands tomorrow, and then I'll get a better look at things.

Thanks for the offer in Colorado Springs, but I'm 1,600 miles away and that would be quite a drive at 30 MPH.
 

jmoller99

Own a DAD ODB2 Unit.
There are 2 magnets/speed sensors on the Valve Body circuit board, If these are covered with metallic residue, you will find that it can throw your Sprinter into Transmission Limp Mode (where you only have 2nd, Neutral and Reverse).

The Valve Body Board can be cleaned (Doktor A wrote an article for it). It requires taking the Aluminum Valve body off the Transmission (surprizingly easy to do, but very messy) and cleaning the sludge off of everything, or replacing the Valve Body board - then re-installing everything.

I managed to damage the Valve Body board on my Sprinter a few years ago, so I have done all of these steps and replaced the board (I had few issues doing it, and the transmission still shifts great 70,000 miles later).

Did I ever tell you how much I hate Torx head bolts? There are 16 or so holding that valve body in place and they will get ruined if over tightening them (My trans Valve body had been removed before and I had to drill out 2 of the bolts get it apart because someone over tightened them and the Torx 30 bits no longer worked in those 2).

I used spray contact cleaner in the TCM connector to flush the transmission fluid out. Other people have drilled 2 small holes on the top 2 opposing corners of the the TCM and flushed the fluid out that way. I used spray electrical contact cleaner (most auto parts stores will have it).

TCMs are expensive, so being able to re-use the existing one was great.
 

seans

Member
Mike, let me know if you reach a point where you need a DAD after all. I'm in NoVa, about an hour away. I've PM'd you.
 
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220629

Well-known member
...

I used spray contact cleaner in the TCM connector to flush the transmission fluid out. Other people have drilled 2 small holes on the top 2 opposing corners of the the TCM and flushed the fluid out that way. I used spray electrical contact cleaner (most auto parts stores will have it).

TCMs are expensive, so being able to re-use the existing one was great.
If better access is needed...

IIRC I was able to release the TCM from the plastic cover/body and remove the entire board and connector assembly. I carefully pried at the clip points and used toothpicks to keep the spacing while moving on to the next spot.

vic
 

jmsokol

New member
If better access is needed...

IIRC I was able to release the TCM from the plastic cover/body and remove the entire board and connector assembly. I carefully pried at the clip points and used toothpicks to keep the spacing while moving on to the next spot.

vic
Yes, my son and I did this as well. You can easily pull out the circuit board to check for oil. Nothing inside mine, but as I stated before the contacts were soaked with so much transmission fluid that it leaked out when we turned the TCM up on edge. It's still hard for me to understand the mechanism that would make this fluid go "uphill", but the entire wiring harness was soaked with it as well. My scanner is scheduled to arrive shortly, so maybe I've already fixed the problem and don't know it. I'll report back as soon as I know something.
 

jmsokol

New member
Mike, let me know if you reach a point where you need a DAD after all. I'm in NoVa, about an hour away. I've PM'd you.
Seans, yes I really do need one. I've PM'd you as well, but just give me a call on my cell at 301-964-5682 to confer.
 

jessemilton

mobile man
A Autel 802 It works great to clear and reset sprinter specific codes, and you wont need a accompanying computer. It has a sprinter specific menu, that can access all of the modules and do live data viewing as well as voltage to hint for shorts or at least the possibility of where failure may lay. Now to your specific problem, it will reset your TCM and give you a event code when it was triggered,.

Hope this helps.
 
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jmsokol

New member
A Autel 802 It works great to clear and reset sprinter specific codes, and you wont need a accompanying computer. It has a sprinter specific menu, that can access all of the modules and do live data viewing as well as voltage to hint for shorts or at least the possibility of where failure may lay. Now to your specific problem, it will reset your TCM and give you a event code when it was triggered,.

Hope this helps.
I just bought an Autel 802 this week, and it does seem to work very well. However, while it can and does reset the TCM, the error codes keep coming back with an "Implausible Gear" code. So I need to query the can bus itself to see if the shifter is communicating with the TCM. If it's not, then I need a replacement shifter. The Autel won't actively query the bus down to shifter level so without swapping in a shifter there's no way to know if it's bad. This is according to a conversation I've had with Doktor A on the problem.

I've been looking for a salvage shifter on eBay and various salvage sites, but since this is a 2002 Sprinter, my options are limited. Again, according to Doktor A, I can't use a 2004-2006 shifter from a 2500 due to that model change introducing EPS (I think). So that means I need a shifter from a 2002-2003 model 2500, or one from a 2002-2006 model 3500. That's a little harder to find on eBay.

So does anyone know of a salvage yard with that year/model Sprinter?
 

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