vertigo
2007 NCV3 3500 3.0l
Gentlemen:
This is my first post here. I have a 2005 3500 SHC with 155,000 miles, acquired recently from auction. This is my 4th Sprinter. On all previous Sprinters I've followed Dr A's service recommendations for dropping the trans valve body, cleaning, inspecting and reassembling with new ATF (using the Fuchs 236.14 fluid), each time with noticeable improvement and trouble-free service.
On this latest acquisition I didn't get around todoing this service and put about 1,500 miles on the vehicle. Yesterday, after two hours of highway driving in 80F sunny weather, I noticed the tranny slipping badly when I tried to get going from a stop-sign at the off-ramp. The cluster gauge indicated about 215F. I limped the vehicle to the nearest parking lot and let it sit idling in park for about 20 minutes, then shut down and let it cool for an hour. Upon restart (temp indicating about 170F) I found that the tranny no longer seemed to be slipping (or at least much less so), but the only usable forward gear was 2nd (top speed about 30 mph), which I assume is limp-home mode.
So, I drove the van to my sister-s home about 3 miles away and let it sit and cool off for almost two hours while I went in another vehicle to nearest auto parts store to get an OBD2 scanner and 8 quarts of ATF. My best choice compromise was Valvoline Maxlife. Back at my sister's house I dropped and drained the tranny pan (drain bolt seriously stuck, suggesting to me that it might have been a very long time since the last trans service), dropped the valve body and pulled the solenoids. The fluid was very brown, but there did not appear to be any sediment in the screens or on the magnets. I noticed that when I pulled the electrical plug from the tranny before dropping the valve body, the inside of the connector was wet with fluid.
After reassembling and filling with 7 quarts of the temporary ATF fluid (Maxlife), the tranny seemed to shift normally between forward and reverse, and on driving appeared to accelerate without noticeable slippage, but is apparently locked in limp-home mode. The OBD2 scanner reports a single error code: P0715 (which I understand to be input shaft speed sensor.) Each time I clear the code it returns.
I can't help but wonder: is the P0715 code likey the cause of the limp-home mode, or merely a result of it? Is the electrical plugin the side of the tranny supposed to stay dry, and if so could the leaking connector seals be the cause of the error code and limp-home?
Any illumination on this topic will be greatly appreciated, even if only to tell me that I'm asking the wrong questions.
This is my first post here. I have a 2005 3500 SHC with 155,000 miles, acquired recently from auction. This is my 4th Sprinter. On all previous Sprinters I've followed Dr A's service recommendations for dropping the trans valve body, cleaning, inspecting and reassembling with new ATF (using the Fuchs 236.14 fluid), each time with noticeable improvement and trouble-free service.
On this latest acquisition I didn't get around todoing this service and put about 1,500 miles on the vehicle. Yesterday, after two hours of highway driving in 80F sunny weather, I noticed the tranny slipping badly when I tried to get going from a stop-sign at the off-ramp. The cluster gauge indicated about 215F. I limped the vehicle to the nearest parking lot and let it sit idling in park for about 20 minutes, then shut down and let it cool for an hour. Upon restart (temp indicating about 170F) I found that the tranny no longer seemed to be slipping (or at least much less so), but the only usable forward gear was 2nd (top speed about 30 mph), which I assume is limp-home mode.
So, I drove the van to my sister-s home about 3 miles away and let it sit and cool off for almost two hours while I went in another vehicle to nearest auto parts store to get an OBD2 scanner and 8 quarts of ATF. My best choice compromise was Valvoline Maxlife. Back at my sister's house I dropped and drained the tranny pan (drain bolt seriously stuck, suggesting to me that it might have been a very long time since the last trans service), dropped the valve body and pulled the solenoids. The fluid was very brown, but there did not appear to be any sediment in the screens or on the magnets. I noticed that when I pulled the electrical plug from the tranny before dropping the valve body, the inside of the connector was wet with fluid.
After reassembling and filling with 7 quarts of the temporary ATF fluid (Maxlife), the tranny seemed to shift normally between forward and reverse, and on driving appeared to accelerate without noticeable slippage, but is apparently locked in limp-home mode. The OBD2 scanner reports a single error code: P0715 (which I understand to be input shaft speed sensor.) Each time I clear the code it returns.
I can't help but wonder: is the P0715 code likey the cause of the limp-home mode, or merely a result of it? Is the electrical plugin the side of the tranny supposed to stay dry, and if so could the leaking connector seals be the cause of the error code and limp-home?
Any illumination on this topic will be greatly appreciated, even if only to tell me that I'm asking the wrong questions.
