AWD/Solenoid C Questions

[Merz]

Yes, all 4 are same kind and replaced at same time. Totally bald right now, but when they were new, i still had the binding.

[97LSi004]

From my understanding, you probably have a physically stuck (or other wise broken) solenoid c (if it is a solenoid c problem) i have an electrical solenoid c problem, because putting in the fuse does nothing.

[svxfiles]

Originally Posted by svxcess

here are the part numbers from the receipts I have from svxfiles:

(1) 31942AA090 .Solenoid C/transfer valve assembly..$75.30
(1) 31337AA120 .Gasket, transfer valve... .$2.02
(1) 31954AA071.Gasket, Transmission tailhousing. .$2.66
.

Actually those gasket #s are switched.

[Merz]

Ok, it started raining here and i want my AWD back, so im ordering the parts. Is there a how-to on this? Or is it pretty self explainatory? remove the exhaust, driveshaft, and rear third of transmission. I can probably figure it out from there unless its really complicated. Torque specs might be helpful. I tried searching but couldnt find anything. thanks.

[svxfiles]

Originally Posted by Merz

Is there a how-to on this?

OK.
Good idea.
Tom

[elninoalex]

Originally Posted by Merz

Ok, it started raining here and i want my AWD back, so im ordering the parts. Is there a how-to on this? Or is it pretty self explainatory? remove the exhaust, driveshaft, and rear third of transmission. I can probably figure it out from there unless its really complicated. Torque specs might be helpful. I tried searching but couldnt find anything. thanks.

I just did mine last week so here goes: Remove the exhaust and the driveshaft. Then you have to remove the rev sensor(?) that is on the right side of the rear extension housing(the only thing with a wire) before removing the extension housing. Then after removing the rear extension bolts, carefully slide the housing toward the rear. With the housing off, it will want to dump a little ATF so be ready for that. It will still be internally attached by the duty solenoid C wire so you will have to disconnect it carefully. With the housing off, you can unbolt duty solenoid C and transfer valve and swap them out being careful with the gasket material. Then you can clean up both sides of the extension housing gasket and put in the new one and put it all back together and top off your ATF and you should be good to go. When you put the rear housing back on, you will likely have to rotate the output shaft so that it meshes with the transfer clutch drum and slides in nicely. Hope that helps.

Stephen

[97LSi004]

Boy it sounds so easy. I would say 3 hours of work if nothing goes wrong. I had exhaust bolts stuck, couldn't get the drive shaft bolts off, top two transfer case bolts were ridiculously hard. Then pieces fell out as i was taking off the transfer case, so be careful of that. Also make sure you support the trans from below so its weight doesn't put too much strain on the front end of it. It took me almost 6 hours, and i also replaced the internal trans filter. But it wasn't as bad as i am making it sound. Have fun. Oh and be careful with your new gasket, i nicked mine, and now i have a leak so i have to go back in and fix it, should be easier this time.

[svxfiles]

First securely jack and support the car (you can leave the car in Park). Drain the transmission oil. Four quarts will come out right away, another 2 quarts will drain out if you give it time.

Use a long standard-blade screwdriver to disconnect the Oxygen Sensors from their plugs.

Remove the complete exhaust system, from the exhaust headers to, and including, the muffler. Remove the heat shield below the drive shaft – (8) bolts, 12mm.

Remove the (4) 12mm nuts from the rear side of the drive shaft-to-differential flange. NOTE: the nuts and lockwashers go on the back or rear side of the flange; the bolts go through the front, towards the rear.

Remove the (2) 14mm bolts that hold the drive shaft carrier bearing to the body and remove the drive shaft – it just pulls back and out.

Remove the (6) 14mm bolts holding the rear transmission crossmember to the body and remove the (3) 14mm nuts that hold the crossmember to the rear transmission mount.

Remove the (2) 12mm bolts that hold the exhaust hanger to the tailhousing of the transmission. Remove the single 10mm bolt holding the Speed Sensor #1 to the tailhousing and remove the Speed Sensor.

Remove the (11) 12mm bolts holding the tailshaft onto the transmission body and carefully pry the tailshaft away from the transmission body. Once removed, disconnect the single-wire connector to the Solenoid C. At this point, a shaft, a spring and a parking pawl might fall out to the ground. See picture for detail.

Take the tailshaft to a clean workbench and remove the (4) 10mm bolts -- the (2) black going through the Solenoid and valve and the (2) gold going through the valve only.

Remove Solenoid and valve and separator plate (the gold colored separator plate goes between the valve and the tailshaft housing.)


Clean away all gasket material on the separator plate, tailshaft housing and transmission body and carefully reassemble using the new gasket.

Now for some torque specs:

The bolts that hold the Solenoid and valve assembly body into place get torqued to 5.1-6.5 ft-lbs.

The (11) bolts that hold the tailshaft to the transmission body get torqued to 17-20 ft-lbs.

The 10mm bolt that holds the Speed Sensor #1 gets torqued to 4.3-5.8 ft-lbs.

The single crossmember-to-cushion bolt at the rear transmission mount gets torqued from 9-17 ft-lbs.

The other (2) nuts get torqued to 20-35 ft-lbs.

The (6) crossmember-to-body bolts get torqued to 40-61 ft-lbs.

The (2) 14mm center bearing blots get torqued to 25-33 ft-lbs.

The (4) 12mm bolts at the drive shaft get torqued to 13-20 ft-lbs.

At the engine, to the manifold, the (4) 14mm nuts on studs get torqued to 18-25 ft-lbs.

At the hanger, 18-25 ft-lbs.

Refill with 4-6 quarts of transmission oil and check for leaks.

[Merz]

wow thanks. Seems easy enough. Ive had the exhaust and driveshaft off recently, so i shouldnt have any problems with those. I ordered the parts and they should be here in a few days, so i should be able to get this done by the end of this week. Thanks alot for the help. If i run into any problems, i will post them. thanks.

[97LSi004]

Originally Posted by svxfiles

At this point, a shaft, a spring and a parking pawl might fall out to the ground.

Thanks for the picture, i gues si did put those back in correctly. They fell out before i got a chance to see where they went.

[svxfiles]

Originally Posted by 97LSi004

Thanks for the picture, i guess i did put those back in correctly. They fell out before i got a chance to see where they went.

This shows the correct orientation of the parking pawl.
And if you look closely, you can see the torsion spring orientation, as well.

[97LSi004]

Hmm, do you think it matters if my spring was like this:

(it has been working well for the past two days)

[svxfiles]

Originally Posted by 97LSi004

Hmm, do you think it matters if my spring was like this:
(it has been working well for the past two days)

From the drawing I can't tell exactly how it is different.
The spring has to push the parking pawl away from the drum.
You really don't want the parking pawl falling into the drum.
That would be bad.

[TomsSVX]

nice writeup Tom... but why are your hands bloody and white??

Tom

[Merz]

I installed the new solenoid and the binding is gone. everything works fine except the car rolls when i put it in park, as if it were in neutral. Please tell me i dont have to take it all apart again to fix this?