I think it’s significant that Sonnax produce only two kits for the ZF 5HP24 but eight for the GM 5L40-E

Click image to enlarge

Click image to enlarge

Click image to enlarge

Admin note: this post has had its images recovered from a money grabbing photo hosting site and reinstated

Well I've had the valve block rebuilt with Sonnex valves and the torque converter is still trying to stall the car I'm now in talks with peep's who supplied the converter and the peep's who did the valves.... looks like it's going to go back to Aylesbury for a full rebuild and then I'll be stuck with the bloody car for another season

....Today I didn't want to get out of bed

Hopefully the the TC supplier will come good, the peep's in Aylesbury (STA) have been very helpful, they have offered to rebuild the box and fit another TC from the original supplier..... But I'm a bit concerned about another failure..... Sta did say that the valve block in my gearbox had not had any of the valves replaced... and were very shocked when I told them who had actually done the job... as they said the people that I had used were one of the 30 odd reputable transmission specialists in the UK....

I'm just hoping that if the gearbox is fully rebuilt and it now has a recon valve block in it I should be able to get a few miles of towing on it, while I save enough to buy another car.... Just got to work out how to try and make the gearbox last longer this time..... engine remap to help the pulling power to stay above 50 or a transmission ECU remap the stop the slip at lower speeds....

On paper the gearbox ECU looks like the more sensible option, but I'm a bit concerned that it might make the car a pig to tow with, and what will happen to the early lockup program when the gearbox goes in to tow mode? Will it apply 100% lockup in manual mode... I could just leave it in 4th and suffer the fuel economy.... how longs a piece of string and where's my MUMMY  Yesterday I couldn't spell Engineer... Today I are one!
Inventor of the 'Guide-o-Matic automatic wheel alignment tool'
Former long term L322 owner, Up/Down graded to a Classic Tractor!

Oh bummer!  Visiting from DISCO3.CO.UK
Discovery 3 TDV6 Auto HSE Zambezi Silver

Looks like the torque converter was duff after all, and as Sta said if they are removing the box for the torque converter then it would be false economy not to do the box.... as they said it's not the happiest of gearboxes that they have seen

So it looks like I'm going to be stuck with the bloody thing a few more months.... I've just shot an email off to Germany with a few questions regarding the function of the Eco ECU and tow mode..... the way my luck has been going recently tow mode will override the whole thing.....

So the D3 dash upgrades will be the first thing put on hold along with the D3 upgrade  Yesterday I couldn't spell Engineer... Today I are one!
Inventor of the 'Guide-o-Matic automatic wheel alignment tool'
Former long term L322 owner, Up/Down graded to a Classic Tractor!

Is the TC and the work for it not covered under warranty albeit maybe some contribution from yourself if they are swapping the gearbox out anyway as well?

The long term towing with it probably hasnt helped as all that slipping of the clutch packs and TC will have filled the box with so much fine debris the filter wouldn't stand a chance as its more of a Gauze as I understand it.

When its back if its perfectly fine i'd be tempted to keep running it and maybe just do a sump off oil change on it every year with the dex6 fluid and a new filter and see how it goes, with the ecotune of course to help reduce fine debris in the box. FFRR MY06 facelift With TDV8 Alloys Zeros/ATR's
Mantec Sump Guard, Rigid Load liner, MY10 BT upgrade.

And so the saga unfolds... I have just got off the phone with the torque converter supplier and he is very happy to send me another But he wants paying for it and he says that depending on what he finds when its opened up will dictate whether I get any money back

He is still adamant that it's not the torque converter, but is at a loss as to why the engine is struggling to idol in gear, he's now saying that my gearbox must have broken up..... I get the feeling that what ever the problem with the torque converter is, it isn't going to be the torque converter's fault and I'll end up paying for another

I'm now at a stale mate and I really don't know which way to jump... Part of me says just give the car and original converter to the nice peep's in Aylesbury and let them rebuild the box, while I talk to ebay and the credit car company to try and salvage something of this mess.

The other half says you've already had the only other cause dealt with so the converter is at fault, send it back and get it fixed....

I wonder if there is a way to test the converter without cutting it open... could save a lot of hassle  Yesterday I couldn't spell Engineer... Today I are one!
Inventor of the 'Guide-o-Matic automatic wheel alignment tool'
Former long term L322 owner, Up/Down graded to a Classic Tractor!

So you bought a TC - had someone fit it, then another company try to rectify ? is that right ?

Can't you send the TC back for testing before they send a new one out - or will that take too long ?

I bought a new TC, flushed the gearbox and fitted it myself, and then after 30 miles the gearbox went wrong... you put it in gear and it wants to jump forward and doesn't like being held back on the brakes.

I talked to the TC supplier and they said it must be the valve block causing partial lockup, so I sent it to a transmission specialist who rebuilt the valve block and changed the oil and filter again. This box has had best part of 30 lts of oil and 2 filters in less than 100 miles.

Picked the car up and it is better than when I took it in, but it is still dragging when in gear... it's as if the engine is too fast by 200 / 300 rpm, so it jumps when you put it in gear.

The TC supplier will send me another TC but requires payment, I'm don't think that the transmission people will remove the TC and send it off and wait for a reply....and from the way that they were talking it must have been my gearbox that caused the problem and not the TC.

If the TC is fubar'd then I feel that I'd rather get the transmission chaps to supply another when the box is rebuilt, that way if that one goes wrong there will be no arguements. I am now going to be left with a known duff TC, and to get a refund I have to prove that it was the TC that went wrong and not the gearbox....which is still changing gear and driving OK except when you come to a stop.... then the labouring starts and it takes off like a scalded cat by just releasing the brakes and not touching the throttle  Yesterday I couldn't spell Engineer... Today I are one!
Inventor of the 'Guide-o-Matic automatic wheel alignment tool'
Former long term L322 owner, Up/Down graded to a Classic Tractor!

I think your conclusion is right - get it all done by 1 firm who will warranty the work.

Then try your best to reclaim what you can from the TC supplier.

As above and then claim the faulty TC back under your credit card company agreement. Also look at getting a company to diagnose it that's not involved at all and a full report on their company headed paper.

Shouldn't cost mega money and worth it for piece of mind when it comes to the claim as well. FFRR MY06 facelift With TDV8 Alloys Zeros/ATR's
Mantec Sump Guard, Rigid Load liner, MY10 BT upgrade.

If they have it back, cut it open and find something is wrong, surely they will refund you the cost which goes towards the new one, supplied and fitted by the company doing the rebuild...

I expect they will say there is nothing wrong with it anyway, chances are they won't bother to cut it open, just wait a few days then tell you it was fine... or am I being far to suspicious....?? Pete
__________________________________________________
2014 L405 Autobiography SDV8 4.4 Loire Blue Ebony interior
2011 L322 Vogue SE 4.4 TDV8 Baltic Blue. Parchment over Navy Interior. Sold
2012 L322 Autobiography 5.0 Supercharged Ipanema Sand, Jet Interior. Sold
2002 L322 Vogue 4.4 V8 Epson Green, Ivory over Aspen Interior (Fatty Offroader) Sold
-Click for Project Fatty off roader-

If they need to destroy it to establish whether there was a fault, then I would insist on a 3rd party doing that.....

When it's sorted why not fit something like this to help keep the oil clean, be petty easy in line with one of the cooler pipes...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Transmission-Fluid...mp;vxp=mtr Pete
__________________________________________________
2014 L405 Autobiography SDV8 4.4 Loire Blue Ebony interior
2011 L322 Vogue SE 4.4 TDV8 Baltic Blue. Parchment over Navy Interior. Sold
2012 L322 Autobiography 5.0 Supercharged Ipanema Sand, Jet Interior. Sold
2002 L322 Vogue 4.4 V8 Epson Green, Ivory over Aspen Interior (Fatty Offroader) Sold
-Click for Project Fatty off roader-

As above is be very pessimistic about the same company that sold it assessing it.

How many will really admit fault if they have a failed unit?? FFRR MY06 facelift With TDV8 Alloys Zeros/ATR's
Mantec Sump Guard, Rigid Load liner, MY10 BT upgrade.

My thoughts exactly, the way the conversation was going on the phone, having blamed the valve block / electrical fault as to the cause, hence the trip to the transmission place. It was steered to well your gearbox must have broken up and done the damage, cos there's no way it could be the converter that's at fault I got the very distinct feeling that what ever the out come, it not going to be the converter.... which does somewhat make a mockery of the 2 year warranty

Unfortunately the Tc has failed, and I've got the distinct feeling that it has added to the demise of my box... but there's no way of proving that If a vane has dislodged its' self and bent everything up in there it will just be blamed on a bit of the gearbox falling off Tomorrow I will be contacting sta to see if they are there and if they can help, failing that it will be Monday

Pete, nice idea Bud, I'll see if I can get a nice big hydraulic filter to fit  Yesterday I couldn't spell Engineer... Today I are one!
Inventor of the 'Guide-o-Matic automatic wheel alignment tool'
Former long term L322 owner, Up/Down graded to a Classic Tractor!