General Repair Notes

The maximum possible care, cleanliness and proper tools are essential to ensure satisfactory and successful transmission repairs. The usual basic safety precautions also apply when carrying out vehicle repairs.

A number of generally applicable instructions for individual repair procedures, which are otherwise mentioned at various points in the article, are summarized here. They apply to this article.

Transmission

Rules of cleanliness for working on automatic transmissions → Rules of cleanliness for working on automatic transmissions .
Secure torque converter on removed transmission to keep it from falling out.
Thoroughly clean all connections and surrounding area before disconnecting.
Place parts that have been removed on a clean surface and cover. Use foils and paper. Use lint-free cloths only!

Carefully cover over opened components or seal, if repairs are not carried out immediately.
Only install clean components: Only unpack replacement parts immediately prior to installation.
After repair work on the transmission, clean ATF lines and ATF cooler, replace ATF strainer.

O-rings, gaskets, seals

Always replace O-rings, gaskets and sealing rings.
After removing gaskets and seals, always inspect the contact surfaces at housing or shaft for burrs resulting from removal or for other signs of damage.
The open side of the seals face toward the fluid to be sealed in.
To install, thinly coat sealing rings along outer circumference and on sealing lip with ATF.

Lightly lubricate O-rings with ATF or Vaseline before installing, this prevents the rings from being pinched when inserting.
Use only ATF or Vaseline in areas near ATF. Other lubricating substances cause functional problems in the hydraulic transmission control.
When pressing in new seals, make sure the sealing lip does not run on the same point as the sealing lip of the old seal (use insertion depth tolerances).
Replace paper seals, always clean sealing surfaces and remove old seals completely.

Nuts, bolts

Loosen bolts in reverse order of tightening.
Tighten and loosen bolts or nuts for securing covers and housings without tightening sequence in diagonal sequence and in stages.
The tightening torques stated apply to non-oiled nuts and bolts.
Always replace self-locking nuts and bolts.

Fig 1: Identifying Spring Pins Installation Position

Courtesy of VOLKSWAGEN UNITED STATES, INC.

Circlips

Do not over-stretch circlips.
Always replace damaged or over-stretched circlips.
Circlips must be fully seated in groove.
Replace roll pins. Installation position: Slot is longitudinal to line of force.

Mount

Slightly grease mount with ATF before inserting.
Attach mount and adjustment shims only with Vaseline. Other lubricating substances lead to functional problems in the hydraulic transmission control.

Oil tubes

Once removed, oil tubes must always be replaced.
If transmission is very dirty, oil tubes must be replaced.