05 XC70 S4 and S5 shift solenoid no voltage

[edmoto]

First Post so Please be patient.
On my 05 XC70 with the AW55 Tranny I rebuilt the valve body with the "transgo" kit. Car will not shift into 4th or 5th gear. VIDA lets me actuate the solenoids individually and 1, 2, 3, click, no 4 and at times 5 is intermittent if not at all.
when i run the Check VIDA shows no voltage to 4 or 5. I ohm'd out each shift solenoid and all 5 are within range. Checked fuses associated but nothing.

Basically how do i know if its the solenoid or external transmission signal? when i got the car in october it clunked on start and stop so i did the kit. 4 and 5 worked just fine. now nothing. the wiring diagram i have shows Ohm's but not what voltage is sent to the solenoid so i cant see if i get a state change.

Any help or direction PLEASE!!

[SuperHerman]

I would start by confirming you do not have a wire harness issue. You mentioned testing - was this performed before you reassembled the valve body? If not, what you have to do know is test the solenoids through the harness to see if you have an internal problem. The intermittent issue hints at a connection issue. Whether internal or external has to be determined. There should be a pin layout for testing external if you search you shall find. From there do a VOM ohm test and you can also send external power in and listen for clicking. Basically the same test you did when it was apart, but now you are doing it from outside through the harness pins.

[edmoto]

Thank you SuperHerman.

I had to put it back together to transport as i'm moving. I will do the VOM ohm test then pin out the trans mounted harness then the harness from the TCM to the Trans connection.

Thanks again.

[vonbaron]

What you could do is to measure at the connector into the transmission with a voltmeter at points for solenoids for 4th and 5th and then use VIDA to actuate each in turn. This way you use the system to send the correct signal to the solenoid and you end up testing the electrical path from TCM through wire harness to connector at transmission.

Instead of using a voltmeter, you could actually connect a low power 12V lamp between chassis and selected solenoid pin. This way, you can watch for the lamp to light up when you are actuating the solenoid via VIDA from within the car. A lamp is much easier to see.

I've been thinking of making a solenoid testing and exercise device, an external device using a small micro-controller (Arduino) based device to work each solenoid as well as the three proportional solenoids for both of my 2005 XC70. Not a difficult thing to design and make, just need some spare time.

[edmoto]

Thank you vonbaton.
i didn't think about the test light. That's a good idea. Then work backwards to the TCM VIA the harness.

[SuperHerman]

I agree with everything vonbaron suggests, and like the light idea.

Think of your problem in pieces. Piece #1 Bad Solenoid(s), piece #2 bad internal harness and piece #3 faulty something outside the transmission.

VOM and direct power at the harness will help diagnosis 1 and 2, while vonbaron's suggestions will do 3.

[precopster]

Bear in mind solenoid 4 has no return spring and the return is actuated by hydraulic flow so you won't hear solenoid 4 actuating unless motor has been started forcing hydraulic fluid to cause the return.

Once this occurs you only hear one click then you must start the motor to reset it then stop motor and test again.

[edmoto]

Ok didn't know that. I will test 4 that way. When I try to run the adaptation procedure i press start and I keep getting the message "complete" immediately. No triangle light when the gears change? Could it be that its not shifting because the procedure isn't being performed?

[precopster]

Car should reach all gears with or without adaption..

During adaption the gear change indication shows which gear the car is in instead of D. Also if fluid is under a certain temperature the DIM will display a message to that effect. Adaption can't take place unless fluid's temp is over a certain range.

When starting adaption are you pressing the VCT2000 symbol or going into the next menu?

The TCM is not meant to report back to Vida when adaption is complete. Are you kicking off Adaption with engine started? You are meant to start adaption, disconnect cable from OBDII port and drive vehicle until all gear changes reach optimal. Car stays in adaption until car is restarted.