My New To Me 2003 X5 4.4-With ATX Issues

[bcredliner]

You started this thread asking for help to diagnose transmission issue. Did I miss the post that determined the root cause is the valve body?

[upallnight]

Originally Posted by bcredliner

You started this thread asking for help to diagnose transmission issue. Did I miss the post that determined the root cause is the valve body?

I think he's loading up the parts cannon and firing it in the hope that it will fix the problem. Not a very good approach to fixing a problem in a BMW. Sometime the only way to fix a trans problem is to tear the trans apart and determine why there's a problem.

Mismatch Turbine speed as reported by the sensors could be cause by more than one thing. You'll won't know until you open up the trans and inspect all the parts.

[bcredliner]

Originally Posted by upallnight

I think he's loading up the parts cannon and firing it in the hope that it will fix the problem. Not a very good approach to fixing a problem in a BMW. Sometime the only way to fix a trans problem is to tear the trans apart and determine why there's a problem.

Mismatch Turbine speed as reported by the sensors could be cause by more than one thing. You'll won't know until you open up the trans and inspect all the parts.

[tempest411]

Originally Posted by bcredliner

What would anyone else do? A shop looked at it and stated the valve body is at fault. That only means so much. I can replace the valve body and have the same problem, as the shop's tech could be wrong. The next step would then be to do the transmission internals. It doesn't really matter what's wrong in the transmission at that point, because once you've got it out, you're replacing a whole list of standard wear items. No one tears apart a transmission and just replaces the one part that failed and ignores everything else that has 100K+ miles on it, so the parts cannon is not really applicable here. Of course all this is premature, as the first thing I have to do is check the fluid level and obtain some way of looking at the DTCs stored in the DME.

Of course even if I get really lucky and find that the only thing going on is a low fluid level caused by a leaking transmission cooler, I'm still going to switch out the valve body as they are a documented source of problems in these transmissions, and not hard to do. If accessible from the back side without removing the transmission, I may even try and replace the 'F' clutch piston that is said to fail causing a loss of reverse gear. I'll also install a longer front drive shaft, and a new chain in the transfer case. These are all easy jobs that will provide peace of mind as my wife will be using it as a daily driver.

[upallnight]

Originally Posted by tempest411

What would anyone else do? A shop looked at it and stated the valve body is at fault. That only means so much. I can replace the valve body and have the same problem, as the shop's tech could be wrong. The next step would then be to do the transmission internals. It doesn't really matter what's wrong in the transmission at that point, because once you've got it out, you're replacing a whole list of standard wear items. No one tears apart a transmission and just replaces the one part that failed and ignores everything else that has 100K+ miles on it, so the parts cannon is not really applicable here. Of course all this is premature, as the first thing I have to do is check the fluid level and obtain some way of looking at the DTCs stored in the DME.

Of course even if I get really lucky and find that the only thing going on is a low fluid level caused by a leaking transmission cooler, I'm still going to switch out the valve body as they are a documented source of problems in these transmissions, and not hard to do. If accessible from the back side without removing the transmission, I may even try and replace the 'F' clutch piston that is said to fail causing a loss of reverse gear. I'll also install a longer front drive shaft, and a new chain in the transfer case. These are all easy jobs that will provide peace of mind as my wife will be using it as a daily driver.

You initially asked a similar question at the beginning of this thread and my advice to you was to take a walk. But since you didn't take that piece of advice I would suggest the following.

If the trans shop that stated that it was a valve body issue, I would go with them, provided that they will guarantee that if they replace the valve body it will fix the problem. Can't provide a guarantee that the valve body is the problem, I would look for a shop that will provide a guarantee for their work. Most likely the only shops that will guarantee their work if they rebuild the entire trans, or install a remanufactured trans.

Trouble codes are most likely stored in the TCM (transmission computer module) beside the DME. You will need to get a higher price scan tool other than those that are sold at Harbor Freight.

Hopefully you took that into consideration besides the fact that the X had a Tan interior and wasn't black.

[tempest411]

Litigating with auto repair businesses is not something I have any interest in depending on to get stuff done. I called the shop that looked at the vehicle to try and get more information about how they arrived at their diagnosis, but they wouldn't tell me anything because I wasn't the customer that brought it to them. I have two diagnostic tools I'll be using, once I receive them; INPA/NCS for in-depth analysis, and a Foxwell scan tool which will stay in the vehicle. To even check the transmission fluid level I need to know the temperature, which a 'Harbor Freight' scanner will not do.

[X53Jay4.8is]

Originally Posted by tempest411

What would anyone else do? A shop looked at it and stated the valve body is at fault. That only means so much. I can replace the valve body and have the same problem, as the shop's tech could be wrong. The next step would then be to do the transmission internals. It doesn't really matter what's wrong in the transmission at that point, because once you've got it out, you're replacing a whole list of standard wear items. No one tears apart a transmission and just replaces the one part that failed and ignores everything else that has 100K+ miles on it, so the parts cannon is not really applicable here. Of course all this is premature, as the first thing I have to do is check the fluid level and obtain some way of looking at the DTCs stored in the DME.

Of course even if I get really lucky and find that the only thing going on is a low fluid level caused by a leaking transmission cooler, I'm still going to switch out the valve body as they are a documented source of problems in these transmissions, and not hard to do. If accessible from the back side without removing the transmission, I may even try and replace the 'F' clutch piston that is said to fail causing a loss of reverse gear. I'll also install a longer front drive shaft, and a new chain in the transfer case. These are all easy jobs that will provide peace of mind as my wife will be using it as a daily driver.

This is going to be your wife's daily driver?????? wow

[tempest411]

Originally Posted by X53Jay4.8is

This is going to be your wife's daily driver?????? wow

What's strange about that? She makes use of two vehicles, one at each end of a rail line used to get to work. One of those vehicles is my '88 Jeep Cherokee, which I want to get rid of. It's been reliable, but doesn't have ABS, air bags, and other safety features. These are more of a concern since we had a child last July. Plus, at 300.000 miles and 30 years old, it's a bit long in the tooth.

[X53Jay4.8is]

[QUOTE=tempest411;1126787]What's strange about that? She makes use of two vehicles, one at each end of a rail line used to get to work. One of those vehicles is my '88 Jeep Cherokee, which I want to get rid of. It's been reliable, but doesn't have ABS, air bags, and other safety features. These are more of a concern since we had a child last July. Plus, at 300.000 miles and 30 years old, it's a bit long in the tooth.[/QU

V8 E53 are not exactly reliable vehicles. Starting out with trans problems is just the beginning, Don't get me wrong I love these vehicles and all for them but would not be a good choice of reliable/dependable for a wifey vehicle. The 6cyl is better suited for that and yet still has their share of oddities. Speakin of safety has the X5 had the airbag recall completed?