Transmission problems, delayed engagement..

[turquise1]

Hey people,


I posted here several years ago regarding my e53 transmission issues. Eventually I got it rebuilt and things were good for a while (for 30k miles).


Now I have the delayed engagement issue. It happens from P / N to D but no issues with R engagement. I have around 2 secs of delay before that little soft kick to engage but the transmission does not engage every time. Sometimes I have to go back to P and try D again. It eventually engages and once engaged everything is good as long as I dont go back to P, OR.. If I dont come to a stop and car is facing a minor uphill. It acts like it's on N and I have to go back to P and D to re-engage. Once engaged, it's good.


I have replaced the fluid twice (to Castrol Transmax Euro) and changed filter. There were no big particles in the pan and no bad smell so I thought things were ok (again, car only had 30000 easy miles after the rebuild).


I have also replaced the solenoids, thinking they may be sticking. I purchased a rebuilt set but realized at the last moment that the EDS1 solenoid was the one for the older models 0501 209 875 (.4 to 5.4 bar) and not the original (green) 0501 210 060 (.5 to 5.5 bar). I replaced it anyway hoping that it should not make a big difference.


Since things were still the same, I decided to work on the valve body, thinking there would be a spring in there broken or something causing all this. There was not a broken spring, valves looked ok, so just after a clean up and a Transgo Pressure regulator valve upgrade, I put things back together and the car seems to engage better but there is still that issue. I have not reset the adaptations on it yet, but that probably will not fix the problem either.


So, what's left other than the costly clutch repairs?


Ideas please?


Thanks,


Ozzie


E53 4.4 01 (ZF5HP24)