2011 D4 'Gearbox Fault' warning

Fingers crossed. New fuel filter, cleaned MAP and MAF sensors and it's going like a champion. MAF sensor bulb was dull but not oily. MAP sensor was concerningly oily (sludgy) leading me to wonder what set of joys that indicates. I opened the fuel filter to satisfy curiosity and there was a little bit of loose black scunge in the bottom but scraping the element with a screwdriver would leave jet black fuel/oil on the screwdriver.

Assuming that's solved for now (please, everybody, don't read this post out loud to tempt fate), it's time to plan for the valve body rebuild.

I have a question though that I'm struggling to find answers for short of dropping the pan and looking at the valve body. The gearbox is a 6HP-26 which I have verified for sure by checking the debossed text on the casting (car is base model 2011 D4 2.7 TDV6). But when I look at the SONAX site for the appropriate zip kit, for ZF they list 4 kits. I assume I need the Generation 1 kit but do I need the kit suitable for units WITH or WITHOUT an 053 separator plate? And assuming I need the version for units WITH the plate, I guess I'll need a new plate too.

Can anyone shed light on this? Thanks.

On the side of the box in a nearly impossible position is a manufacturer code which will tell you the series and therefore you can work out the kit you need. That said, I also believe maybe this wasn’t the case for the separator plate and I think I bought both so I was prepared.

Biggest tip - take special notice where the ball bearings go inside. Don’t be like me and assume it’s obvious because you’ll find there are unused ports where there were no bearings so it’s not 1:1. I had to resort to looking for wear marks in the mechatronic unit board to work out where the bearings were meant to be.

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Originally Posted by Bananas

Fingers crossed. New fuel filter, cleaned MAP and MAF sensors and it's going like a champion. MAF sensor bulb was dull but not oily. MAP sensor was concerningly oily (sludgy) leading me to wonder what set of joys that indicates. I opened the fuel filter to satisfy curiosity and there was a little bit of loose black scunge in the bottom but scraping the element with a screwdriver would leave jet black fuel/oil on the screwdriver.

Assuming that's solved for now (please, everybody, don't read this post out loud to tempt fate), it's time to plan for the valve body rebuild.

I have a question though that I'm struggling to find answers for short of dropping the pan and looking at the valve body. The gearbox is a 6HP-26 which I have verified for sure by checking the debossed text on the casting (car is base model 2011 D4 2.7 TDV6). But when I look at the SONAX site for the appropriate zip kit, for ZF they list 4 kits. I assume I need the Generation 1 kit but do I need the kit suitable for units WITH or WITHOUT an 053 separator plate? And assuming I need the version for units WITH the plate, I guess I'll need a new plate too.

Can anyone shed light on this? Thanks.

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You wont know which separator plate you'll need until you drop the oil pan, code on the trans wont help for that but will tell you which zip kit to get.

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Originally Posted by loanrangie

You wont know which separator plate you'll need until you drop the oil pan, code on the trans wont help for that but will tell you which zip kit to get.

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AFAIK you won't know until you split the valve body, the number is hidden by the lugs on the casting. You cab either wait or buy both an A Ora B plate, then resell the one you don't use

Thanks guys. Good tips. I'll drop the pan and check before ordering parts.

On a good note, on my return home after the long weekend away (and new fuel filter, clean MAP and MAF sensors and fiddling with the air hose on the turbo) the car went very well. In fact I cannot remember ever seeing an average fuel consumption on that trip of less than 8.6 l per 100 km and when I pulled up home the final figure on the dash was 8.0 l per 100 km and I was driving reasonably hard. I think I may have just had a dirty sensor and the ECM was in a tiz so the turbo was limiting to minimum boost. From the manual:

"The turbocharger is designed for fail safe operation. If a fault occurs regarding the control of the unit, the vanes default to
the fully open position so as to produce minimum boost."

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Originally Posted by Eric SDV6SE

AFAIK you won't know until you split the valve body, the number is hidden by the lugs on the casting. You cab either wait or buy both an A Ora B plate, then resell the one you don't use

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No can tell by the tab that protrudes, no need to split it.

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Originally Posted by loanrangie

No can tell by the tab that protrudes, no need to split it.

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Whilst I love a technical challenge I do wonder if for this process if dropping the removed mechatronics unit off at a ZF repairer might be money well spent if they can do the service kit and all various tests.

Gary Ferraro on YouTube is the guru of ZF service videos

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Originally Posted by PerthDisco

Whilst I love a technical challenge I do wonder if for this process if dropping the removed mechatronics unit off at a ZF repairer might be money well spent if they can do the service kit and all various tests.

Gary Ferraro on YouTube is the guru of ZF service videos

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Its not difficult and i would do it myself first, i think you'd be unlucky to need to have any of the galleries reamed which is the only reason you'd need to take it anywhere. The zip kit is made in such a way that even if they were slightly worn the improved plungers with o-rings (originals don't have them ) would help seal any minor leakage.

Thanks again guys. Aiming to drop the pan this weekend to see what’s inside so I can order the right bits. For a first timer it looks like a slow careful day and a half to do the rebuild. We’ll see.

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Originally Posted by Bananas

Thanks again guys. Aiming to drop the pan this weekend to see what’s inside so I can order the right bits. For a first timer it looks like a slow careful day and a half to do the rebuild. We’ll see.

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Some good videos on youtube if you search zf6hp26 sonnax.