ok, i just talked with parts guy at mb. original part number that is supposed to be in my trans is - 240 277 0098 he also said 140 277 0398 is possible.
the "blue top" part number of 240 270 0089 supersedes both of the previous part numbers. there is a chance that even if a "blue top" solenoid is seen in the original valve body, that it could still be a different blue top. he thinks that a part number 4 digits off can mean significant changes to the part.
it is worth it to me to pick them up anyways and inspect the new and old solenoids side by side and check orifice sizes. he will let me return them if they are truely the same.

there is still hope!!!!

 

I am still drinking the Kool-Aid then bro! Keep us posted...

 

If it's true that we already have the blue selenoids, I'll sell my car

 

I hate to say it, but I may be right behind ya on that ronnie.

 

I might be interested in buying both of them

 

dam. then you would have 3 of the best sl's out there! haha.

 

EXACTLY

 

it may be cheaper in the long run for me to rip out all the computer crap, do a motec, and toss in a built 700r4 or something!! naw, viper 6 spd. thats the ticket!!

 

Well if that is going down I may actually have to take a road trip to Oregon to make it a double build

 

I didn't look at my part numbers just saw the blue tops and put it back together

 

Hmmmmm ...... mine should be the A240 270 00 89 according to EPC .....

Oz ........ don't the convert play a part here?

 

i know some of the later models would have had them. the earlier it is questionable. i am only giving this about 20% now that they are different. but needed to do a trans flush anyways and won't take much longer to pull them and figure it out.

 

Mine left the factory 27.02.2003 and thats early for the R230 ......... should it be questioned if your MB is right about the info? ......... if you gave him you VIN, then the info. should be OK

 

i am still holding on to the fact that my trans might shift better. almost no reason to make more hp when trans burns some off in the converter trying to make a comfy merc shift.

2 things i hate about the car. the trans and the sc clutch. those things get worked out, and this car is golden.

 

well, the verdict is in for my car. already has blue tops!!




i am looking around at the separating plate though and wanting to drill every dam hole bigger to see if it helps! haha. i'm sure it would, but which hole? hmmm, someone has to know!

 

Ain't that some crap! Sorry bro... I guess everyone has to drop the pan and physically check?

Mine were brown tops... Removed part# 140 277 03 98 Installed part# 240 270 00 89

 

that is just weird. i have been manually shifting mine with the shifter lately though so i have learned to live with it abit now. hopefully ec can get that stage 2 tcu tune done and ready for us.

 

maybe saving your day Oz ......... just pulled my valves.... they were with the blue top and the MB part number A240 277 00 98 ...............
MB replaced these valves from transmission number 4 247135 with A240 270 00 89 ........... so blue tops don't mean a thing .... it's the MB numbers that counts ......

 

Not sure which TCU you guys have (or how much of their original character is intact), but I thought I would add this to this since it seems to be related.

when I look at my TCU part number in the EPC (it is a 2003 sl55) I get this note:
Note on part number -
Part no. Model designation Group Catalog Date
A0325453532 000000 00.000 65P 12/19/06
SL55 Version & Compatibility: For SL55 AMG Kompressor, please note: You >MUST< use the correct ECU, Valve Body & Version Code - DON'T MIX THEM. MY'02 ECU 030 545 45 32 goes with Valve Body '140' or '211', Code AM29 >>><<< MY'02 ECU 033 545 87 32 goes with Valve Body '240' and version code AM36 >>><<< MY'03 ECU 032 545 35 32 goes with Valve Body '140' or '211', Code AM31 >>><<< MY'03 ECUs 033 545 15 32 and 033 545 85 32 go with Valve Body '240' and use Version Code AM38. Gr54/062 *

of course, one cant be too sure how seriously MB's use of the word "must" should be taken ... but it is interesting that they seem to have several combinations of TCUs and transmission hardware for 2003


My car (TCU/ETC) came with ETC coding of "am31". In the process of trying to make an upgrade (change the behavior of the paddles to be the same as a 2004), I changed my "ETC coding" to "am72" .... this did not have the result I was seeking, however, it did seem to make some of the shifts harder/faster (I initially chalked this up to a reset of the adaptations, but after 500 miles I am beginning to think otherwise).

Cheers,
Chris

 

Yes - correct - punching in my VIN in EPC gives me that my car are quipped with A240 277 00 98 (as it is ... and they are blue tops!) and if they ever "break" or in other way fail; they shall be replaced with A240 270 00 89 (as of transmission 4 247 135) and my transmission being 4 308 667, then I follow what MB prescribe .....

As a side note the valve before my car is A203 270 00 89 and this valve is in all transmissions up to ...... yes you guessed it: 4 247 134 ha ha

 

Hi Oz - if your car has the correct ones, then I would like to buy the new ones you bought ......?

 

i pulled them out and measured the dia of the inside. they are the same. mb just changed the part numbers. who knows, maybe they made some undistinguishable change inside for the change, but they will operate the same.
i already returned the ones i got from the dealer.

i just always use the shifter now to hold it in gear and do what i want. i can live with it now. mostly because i don't have a choice tho too! haha

 

Time to revive an old thread... Has anyone confirmed whether the 2 part numbers operate the same? Are the newer blue tops with # 2402700089 somehow better than # 2402770098? I paid a good bit of money on FCP Euro for blue tops, and they sent me the old part number ones. Want to make sure I am not losing out on some performance after paying all that money for a specific part number.

 

This caught my eye... You saying that the shifts were faster with AM72. After checking with Mercedes GearTool, the only difference in these 2 SCN codes are the ASCII code at the beginning, the checksum at the end, and notably, byte 7 which is for "Hydraulic Variant" where am72 has value set to 01 and am31 has it set to 00.

 

Well, it was 10 years ago, so my memory is a little foggy on this. IIRC, at the time I was switching from a stock 2003 valvebody (with brown tops) to a worked-over 2004 Valve body (with blue tops) ... AND the 2004 TCU that I had procured to use in my SL55 had come from (was coded for) a 2004+ E55 (different rear gear)... SO, (IIRC) the coding change was required to set the correct rear end ratio.
NOW, reading my post from 10 years ago, it does look like I might have been suggesting that the coding change might have changed the shifting characteristics .... BUT it is (and was) clear to me that any change (to the shifting characteristics) would have been because of the switch to the worked-over 2004 VB with bluetops .... SO, not sure why I was not more clear about that. The only tangible change that came from the newer TCU was that it supported the newer VB (which Mercedes seemed to imply was critical .... but I am not so sure) AND it allowed the paddle shifters to work in ALL modes (not just "M" ).

Hope that clears that up a bit.
Chris