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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Roberto" data-source="post: 712250" data-attributes="member: 8160">Alright, for everyone searching about this, this is the solution.1. Vanos and non vanos 5HP18s have slightly different valve body connectors and different tcms.2. If you are switching VBs between both, all you need to do is keep the VB's internal wiring harness that came with your gearbox. Use the VB from the other transmission, if the socket size is different, but retain your existing wiring harness.3. The socket that you see outside the gearbox (which connects to the car's wiring harness) is actually the SAME SOCKET that leads directly to the valve body. It is pushed through a hole in the transmission case and exposed to the outside. There is an o ring there to protect against leaks..4. The individual solenoid and sensor connectors on the VB's wiring harness are interchangeable with each other.The VB wiring harness can be disconnected and reconnected to the new VB without difficulty, and without risk of damaging the wiring (only disconnect everything once the VB is out of the car, to make it simple). The VB's function the same. The number of wires is also exactly the same.5. The solenoids are interchangeable with each other. You can ignore the different part numbers.6. Apart from this difference, both VB's and completely interchangeable. The gearbox will work perfectly.7. Torque convertors from both 5hp18 non vanos and vanos transmissions are also completely interchangeable with each other. The gearbox will work perfectly.8. The clutches and internal gear assembly are also interchangeable. The gearbox will work perfectly.This is obvious once you look at it. It is a no brainer when you look at it. You don't need to think and understand and figure out or wonder, or whatever. It is not an act of engineering intelligence, but an act of simple recognition.So if you have a VB issue, (and you can test solenoid resistances through the TCM's connector, and by using a code reader to see and read the detailed EGS codes ) just change the valve body if the rest of your transmission does not give you any problems. Keep your old vb, throw away just the sensors or solenoids that are dead. These will be useful spares for future issues, and can also be resold for others who need a solenoid or two cheap.There is neither need nor a better idea to change clutches, seals, etc etc etc, as was suggested earlier, if the problem is the VB.This same methodology applies to other transmission with the same designation, but with different TCMs and socket sizes for Vanos and Non vanos models.Its such a simple fix !!Thank you to all the contributors and I hope this will be useful to someone else down the line.  Roberto</blockquote>

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