Locks the shift forks in neutral and lines up the valve body on GM 6T30, 6T40, 6T45 and 6T50 transmissions so the unit shifts right after reassembly.
Anyone who has bolted a valve body into a Chevy Cruze, Malibu or Equinox six-speed and then found no Reverse, a missing gear or a car that will not move knows how unforgiving the GF6 transmissions are about alignment. This is an equivalent of the GM DT-50944 valve body locating tool for the 6T30, 6T35, 6T40, 6T45 and 6T50. The steel kit contains one main positioning plate, two long guide sleeves, two short guide sleeves and six set screws, and it weighs about 4.3 lb. It is a shop tool, not a transmission part, and it pays for itself the first time it saves you from pulling a valve body twice.
On these transaxles the control valve body drops into the case over the separator plate, and the manual valve in that body has to engage the detent lever that the shifter moves. Sonnax prints a caution on its 6T40 valve body instructions to correctly align the manual valve with the detent lever assembly during installation, because a body that goes down with the manual valve out of position will not route oil to the right clutches. The positioning plate holds the internal shift mechanism in its neutral position while the guide sleeves steer the valve body straight down onto its locating points, so the casting cannot shift sideways or cock while you run the 53 mm and 60 mm bolts in finger-tight and torque them in sequence.
A no-move or delayed engagement right after valve body work is usually an installation problem, but on a transmission that has not been opened it is more often low fluid, a cracked 3-5-R wave plate or a worn pump. Our 6T40 delayed engagement guide sorts those causes out, and the 6T40 valve body symptoms guide explains the pressure and solenoid checks to run before you decide the body has to come out.
The tool fits the GF6 front-drive six-speed family: 6T30, 6T35, 6T40, 6T45 and 6T50. Common vehicles include the Chevy Cruze, Malibu, Equinox, Trax, Sonic and Impala, Buick Regal, LaCrosse, Encore and Verano, GMC Terrain and Cadillac ATS and XTS. It works on Gen 1, Gen 2 and Gen 3 units, but the valve bodies themselves do not interchange between Gen 1 and later generations, so match any replacement body to your unit. It does not fit the larger 6T70 and 6T75, any 8-speed or 10-speed automatic, or any DCT or CVT. If you are not sure what is in your vehicle, send us the year and VIN.
The tool is most useful when you are installing a 6T40 Gen 2 valve body or a 2013-2018 6T40 valve body, and it is just as handy for a reseal or a solenoid kit swap on an early unit.
| OEM tool number | DT-50944 equivalent |
| Transmission | GM 6T30, 6T35, 6T40, 6T45, 6T50 (GF6) |
| Includes | 1 positioning plate, 4 guide sleeves (2 long, 2 short), 6 set screws |
| Material | Steel |
| Weight | 4.3 lb |
| Does not fit | 6T70/6T75, 8-speed, 10-speed, DCT, CVT |
Doing this repair right usually means replacing these at the same time. Same transmission, ships together.
No. It is an equivalent of GM tool DT-50944, made of steel with the same plate and guide sleeve layout: one positioning plate, two long and two short guide sleeves and six set screws.
No. It is made for the smaller GF6 family only: 6T30, 6T35, 6T40, 6T45 and 6T50. It does not fit the 6T70/6T75, 8-speed or 10-speed units, DCTs or CVTs.
Many technicians do, but the manual valve has to engage the detent lever and the body has to come down square on the separator plate. The tool removes the guesswork that leads to no-move, missing gear and torn gasket comebacks.
Yes, it is listed for the whole 6T30 through 6T50 family. The valve bodies differ between generations, so make sure the replacement body matches your unit even though the tool fits both.
Fill with DEXRON VI, idle and range-cycle the shifter, set the level at the check plug with the fluid at 185-203 F, then reset adaptives and run the service fast learn with a scan tool.
