nmo, its not a suction port. that is true.

what worried me (and this was a small concern- not major) what that I had a filter sitting near the bottom of the pan but the vb could suck unfiltered fluid in thru that small opening at the top bypassing the filter (fluid would go in thru the filter thru the 2nd hole and then into the VB thru the correct hole).

I rebuilt the trans 2 months ago but after a couple hundred miles I had a problem when I shifted down from 2nd to 1st where I did not have engine braking where I once had it. I bought a new valve body (turbo action manual/auto) to replace the old one and found small amounts of fuzzy material on the filter after the fresh rebuild (took pan off last weekend). i may be thinking too much that maybe some of that fuzz may have gotten into the VB causing the problem I am seeing (its my only explanation at this point)