[A4] A4 Tip Trans (long)

[Sean Coriaty]

I've recently endured over a year of tiptronic trans issues in my 99
(B5) A4 1.8tqa.  Not exactly consistent with the current thread, but I
thought worth disseminating.
Started last winter- frost heave (Northern New England) put hole in
trans pan.  Car was driven 0.5 to 1 mile (fluid still leaking heavily
when car was stopped), then towed to local wrench.  Pan and fluid
replaced, got it back with minor issues- occasional slipping from
start, took 2-3 seconds to get in gear once gear selected, slight
slipping while accelerating around sharp turns.  Assumed trans was
damaged by driving it a short distance w/ fluid leaking.
Then it happened again- frost heave, hole in tranny pan (think it was
due to weak sidewalls on old Hakkepelita 1 snow tires w/ 32 psi paired
with massive frost heaves on these rural back roads).  This time,
stopped car immediately and towed to different wrench.  Got it back,
and the symptoms described above were more severe- especially slipping
while accelerating around turns.  Learned to drive it differently to
minimize slipping and assumed Trans was on way out.  Put 20k miles on
it in this condition (became unfun to drive it).  Then a brain bulb
lit up.
Researched how to repalce fluid.  Appears one must pump fluid in w/
car level (not easy in back yard) until it begins to leak out, plug
it, drive it a bit, pump more fluid in, plug it, drive it...etc. until
no more fluid will go in.  Bought the blau kit w/ pump, followed their
directions EXCEPT part about hooking up vag-com and monitoring fluid
temp (not recalling exact procedural details).
No change- same symptoms.  Then I decided that slipping while
accelerating around turns would seem to indicate low fluid and decided
to force-feed it.  Parked facing downhill over a drainage culvert and
pumped another 1.5 quarts in (already had about 2.5 quarts in via Blau
method).  Trans has worked like new since (a miracle, given what it's
been through).
Note that I believe I force-fed it too much.  Should have tried half
quart, then another half if no change, etc. instead of pumping another
1.5 quarts.  Why do I believe it has too much?  Because it accelerates
more slowly from a stop so I think it possible that excess fluid is
causing excessive friction in the trans.
Audi now has 270k w/ original trans working fine (at least, no
slipping and normal gear changes in auto or manual mode).
Sean
Freedom, NH