[A4] A4 Tip Trans (long)

[Scott Simmons]

IIRC, the "fill, drive, fill, drive, fill" is the non-VAG-COM way of 
filling.  You're supposed to monitor transmission temperature until it 
reaches a certain degree.  You can let it idle and then check (and add) 
or drive around.  *shrug*


Sean Coriaty wrote:
> 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
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