[A4] 1998 A4 avant 2.8L 30v V6 automatic transmission failure...TWICE!

[J. Bookshar]

about a year ago the automatic transmission (type DRN) failed in my A4 avant...


it happened like this:

basically a loud clunk from the area of the transmission while on the highway
i was able to continue driving
when i slowed to a stop at the exit it completely quit

got a quote from the dealer.. ~$5500 for them to install a rebuilt unit..

soooo..i ended up buying a used one on ebay several months ago, and had local mechanic service and install it.  He had some problems with rust (the car has spent most of its life in Cleveland) and ended up having to pull the engine and transmission out as a unit to get them apart.  He was able to take care of several other minor concerns i had while he was in there, and i firmly believe he does quality work.  I finally picked up the car yesterday (which he had test driven short distances).  I had about a 35 mile drive home... it ran and shifted beautifully... .until i was on the highway a few miles from home when it failed the exact same way as last year....loud clunk, then it was crippled upon stopping at the exit.. I WAS able to limp it home (only about 1/4 mile from exit)..  Note: the new (used) transmission DID NOT come with a torque converter so he used the one from the old transmission and replaced the seal)

It seems to me that something else is causing this transmission failure.. I would think that if the transmission i purchased was bunk, it wouldn't have worked at all.  Is it possible the torque converter is causing this to happen?  I also smelled transmission this time.. and there were no leaks, so i assume this means heat.. could the transmission cooling system have something to do with the failure?

any help is GREATLY appreciated...

-Jesse

--sorry if this posts... sent from 'non-member' email address the first time....