to v8 or not to v8

[cobram at juno.com]

Kent McLean <kentmclean at mindspring.com> writes:

> Then why do the V8 automatics often die at a young age?

They aren't really dead most of the time, but it's always been Audi's
policy is to treat the transmission as a single unit with no replaceable
parts.   Many a V8Q transmission that would have been slated to be
replaced as bad by Audi have been brought back by little more than
replacing a single bad solenoid in the valve body (relatively easy job,
BTDT.)  The ZF design also applies constant pressure to the clutch packs
whenever the car is running, even when in neutral.  Overfilling causing
cavitation is another problem, that's why you don't get a dipstick, Audi
wanted to make sure the fluid was only checked hot, with everything at
operating temperature.  Bad/no maintenance, this too is Audi's fault, for
touting the autobox as a 100K mile maintenance unit.  

>From personal experience, V8Q #2 (1990 build) needed a solenoid early in
it's life, transmission itself went to 175K miles before it needed a
rebuild (bad clutch packs.)  V8Q #1 (early 1989 build) is still on the
original transmission, swap to synthetic fluid when I bought it in '95,
and regular fluid changes since.

BCNU,
http://www.geocities.com/cobramsri/