[V8] auto trans hard shift into 2nd

[Ed Kellock]

I did the drain-and-add-4-quarts procedure today.  Afterwards, I drove
it about 50 miles and for the last few miles it was shifting into 2nd
rather hard, which is something it never did before.

I bought a gallon jug of Dexron III and actually measured 4 quarts out
of it with a measuring cup, which left me with just shy of a pint left
over.  I figured the gallon jug was just overfilled.

I also measured what I drained out and it was exactly the same amount
more than a gallon, just shy of a pint.

I verified the accuracy of my measuring cup with 2 others of different types.

The 50 miles was a roundtrip from home to a town about 2500 feet
higher in elevation.  So 5 or so miles driving across town and the
rest up, then back down and 5 or so miles back across town to home.

On the way up I didn't flog it, but I did kick it hard a couple times
where it dropped two gears, one time shifting back up a gear after
just a moment.  Trans switch set in E the whole time.

It performed very well going up.  I used cruise and it would drop out
of lockup and then down to 3rd smoothly when necessary.

On the way down, I also used the cruise control and near the end of
the downhill it was a little jerky  while trying to maintain speed,
seeming to sort of hiccup a few times without any real relation to
anything else.

After the descent, I detoured through a park with a 20mph speed limit
and a few hills.  At one point, I downshifted to 3rd, then 2nd, then
1st at about 25.  It pondered this for a moment then dropped into 1st
and it seemed a bit abrupt but then I realized it was probably not
overly abrupt compared to other automatics that I've driven from time
to time.

After the park detour I forgot to shift to D and drove a couple miles
in 3.  About the same time is when I noticed the hard shifts to 2nd.

I'm going to go for another drive in the morning and see how it behaves.  

Should I go ahead and add that extra near-pint that I had left over
after my anal measuring of the trans fluid?  Am I being to literal
with the measurments.  Does it have something to do with "imperial
quarts" or something.  ;-)

Tonight's drive is the first of any distance since bringing it home
the day of purchase.  All other trips have been 5 miles or less. 
Aside from the little foibles near the end, I was very impressed with
it.  This thing is my first sampling of a V8q with an automatic and I
figured at 6000 feet elevation it would be a total dog.  Not so.  I
may have to get one for myself now.  Not sure what will happen to the
5spd then (just kidding).   How many Audis is too many?

Ed