[V8] Audi a8 99 tranny limp mode.

[NIck Miller]

Ok, few things on my A8, and the continuing transmission fun!

     I got a spare transmission last night.  I noted it was an 11/98 build
date.  The plug on that tranny is black.  On mine it is cream/tan, will the
two sensors be compatible?

     I also checked my timing belt by removing the drivers side cover, what
sort of criteria do you guys recommend on that?  I don't know when it was
last done, it has 98k on it, and it isn't cracked or worn.  There seems to
be a bit of play in it when pressing down in the valley of the belt, and
the idler that is amidships, about in the center and down as you look at it
from the front seems rather rusted.  Although this car did sit a while.

      I have the lovely leak of water into the interior through the rear
vents in the center console.  I am told there are three drains I need to
locate and clear out, where can I find these exactly?  Google is not being
particularly useful right now at finding what I need.  I was thinking
perhaps this could have cause moisture or etc to get to the sensor.

        Onto the transmission issues.   The car has RED fluid in it I
believe.  This is bad I hear.  The car may have 20-50 miles on that fluid
is all, however.  I see it leaking from what I assume is the transmission
cooler and lines, from the top line on the drivers side radiator.  Can I
solve that small leak with o-rings or something?   I will have to change
the fluid ASAP to rule all that out as well.   Curious as to if this will
cause my issue I have right now.   Doubt it though.

     And now the sensor.  I removed the plug, noting the sensor side was
cream and the car side black, and cleaned it off with contact cleaner for a
moment.  Then looking close with a light I noticed a number of the pins
have a thin film over them, like scale/corrosion.  Would that do it?  I
don't see any green oxidation, just the clear/white scale stuff.  No pins
are damaged/rotted, not really oil or coolant in the connector, it may have
been from moisture/condensation.  This car has obvious signs of sitting in
grass or something at one point in its life for too long, it has surface
rust on all the steel parts.

That's about it at current.  After that I have to figure out how to get the
headrests to all work, and some central locking issues.  I don't have a
vag-com scan with the trans codes at current, just the ignition modules
that were replaced.