Tranny/Diff Fluid - and QUESTION

["Al Powell" <APOWELL@agcom.tamu.edu>]

> I think if you look at 38.2 and 38.3 of Bentleys ('84 -'88 5000) You will
> note that there is a gasket and seperation plate for the transmission; and a
> seperate rear cover plate with Pinion oil seals for the Automatic
> differential (final drive) In addition there is a "weep" hole in the bottom
> of where the components mate. (I would assume it is there to warn a person
> that one of the seals has gone bad. I would think the only way possible that
> the two fluids could mix is if the weep hole clogged and both seals went bad
> allowing what could be coined as "Audi osmosis" of the fluids. Seems highly
> unlikely to me.
> 
> Before I made a fool of myself posting this, I called an Audi specialist who
> has been instrumental in many Audi designs and engineering, and he confirmed
> my analysis.
> 
> Bottom line, mix or no mix, the engineering is obviously flawed.
-peter 
> Audionly

Peter, I agree.  Section 38.2 in the 1990 manual clearly shows 
separate assemblies, and 38.6 provides a detail view of the clearance 
achieved by proper installation of the separation plate.  While 
investigating my recent Audi woes, I got a tour of the manual from a 
dealership's mechanic.  He pointed out the items above, including a 
comment thtat the "weep" hole and an air space separate the two.  So 
my belief is that the two fluids do NOT mix in any normal failure 
mode.

However, if the diff. fluid is allowed to run too low, I belive 
that the tranny to torque converter shaft assembly which passes thru 
that pool of fluid would be under-lubricated, so failure of the 
differential could cause further failures.  Since that shaft is 
hollow and passes fluid between the tranny and torque converter, I 
suppose that if IT failed (and I can't see how) with a crack of some 
kind, then trans. fluid could drip into the differential -  but that 
would really be a freak occurrence.

QUESTION for all you automatic drivers:  Since my trans. rebuild, the 
shifts at low speed are different.  When I'm driving @30 mph and back 
off the gas, I can feel it shift out of second and the revs fall to 
@1000 rpm, so it has dropped into third.  But when I accelerate, it 
ignores third and shifts straight into second.  This means I get 
essentially no engine braking in the 30-35 mph range, and I don't 
recall this happening before.

Comments about this??  It could be an adjustment or fine-tuning 
required....



********** A Washington State Cougar in Aggieland (aTm) **********

Al Powell                           Voice:  409/845-2807
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Texas A&M University                Email:  a-powell1@tamu.edu 
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