Re: 5K auto trans question

[ph%wn.bbc@nr-comms.radio.bbc.co.uk (Heneghan,Paul)]

From: Ron Angert <rangert@vt.edu>
>I bought a '88 5K non Q non T sedan (95K miles) and I knew about the
>autotrans problem.  In my next life i will find a 5 speed, I hope.
>
>Anyway, it does swap fluids to some extent.  Actually, it looks like diff to
>ATF and not the other way around.  The hypoid looks fine. My mechanic
>suggests just changing the ATF fequestly, it is very cheap to do, but he
>called the dealer to see what they say, and to get some idea of the cost of
>replacing the seal, and they had a different view on this.
>
>They said that they were no longer "allowed" to replace the seal as dealer
>installed seals rarely solved the problem, and that they would not do it.
>Then he added that the failure rate and miles to failure was not
>significantly longer for the clients who changed ATF every oil change and
>those who did not change it.  Now, I think that it is to the dealer's
>advantage to encourage tranny failure so they can sell you a new one, but it
>seems to me that changing the ATF every 3K miles would buy one some miles.
>Maybe once that synthetic hypoid oil gets on transmission surfaces it is all
>over, and that would support the dealer's observations.
>
>Now I know that no-one on this list would own a car with an automatic, but
>there is such a volume of technical and "I once heard" experience on this
>list that I would value any opinions on what to do besides putting
>$200/month in a savings account for the down payment on the new tranny (or
>Audi).
>
Get a specialist tranny shop to quote you for a recon diff/auto.  If 
 you get it done now (before any real damage is done) it will be 
 significantly less than waiting for catastrophic failure.

I just had my auto box reconditioned.  It cost:
Recon auto	GBP210
New Torque Conv	GBP110 (no guarantee unless TC replaced)
R & R		GBP100 (I thought this was very cheap)
It would have cost another GBP100 or so to have the diff reconditioned, 
 but mine had a recon three years ago, so didn't need it (I hope).

GBP1 = USD1.5 (approx).

Don't go near an Audi dealer for work of this kind.  They may well 
 contract it out to a specialist and charge you a hefty handling charge.

Paul
paul.heneghan@bbc.co.uk
1984 Audi 80 quattro
1983 Audi 100 Avant