RE: ATF change interval

[Aleksander Mierzwa <alex@matrix.com.pl>]

It's probably difference between European and US manuals. The
maintenance booklet for my 87 5KCST says "check ATF level*" At the
bottom of the page, printed with very small font: "*if severe operating
conditions occur, like towing a trailer or predominantly stop and go
driving, the ATF should be renewed every 25000 miles" or something like
that (don't have this booklet handy right now). Now, most of owners will
think "hey, I don't think I'm operating my car in "severe" conditions,
it runs good, so forget this ATF stuff". The mechanic at the dealership
where I took the car to have ATF and diff lube changed just sucked ATF
through the dipstick tube and didn't care to clean pan and strainer; he
also tried to convince me that it is _really_ not necessary to change
diff lube, even after 150K miles. 
I remember someone some time ago shared with us his BTDT on replacing
ATF on his 5K. He mentioned replacing the filter. My Haynes manual
doesn't mention a filter in the procedure. Can anyone clarify this? I
think that if there's a filter it should be renewed (or it may get
clogged). If there's no filter, lot of dirt probably accumulates on pan
and strainer so yes, I think no matter if there's a filter or not it's
necessary to remove the pan.

Aleksander Mierzwa
Warsaw, Poland
mailto:alex@matrix.com.pl
87 Audi 5000CS turbo (mine)
88 Renault Medallion wagon (mom's)
91 mountain bike (just in case both cars broke at the same time :-)

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	JohnBoyd [SMTP:john@dboyd.demon.co.uk]
> Sent:	Monday, September 22, 1997 9:51 AM
> To:	quattro-digest@coimbra.ans.net
> Cc:	72220.443@compuserve.com
> Subject:	ATF change interval
> 
> Doubt very much whether Audi maintenance says nothing about changing
> the
> ATF. My '91 100 Avant 3 speed auto Audi schedules this every 20, 000
> miles;
> the (generic to all Audi petrol cars at the time) schedule for my '86
> 90
> says the same - 'ATF renewed; oil pan and strainer cleaned; oil pan
> gasket
> renewed.' 
> I wasn't convinced any of the servicing Audi dealers had actually
> bothered
> to change mine when I got the car, so did it myself. But as fairly
> clinical
> conditions appear to be vital when opening up the ATF, and above a
> windy
> concrete driveway isn't ideal, I didn't bother taking the pan off to
> clean
> the strainer......does anyone have an opinion as to how crucial this
> is ??
> David Boyd
> Cumbria, UK  
> 
> 
> Date: Sun, 21 Sep 1997 14:09:46 -0400
> From: Andrew Buc <72220.443@compuserve.com>
> Subject: ATF change interval
> 
> This on behalf of a friend who has an '84 5k automatic and no E-mail
> address:
>  
> Someone recently posted here to the effect that Audi's maintenance
> schedule
> 
> doesn't say anything about changing ATF, ever, and this could have
> something 
> to do w/the prevalence of 5k's w/blown transmissions in junk yards.
> So, how
> 
> often <should> ATF be changed? Thanks.
>  
> - --Andrew Buc, Seattle, WA; 21-Sep-97, 11:09