AudiQC

I am having a serious issue with my automatic tranny. No more 4th and 5th gears (the allroad has more than 230 000 miles). In auto mode it goes on limb mode and in manual mode it just slips. 1st, 2nd and 3rd are ok as well as reverse. My mechanics says it is the "clutchs" (a mechanical issue) and i pretend that it is the valves body that don't do its work of builiding the proper pressure. I have change oil and filter lately and the "problems" come out. Just before that (to make a long story short) i had a problem with the radiator witch was loosing tranny oil at the connections and i ranned with low oil in the tranny at some time. I drove it in limb mode to the mechanic garage. If i have to put a new tranny or have to rebuilt it .....no way....i will part it out (the allroad) but if i only need to change the valve body i can accept to spend the $$$.
What are the suggestion ??? to solve this P R O B L E M ????

PetrolBear

It was a mistake to run the tranny on low oil level. That ruins all parts, not only the turbine (torque converter) and the clutch inside the torque converter. In Central Europe a complete rebuild costs 1300-1400 euro (tranny ZF rebuild kit, new clutch, and all sealings) incl work fee - plus optionally the appropriate valvebody which cost around 900 euros (but until now, it has been rarely needed... but cars become elder and used valvebodys are also more or less worn out). Hint: a 2,4 V6 valvebody fits, too and works perfectly if needed.
I would not never part any (good) car that has only a tranny / engine problem. I would let it repair or purchase a used tranny or make a manual swap.

AudiQC

Yes ! it was a mistake....I can't say that i had no choice (we always have choice) but the situation i was in put me in position to take a chance ...of running low .............I have no intention to have the tranny rebuilt. The whole car is getting very old (rust at the bottom of the doors, windshield and shocks are worned out, etc.). I am just trying to have it run as a second car and sometimes in a year or 1,5 year from now, i will part it outs. At little more than 230 000 miles, it done a very good "job" in the driving conditions of a country like Canada.
But to solve my tranny problems, for a certain period (I should say), i will just used "additives" like the Lucas tranny fix" and "Dr. Tranny shudder fix" stuff. I have read bad and good things about those stuff.....and i have not much to loose. I will keep you posted.
In the mean time i am looking at buying an other Audi ....most probably a used Q5.....

jjrichar

I suspect the E clutch has failed inside the transmission, as this is the only common component in 4th and 5th, and isn't used in any other gear. You would expect the transmission to immediately go into limp mode when 4th is selected. This will require a transmission rebuild to fix. There's nothing in the valve body that would give you the specific symptoms you have.

To learn more, have a look at the link below. It's a BMW rear wheel drive transmission, but the internal component are similar and will tell you what is going on.

Project ZF 5HP19 transmission - E46Fanatics