So after many other projects including the A6 motor replacement, dodge ram lifter replacement and diesel blazer de-rusting efforts, I am ready to work on the A4.

To catch everyone up, I picked up a 97 A4 1.8 auto for what amounts to change. The catch is I did not get to hear it start as it had no key and it had been diagnosed by Audi as having a bad transmission (supposedly). Getting it loaded onto a tow dolly with the steering locked was very interesting.

Rather than pay audi for a replacement key for a car that may very well not run I decided to just jack my own car. That took longer than I thought, but I got it to go and it started on the 2nd revolution (good for sitting for well over a year). No valve noise, quiet, AC came on all looked good. Shift into reverse, pretty much nothing or extreme slippage. Neutral, nothing (duh). Forward gears, a terrible whining sound and what seemed to be intermittent grabbing as if it wanted to move. The terrible sound makes me think it is toast, is it even worth trying to change the fluid and filter or is that indicative of a grenaded trans?

I have VAG COM but have not ran the codes just yet.

I know it has been talked about to death, but a few more trans questions:

This one is a DDT, will a DDT out of a VW work fine?

Is it possible to pull the trans out the bottom instead of putting it into service mode and pulling the engine? I have bad memories after two 2.8 swaps in the A6 and hooking up all those wires and hoses lol. I cant find any youtube vids or even how to's for pulling an A4 trans.

Thanks all, it is good to be back!

 

To the best of my knowledge, the trans code is all that matters, not the fact that it was in a Passat or A4. And the trans does pull out from below, in the typical fashion.

Watch the drive flanges of the trans when you try to drive. If any spin, there is a broken axle.

 

Drive flanges are fine, check this out...

Update: I went out and started it and this time no horrible sound in drive gears. In fact a little gas (1300 RPM) and it moved forward. No check engine light. Under the odometer said "in 2" then went away. Weird?

I suppose next I better at least check the fluid level since i see the bottom of the trans pad is soaked, maybe the PO just had a leak and the stealership told them time for a new trans.

 

in 2 is just a service reminder (RTFM - lol)

Sounds reasonable on the fluid.

 

Yah I should have googled that part, sorry for the lazy fridayness. Will low fluid cause reverse to be non existent? Now I need to find a picture of where on that trans the upper fill plug is.

 

Losing the reverse is a sign of a bad tranny.

Scan it, see what happens. Check transmission fluid level, or top it up.

 

ya i have seen this a dozen times. Bottom of the trans is soaked, low on fluid, car wont move, whines. Go ahead, fill it with fluid. It will come out fast i bet as soon as its started! Usually the front pump destroys itself from either being run low on fluid or dry. The wining noise you hear is the trans pump running dry.

 

It moves forward with a little throttle.Drained some fluid, was dark and watery. Will do the filter first thing in the morning.Her is to hoping.

 

Yes, in my experience, low fluid affects reverse before drive. Two clutches need to engage, and just suck up more fluid, I think.

There is no "upper fill plug". The fill plug is at the rear of the trans pan.

 

Pulled pan, cleaned all surfaces, replaced small amount of metal hair on the magnets, no chunks. Got 3 qts back in and i broke the cheap harbor freight transfer pump. Off to buy a new one.