twiy

I recently purchased a 2005 Audi A8L 4.2 V8 and it has a faulty Air Compressor and Solenoid for the Suspension which was slammed to the ground. I bought a new Compressor off ebay and Solenoid and it lifted up and is no longer strapping the ground. Now to the issue at hand, the car doesn't move automatically once you put it into gear without stepping on the brake, usually a car starts going without having to press the gas but mine won't move really until I press the gas.

Now while it was slammed to the floor until I fix it the air suspension it seems to be leaking a clear fluid which I thought was coolant but I'm feeling it's actually transmission fluid. The liquid tends to be a mix of oil and water and sometimes looked just like water after I had it parked after fixing the suspension.

I drove the car around a little and it seems it hesitates to want to go into gear and on an incline going up hill it even moved backwards slightly until I pushed the gas pedal more. I'm afraid of the worse case situation of a faulty transmission but I have a feeling the leak if it was transmission fluid it might have emptied the transmission fluid to such a low point it's not working properly. I've included some pictures and any advice would be greatly appreciated. I want to take my car to a mechanic I know who has a lift to properly assess the situation but I also don't want to drive the car at all until I find out where the leak is coming from and if it's the transmission put the proper fluid in it so it's not running without it. Problem is I need to get the car to my mechanic to lift it and check where it's leaking and add transmission fluid while I'm at it. The mechanic does many things but doesn't specialize in transmission fluid changes so I could have to bring him the correct fluid (Shell M-1375.4) which after reading a few threads a cheap alternative is Red Line D6 ATF. I would like to save some $ instead of using Lifeguard 6 ATF but if I have to buy that fluid I would if it's needed.

I came to this conclusion by scanning it getting a generic code and looking it up and from the things I noticed about the car when I drove it and had it parked leaking fluid. I do not have the Ross Tech VAG-COM Software. Here are some pictures below and any input or help would be greatly appreciated.

chokboywonda

I would pay for a truck to take it to your mechanic it may end up being a cheaper solution than the risk of more damage guessing the problem and driving it.

Mister Bally

1. Read and heed:

https://www.audiworld.com/forums/a8-...-read-2877219/


2. The liquid sure looks like water to me. That's where standard automotive troubleshooting techniques come into play. Could be the headlight washer hose(s) popped off due to your fascia being pulled away. That assumes you have water in the washer reservoir and not washer fluid that won't freeze.

3.Speaking of the fascia being pulled away, Those plastic clips on the ends are not cheap and are custom. Buy them as you'll need them.

4. As for your shifting issue, I'd say refer servicing to a qualified individual or shop. But, do a diagnostic scan as mentioned in #1 above. Not with a hand-held code reader. As an example, do you really think you need to replace 5th gear and the Reverse gears due to an incorrect ratio? Buy the correct tools or pay someone else to do the work.

MP4.2+6.0

Three different issues:

1. Suspension, which you think is fixed. But... Probably most times when the compressor is burned out, it is a symptom not the true issue. An unfortunate one, since it is costly. Underlying issue is a leak. Slammed look is another clue--as in, they don't really just leak down--even after weeks--except when there is a leak. To assess further, put the car in jack mode via MMI and then just leave it parked. If it leaks down overnight or several days, it (still) has a leak. Typically but not always in one of the four struts, and usually in front in turn. If you don't fix the leak, the compressor gets overworked and burns out--even just sitting there if not in jack mode when it tries to hold car level. If compressor burned & replaced, also do the compressor relay if you didn't already. Burned relay also leads to over running and then replacement. Some unfortunate owners have done compressor twice over a few months, getting back to it is often an unfortunate symptom but not cause starting point.

2. Drive bogging down. Yes, sounds like trans. fluid. My experience is by about 3 quarts/liters down (out of close to 10) it will act as you describe. Better to just get it to a shop. Most likely is leak from pan gasket; may be as simple as tightening pan down--20+ screws. If you can't tow, then jack it up and get to fill hole. Have car as flat as possible. Maybe counter intuitive, but start motor since fluid level drops when trans oil pump runs. You need to pump it in from underneath; I use a cheap gear oil hand pump. Figure getting at least 2 quarts/liters in with the kind of symptoms you have. After that, get it to a shop for more careful work and to check. If you have the ability, do go over the whole trans. pan and check screw tightness. Lots of Torx screws. Fluid--either the type that meets technical spec for LifeGuard 6 equivalent, or the LG 6.

3. Fluid leak on ground. A guess is that is water from the headlight sprayers, more so the way the bumper is pulled away. The hose for that gets brittle with age too. If your washer fluid drops without using it, that is the leak--same reservoir is used. If in cold weather area, it should also have a fluid type that can deal with freezing which usually (not always) has some blue tint. Too far forward for tranny, and definitely looks like basically straight water, rather than some kind of lubricant/oil.

twiy

Thank you all for your replied and I would love to buy the Ross Tech scanner but just cannot afford it at this moment.

I would like to buy all the hardware needed so my mechanic and just do the job without having to wait. Are these the torx screws -Hex Bolt (M6x25) that are for my specific transmission cover just in case it's missing some or has some stripped ones?

Is it possible the plastic cover is cracked or needs replacement? If so I found this on ebay that says it fits my car by any chance can you tell me if that is a good price or should I continue looking to find it cheaper? Not sure why the ebay link doesn't work here is a picture



After reading this thread, it says this is a to the Lifeguard Oil.

My last question is about the headlight washer hose and it's location, I have a guy who will fix my bumper and install the proper clips but while he's at it when he removes it is the hose easily visible to just have it reconnected if it came apart? I suppose what I mean to say is the hose connection right behind the bumper? I believe it's disconnected on both sides as I had water leak from both sides. Also does it get it's liquid from the Window Washer Fluid? I personally didn't put in water I bought it like that and will be putting in the correct washer fluid once I can make sure it doesn't leak again.

I appreciate any help you guys give me and thank you for your responses as I am going to solve the issue as soon as I can so I can enjoy driving the car.

MP4.2+6.0

On Torx bolts, it has been a while but IIRC they are T27 on my W12. T25 fits in there but can start to strip them.

Not sure on pan. I suspect that one in picture is not correct though. On W12 pan is all metal conventional design, so not that one in the picture at all. There is a plastic pan for the 6 speed ZF, but I thought it went with others like BMW, Jag or ? If plastic pan, it may be you replace the whole thing, but w/ metal it definitely has a paper gasket and a separate filter. There are different bolt patterns along with both a paper and a metal version of the pan gasket too. Ask me how I know...even the ZF distributor sold me the wrong gasket for my D3 W12 (wrong one was metal and too few holes), though they did seem to know at least that it wasn't the plastic pan type. Look for prior 4.2 posts, or see if someone checks in who has done one. Honestly, I would get under it, look at it, and do a bolt count.

Headlight washer hoses run from bottle area (which is toward rear of passenger side fender in my W12) forward and high up toward the headlight, dropping lower as it gets near front corner. Feed for both headlights comes from passenger side as far as I know. To get at it, you pull the passenger side fender plastic liner. Standard D3 101 mechanics is to learn how to do that. Buy a half dozen sacrificial push pins/plastic rivets from dealer before you start. Almost impossible to salvage the pins, relatively inexpensive, and easy to remove liner if you don't even try to salvage them during removal. Once you pull the liner the hose can be found. Likely you want remove it to get at bumper better too. Hose is in two parts from dealer--first part toward headlights on right, then another that T's in and crosses over. Also possible as a heads up that you could have a cracked reservoir or a cracked headlight sprayer. You should really post your location as well as motor in your signature or avatar, or include them in any post. Thus, if you are in USA, and it's January, and its cold where you are, any of those parts could have split or cracked, so more diagnostics/inspection needed to check--goes back to my question of whether you have antifreeze type solvent in the bottle. Can be expensive if you don't and you get a decent freeze.

twiy

Thanks for the reply back. My Car is a 2005 Audi A8L 4.2 V8
As for my location I live in Southern California about 40 min East of Los Angeles so freezing doesn't worry me since I bought the car with this problem but I feel the prior owner had just water in the reservoir so I'll need to change the fluid I also have the car parked inside. I remember mostly just water and nothing that looked like window washer fluid. I'm familiar with the wheel liner as the Solenoid I had to replace was on the driver side. I'll lift it with a jack tomorrow if I have time and check that side to see if I can see the hoses and what condition they are in. I got a kit of push pins for a prior BMW I used to own so maybe I can see if there is one that will work in the kit.

If I can't find the problem or can't reach it I guess I'll cross that road when my bodyshop guy removes the bumper as I need to replace one bulb in one of the headlights and was going to have him install it before he fixes my bumper and puts it back on. As for the pan it looks to have a plastic cover but when I get it to a lift I'll see where the leak is coming from fix that and then top it off with Redline D6 ATF. I'm hoping that will help the sluggish situation and it not shifting properly into gears. My main concern is the oil leak and making sure the tranny is topped off with liquid. Then onto the water leak if it's the hose a cracked reservoir or cracked headlight sprayer.

I do greatly appreciate the help and thank you. I'm learning as I go and enjoy learning more in the future.

jlbell

Your saving 8 dollars, if you buy the Red Line ATF vs. buying Lifeguard 7 from ZF Eriksson. It quite honestly isn't worth the risk. From the pictures, you do have quite the transmission leak. Avoid driving it, order fluid and pan gasket, replace it yourself (if capable), or take it to a certified shop and make sure they know the filling and leveling procedure. After that, if it continues to act up, gain access to VCDS, look at the solenoid currents to see if any are faulty. If they are replace them with new solenoids from ZF Eriksson. Lastly, if the transmission continues to act up, send the whole transmission to ZF Eriksson and have them rebuild it for ~ 4k or buy a refurbished one from Audi for 9k or a new one for 12k

http://zftranspart.com/

dvs_dave

jlbell

My mistake it's LF6 like you mentioned. I get the fluid for our BMW 7 Series (LF5) and A8 (LF6 or LF8 if you have the update) confused. From ZF Eriksson a gallon would be $64, an $8 savings isn't worth it to me.