reinstone79

Does anyone know how to tell if you have a 01V or 01N transmission (transaxle)? Based on that, where in the heck is the fill location?

I changed the trans filter and new pan gasket, and cleaned it all out. The fluid was a dark graphite grey, but nothing big in the pan, just some sludge on the magnets. The car has 120k miles and I'm sure it never had a fluid change.

So on the pan towards the rear of the car it has a "check" plug for fluid level with a big internal socket head cap screw "bolt". The other plug was the drain plug. I read up on some instructions on how to check the fluid, but it's still not obvious to me where you are supposed to pump the new oil up into the trans. Something about a port on the side of the trans? But where? Any ideas or good DIY on this?

Also... 2.7 qts or 5L of oil is about all it takes? True?

4Driver4

Checking and filling are basically the same thing. Fill until fluid runs out with car at 35-45 degrees celcius. Use VAG-COM to monitior trans temp, and shift through the gears before the final check to be sure fluid is fully circulated. Find a write up in the tech section. You'll probably need at least six quarts.

turbo510

Be sure to fill until overflowing before starting the engine. Then the filling continues until it overflows again, but within the specified temperature range. Put the fill/check plug back in, only then turn off the car.

reinstone79

Thanks... I think I had all of that information under my belt in terms of how to fill, run it up to temp, and refill until comes out again. But what I still don't know is where to put the fluid in. Do you seriously pump the fluid into that checking "plug"? That won't be fun getting the car up, and level, trying to do that. Not an easy method!

4Driver4

Buy a hand pump at NAPA for $6, and bend a piece of copper tube into a hook. Pump, pump, pump.

mtroxel

Don't have to have a VAG. Buy a cheap indoor/outdoor digi thermometer at Home Depot. Snake the outdoor sensor into the tranny through the fill hole. Make sure it's in the fluid.

reinstone79

Well this turned into a disaster. I put in a new filter, gasket, and re-installed the pan after cleaning everything out. I put about 2 full qts of oil in while running level on the ground. I ran it longer, got it hotter, and kept putting oil in - just under 3 qts until it was pouring/dripping out of the fill hole. So I turned the car off, jacked it up quickly, and put the plug back in it.

Now the car runs like crap. It is slipping in 1st gear, and slow to get into Reverse.

What in the world happened here? And who's brilliant idea was it to put a fill hole for fluid in the bottom of a pan anyway?

Any suggestions? The local auto stores say 2.7 qts of oil, but that's only 2.5-3 Liters or so. So how much oil does this take when you actually drain it all out and drop the pan and replace the filter? Maybe I don't have enough oil in this?

Help help help...

turbo510

What was that about turning off the car and "jacked it up quickly, and put the plug back in"? You can't turn the engine off before plugging the trans! The fluid up in the clutches and torque converter will drain down and run out just like it did, and now you don't have enough fluid in there. 4Drive4 said you'd need about six quarts, and that's about what I used, even part of a seventh.

One more thing on this topic: you hear of people who drain and measure how much came out, so they can put that much back in. This is totally wrong, follow the procedure and you will have the proper amount of ATF in there. I know it seems like a weird way to service a transmission, but it works. There are step-by-step guides with photos, follow those and the job will turn out fine.

mtroxel

You don't have enough ATF in there. If you're slipping in first gear but didn't before the change, you don't have enough ATF. Do NOT trust the guys at the local Auto parts store who say 2.7 Qts. It all depends on how much drains out.

reinstone79 is right. If you're turning the car off, then jacking it up and putting the plug in, one of two things is happening:

1. ATF is gushing out of the fill hole while you jack it up with the motor off;
2. ATF is not gushing out of the fill hole while the engine is off because you dind't have enough in there to begin with.

To get this right, ATF should just be dripping out of the hole with the engine running and the ATF at 35 - 45C. If you turn off the motor at that point, ATF will draing out of the tranny into the pan and out of the fill hole. And it will all drain out before you can jack up your car.

4Driver4

LOL. Direction follow fail.

All the information you need to successfully do this job is in this thread...including advice to seek a write-up in the tech section. Just looking through the thread:

"Be sure to fill until overflowing before starting the engine. Then the filling continues until it overflows again, but within the specified temperature range. Put the fill/check plug back in, only then turn off the car."

STOP DRIVING THE CAR WITH LOW FLUID.

Let the car cool down completely, then try again.

Get car elevated and level.
Hook up VAG-COM to measure temp of fluid.
Start car.
Remove trans fill plug.
Pump in fluid until it runs out.
Allow car to warm to 37 degrees.
Replace plug.
Shut off engine.
Clean up.