2001 S8

Great input here from both sides of the conversation.

In one week, I'll be doing a complete timing belt service and that one takes a big bite out of the budget ($1300).

So I'll have to wait until my next oil change in five months to do the transmission service.

Thanks everybody!

pocketchange

Works for me.

Since my A8 has been a labor of love from the get go, I serviced my FZ twice and used Allison spec fluid both times & added a qt. of my Lube Enhancer (which I use in everything btw).

FZ firmed up nicely and shifts great... too!

pc

nossisnave

I spoke w/ Steve Jaffey at ZF of America yesterday and he said that "lifetime fluid" should be changed at 60k miles lol. Good info from someone who should know.

My '02 L is acting strangely: the transmission seems to "pop" out of gear when accelerating or it might not. In tiptronic it actually shifts from 1st to 2nd, but doesn't to 3rd, as far as I can tell. I thought that tip would hold the gear to the rev limiter and do nothing else but maybe I'm all wet. It actually will "pop" out in tip occasionally too.

I'm not getting ANY transmission codes for this weird behavior which surprises me. The bottom rear of the 5HP24 is seeping something, presumably transmission fluid and that is the next thing I will check. Pulling away from a stop on level ground didn't cause the issue but the same gentle acceleration on a hill did. If anybody has a solution or question, these are certainly welcome. I'm not financially ready to rebuild it should that be the only one and I might have to drive it gingerly for a time

pocketchange

If you have not changed your ATF now would be good.

At the suggestion of a Certified Audi wrench I've know for decades,
I went to the ALLISON/TEF-295 rated fluid
(changed the filter along with the service & DID IT TWICE).

My D2 A8 shifts very well and that's all I can ask (no issues).

BTW, I've switched all of my automatics to the TEF-295 ATF and none have issues.

I'm partial to AMSOIL Torque Drive because it's the least expensive..

silverd2

Normal tip operation (standard trans coding) will shift very quickly out of 1st to 2nd under light throttle...and proportionally higher rpm under heavier throttle. All other gears hold until redline and then will automatically shift to the next gear. The trans will also downshift itself in tip if you drop below the minimum (idle?) rpm. It's also supposed to selectively downshift itself if your foot's off the throttle and going down a very steep hill...mine does this occasionally at low speeds on very steep hills.

If you code your trans to 00032 (sport w/1st gear control) or 00022 (standard w/1st control), in tip 1st will hold till redline, until you shift or redline sends it to 2nd, regardless of throttle input...you also, while in tip, are now able to downshift to 1st (anywhere within it's rpm range) regardless of throttle input.

I recoded mine ("soft coding") with free version VCDS and a cheap eBay OBD cable....same with my central locking coding (can open/close windows remotely now).

How to for trans codes >>

http://www.audipages.com/Tech_Articl...nsmission.html

nossisnave

Thanks SilverD2 for clarifying how stock tip is supposed to work; I wasn't aware. And thanks for the link to recode. As soon as I get a vag-com I'll do that.

Checked the fluid level on the L and that is ok. The trans has a solid engagement when shifting so seems unlikely to be a broken clutch basket. The buddy who recently bought my '01 A6 is gonna bring it over and swap the TCM to see if mine is the culprit. Is it true the 5HP24 is at its limit as far as power in these cars? Jag, Land Rover, BMW all used the same model for a few years and I've read several posts on those forums of similar problems. One Jag owner had a bad trans diagnosis, had a $6300 rebuild from AAMCO and when they reinstalled it, it STILL HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. His truned out to be a bad wheel bearing throwing off a sensor. I don't want to rebuild unless I exhaust all my other options.

nossisnave

Thanks pocketchange, fluid/filter change is definitely going to be the next on my list. I think my A6 got Wolfs Head last time.

nossisnave

Ok, so last night a buddy came over w/ VAGCOM and plugged in to the L's computer. Several intersting codes: 17114, P0730, P0731. Upon scouring some more forum posts on google a certified tech recommended driving the car w/ the TCM unplugged to see if slippage occured. Slippage would almost certainly indicate mechanical failure. So we did this, it essentially runs in limp mode so no pickup but no slippage either. Get it back to the garage, doing some more digging and found the proper fill procedure and realze the fluid level IS IN FACT LOW. When the garage had checked it I had just driven for 1.5 hours straight and it hadn't cooled enough (duh). So now before I change the fluid I'm gonna top it off to see if behavior changes. May the (ZF) force be with me