CalG

So. after about a year of just sitting on the work bench, The valve body that was removed from the 1999 A8 transmission (DTE)was brought under the work light and disassembled.

There were places on the separating plates and gasket that had picked up some fine dark sediment, but mostly everything looked about how a 9 year old piece of machinery should look. Removal and inspection of all the slide valves found a bit more "crud", but nothing significant. None of the valve pistons showed any sign of wear and all moved freely in their bores. I have not evaluated the plastic restrictors , but they "look" fine. The screens on the electric solenoids were all clean as were the two screens in the VB.

Now the suprise.

The "Upper Valve Body" is cracked! A blow out fracture along the side opposite the valve cover plate.
That can't be good.

A quick look at the service information I have indicates that the oil passage affected directly connects the "A" clutch Switch valve (ABSCH-V-A) with the "F" clutch (KV-F)

At this time, I do not know exactly how this damage might occur, nor how it might effect transmission operation. But, "It can't be good".

Fortunately, the VB that replaced this unit is working just fine.

Sorry that I have no photographs to post. I could get the picture, but then there is the posting part......










This information might not be too interesting to all, but just putting it out there for those who might want.

Regards

CalG

tozoM8

<center><img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/80919/dscn1051.jpg"></center><p>

CalG

Tozo, I thought you might have the back ground on this. A suprise to me, not to you.,

Thanks for the photo, that will help others with the description details.

regards

Cal

audikillsbmw

Nice : )

mkurak

e.g., bad design?

tozoM8

Bad design. It is a long fluid channel without a bolt around it.

CalG

Tozo

From your experience, Is this material failure related to any of the drivability shortcomings D2 owners have experienced?

TIA

Cal

tozoM8

They all had a broken clutch A basket too. I've welded mine and it is in my wife's car now.

mkurak

No wonder you opted for a 6-speed manual conversion. I would too, if it weren't outrageously expensive.

CalG

Following the laws of cause and effect,...

If transmissions which have the cracked valve body all come from transmissions needing repair for the same problem, "they all had a broken clutch "A" basket",
and.... the transmission that my unit came out of did not have symptoms of a faulty "A" clutch,
Then...... the cracked casting and failed fluid passage preceeds the distruction of the "A" clutch basket.

Hence!..... The timely replacement of the original Valvebody which has the broken casting with a late model Valve Body (which I hope and presume does not have the damaged casting) has likely "saved" this transmission from the greater (read costly $$$) failure of the "A" clutch basket.

Man! am I lucky!

Logic is not my field of strength, but I like the results so far ;-)


CalG