S8ilver

Ok, just broke 71k miles, original transmission fluid. She shifts fine at normal speeds, but in traffic it's a bit clunky. I usually go to Tip mode just to avoid guessing when she wants to shift.

I was planning on doing a fluid change, and wasn't sure where to source filter/o ring/gasket set. Partsgeek had a few listed:

http://www.partsgeek.com/catalog/200...ilter_kit.html

Additionally, my trans pan is sweating a bit. I understand that aluminum is porous and castings can have abnormalities that allow fluid to actually travel thru the material? Should I worry about this? Replace the pan? ($$$) Coat it with something non porous? If replace, anyone know of a reasonable source (I believe they're over $400 on GAP)?

I was planning on using OEM fluid with perhaps a lubrication (Lubegard or equiv) additive. Are these additives compatible with Audi OEM fluid?

Any insight greatly appreciated.

S8ilver

Or here?

http://www.ecstuning.com/Audi-D2_S8-...Filter/ES6130/

TerminA8r

Here

http://www.autohausaz.com/search/pro...20Filter%20Kit

TerminA8r

No, just replace the gasket.

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

Ad some lubegard.

http://forums.quattroworld.com/a8/msgs/68588.phtml

S8ilver

It's not leaking at the gasket; it's as dry as could be at the mating surfaces. Fluid is actually passing thru the aluminum. I'd like to mention how much has been lost, but my guess is as good as anyone's as you all know there is no dipstick.

Red Lubegard bottle, not the black, correct?

TerminA8r

Never heard of that. I've owned 3 D2's since 2001, done many fluid/filter changes, never seen or heard of what you describe. BTW I do not think that the pan i made of aluminum anyways. Yes, red lubegard. If you want to find out how much was lost, follow the fill procedure and see how much you get in before it's full.

S8ilver

I assume that the lower oil pan is aluminum (lightest oil pan I've ever removed) so I assumed the same for the trans pan. I was skeptical as well but took into my indy guy for an alignment some time back and he made the exact same comment..."pan is sweating, continue to monitor." It basically looks like perspiration but cannot be traced to a leak anywhere.

I'll see if I can get a picture when I get to the fluid change, but I saw it up on the rack clear as day. Everything around it was dry as a bone, but tiny beads of fluid on the outside of the pan.

One discussion:

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-c...-pan-leak.html

Snip from indy:

spitanddirt

In regards to your aluminum pan sweating, I'm having a hard time with that. If you have a ZF 5HP24A transmission like the rest of us D2 owners, I'm a fairly certain that your pan is steel. In the event that your pan is sweating fluid as you are claiming, I would first think that your pan has developed a crack and it's weeping fluid. And if your pan has never been removed, as I think it hasn't been considering that you only have 71,000 miles, is there a possibility that your pan has been dented in? It is the original transmission that came with the car? I have to ask because when I bought my car, I discovered that my transmission had been removed and reinstalled. The weight of the entire transmission sitting on that steel pan, caused the pan to deform upward. I had to remove my pan to reshape it and weld a couple of newly formed stress cracks shut. One other side effect of my pan being deformed is that it caused the transmission filter intake hole to be almost completely closed. Essentially I was starving my transmission front pump of fluid. It made for really bad shifting. Think putting your hand over the hose of a running vacuum cleaner. Yes, that's exactly what my transmission was doing, only with fluid not air.

Pictures of this sweating would really help all of us understand what your talking about.

Now as for the actual transmission case, which is cast aluminum, you can have a condition known as case porosity. And yes, it's caused by a bad casting. I've never heard of any problems on Audi per se with case porosity, but as you have already found, there are more instances with GM vehicles. Cylinder heads, intakes, transfer cases, transmission cases, aluminum cylinder blocks all can possibly develop case porosity.

As for your fluid choice, there's nothing wrong with going OEM. Personally, I use Mobil 1 Full Synthetic Automatic Transmission fluid. I've been using it for the past 60,000 miles without any problems. I do however stick to a religious transmission fluid and filter change interval of 30,000 miles.

The link to the Meyle filter kit sold by Autohaus.az is exactly what I use. You won't find a cheaper filter kit.

Again, post some pictures if you can, it really helps.

silverd2

The atf pan is steel. The internal magnets are stuck to it with magnetism.

S8ilver

Thank you for all the insight. I ordered the Meyle kit you suggested and some Pentosin ATF G 052 162 A2 (I use Pentosin motor oil as well and the ATF was $4 cheaper/quart than Audi's). For under $200 for everything, I like your 30k mile service interval. I don't drive it too much as is, and I consider that cheap insurance vs. the alternative.

I'm out of town for a bit but I will get some pictures of the pan as soon as I can. I'm sure a crack is a possibility, but the pan seemed to be in very good shape. I have every service record from original owner since he bought it new, and never any transmission work done so confident pan has never come off.

I'll let you know what I find. A crack would surely be a bummer as new pans aren't cheap. Well, cheaper than a new transmission. I own a welder but I'm still a bit of a novice...I'd probably do more damage!