1998 A6 Quattro - 176K

I am going replace the radiator on my car but the only thing I am unsure of at this point is do I need to add Transmission Fluid after I swap it out? Some posts say yes some information I have seen say no fluid needs to be added? Which is correct? I dont want to mess up the transmission.

 

I did one about a few months ago. Yes on the transmission fluid fill.

https://www.audiforums.com/forum/aud...cement-176399/

 

How do you check the fluid? I cant seem to find that information? Also is there an audi specific fluid needed or just fluid from the auto parts store?

 

The proper way to check? Hook it up to VAGcom and get the transmission fluid temperature to the range specified, and fill it from the bottom until the fluid overflows.

 

Is there a way to accomplish this without a VAGcom?

 

The temperature that you are looking for is about 90 degrees F. (between 86 to 95 to be exact.) If you have an infrared thermometer, the you can use that. I have done it where I let the car sit over night, start it and run through the gears in idle for about 5 minutes. FYI, I live in a temperate climate are where the outside temperature is around 60 to 70. You can be your own judge.

FYI, make sure the car is dead flat when you fill it, meaning on a lift or jack stands at all four corners.

 

I did find in the Bentley manual that fluid will drip out a little if it is at the proper fill level at the correct temperature. Thanks a bunch for you help. I didn't want to end up with transmission issues after changing out the radiator. Also thank you for your diy on how to change the radiator. It has answered a lot of my questions on how to get that accomplished.

 

Your are welcome. Have fun and don't forget that freeze plug at the back of the radiator on the driver side.

 

I will remember about that plug, thanks for your help. The last thing I need are the O rings that need to be replaced. Are the O rings just ones I can pickup at a local hardware store or do I need to order specific ones? Also by chance do you remember the sizes of the O rings needed for:

- O-rings for radiator supply and return pipes
- O-rings for transmission cooler lines

Thanks

 

I actually ordered them from genuinevwaudiparts.com. I would think that hardware o-rings would be fine as long as they are the same size. I ordered them because I was already ordering the radiator and the other stuff from them. Sorry, I don't know what size they are.