After removing an ATF line and accidentally turning the car on, I saw my fluid for the first time spitting onto the driveway, and it looked awful. I was going to have it changed at my shop (I'm missing the special tool) for $135. It occurred to me, maybe the filter needs changing too. So...where is it? My Bentley manual doesn't even mention it. Could I easily change it on my own? I can barely afford the $135 right now. Not to mention the price of towing now that the tranny is bone dry and I can't drive.

Also, while on this subject of ATF maintenance, I don't see why I would need a special pump to fill the pan with new fluid. Can't I just detach the whole pan, give a good clean to all exposed parts, fill the pan up like a basin (no pump, just right out of the bottle), and then carefully bolt the pan back on without spilling any?

Engine: 2.7T
Tranny: 5spd tiptronic

 

You're heading down the road of totally messing up your transmission, so be careful. Audi trannys are fairly sensitive to all different sorts of conditions (the most being fluid level). Here is a walkthrough that explains most everything (which is the first google result if you search for "audi transmission filter" for heavens sake):

http://www.blauparts.com/audi/audi_f...nsmissionfluid

 

The transmission filter is inside the pan, bolted to the valve body.

No special tools are needed save something to fill the mess with (and I do mean mess). A suction gun works well if you have a 90 degree tube on the end. (see picture) Just fill the trans before starting and quickly add the rest as it is running. Then monitor the temp and top it off. You can monitor the temp with a proper scan tool or with an infared temp gun on the pan.

Be sure to have extra fluid on hand for spills and leakage. 2 quarts ought to do.

 

Thanks for the answers, but regarding the monitoring of the temperature. Why does that need to be done? My manual also mentions this, but my mechanic says he always does it cold. I don't know if that's because I told him not to flush it, just replace it. But his work is extremely good so I'd like to believe him when he says it can be done cold.

 

Because you cannot get enough in w/o running the tranny. The actual level is above the fill hole - which is why your idea above wont work. So, since you have to have the tranny turning and pumping and that causes heat, you need to watch the fluid temp to ensure you get it all in before the fluid expands too much, which would leave you short.

 

It can be done without monitoring the temperature. Just make sure that the tranny shop uses the correct fluid.

 

When the engine stops the fluid in the torque converter drains into the pan. When you drain the pan and remove the filter, you also drain fluid from the passage ways and valves. The only way to fill them is to pump them full... run the car through all the gears. If you do not do this the level will be very low. Clutches slip and burn up... bad

If you do everything as the manual says execpt letting it warm up, you'll end up with a slightly over filled transmission. (Fluid expands as it warms up.) I am not sure how sensitve these transmissions are to over filling but rotateing parts touching standing fluid will foam. Foamy fluid doesn't lube very well... bad. If you are going to go this far, why not let it heat up before putting the last plug in? They designed it this way to keep people from over filling them. (Someone thought it was important.)

P.S. sorry if this doesn't make sense... end of a 12 hour work shift.

 

Okay, if you all insist. If the temperature is that important, I can probably manage to borrow an infrared thermometer from a former employer. I don't know what the "proper" scan tool is, but it's probably out of my price range. I hope the infrared gun isn't thrown off by the metal shielding separating the beam from the fluid.

 

It will be..

Do what you want. Do it right, do it wrong. Its your car.

 

VAG Com (or similar) will read the temp. It is possible to get a cheap laptop, an eBay cable and the older shareware software to work.

Anyone that does any work on these cars should have one available.