Picked up an A4 from a craiglist listing for a song.. Had no reverse (Revving high would move it but only barely) and first gear would bang into gear.. Figured it would need a new one.. But woot! Drained the trans fluid. Only a little over a quart of charcoal black fluid came out.. Put about 7 quarts into it and its working like it's new!

To recap the how-to threads that I read over the past couple weeks before I could make time to get under it..

Drain it.

Stick the tube up in the fill hole. Bit of a pain since it's like a dome up there with a couple of holes front and back.. get the fill hose (attached to $6 fluid pump) in the hole facing the rear as far as you can.. (Ha!)

With car off, pump fluid in until it starts to spill.
Start the car.
Shift to each gear for about 20 seconds.
Keep the car running.
Pump fluid again until it starts to spill.
Replace the fill plug while the car is still running.
Woot! Done..

Took about 7 quarts..

Whoever says that these things never need fluid changes **For the life of** the trans is on drugs!

Next stop, steering rack and axle boot! The real fun will probably be going over the EVAP systems. I'm pretty sure there are some parts missing that I'll have to track down. Got the AllData for it, so we'll see!

 

Im having similar issues. No reverse, car will not shift out of 1st gear...when it tries to shift to 2nd, it thuds back to 1st harshly. I am getting no codes. Is this what yours was doing? Perhaps I have similar issue. Can you tell me if you had another problem-im assuming you did since you were low 6 quarts???Can you please let me know if you had something else causing leak??? thanks.

 

fill it with trans fluid and check for leaks.. I still have to replace a torque convert/front pump seal on mine..

 

I ordered a new trans filter and gasket, I just have not had time to go in and change my fluid. I was able to fix the tiptronic although car will still not drive unless I unplug the TCM (it will drive fine if locked in 4th)...no reverse.

You mentioned that you still need to do some work to fix the trans...I guess if mine is low on fluid, after I do this change there should be evidence of a leak somewhere, is that right? Like spots of fluid on driveway? Im going to see if I can do this soon.

 

rpwestcitt. time to drain and fill again. After all that reviving and driving with little fluid, theres bond to have been crud in there.

 

Nice save. Midniteoyl is right - you'd do well to do the drain/fill again. As for the rack, I put up a DIY awhile back on how to change it. It's in the DIY subforum.

 

Yeah man, your rack write up is key.. Only thing I'd add is that AllData has a pic of how you can get a socket extension up through the frame and straight onto that banjo bolt.. That job is the fricken worst, got it done about 9 months ago.. Took forever..

 

i had my tranny drained because i got stuck in a flash flood a few years ago, just to be safe... not a lot of fluid came out, and i had been having some issues with reverse and 2nd gear. 4 years later, no problems.