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Thread: RS6 Transmission issues?

  1. #1
    Registered User 2TURBOV8's Avatar
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    RS6 Transmission issues?

    Greetings,

    It seems a lot of 2003 RS6's have had, or are having transmission issues. What is the best way to fix this? It seems even the bone stock ones are having issues eventually. Once you mod the car, and really increase the HP, what can you do to make sure the transmission holds up? Rebuild it? IPT or Level 10. What about transmission coolers? Has anyone tried that? What is the best way?

    Eric Smith

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    BND trans fluid
    MTM TCU chip
    Tozo trans upgrade

    Take your pills and call me in the am

    Quote Originally Posted by 2TURBOV8 View Post
    Greetings,

    It seems a lot of 2003 RS6's have had, or are having transmission issues. What is the best way to fix this? It seems even the bone stock ones are having issues eventually. Once you mod the car, and really increase the HP, what can you do to make sure the transmission holds up? Rebuild it? IPT or Level 10. What about transmission coolers? Has anyone tried that? What is the best way?

    Eric Smith

  3. #3
    Registered User snoopra's Avatar
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    +1. What he said
    2003 RS 6______________________________________________
    Mugello Blue/Silver Interior/Wood Trim/Warm Weather Package/
    LED Tail lights/RNS-E/DVD Video/OEM S5 19's/Custom Painted Calipers/Full CAT-Less, Nonresonated Milltek/APR DV's/
    H-Sport Sway Bars/5 Bar FPR/ABT Aluminum pedals/MTM TCU Chip

    -------Other Rides
    2007 Cadillac Escalade
    2007 Jeep Compass
    2006 Jeep Commander
    2006 Chevy Colorado Reg Cab
    -------

  4. #4
    Registered User V8weight's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by DHall1 View Post
    BND trans fluid
    MTM TCU chip
    Tozo trans upgrade

    Take your pills and call me in the am
    Yep. I've put a lot of power through this trans. 85k miles and still on the original one. I have the MTM tcu chip, and run the BND trans fluid (changed every 20k miles).
    Pat - Eisenmann race exhaust, Catless downpipes, KW V3's, H-Sport sways, 034 Control arms, Apikol diff mount, Sterns motor mounts, Forge dv's, Stainless brake lines, Venair hoses, Sportec vent mod, Euro tails, Viper Tuned ecu/tcu, DPE S20's 19x9.5, 275/30/19's

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    Registered User 2TURBOV8's Avatar
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    I already have the APR ECU/TCU tune. How do I contact tozo. I have done a search with no luck. Where do I find the BND trans fluid? Can you possibly enclose links? Thanks a lot for the input guys!!

  6. #6
    Registered User V8weight's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 2TURBOV8 View Post
    I already have the APR ECU/TCU tune. How do I contact tozo. I have done a search with no luck. Where do I find the BND trans fluid? Can you possibly enclose links? Thanks a lot for the input guys!!
    TozoM8 is a member of this forum, just shoot him a PM to contact him. For BND Quantum Blue pruducts, call Brian directly. It's worth your time for the education alone. Here's his website:
    http://www.bndautomotive.com/page/page/929427.htm
    Pat - Eisenmann race exhaust, Catless downpipes, KW V3's, H-Sport sways, 034 Control arms, Apikol diff mount, Sterns motor mounts, Forge dv's, Stainless brake lines, Venair hoses, Sportec vent mod, Euro tails, Viper Tuned ecu/tcu, DPE S20's 19x9.5, 275/30/19's

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    Registered User johnnie27's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 2TURBOV8 View Post
    Greetings,

    It seems a lot of 2003 RS6's have had, or are having transmission issues. What is the best way to fix this? It seems even the bone stock ones are having issues eventually. Once you mod the car, and really increase the HP, what can you do to make sure the transmission holds up? Rebuild it? IPT or Level 10. What about transmission coolers? Has anyone tried that? What is the best way?

    Eric Smith
    Hi Eric come to oz we got upgraded Trannys on all the oz delivered cars here...6 years at 500+HP and still like new ! no just do what Mr Hall reccomends he is the guru ...or buy a benz.. sorry to be silly but we are about to head into spring!
    2004 RS6
    APR, KW, REMUS

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    Registered User Aronis's Avatar
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    There is a problem with the TC design. A common issue with the TC in the 2002,2003 year range of A6 V8's as well as A8's. The seal leaks and that leads to TC clutch failure and occasionally transmission failure.

    Audi has a bulliten sent to service centers on the issue. When the Torque Converter Failure code is found, the fix according to the bulletin is to replace the TC with a supposedly upgraded one.

    Level10 will take your Torque Converter and upgrade if for about $300. (remove and install is on you!) or sell you a 'new' TC for about $500. They say the replace the parts at issue with 'better ones'. They also do a 'bullet proof' transmission upgrade ?$5000 or so...

    I stumbled on my TC issue when my alternator failed at 102,000 miles, other than that I had a leak from the transmission seal at 70,000 miles or so and had the seal replaced, but no transmission trouble otherwise. The only real issue I have had is with the DRC. My car was on of the first two to have the DRC fail and after a 3 month ordeal it was put back to about 90% 'normal' and after the DRC recall "new" design last August it was about 91% of 'normal', thus NEVER NORMAL!

    My car is in the shop waiting to hear from the Warranty company! they MAY be paying for a new TC. I paide $4500 for my extended warranty and so far I got $1000 back on the alternator, $200 on a cruise control control stock, $300 on a cooler sensor, so the $3500 for a TC will put me ahead a few hundred LOL...

    Mike

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    Registered User V8weight's Avatar
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    You too Mike? My alternator opened the flood gates back up as well. Mine's at the dealer having the engine pulled right now for two new EGT sensors. The code popped up not a week after having the alternator done.
    Pat - Eisenmann race exhaust, Catless downpipes, KW V3's, H-Sport sways, 034 Control arms, Apikol diff mount, Sterns motor mounts, Forge dv's, Stainless brake lines, Venair hoses, Sportec vent mod, Euro tails, Viper Tuned ecu/tcu, DPE S20's 19x9.5, 275/30/19's

  10. #10
    Registered User Aronis's Avatar
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    I usually scan the ECU every few months, because I found that if you identify a problem early you are better off.

    I scanned when the alternator went and found a few codes, one being the torque converter code. The other was:

    16406 - Bank 2: Camshaft A (Intake): Advance Setpoint not Reached (Over-Retarded)
    P0022 - 001 - Upper Limit Exceeded - Intermittent

    I showed this code to the service rep and he did not seem to be concerned!

    The other code was:

    17125 - Torque Converter Clutch: Stuck OFF / No Power being transferred
    P0741 - 003 - Mechanical Failure


    This is linked to an Audi Bulletin about replacing the TC.

    God knows what else will be found if and when they pull the engine!

    Mike

  11. #11
    Registered User Hy Octane's Avatar
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    Did we ever really verify that the TC was strengthened since all these problems arose? I remember Qisha saying a long time ago that they were exactly as first offered and nothing had been changed.. Curious..

  12. #12
    Registered User V8weight's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hy Octane View Post
    Did we ever really verify that the TC was strengthened since all these problems arose? I remember Qisha saying a long time ago that they were exactly as first offered and nothing had been changed.. Curious..
    The TC's have not been strengthened per say, but they do have and updated stator and input seal design to prevent the internal leak that causes failures in the first place.
    Pat - Eisenmann race exhaust, Catless downpipes, KW V3's, H-Sport sways, 034 Control arms, Apikol diff mount, Sterns motor mounts, Forge dv's, Stainless brake lines, Venair hoses, Sportec vent mod, Euro tails, Viper Tuned ecu/tcu, DPE S20's 19x9.5, 275/30/19's

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    Registered User 2TURBOV8's Avatar
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    When you put in the BND trans fluid, are you just putting in the 4 quarts that you get out when you take out the drain plug? Audi told me that in order to get out all 9 1/2 quarts that are in the tranny and TC, you would have to take the tranny and TC off the car. So when putting in the Quantum blue, are you just putting in 4, or are you putting in 9 1/2 quarts? Can you flush out all 9 1/2, and replace without taking tranny and TC out of the car?

  14. #14
    Registered User V8weight's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 2TURBOV8 View Post
    When you put in the BND trans fluid, are you just putting in the 4 quarts that you get out when you take out the drain plug? Audi told me that in order to get out all 9 1/2 quarts that are in the tranny and TC, you would have to take the tranny and TC off the car. So when putting in the Quantum blue, are you just putting in 4, or are you putting in 9 1/2 quarts? Can you flush out all 9 1/2, and replace without taking tranny and TC out of the car?
    I buy 3 gallons of BND fluid, and drain and fill it in two cycles. First I drain the fluid, and refill (it will take just under 6 quarts). Then drive the car for about 20 miles, and allow to cool overnight. Then I drain the fluid again, and replace the filter, then refill again, with about another 6 quarts of fluid. This will get most of the old fluid out of the torque converter, and even if there's trace amounts left, I'm doing it every 20k anyhow. I only replace the filter every 40k.
    Pat - Eisenmann race exhaust, Catless downpipes, KW V3's, H-Sport sways, 034 Control arms, Apikol diff mount, Sterns motor mounts, Forge dv's, Stainless brake lines, Venair hoses, Sportec vent mod, Euro tails, Viper Tuned ecu/tcu, DPE S20's 19x9.5, 275/30/19's

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    Registered User 2TURBOV8's Avatar
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    Another thing, can you replace the APR TCU flash with the MTM TCU flash, and keep the APR ECU flash, or do you have to do them together? Everyone seems to think the $125.00 MTM TCU flash is the way to go with the transmission.

  16. #16
    Registered User V8weight's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 2TURBOV8 View Post
    Another thing, can you replace the APR TCU flash with the MTM TCU flash, and keep the APR ECU flash, or do you have to do them together? Everyone seems to think the $125.00 MTM TCU flash is the way to go with the transmission.
    The MTM tcu modification is just a soldered in E-Prom, just like the APR. There's no reason you couldn't stick with the APR ecu software and run the MTM tcu chip. That being said, I don't see any benefit from switching to the MTM chip. The only point in modifying the tcu is to raise the specified torque limits to prevent engine intervention after chipping the car. The technology is fairly limited, and I don't think there's much of a difference from brand to brand.
    Pat - Eisenmann race exhaust, Catless downpipes, KW V3's, H-Sport sways, 034 Control arms, Apikol diff mount, Sterns motor mounts, Forge dv's, Stainless brake lines, Venair hoses, Sportec vent mod, Euro tails, Viper Tuned ecu/tcu, DPE S20's 19x9.5, 275/30/19's

  17. #17
    Registered User hahnmgh63's Avatar
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    I'll say that I do get about 6 quarts out of the drain plug but I then pull the pan and clean the magnets and there is about 1/2 quart in the pan and by letting it drip overnight (oil cooler lines will somewhat drain as the cooler is above pan level) I get another 1/2 quart from draining overnight. Replace with a new filter (there cheap) and fill with about 7 quarts of fluid. I do this every 20K, I use Redline D4 ATF, 61K and tranny shifts fine but I hope it goes out in the next year before my warranty runs out.
    2003 White RS6 2013 Midnight Blue S5
    2013 Daytona RS5 2x944 Turbo's 1974 911 w/'91 3.6ltr motor
    Roy, WA

  18. #18
    Registered User Aronis's Avatar
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    I was told the original transmission never needs to be replaced!!!

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