My car is early VIN (don't have handy now but I know "early" as per threads here), just turned 94k mi.s. I don't believe trans or TC had ever been changed but not certain on that, nor am I certain on trans fluid service intervals. I have some records but mostly on DRC recall replacement, I need get whatever Audi has. I bought from orig. owner who I know and know maintained it well but some with indy and I just don't think he has the records (he has lots cars doesn't keep track of all so well).

I've had car about three years all stock and only driven occasionally, put about 5k miles in 3 years. About a month ago I decided to daily drive it for a while and about a week into doing that I thought really should do fluid filter service so I know its been done and with what. Got BND fluids and filter, did all as per the book and all went as supposed to and took amount expected = abt. 1.5 gal., filter pick-up was good length, some sludge on magnets but seemed normal, fluid looked fairly dark and not red like the new BND (I'm pretty color blind so couldn't really say if old had a color, wasn't black) and didn't smell burnt either. Only thing I would have done differently with change is if I had to do over again I would have drained and filled, then run a while then drained and changed filter and filled again for some flush action beyond the volume taken for pan fill. I was actually still planning to do that and just put second new filter on again.

I never had a problem with the trans, at all. It always shifted fine in auto and tip, never any slipping. I drove the car fairly hard some but never abused the trans knowing it was a marshmallow. So I changed fluid and started back to daily driving it, probably putting 50 or so miles a day avg. and I remember thinking how the new fluid really seemed to improve the shifting. I was actually very surprised in improvement. I've been playing with all kinds cars for long time but have had very few true viscous transmissions esp. any with a real engine in front of them and never really knew a fluid change could make such a difference unless old fluid was really broken down.

So about 540 miles and 2 weeks after change I was stopped in traffic and went to move and car just revved and I thought I might have mistakenly hit gear selector or something so while I'm looking down at that all the sudden "BOOOMM!!" and car lurches forward and starts moving, subsequent shifts seemed not right also but I was just focused on getting back to where car lives. Eventually I notice all shift lights on dash "PNDR" are all lit up and its in some limp mode. So I get back, turn off car and turn back on and lights are back to normal and I try same stopped start and same thing and confirmed shifts beyond 1st to 2nd not right also. Check engine light was already on for some air something on bank 1 so not sure if trans threw codes but I'm pretty sure it must have if went to limp mode. I use friends vagcom so I'll prob. have whatever codes it threw tmrw.

I read up on forum threads on blown trans / TC and was starting to think clutch pack 1. Was going to do ride in 5th test and see if slipping to confirm clutch pack 1 is culprit but then I called 517 Trans and Sam apparently is no longer there but spoke to Carmine and explained all and he seemed very knowledgeable and said his first guess would be TC. He said get codes first and call him back.

So questions for you RS6 professors:

1 - what's the over-under on fluid change messing up trans after couple weeks and 540 miles? My inclination is not very likely, if just little bit after change I would be more skeptical but trans ran better than ever those couple weeks and 540 mi.s. Carmine at 517 Trans thought same.

2 - Carmine at 517 Trans knew the trans real well and knew the car a fair amount said had worked on plenty pulling and rebuilding trans' etc. said car (not trans but car) was one of worst / most difficult cars he's worked on and said trans is def. not well suited for the powerplant in his opinion. He also said he does beef up / improve TC some when he redoes them and can do limited things to clutch packs and valve body and other internals but not much, said maybe improve rating 50-60 HP and TQ. Basically said even if redo as robust as he can he wouldn't go throwing a bunch more HP & TQ at it.

Any other experiences from anyone getting trans fortified and having luck with longevity and a real bump in HP / TQ? And if so how fortified and by who. Haven't sought out opinion yet from the Tozo I see referenced so much.

I have read many other threads with people opining the trans is never going to be substantially better / more robust no matter what. I've also read few threads on people having trans "fortified" and running substantially more HP / TQ and having to replace / repair again in not too distant future.

3 - If I confirm it is TC how bad of a idea is it to not rebuild rest of trans with 94k mi. on early VIN car? I really don't want to go thru expense and time delay of doing all that if I don't have to. And if I do end up doing full rebuild seems I've read can get new (maybe rebuilt) box from Audi for $5kish which is what 517 Trans said was range for full rebuild. Which is better option? I wouldn't mind paying more $$ if box was going to come back substantially better and stronger but to fork out to get back what is essentially same and still a weak link is no fun. Maybe Tozo has different and better solution?

4 - Can trans / TC be removed without removing engine? Haven't researched or read book on that at all yet but figured I'd ask. If I pulled engine I would undertake some of the usual maintenance things, time belts and rollers all pretty new, but could do O2s, valve cover gaskets, cam chain pads prob. , maybe remove SAI etc.

Thanks in advance for any help and input.


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