After having done some reading about VW's mysterious lifetime ATF, I just replaced the ATF and filter for my NB. The filter & oil pan were coated with a layer of sediment of shiny, metallic shavings. I didn't take any pictures but here's a thread posted by an Audi owner who had sent his used ATF to a lab for an oil analysis...

(note: Audi & VW use the same ATF):
http://forums.audiworld.com/a8/msgs/22083.phtml ... look at the oil specs

new -vs- old fluid

new -vs- old filters

"lifetime" ATF cultivates lifetime metallic sods (shavings)

here are some photos of the filter & oil pan:
http://www.audipages.com/Tech_....html

...and photos & report from a Passat'er:
http://www.taligentx.com/passa....html

Like other car-makers, VW knows that most owners don't keep their cars too far pass 100k. So they extend and/or delete the specifications on some costly items... i.e. 105k timing belt change on 1.8T engines, "lifetime" fuel filter and ATF. This is a marketing twist to help sell cars by advertising "minimal" maintenance.

So, if you intend to keep your VW for a while, do your bank account a favor by changing the ATF on a regular basis. This task is a bit complicated, but if you have the right tools & technical resource and want to do it yourself, most major VW/Audi auto-parts retailers now stock these VW-specific oils. For the 01M automatic, ask for the filter kit and ATF Pentosin G-052-162-A2, which is the same Part No. as VW's for Mk4. I would do the same with manual transmission oil, which is so much easier to change.

BTW, if you ask VW service writers, they'll entertain you with that "sealed with lifetime" gibberish... by Corporate mandate, of course. But if you talk with a VW or Audi mechanic who has actually removed the transmission oil pan and changed the oil, he/she will tell you otherwise.

Edit: DIY instructions (01M) by Dribiwire - http://www.chickenfriedsteak.org/01m.pdf

Cheers...

Modified by Cadenza_7o at 4:39 AM 9-17-2005



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Cadenza_7o)
Posted by: wclark at 8:05 AM 10-14-2003

My experience with auto transmissions in the past has been the first change was most important as this encompasses the contaminates generated during break-in as well as normal wear (and fluid breakdown - which is much less of an issue wuth synthetics).

By the way, I have similar lifetime transmission fluid advertising from BMW. I guess marketing is winning over engineering everywhere.

Modified by wclark at 5:06 AM 10-14-2003

Modified by wclark at 5:07 AM 10-14-2003



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (wclark)
Posted by: Drivbiwire at 8:56 AM 10-15-2003

Here is a link to the 01M tansmission fluid change in case your interested in .pdf format:

http://www.cst.cmich.edu/users...e.pdf

DB



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Drivbiwire)
Posted by: sjoback at 1:46 PM 10-15-2003

That's expensive. My dealer asks $15/1L and you can get them online somewhere between $10-$12.



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Cadenza_7o)
Posted by: sjoback at 4:04 PM 10-15-2003

Also, does anybody know if there is a filter on the tiptronic transmissions? it appears to be much different from the 4speed, and there are no signs of a filter with the valve bodies. hmm..



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (sjoback)
Posted by: Cadenza_7o at 4:35 PM 10-15-2003

Oh, forgot yours is a Tippy. Did you check the link above for the Passat ATF change? That Passat has a filter. Here it is with pix and narrative: http://www.taligentx.com/passa....html

Modified by Cadenza_7o at 1:37 PM 10-15-2003



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Drivbiwire)
Posted by: Cadenza_7o at 4:38 PM 10-15-2003

I would double-check what this service includes. More likely it's a simple ATF check & top-off. Without dropping, cleaning the pan and replacing the filter, the shavings and grayish friction material you see in the photos would still be circulating in the tranny.



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Cadenza_7o)
Posted by: baomo at 6:31 PM 10-17-2003

Let us know what you find out. If $150 is indeed the price, then it's actually not bad.

There's another service called "transmission fluid evacuation" or "flushing" service, whereby they disconnect the hoses at the transmission oil cooler and attach them to a pressure-flow machine - one for inflow, one for outflow. Using pressure, the machine forces in new fluid with one hose while receiving old fluid with the other. Once the outflowing fluid "looks" new, they turn it off and check fluid level... done. I'm not sure if VW uses this method but I would not recommend it without also cleaning the oil pan and replacing the filter. For trannies that haven't been serviced regularly, without doing the pan & filter, pressurized flushing actually stirs up the metal shaving at the bottom of the pan, which, in sufficient amount, will clog up the filter and eventually starve the transmission of oil. Many Jiffy Lube (or Iffy Lube) and EZ Lube offer this service as a short cut to the messy, time-consuming method of cleaning the pan & new filter.

One exception: for relatively newer cars w/o the bad stuff in the pan, flushing is okay.

Modified by Cadenza_7o at 3:53 AM 10-18-2003



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (FrankBeauregarde)
Posted by: wclark at 9:15 PM 10-19-2003

Personally I havent seen a modern automatic without a filter, and I think it would be totally foolhardy to offer an automatic with a "lifetime" fluid and no filter, but I have seen dumber stuff (lifetime transmission fluid for one).



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (wclark)
Posted by: Cadenza_7o at 4:50 PM 10-20-2003

A filter & gasket kit cost me $22, so $40 from the dealer sounds right.

ATF: this is a sticking point. "Synthetic mineral" is an oxymoron, but there's such a thing as "synthetic blend" or a mixture of both Synthetic and Mineral. Synthetic oil is made of a different stock, completely man-made. I believe the best way to describe VW's (Pentosin) ATF is "refined mineral oil" with a healthy additive package to help the oil last longer. The Pentosin bottle itself has no mentioning of "synthetic", but the re-packaged VW bottle does... however, they both used the same Part #!!!

FYI, German laws requires that an oil be "full synthetic" to be labeled as such. In the U.S., we haven't gotten around to this regulation yet. Which gives oil corporations a loophole to milk their customers with false advertising.

Modified by Cadenza_7o at 3:20 PM 10-21-2003



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Cadenza_7o)
Posted by: baomo at 6:38 PM 10-21-2003

The temperature is important but IMO, not Swiss-precision. If you have the Bentley manual, it says that the ATF should be 95-113*F while you check the fluid level. 95-113*F is hot-tub warm. Check the links above, including the Acrobat file put together by Drivbiwire. He's done a good job, very clear.

Modified by Cadenza_7o at 4:58 PM 10-21-2003



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Cadenza_7o)
Posted by: Dimitri16V at 12:52 PM 10-22-2003

I got the same responsefrom Amsoil on that spec fluid. They tend to be very careful about recommending any of their products, particularly transmission oils and fluids. They recently announced a fluid for Allison transmissions and it would surprise me if they werent working on a fluid for the ZF trannys that require this spec ESSO fluid (most of them) since these transmissions appear in an awful lot of car brands, especially those from Europe.



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid
Posted by: baomo at 3:22 PM 10-29-2003

What he says is true but it only applies to pressurized flushing and without replacing the filter & cleaning the pan.

If the tranny hasn't been serviced in the last 100k, you shouldn't do a PRESSURIZED flushing. This is done by a machine by hooking up in-flow and out-flow hoses to the AFT cooler. With the engine running, the machine pumps in new ATF with one hose and receives old fluid from another. Once the old fluid looks like new, they shut off the machine, check the fluid level.... done. Most of the time, these idiots don't even change the filter. Due to the pressure and engine running, all the gunk from the oil pan and torque converter broke loose and circulate everywhere in the tranny. It can clog up the filter so bad that oil starvation is possible. This is why you sometimes hear people reporting tranny failure within a few days after a ATF flushing.

What you're doing is completely different. First, the filter is replaced and the pan is cleaned. Second, the tranny is NOT running. Third, there's no pressurized pumping involved.



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (FrankBeauregarde)
Posted by: Cadenza_7o at 4:12 PM 10-29-2003

To check the transmission fluid level and the gear oil level costs very little at a VW dealer. The gear oil level to tough to get to check and the transmission check requires it be on a hoist.

It's in the Bentley.



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (francismartin)
Posted by: baomo at 8:55 PM 10-29-2003

I'm not a mechanic, just a DIYer but some mechanics refer to it as having two "sumps", one for the transmission fluid and the other for the gear oil. they appear to be right next to each other in automatics.

I've checked mine myself and have to admit it was a pain. I had the dealer check the transmission fluid.



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (francismartin)
Posted by: Cadenza_7o at 9:40 PM 10-29-2003

Frank - you oughta get a Bentley manual. It's cheap on Ebay.



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Cadenza_7o)
Posted by: sjoback at 11:00 PM 10-29-2003

A write-up sounds great, Take pictures if you can. The 5 speed tiptronic is so new that most of us haven't put enough miles on them to warrant a fluid change yet. At 60,000 km (40,000mi) I will certainly change mine, it was easy to do on the past three automatics I've owned, with good results.



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid
Posted by: Cadenza_7o at 5:55 PM 11-3-2003

Update: Pix of Auto tranny filter kit...

Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Cadenza_7o)
Posted by: Jetta_1.8Tip at 1:39 PM 11-4-2003

Thanks!



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (art.clemens)
Posted by: DaFabolous2.0 at 8:50 PM 11-4-2003

well well...

my 2.0 is just sitting in my garage til friday so it gets towed to a tranny shop to get rebuild...i was told the same thing, its a lifetime fill, no tranny filter, just the oil...i didnt believe that, but it was the dealer's word...car was driving fine until it just kicked out of gear and then suddenly neutral bombed itself into 2nd gear and started peeling out on rt.17 going home...i took my car to the dealer and said that i needed a new tranny (this was at when the car had 88k miles) and i said the car still has the powertrain warranty, but i was the 4th owner of the car and i couldnt get a tranny, so i decided to change the fluid and the "filter" and the car actually went into gear, but slipping, so i was driving it like a manual, (i called it stickmatic at the time) put it to 1st, go to desired rpm then let go of gas, then shifted, but the funny thing was that i had to let the car warm up, then it goes to gear, but makes a weird whining noise, car was moving at least 10 mph until it goes into gear...later on during the month, problem got even worse, the tranny made like a supercharger whining noise and whenever i downshifted, it locked up the front wheels, then goes into gear, then i decided to stop driving it afterwards cause that was scary...

oh well...i just cant wait for my car to be running again, but then im selling it and plan to get something else, yes its going to be another dub, but this time, im making sure that its a manual next time

ill keep an update once i get the car running again...

BTW for all the experts here, about the speed sensor being the dipstick, can i just pull it out or do i need a tool

Modified by DaFabolous2.0 at 5:54 PM 11-4-2003



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Cadenza_7o)
Posted by: tjm at 3:04 AM 11-5-2003

I have a 99 1/2 vw golf 2.0 with an automatic....i have 140k on the car. the first engine died at 125k. I couldn't afford to swap in a real motor, so i had a low mileage (3k) 2.0 installed by a replacement shop. when it came to the transmission, the shop told me that i shouldn't have to replace the tranny, but if it was shifting rough (which it was) I should just have it serviced, which meant new filter and fluid. i agreed.

when it came time to service the trans, the engine replacement shop sent it to VW, they said they used a "vacuum system" to service it, which I now understand could be the ole "power flush" method....shifted fine when i got it back....20k miles later i have a groaning transmission that still shifts fine, but is a little wet under the pan. I want to do something about this.

I decided I was going to service the transmission myself. I went to the dealer to get a replacement fill plug, some fluid and a filter.....the only thing they stock is the fluid.....figures......I have a haynes manual and a VAG-Com trial setup at this point. I would love to get a bentley manual, but i'm too busy spending money on other issues with this car (besides the transmission) to afford the bentley stuff at this time.

can anyone give me clear direction on how to diagnose and service the transmission on my car? i assume I may be losing fluid because of the "groaning noise", either that or the dealer didn't fill it correctly in the first place.



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (DaFabolous2.0)
Posted by: Cadenza_7o at 5:41 AM 11-5-2003

You may want to consider doing a second drain & refill since 1/2 of the old ATF was stuck in the torque converter. Make sure you check that the fluid level is correct. Slipping and harsh shifting are usually signs of low fluid and/or fluid contamination, which can screw up the normal operation of the valvebody.

As for the the final drive lube, Bentley doesn't indicate any special tool to remove the speedo drive-gear. You should be able to tell by taking a close look.



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (tjm)
Posted by: Cadenza_7o at 5:59 AM 11-5-2003

Power flushing a high mileage auto tranny like yours can bring negative results, especially if they didn't drop/clean the pan & replace the filter. The pressure can dislodge shavings, friction materials and contaminants from the pan as well as the torque converter, and circulate them into the gears and valvebody and clogs the filter. Many trannies have failed after a power flush.

Parts: Scroll back and download the pdf file by Drivbiwire. His report & photos are pretty clear. Has all the tools and parts list too. If there's leakage at around the pan, the rubber gasket is too dry. You need a new one. ECS Tuning has a kit (see photos). Haynes may be sufficient but Bentley is not expensive. I got mine on Ebay at half the price.

Groaning... Hard to say. Low fluid or contaminated fluid can cause noises and rough shifting. When you replace the filter and refill new ATF, make sure you have the correct amount.



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Cadenza_7o)
Posted by: tjm at 6:35 AM 11-5-2003

btw...my tranny shifts fine, i just get a groaning noise much like you'd get from a power steering pump....I am used to working on older cars without rack and pinion, and when the fluid is low on those they groan....closest thing i can think of that illustrates the sound i'm hearing....once the car warms up it usually quiets down a bit, but is still present....maybe it's not my tranny and it's the pump or the rack...I'll get into it and find out.

I'm going to service the tranny per the pdf whether it's the cause of the groaning or not, just because mine has high miles and i know the dealer just power flushed it, which makes absolutely no sense to me....i bought a late model car to avoid this crap, but vw service sucks so much that i have no choice but to take matters into my own hands. this is not a hobby for me, i'm doing this out of necessity.

thanks for the info! ....guess i'll hunt down a bentley cd rom too...i am assuming that e-bay might be the best source from a cost standpoint?



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid
Posted by: baomo at 8:34 AM 11-5-2003

i see all the DIY's and they get great results



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Cadenza_7o)
Posted by: DaFabolous2.0 at 9:18 AM 11-5-2003

its too late...i was asking cause im gonna do a tranny service for someone and i just wanted to be sure

my tranny got fried, so its gonna get rebuilt, i tried another fluid change, but it didnt work out great



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid
Posted by: Cadenza_7o at 1:50 PM 11-5-2003

tjm - I would repeat the process just to get more of the bad stuff out. It may or may not solve the "groaning" but low and dirty fluid can cause noises. BTW, I got the paper copy of the Bentley manual for 1/2 price on Ebay. CD is good too but I often do work on many things at once so flipping the pages with dirty fingers is better than smudging my laptop.

FrankBeauregarde - I'd like to see the photos you took. Good to hear you noticed an improvement. Another drain-n-fill should help even further. I'm planning to do one as well in 10k, which brings my fluid ratio to 75% new, 25% old. If I had known that an ATF & filter change was possible at the time of purchase, I would have done a break-in fluid change at 5k. 40k/2yr is a good maintenance interval.

VW's claim of a "sealed tranny" is B.S. Of course, we know that now. Technically, there's no dipstick but it's NOT sealed. Like all trannies, there's a vent to allow hot gas/vapor to escape when it's hot. Without one the pressure can easily blow the rubber seals at high temps. And of course, there's always a way of draining and filling the pan. This "100k miles w/o tune-up" seems to be the industry marketing standard.

I was browsing the Touareg Forum and read a few posts regarding the "low" maintenance schedule. People seems to swallow the "sealed & lifetime" ATF like fine Swiss chocolate. The drivetrain on this vehicle is complex and VERY expensive... I've heard close to $9-$10k to replace. These guys are awaiting a RUDE AWAKENING!!! VW bless them!

Modified by Cadenza_7o at 10:54 AM 11-5-2003



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid
Posted by: Cadenza_7o at 2:11 PM 11-5-2003

Here's his report and photos: http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=1093467



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Cadenza_7o)
Posted by: DaFabolous2.0 at 10:52 PM 11-6-2003

like i said earlier in one of my posts, im doing a tranny job coming up soon at tech school and i told my teacher about this, showing all the posts and the lies that vw is saying and wants to do his fast and i dont want to mess up, i wanna be clear in some areas so that im sure or else i get a bad grade , so far i got an A, only A in the class



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (DaFabolous2.0)
Posted by: DaFabolous2.0 at 11:23 PM 11-6-2003

i still have the old tranny fluid in my garage (in a container of course) and i took pics of it this morning...

you guys are gonna get a kick out of the pics once you see them, but i gotta find the camera , im gonna post them up tomorrow



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (DaFabolous2.0)
Posted by: Cadenza_7o at 2:28 AM 11-7-2003

That's sound risky! I'm not an expert so I have to defer this question to a "VW-trained tech"... hehe...

Quote »

like i said earlier in one of my posts, im doing a tranny job coming up soon at tech school and i told my teacher about this, showing all the posts and the lies that vw is saying and wants to do his fast and i dont want to mess up, i wanna be clear in some areas so that im sure or else i get a bad grade, so far i got an A, only A in the class

It would be cool to have his opinion on the industry's current standard of "low" or "zero" maintenance on transmissions. Hey, are you going to tear down the tranny yourself? Good luck with that A!

Quote »

i still have the old tranny fluid in my garage (in a container of course) and i took pics of it this morning... you guys are gonna get a kick out of the pics once you see them, but i gotta find the camera, im gonna post them up tomorrow

do post them... and state the miles the oil had. Thanks!




Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (DaFabolous2.0)
Posted by: Nason at 8:27 AM 11-7-2003

BTW, not my teacher, but my co-worker.

Modified by Nason at 10:54 AM 11-10-2003



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (DaFabolous2.0)
Posted by: baomo at 8:58 AM 11-7-2003

as of now,i dont have time for the rebuild at the school, im rebuilding a chevy 350 with this kid (who owns the motor) putting vortec heads, edelbrock manifolds, holley carbs and so forth, we got it running, but we adjust the timing and fix the start up problem

the pics will be posted shortly, i gotta reinstall the program for the camera again

Modified by DaFabolous2.0 at 6:36 AM 11-7-2003



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (FrankBeauregarde)
Posted by: DaFabolous2.0 at 9:42 AM 11-7-2003

which its impossible to believe



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (DaFabolous2.0)
Posted by: DaFabolous2.0 at 10:07 AM 11-7-2003

the exact mileage on the fluid is 88283 miles

when i did the fluid change (which i dont have pics of) i remember when i drained all the fluid out of the pan, there was at least a 1/4 inch of crap stuck on the pan, and i was surprised that the tranny was driving on that fluid for that long! but anyways, filled it up to where it has to be filled and drove fine, but still was slipping until a month ago it fried on the way home (the miles on the new fluid is 2669 miles, total miles on the car is 90952)

here are the pics:

on this pic, you can see the passage hole that fluid goes to the filter, i know the pic sucks, but i tried to make it better to see the crap inside of the filter

on this pic, its the other side of the filter, see how its all black and also the filter inside, how its all disgustingly dirty

and on this pic, this is the tranny fluid, 88283 miles out of it, its all black and on the bottom of the pan, as you can see on the pic, those little bubbles are actually metal shavings or chunks i should say from the tranny, and so basically it just crapped itself out

the victim of the "lifetime" tranny fluid

i dont have pics of the tranny fluid thats inside of the tranny now cause in a few hours i gotta clean my car out cause the tow truck is on its way to take it to the trans shop, but i can tell you, from sticking my finger inside the tubing, its black already...all i have to say to all you vw owners, get your tranny serviced at 30k miles, you guys dont want to take the risk of vw brainwashing your heads of this lifetime stuff, theres no such thing for anything, just believe in preventable maintience (however you spell that)


Modified by DaFabolous2.0 at 12:35 PM 11-7-2003



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (DaFabolous2.0)
Posted by: baomo at 10:53 AM 11-7-2003

my tranny started to slip with the original fluid, then it wouldnt go into gear...when i changed the fluid, it moved, but made a weird groaning noise and wouldnt move faster than 10 mph and it will rev freely but stays around 10 mph, but then it will "go" into gear, what im guessing is that for some reason, the clutches get stuck until it just catches the gears, it just got worse and worse, the last day i drove it, also the day the tranny died, it will just lose the gear, shut off the car, start it up again and leave it on first gear, if you were to upshift, then it will slip out of whack and wont engage into second gear, even before that problem, if i were to be driving in third gear, then downshifts to 2nd, it will lock up the wheels then goes to second gear, its like neutral bombing into the gear by itself

Modified by DaFabolous2.0 at 8:27 AM 11-7-2003



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (DaFabolous2.0)
Posted by: Cadenza_7o at 3:36 PM 11-7-2003

Thanks for the pics. From your description, it sounds like your wet clutches had very little friction material left. Wet clutches works like a dry clutch plate, but there're more of them in an auto. These wet clutches, when worn down enough, slipping occurs and gear changes or engagement become rough and erratic. With that much friction material (1/4") deposited in the oil pan, the filter was most likely clogged and starved both the gears and valve-body of lubrication, and eventually led to overheating.

With my ATF & filter change, friction material coated the filter housing and the bottom of the oil pan. The thickest part was on the magnet strip - about 2mm.

Modified by Cadenza_7o at 1:47 AM 11-9-2003



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (DaFabolous2.0)
Posted by: DaFabolous2.0 at 3:37 PM 11-7-2003

Conveniently, 100k miles was where the "old" Powertrain Warranty cuts off. I wonder what they say now that the new warranty is 60k.



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Cadenza_7o)
Posted by: DaFabolous2.0 at 9:54 AM 11-8-2003

i thought it was 50k



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (DaFabolous2.0)
Posted by: sjoback at 1:25 PM 11-8-2003

50k bumper to bumper, 60k for powertrain on current cars 02+ (not sure on earlier). thanks for sharing your pics and info



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Cadenza_7o)
Posted by: DaFabolous2.0 at 8:47 PM 11-8-2003

YES!!! thats what exactly happened this one night i was driving around and my trans went out of whack and overheated (wondering that not only i fried my clutches, also that i fried my whole tranny?) exactly how you described it, then it went into "limp home" mode and surprisingly made it back, then the next day it just stop working...

im wondering, my reverse makes that feeling that it engaged to the gear, but then it doesnt move anywhere, so im guessing that my clutches were history...

Modified by DaFabolous2.0 at 5:50 PM 11-8-2003



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (sjoback)
Posted by: DaFabolous2.0 at 8:52 PM 11-8-2003

no prob, glad to help



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (DaFabolous2.0)
Posted by: DaFabolous2.0 at 10:07 PM 11-8-2003

does anyone have links for changing the fluids on the manual tranny, i.e. 02A/020 tranny



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (DaFabolous2.0)
Posted by: DaFabolous2.0 at 7:44 PM 11-9-2003

i think you guys will be surprised from this...

i know a dealer that sells a dipstick kit for the 01M tranny and i even asked the parts manager about this, i forgot how much the kit was, but once i found out, ill let everyone know



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (DaFabolous2.0)
Posted by: Cadenza_7o at 8:05 PM 11-9-2003

You're not pulling our chains, are you?

If it exists, please get the part number.

TIA



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (tjm)
Posted by: DaFabolous2.0 at 10:33 PM 11-9-2003

my teacher told me about it cause he called the dealer and wondered if they sell a kit, and the guy said they do

im gonna ask him again tomorrow to be sure of this



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (DaFabolous2.0)
Posted by: Holden McRoin at 9:08 AM 11-10-2003

i asked my teacher today about the "low-zero" maintenance thingy about cars today, and he said that the reason car manufactures say that is because they can get people to sell their cars faster, also he mentioned that if you follow your "preventive maintenance" schedules (example: oil changes, timing belt changes, etc) your car will last to its fullest, since car compaines lie about low maintenance or lifetime parts, the cars will start to have minor problems, then become major and wont last you that long, thats why people bad mouth about their car not working well is because compaines lie to us comsumers

i also asked him about the dipstick for the 01M, if he's for sure that they do have a kit, hes gonna find out sometime this week...i hope the parts manager didnt mixed up the 096 for the 01M, then i be really scared to get parts from him again



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (DaFabolous2.0)
Posted by: Cadenza_7o at 2:48 PM 11-12-2003

Get a load of this: some Mercedes models NO LONGER have dipsticks for engine oil... http://theoildrop.server101.co...04272

Quote »

i also asked him about the dipstick for the 01M, if he's for sure that they do have a kit, hes gonna find out sometime this week...

Any word on this yet??



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Cadenza_7o)
Posted by: DaFabolous2.0 at 5:03 PM 11-12-2003

i called the dealer myself today (the same dealer that told my teacher that they had a dipstick for the 01M) and asked them if they had the kit for the 01M, they said yea, so i asked him for the part number and the first 3 digits he told me were "096" and i stopped him and asked him if it was for the 096, and then he goes, oops, i read it wrong im sorry, we dont have a kit for it

vw dealers , dont know what they are looking at



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Cadenza_7o)
Posted by: Holden McRoin at 5:08 PM 11-12-2003

Pull the speedo gear/cable, measure/add gear oil (ATF in the case of an auto), reinstall the speedo gear/cable, done.

Modified by wclark at 9:50 AM 11-14-2003

Modified by wclark at 9:52 AM 11-14-2003



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Holden McRoin)
Posted by: DaFabolous2.0 at 5:45 PM 11-12-2003

now some oil sensors is suppose to tell you that the oil is full or not



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (DaFabolous2.0)
Posted by: Holden McRoin at 11:38 AM 11-14-2003

http://theoildrop.server101.co...01047



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Holden McRoin)
Posted by: Cadenza_7o at 2:10 PM 11-14-2003

I've read/heard about that method of exchanging ATF. The cooler these guys are thinking about is the "traditional" radiator type cooler located next to the coolant radiator or somewhere else that has good airflow. Therefore, there're usually 2 hoses (like coolant hoses) between the ATF cooler and the tranny. These lines are what they disconnect to exchange the ATF. But with our 01M, the hoses that you see are actually coolant hoses, not ATF hoses. The ATF itself flows ONLY within the cooler, which is directly bolted on the transmission housing. So technically speaking, the ATF itself never leaves the tranny.

To get "most" of the old fluid out on our 01M, you simply repeat drain & refill after you've done an ATF & filter change and cleaning the pan. For example, there's 5.3 liters in the tranny. Each time you do a drain & refill, you use 3.0 liters. The tranny now has 56% new and 44% old. Drive it for a week or so and do another drain & refill, now there's 75% and 25% old, which is sufficient if you maintain the tranny on a regular basis.

AutoRx seems to bring good results so far for those who have used it. I'm considering a "wash & rinse" for my engine & tranny as the car gets closer to 100k.



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Cadenza_7o)
Posted by: DaFabolous2.0 at 8:38 PM 11-15-2003

im getting my tranny rebuilt and i was questioning if i should change my fluid after the "break-in" period like, around 5k miles or i should go all the way to 25k miles



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (DaFabolous2.0)
Posted by: Cadenza_7o at 4:26 AM 11-16-2003

i got the tranny rebuilt ...clutches went, bands melted, everything went, you name it, it happened $2200 for all the parts...not only that the fluid cause the problem, the TCM went with it too...so i didnt take a risk of driving it back home on wednesday, im gonna wait til i get the TCM and finally get it back...

'til next time



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (DaFabolous2.0)
Posted by: Cadenza_7o at 9:57 PM 12-1-2003

$2200... OUCH!!! Sorry to hear that...



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Cadenza_7o)
Posted by: DaFabolous2.0 at 10:39 PM 12-1-2003

im searching around for a TCM (01M 927 733 E), for a new one, i heard that i can be around $450...i found some salvage yards and they are selling around $125 ...gave them a call, but never called back ...gonna try tomorrow to call



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (DaFabolous2.0)
Posted by: Cadenza_7o at 6:51 PM 12-4-2003

BTW, where is the TCM located?



Post Title:
Posted by: JEM at 4:18 AM 12-5-2003

Just took my Passat in for tranny problems. Heard a cavitation noise when shifted into reverse. They checked the level and it was normal but the fluid that came out of it was black like the plastic on your VW key. There was also metal in the pan but I don't know if that is from the lousy fluid or my K04 kit making the clutches slip . Luckily they are replacing the tranny with a new one.

Modified by JEM at 3:22 AM 12-5-2003



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Cadenza_7o)
Posted by: JEM at 4:31 AM 12-5-2003

The TCM on my 99 Passat is located in the passenger side floor pan. You have to remove the plastic thresehold and lift the carpet. Reach in and lift up on the front of the box and slide towards the front of the car and it will come free. Then you will be able to pull it out from under the carpet and open the box. Hope this helps.



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (DaFabolous2.0)
Posted by: VW97Jetta at 4:34 AM 12-7-2003

Sounds about right (price-wise)....

I would've sold you my 01M with only 35k miles on it for $1,200....



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (VW97Jetta)
Posted by: MR.ROCCO at 1:51 AM 12-12-2003

yea, but you told me that you changed your mind about your 5-speed swap and wait til the spring

...no biggie



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Cadenza_7o)
Posted by: DaFabolous2.0 at 11:30 AM 12-13-2003

on the mk3s, they are located in the back seat on the driver's side, underneath it..



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (MR.ROCCO)
Posted by: DaFabolous2.0 at 11:32 AM 12-13-2003

$5?!!!

a dealer in linden nj wanted $70 for the filter itself



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (DaFabolous2.0)
Posted by: baomo at 12:04 PM 12-13-2003

Yeah.....but if you said you wanted it, I would've done it right there and then......ah well, it's all good .



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (VW97Jetta)
Posted by: DaFabolous2.0 at 11:37 AM 12-17-2003

well i got the dub back on monday morning ...and i got a TCM from a nearby salvage yard and it was in working condition, except for the sport mode, which would make a harsh 1-2 shift, so i went very lightly on the gas pedal (i am looking around for a working TCM, one that works perfectly) for 2 days it was great...

i was on my way from dunkin d's to home and when i slowed down to make a right onto my street, it downshifted harsh from 3-2 and the CEL went on again (i CAN'T believe it!!!) anyway, im calling a few other yards and try those tcms out, if they all do not work right, then might as well get a new one...at the tranny shop, they had a golf there, swap the TCM into my car and the car worked like it was suppose to..

so now i gotta find another one

if anyone knows where i can find more TCMs, that would be very very appreciated around the jersey, new york area

right now, its running on this code: 01M 927 733 E
01M 927 739 (thats what i remembered from the original TCM that was in my car...)



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (DaFabolous2.0)
Posted by: JEM at 11:46 AM 12-17-2003

no it was 01M 927 733 E or 739

<edit> the tranny shop told me that the last digits were 739, im gonna try to look around for the original tcm...

<edit> i hooked up the scanner to the computer and i got this trouble code

P0748 - Pressure Control Solenoid Electrical
remember, this TCM did have a problem....i did clear the code, but still stuck on limp-home mode, so im guessing it went bad

Modified by DaFabolous2.0 at 10:06 AM 12-17-2003



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (DaFabolous2.0)
Posted by: JEM at 5:46 PM 12-17-2003

1H1-927-739CN
01M-927-733E
1H1-927-739AR

that is all that is listed, if it isn't one of these then I guess I can't help.

Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (JEM)
Posted by: DaFabolous2.0 at 8:19 PM 12-17-2003

im gonna have to call the tranny shop and see if they still have the original TCM...i cant find it



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (DaFabolous2.0)
Posted by: JEM at 8:24 PM 12-17-2003

the one i got, i paid around $100 for, and for the 4 TCMs that i found, are $50-60 each

<edit>
here's what im wondering, why would my original TCM would go bad...

Modified by DaFabolous2.0 at 5:42 PM 12-17-2003



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (DaFabolous2.0)
Posted by: jettatech at 9:12 PM 12-17-2003

Aside from Red Line (D4ATF) they where the only ones who actually recommended their fluid. I was wondering if anyone has tried anything other than ther dealer's german brand.



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (FrankBeauregarde)
Posted by: JEM at 2:12 PM 12-19-2003

So far I know of 2 Mk4 owners using Redline D4-ATF and one NB'er using Amsoil Universal ATF. They've all verified the compability with VW ATF before putting the fluid into the transmission. I've not heard of any problems yet...

Most still use VW ATF (Pentosin) for warranty reasons.



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Cadenza_7o)
Posted by: baomo at 5:08 PM 12-19-2003

http://www.pentosin.de/eng/pro....html

http://www.pzlqs.com/Tech/Pdsh...d.pdf



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Cadenza_7o)
Posted by: JEM at 5:08 PM 12-19-2003

According to this Passat owner, LT-71141 is made by Esso and is used in VW Tiptronic made by ZF: http://www.taligentx.com/passa....html

The Amsoil info I got is from "granspajess" in my thread at Newbeetle.org:
http://forums.newbeetle.org/sh...ber=3

Modified by Cadenza_7o at 2:49 PM 12-19-2003



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Cadenza_7o)
Posted by: baomo at 7:08 PM 12-19-2003

You know I went to Pep Boys last week for some carb cleaner and checked out the transmission filter section and they stock a Purolator filter kit; $32 for the kit (filter, gasket, seal ring).
Well if VW's stance is that the transmission is 0 maintenance why do after-markets like Purolator make replacements and why does Pep Boys stock them? I guess people are buying and using them.



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (FrankBeauregarde)
Posted by: JEM at 7:43 PM 12-19-2003

Zero maintenance for VW, mucho dinero and foul expletives for us when the powertrain warranty is out the window.



Post Title:
Posted by: okanagan45 at 8:51 PM 12-19-2003

Quote, originally posted by sjoback »

well yeah, its $12 a bottle for the 4 speed auto fluid, but the tiptronic fluid has a different part number and runs about $25 from vwparts.com.

Post Title: Re: (okanagan45)
Posted by: JEM at 2:45 AM 12-20-2003

I checked on the price of the fluid at the dealer and they told me it is 16 per quart. if you drain the pan and refill it will use about 3 quarts, but an entire drain and fill (including the TQ converter) it will take 9 quarts at 16 each is 144, yes that is US dollars and that is only for fluid. you still should buy a tranny filter and you need a gasket, tack on another 50.



Post Title: Re: (okanagan45)
Posted by: sjoback at 4:05 AM 12-20-2003

The 4spd and 5spd trannys are of a different design. The 4spd has different fluids for the final drive and the transmission. The 5spd does not seperate the final drive and transmission, and uses the same fluid to lubricate both.

The transmission oils for each are definately different, and the 5spd auto fluid is extrememly expensive. From the dealer, cost is around $30 per liter!!

If you go to http://www.1stvwparts.com and order the fluid from there, you can get it for about $20/liter. Still pricey. You can get the 4spd fluid there too, they charge 20% over invoice.

Some info I put up about changing tip fluid can be found here

Tips on Changing 5spd Tiptronic Fluid



Post Title: Re: (sjoback)
Posted by: JEM at 8:27 PM 12-20-2003

If you are referring to the 5spd tip that is in a Passat like my 99 then you are wrong. The final drive fluid (75w-90) is in a housing of it own, one on each side of the tranny. Then there is 9 quarts of special VW only tranny fluid and I you can get it cheaper then 30 per liter. I got 3 bottles for 16 each plus tax. Anyone need some fluid, 12 each?



Post Title: Re: (JEM)
Posted by: okanagan45 at 11:23 PM 12-20-2003

It was understood earlier that the Passat has a different gear box and separate differential reservoir.



Post Title: Re: (sjoback)
Posted by: DaFabolous2.0 at 11:35 PM 12-20-2003

thats rediculous...

the dealer by my house (not mentioning names) sells the fluid for $18 a bottle (01M) and another dealer selling it for $12, im not sure on the tip fluid, but $30 is a sick rip off

and i read an earlier post regarding the Quaker State fluid, i really wouldn't recommend using that fluid if vw states that the vw fluid is meant for that tranny...quaker state probably means for the 096 tranny...i read a bulletin about the 01M ATF, can be also used in the 096 tranny...but how can you use this fluid if it cant be mixed...but the 096 if it uses Dexron throughout its time... some confusing ****



Post Title: Re: (DaFabolous2.0)
Posted by: baomo at 11:10 AM 12-21-2003

My dealer wanted $50 for the filter and $30 for pan gasket and didn't even stock the seal ring. I found the whole kit at Pep Boys for $32. I cant' imagine a difference in quality worth $48.

Quaker State / Penzoil Multi-Vehicle ATF says its synthetic and mineral base stocks and is recommended for VW/Audi, Voith, ZF; who made the CHK transmission? I emailed them my transmission code an year and they said it would work. I'm sure it wouldn't last 100k (or lifetime like VW stuff claims) but at $47 for 5L of fluid and the filter kit you could afford to change it every 2 years / 40K miles, opposed to $140 for parts at the dealer or maybe $90 if you order online. You can order Redline or Amsoil, but I can't find it locally.

I recall reading somewhere that the service interval on the transmissions on MKIII were changed from 60k to lifetime without changing the transmission but by switching to this special fluid and by removing the dipstick. If that's true then you should be able to purge the system and switch to something else.




Post Title: Re: (FrankBeauregarde)
Posted by: DaFabolous2.0 at 2:27 PM 12-21-2003

http://www.20vturbo.com/tsb/mi...2.pdf



Post Title: Re: (DaFabolous2.0)
Posted by: amper at 12:16 PM 12-23-2003

So now the Jetta is at 55K+ and I'm really starting to get nervous--I think I'll do the change soon.

For the 096, I've always had great success with Mobil 1 ATF and changing it every 15,000 miles (I'm pretty hard on transmissions, which is why I'm *really* nervous about the Jetta). As you can see, my 096 is now at 199K+.

I'd be really interested to know if any one is using Mobil 1 ATF in their 01M.



Post Title: Re: (amper)
Posted by: amper at 12:21 PM 12-23-2003

how do you drain the other six liters of fluid???



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (amper)
Posted by: Cadenza_7o at 12:40 PM 12-23-2003

I changed mine at 50k and wished I had done it at 30k. You can't drain the torque converter, so multiple drains is necessary if you want to get most of the old stuff out. For the 01M, 2 drains should give you about 75% new fluid. For convenience, I'll just do 1 drain per year (15-20k) from now on and replace the filter every 2-3 years when I bleed the brake system.

So far I've heard of Amsoil and Redline ATFs being compatible with VW's 01M tranny. Not sure about the 096 though.



Post Title: Re: (amper)
Posted by: sjoback at 12:41 PM 12-23-2003

Modified by FrankBeauregarde at 6:57 PM 12-23-2003



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (FrankBeauregarde)
Posted by: DaFabolous2.0 at 8:12 PM 12-23-2003

well anyhow (going off topic here, sorry) im selling my ride http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=1162449 and going for a manual this time...i promise everyone this, that i will never buy another vw/audi automatic because of what i went through, its costing too much money to maintain the tranny and now its all fixed...i got a 1 year/12k mile warranty on it, but now its time for me to get a sticky...im sorry, but $3000 is too much

just my 2 cents



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (DaFabolous2.0)
Posted by: baomo at 9:13 PM 12-23-2003

Quote, originally posted by FrankBeauregarde »

Good luck with the sale DaFabolous2.0 ..sorry to see it go, hopefully it goes to a good person that will take care of it...

i hope so too Frank B. , thats why i have my car for sale in vortex and on Club H20 because i want this car to be sold to a vw enthusiast...i hate to see it go, its like you're giving the kid up for adoption, having fun memories and times with the car, but the bad feeling about it is that im not gonna see it ever again...im not gonna leave vw because of this, they just made a bad tranny and dont know how to maintain it well...i dont understand why they stop making the 096 tranny if they didnt had these many problems with the 01M...

Quote »

I agree no more VW/Audi auto's for me, my next VW will definitely be 5 speed and probably TDI. When (not if) the trans goes out on my golf I'm just going to make it a project car do a five speed swap maybe make it rally car

if you make a 5-speed swap to your Golf, make some posts and a DIY thing...making your Golf into a rally car sounds like a sweet project ...



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (DaFabolous2.0)
Posted by: DaFabolous2.0 at 12:52 PM 12-24-2003

another "sealed tranny" owner saved



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (DaFabolous2.0)
Posted by: okanagan45 at 1:50 PM 12-24-2003

And as for running out the fluid till its clear, I think the fluid is too expensive to do that! Besides, don't worry about the temp and all that crap. I say, just dump the fluid, pour in 4L and repeat again sometime soon. If you do a double change, you will have diluted the fluid pretty well.

The temp part of testing is only important if you are going to not be changing the fluid.

And yes, I think you're dreaming! But it's a nice dream!




Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (sjoback)
Posted by: Cadenza_7o at 3:30 PM 12-24-2003

$4542.99 - $1100 core, then another $1303.80 to install it. Total $4746.79

sure gald I got an extended warranty, I paid $75

Modified by JEM at 11:08 PM 12-27-2003



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Holy Piston)
Posted by: baomo at 10:22 AM 12-28-2003

Quote, originally posted by Holy Piston »

Here is an for you guys,in Hawaii,096 & 01M trannies list for $5,275.000 from the dealer!!!Labor is another $800.00-&1000.00 That sucks!!.

honestly, i almost pissed myself when i heard the price of a brand new 01M...but its better off rebuilding it since its still usable or even cheaper, a 5 speed swap is the better or best solution since it will last you a very very long time...the only problems i could think of is wear on the clutch, syncros and few others

..im surprised that the 096 is that expensive...i still wonder whats the difference on a non-sealed trans and a "sealed" trans i really see no difference, but the dipstick part



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (JEM)
Posted by: DaFabolous2.0 at 2:53 PM 12-28-2003

i takled to the dealer the other day (i forgot to post this) and they told me that 01M-927-733E tcm was used in the automatic 2.0 and that the tcms were all the same ... i picked up another tcm the other day and it was weird because the bracket for the tcm has this number stickered on -> 1H1-927-739AR and the tcm number was 01M-927-733E ...and now im confused if there was a tcm with the 1H1 number or if its just a bracket for the tcm

Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (DaFabolous2.0)
Posted by: Cadenza_7o at 4:59 PM 12-28-2003

A good manual tranny should last 200-300k easily if it's well-maintained and driven. Smooth shifting with rev-matching will minimize wear-n-tear.

Quote »

i still wonder whats the difference on a non-sealed trans and a "sealed" trans i really see no difference, but the dipstick part

Biggest difference is the lack of the dipstick.



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Cadenza_7o)
Posted by: DaFabolous2.0 at 5:51 PM 12-28-2003

hows your beetle doing



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (DaFabolous2.0)
Posted by: Holy Piston at 4:33 AM 12-29-2003

I'd be interested to hear what the main differences are, I thought it was the same transmission just different oil specs and no dipstick.



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Holy Piston)
Posted by: DaFabolous2.0 at 5:10 PM 12-29-2003

electronic lock-up, you mean its computer-controlled..? if so, why does the 096 also have a tcm to control it...it would be great to see the differences in both



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (DaFabolous2.0)
Posted by: Cadenza_7o at 6:36 PM 12-29-2003

Thanks for asking...

My NB is doing well since I changed the ATF & filter. It has racked up 6.5k miles since this thread was started. Actually, I just came back from a 600-mile trip with the new "chipped" ECU boosting at 1.0 bar. Woohoo -- totally different car! It's nice to hang with a "regular" Boxster until the 3-digit range... up till about 110mph then the P-car takes the NB for a walk in the park!

Quote, originally posted by Holy Piston »

There are actually BIG differences between the 2. The 01M has a electronic lock up torque converter.I have to bust out my VAG trans manuals and I can elaborate some more..........................

Cool... I didn't know the 01M has a lock-up torque converter. Can you pls confirm this after looking at your manuals?

Modified by Cadenza_7o at 3:48 PM 12-29-2003



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Cadenza_7o)
Posted by: DaFabolous2.0 at 6:51 PM 12-29-2003

what kind of "chip" did you get, if you dont mind answering... (jealous)



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (DaFabolous2.0)
Posted by: Cadenza_7o at 7:02 PM 12-29-2003

I got the chip at http://www.hartmann-motorsports.com



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Cadenza_7o)
Posted by: sjoback at 8:46 PM 12-29-2003

I bet you could keep pretty close if you had the 93/100 programs. Top end is much improved! The 91 top end doesn't make me too happy. Winter is ok, summer time no fun.



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (sjoback)
Posted by: Cadenza_7o at 3:45 AM 12-30-2003

THe newer 4-speed autos without the "sport mode" switch have lock-up clutches.



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Cadenza_7o)
Posted by: SleepyTT at 12:02 AM 1-10-2004

thats good to hear FrankB. but i also have the pan gasket leak too i just notice that this morning when my reverse slipped a lil bit, i thought it would be the 10 degree weather here ...i gotta take it to the tranny shop for them to deal with it or if i touch the tranny, it will void out my warranty and dont want to risk doing anything to it



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (DaFabolous2.0)
Posted by: DaFabolous2.0 at 1:54 PM 1-11-2004

thats where my tranny is leaking right now ...tomorrow i gotta take it to the shop and have them deal with it



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (DaFabolous2.0)
Posted by: DaFabolous2.0 at 1:56 PM 1-11-2004

Quote, originally posted by DaFabolous2.0 »

thats where my tranny is leaking right now ...tomorrow i gotta take it to the shop and have them deal with it

Is that where the final drive fluid is? I'm doing fluid change today.

Hitting my neighbors up for an L-shaped T-20 so I can do this line pressure adjustment.

http://forums.tdiclub.com/show...=true




Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (FrankBeauregarde)
Posted by: DaFabolous2.0 at 4:10 PM 1-11-2004

it smelled like VW ATF, not gear oil...the VW ATF can be also used with the final drive reservoir, i remember reading that from a vw bullitien



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (DaFabolous2.0)
Posted by: Cadenza_7o at 4:50 PM 1-11-2004

gotta use suction or something i think, hopefully a wet/dry vacuum with a really really thin suction pipe could work



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (DaFabolous2.0)
Posted by: Cadenza_7o at 6:48 PM 1-11-2004

It's for adjusting the line pressure to make shifting more responsive. Can be done easily when servicing an 01M auto trans.



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (zanzabar)
Posted by: Cadenza_7o at 5:03 AM 1-14-2004

zanzabar - how do you know how many clicks to turn?



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Cadenza_7o)
Posted by: kilgor at 2:28 PM 1-14-2004

i boughts 4L of fluid, but it only used about 2.5L... we checked the level 3 times...

i'll probably do it again in another 100k miles... it was very clean... i was very happy...

IS 2.5L to refill normal?

thanks

Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (kilgor)
Posted by: sjoback at 2:30 PM 1-14-2004

that sounds low, check some of the other posts, including the pdf, where the guy gives a how to. I think he used 3-3.5l.

how much fluid came out?



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (sjoback)
Posted by: Cadenza_7o at 4:18 PM 1-14-2004

The amount of wear is dependent on your driving condition. If it's mostly freeway with little stop-n-go, your clutches aren't constantly slipping for changing gears... which means minimal friction material on the filter and pan.



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Cadenza_7o)
Posted by: baomo at 9:38 AM 1-15-2004

Well I did that pressure line thing, although I lost count of how many clicks. I estimate about 24, I could have gotten more but I was using a hex not a torx, I was afraid I would strip it out. I haven't driven very much, but I can tell a difference.
I'll post more about it after I put a few more miles on.



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (FrankBeauregarde)
Posted by: Cadenza_7o at 10:00 AM 1-15-2004

Cool... drive it a while to get an accurate impression. Those who've done it have reported faster gear changes and noticeable reduction in delay when shifting from P to R or D.



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Cadenza_7o)
Posted by: kilgor at 7:26 PM 1-15-2004

when you check the level, is it supposed to be running at 98 deg. F? or not running....

thanks!

Brian




Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (kilgor)
Posted by: baomo at 7:45 PM 1-15-2004

I use a small but accurate plastic Suunto thermometer (2"L x 1"W x 1/8"D). The steel pan is an excellent heat conductor. I tape the thermomether tightly to the pan with clear masking tape. The temperature spec has almost a 20* gap (93F - 115F) so it's still a wide margin to work with. Once I ran through all the gears, I let the engine idle in P while watching the temp rise at the pan. The moment it hits 90*F, I open the drain screw and see if I need to drain/add. If you're extra careful, take it for a drive and check it again the next day.

Btw, make sure the car is level when you're doing this.

Modified by Cadenza_7o at 5:41 PM 1-15-2004



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (kilgor)
Posted by: T99inFL at 9:14 PM 1-15-2004

It actually shifts better now, than it did since buying it new... The down shifts are a lot smoother.. it used to be pretty harsh on the downshifts...

Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (kilgor)
Posted by: DaFabolous2.0 at 12:04 PM 1-18-2004

how much fluid did you drained out if you remembered



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (FrankBeauregarde)
Posted by: Cadenza_7o at 7:08 PM 1-23-2004

Hey Frank - have u gotten enough seat time with the new adjustment?

Curious to know as I'm planning to do the same when I do my next oil change.

Thanks...



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Cadenza_7o)
Posted by: baomo at 8:28 PM 1-25-2004

Its really easy to do, if your changing the fluid might as well do it.
It goes into gear great, and seems to shift quicker noticeably on my 2-3.

My ATF was dirty but not nearly as bad as last time. I'll probably do it again every 5k until it comes out looking new.




Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (FrankBeauregarde)
Posted by: Cadenza_7o at 3:49 AM 1-26-2004

The pause when shifting from R to D is almost 2 seconds... it's so annoying. Everytime I let somone else drive the car, I have to tell him/her NOT to touch the gas pedal immediately after the shift. It slams into gear if you don't wait.



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Cadenza_7o)
Posted by: DaFabolous2.0 at 6:58 PM 2-5-2004

Quote, originally posted by Cadenza_7o »

The pause when shifting from R to D is almost 2 seconds... it's so annoying. Everytime I let somone else drive the car, I have to tell him/her NOT to touch the gas pedal immediately after the shift. It slams into gear if you don't wait.

I tell my wife the same thing once a week. I have a GLX w/CLB tranny. When I got it it was pristine except half the tranny fluid leaked out of the filler tube.

LUCKILY, I had one of those cheesy 3rd party warranties and I nailed em to the wall, it cost me $600 but I got a NEW CLB! It has 25k on it now, I need to change the fluid soon.

I am tempted to do the adjustment as well but I am looking for long term effects...it is the wifes car afterall, don't want her stuck on the highway!



Post Title:
Posted by: mrcvr6 at 8:28 AM 2-19-2004

I dont have a tiptronic trans, just normal auto. Is it the same procedure?



Post Title: Re: (mrcvr6)
Posted by: sjoback at 6:26 PM 3-3-2004

http://www.cst.cmich.edu/users...e.pdf



Post Title: Re: (sjoback)
Posted by: baomo at 10:27 AM 3-4-2004

Anyway I posted some of these links in the transmission FAQ so hopefully people can find them easier.



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Cadenza_7o)
Posted by: Axelsimmons at 11:59 AM 3-8-2004

2000 GLS 2.0 4-speed. O1M transmission, will take 3-3.5 quarts of fluid when I change the fluid in 2.5 weeks or so, 51000 miles, mostly calm driving, interval is about right to do it now. I plan to buy the kit and fluid from ECS Tuning along with an oil pan drain bolt at the end of this month.

The tranny acts a little fussy from time to time but for the most part behaves. I think it's about time to change the fluid.

Is this all correct?



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Buran)
Posted by: baomo at 8:00 AM 4-23-2004

let us know how it turns out.



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Buran)
Posted by: Cadenza_7o at 11:50 AM 4-23-2004

I would buy the kit plus 4 quarts of fluid. The oil pan bolt isn't necessary but you may want to replace the washer, which the local VW dealer should stock.

Take your time and be very careful when removing the pan. Make sure all surfaces are clean and tidy before reinstallation.

Once you're done with the Drain/Refill, reset the Trans Control Module (TCM) by following these steps:

1. Turn ignition to ON (do not start engine)
2. Press the gas pedal to the floor till it clicks
3. Hold the pedal for 15 seconds
4. Release pedal gently
5. Turn Key to Off
6. Start engine and drive as normal

By resetting the TCM, it will re-adapt to your driving style.

Have fun!!!

Modified by Cadenza_7o at 2:00 AM 12-12-2004



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Cadenza_7o)
Posted by: Buran at 12:18 PM 4-23-2004

I've heard a slightly different procedure for the auto reset (press accelerator to floor twice within ... 5? 10? I forget ... seconds without starting car). Could be you're right on this, tho - it never made a huge difference to me before with the other method.



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Buran)
Posted by: Cadenza_7o at 12:30 PM 4-23-2004

http://www.cst.cmich.edu/users...e.pdf

As for resetting the TCM, I noticed that the gas pedal needs to be pushed rather hard. Depressing the pedal till it stops isn't enough, you need to apply more force and it'll move another 1/2 inch.



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Cadenza_7o)
Posted by: baomo at 8:11 PM 4-23-2004

i'm at 118k, about 17k since the first atf change and running strong.
i'm kinda surprised being that i neglected it for so long.

baomo - aka frankbeauregarde



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (baomo)
Posted by: Cadenza_7o at 5:35 PM 4-24-2004

The tranny is running fine. I've been quite busy so haven't had a chance to do the line pressure adjustment. The car has racked up 12k since the first tranny service, so another drain & refill is in order. I'll do the line pressure adjustment then as well.

Modified by Cadenza_7o at 2:37 PM 4-24-2004



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Cadenza_7o)
Posted by: MaxedOutCredit at 1:17 AM 4-25-2004

Thanks in advance.



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (MaxedOutCredit)
Posted by: T99inFL at 1:49 PM 4-25-2004

First remove the vehicle speed sensor wire harness. It's on the top of the transaxle and usually has a heat protection jacket over it. The harness/connector pulls off like the other wiring harnesses under the vw hood.

Second, remove the sensor itself. Try to screw it off by hand first, but if not use a socket (sorry I don't remember the size). You will have to find the right socket/ extention combo to have your wrench clear other objects around it.

Third, remove the spedometer drive shaft. This is the part that the sensor was stacked on top of. It removes just like the sensor itself just unscrew it w/ a socket wrench.

Pump out all the old junk w/ a general purpose automotive pump aprox $15.

Pump about 1 quart or a little less than 1 liter in to it.

On a flat surface use the spedometer drive shaft as a dip stick to check level. Hand screw it in then unscrew it. The level should be between the tip and the step up part of the shaft. Mid way should be good since the fluid is not hot. I found a turkey baster or syringe works good for getting the level precise.

Reinstall in reverse of removal.

Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (MaxedOutCredit)
Posted by: MaxedOutCredit at 2:32 AM 4-26-2004

TRied searh but cant find anything about it. Thinking of changing fluid this summer and got intrested about this mod, help please.

/Bjornis



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Bjornis)
Posted by: baomo at 8:22 AM 4-27-2004

is the speed sensor on top of trans next to the AT cooler?
i recall reading that you can use gear oil or ATF in the final drive, any advantages to one over the other?
i don't guess anyone has a picture of that speed sensor.

Quote, originally posted by Bjornis »

Hey! Whats this? Quote, originally posted by FrankBeauregarde » Well I did that pressure line thing, although I lost count of how many clicks. I estimate about 24, I could have gotten more but I was using a hex not a torx, I was afraid I would strip it out. I haven't driven very much, but I can tell a difference. I'll post more about it after I put a few more miles on. TRied searh but cant find anything about it. Thinking of changing fluid this summer and got intrested about this mod, help please. /Bjornis

check it out here.
Adjusting 01M auto transmission line pressure from the TDI fourms



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (baomo)
Posted by: Bjornis at 8:48 AM 4-27-2004

Now I wonder, is it only for 4-speed auto or can I do this on my 5-speed tiptronic as well?

/Bjornis



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (MaxedOutCredit)
Posted by: PAGTI91 at 5:57 PM 4-28-2004

Mk3 01M's are the same...seperate fluid. Basically the same procedure for replacement.



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (baloney!!!)
Posted by: DaFabolous2.0 at 4:25 PM 5-12-2004

Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid
Posted by: Dan J Reed at 10:42 AM 7-27-2004

Know this is a old thread, but I’d just like to post my muses with this topic. And I'm new here...

I did a trans service on my wife’s 98 Jetta GLS 2.0 Automatic 0M1 trans. (48,000 Kmi, I also did this when I got her car last year at 36Kmi)

I have a copy of VAG com (shareware version), and I got the 3 quarts of $14 trans fluid from my dealer.

Here’s how I did it.

I used a “cheater” method, that I feel works pretty well, and well – its cleaner. But adamantly, it’s not as good as a pan cleaning and filter… But once a year and 12,000 miles is fair to me.

1 – Warm up car.
2 – Use a vacuum style suction tank/pump (Mityvac 7201) (http://www.thetoolwarehouse.net/shop/MIT-7201.html)
3 – Suck out about 2 L of fluid.
4 – Fill w/ 2 L of fluid
5 – Drive car
6 – Come back turn car off
7 – Open “overflow”
8 – Let fluid drain
9 – Let car cool down
10 – Fire up VAG.COM until temp is proper
11 – Warm car back up
12 – Fill with about 1L of fluid

Runs and shifts like a *dream*.

Oh, and I just want to say – this is a goofy process than only VW could have come up with..

-Dan




Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Dan J Reed)
Posted by: DaFabolous2.0 at 2:44 AM 8-1-2004

plus with that vacuum style pump you wouldn't be able to get the hose to the bottom of the pan through the fill tube. it would bottom out on the top of the filter.



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (DaFabolous2.0)
Posted by: Dan J Reed at 5:49 PM 8-1-2004

Quote, originally posted by DaFabolous2.0 »

and not changing the transmission filter...

And like I said.... "But adamantly, it’s not as good as a pan cleaning and filter… But once a year and 12,000 miles is fair to me"...

Your going to change the filter every 12,000 miles? If your filter is "full" at 12K - your trans would only be lasting 60K at best since the filter would be filled with clutches. I understand doing the filter at 30/60/90K, but not 12K.

Some tranys don't even have a "serviceable" filter.

You should have seen the "filter" on her old Golf. - it was a screen.

Like I said, its a cheat - not a "how to".

Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (baomo)
Posted by: Dan J Reed at 6:07 PM 8-1-2004

Good point, but a year ago I didn't have the VAG and didn't want to do a full drain/fill without it. Should have this year. Heck its better than nothing, and a heck of a lot better than going till the trany takes a dump. Stumbled across this thread after the fact.

Yea, the suction menthod does not get a full 3L out, just the 2L.

Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Dan J Reed)
Posted by: Cadenza_7o at 5:51 PM 8-4-2004

...and don't forget the final drive fluid.



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Cadenza_7o)
Posted by: lubricious at 2:14 AM 8-8-2004

i bought a liter of 75W90 couple of months ago but never got around to it. i'm still unclear on whether or not i should use 75W90 or ATF? i thought i had read that 75W90 is for 01N and ATF is for 01M. or that they may be interchanged? i'm confused. i'll call VW to verify what to use.



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (baomo)
Posted by: Cadenza_7o at 8:10 PM 8-9-2004

According to the Bentley manual, it's synthetic 75w-90. Redline tech guy Dave Granquist said that their MT-90 is compatible.



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Cadenza_7o)
Posted by: baomo at 9:42 AM 8-11-2004

http://www.20vturbo.com/tsb/mi...2.pdf

Modified by baomo at 6:02 PM 8-11-2004



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (baomo)
Posted by: flashback at 3:42 PM 8-11-2004

You may want to call the dealer to double-check.



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (flashback)
Posted by: Cadenza_7o at 8:01 PM 8-11-2004

They won't replace the fluid but will replace the tranny if it fails. The question is when... 5k after the warranty expires.

Those who are doing ATF/filter change are interested to prolong the life of the tranny.



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Cadenza_7o)
Posted by: flashback at 9:24 PM 8-11-2004

hehe ya ok i know its a really really longs shot.. but this isn't that cheap or easy to do from what i've seen... so its worth a try imo, i'll let yall know what the dealer or vwoa says



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (flashback)
Posted by: baomo at 9:46 PM 8-11-2004

Stop-n-go is what kills the powertrain.



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Cadenza_7o)
Posted by: flashback at 3:30 PM 8-12-2004

hmmm being in dallas traffic every freekin day.... i guess that translates to i shouldn't plan on mine lasting long... so far i've got 27k on the car.... so do you think i should definitely change it out about now?

also people who ahve done this... have you noticed like any smoother shifting, or any difference in the behavior of your transmission?



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (flashback)
Posted by: coolvdub at 8:36 PM 8-12-2004

To answer your questions, no I have not had to replace it. I drive in a sprited fashion, but not hard . I have A Neuspeed Downpipe and REVO 3 Bar software with an SPS3. Right now I'm running stock boost, but normaly I have it at 1.1-1.3 Bar. I'm not on the road 24-7, just a long distance commuter 128 miles each way daily.Oh yeah and I love my Tip for the commute, much better than when I had a close ratio 6 speed manual.



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (flashback)
Posted by: coolvdub at 8:49 PM 8-12-2004

http://www.20vturbo.com/tsb/mi...1.pdf




Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Cadenza_7o)
Posted by: OniJetta at 5:31 PM 11-3-2004

As a substitute for an accurate vag-com some sort of "normal" thermomometer that you slap on the pan might do the job. And there are now some fairly cheap non-contact infrared thermometers too.



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (bugzee)
Posted by: Cadenza_7o at 5:04 PM 11-30-2004

Quote, originally posted by bugzee »

hey hot idea, before refilling the tranny why not fill the pan while on the bench up to the red indicator plug,with warm oil? since I dont have the vag-com. help..then installing it

That would be quite a balancing act. I thought of it when I did mine. However, you forgot one thing. The engine and transmission must be running when you check the fluid level. As the torque converter spins and fluid is pumped around the tranny, the level drops.



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Cadenza_7o)
Posted by: JETTAWOLFS98 at 12:38 AM 1-21-2005

The car was at 70k miles.

Now I have a new tranny and I need to do the service every 15k miles or 20k miles

And I want to keep my car.

Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (JETTAWOLFS98)
Posted by: Cadenza_7o at 2:16 PM 1-23-2005

71,000 Miles and no extended warranty.

Now I'm planning to change the ATFevery 15k miles or 20k miles?

Or maybe every 10k miles?



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (JETTAWOLFS98)
Posted by: baomo motorsports at 9:27 AM 1-25-2005

10k is a waste. If you're really good about it, change the fluid and filter every 20k. At my first change (50k), the pan was coated with friction material and the fluid was dark brown and smelled normal (not burnt). From the look of it, I'd say 30-35k is a good interval.



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Cadenza_7o)
Posted by: JETTAWOLFS98 at 9:52 PM 1-25-2005

My drive is highway most of the time, about 100 miles per day, 4 days per week.

Somebody told me that 30k miles is ok.
I don't want to have the same problem as the last time and then having another tranny replace, no way.

Maybe the first one at the 20k and the next one at 30k.

Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (JETTAWOLFS98)
Posted by: Cadenza_7o at 4:58 PM 1-27-2005

The Car 96 Jetta Trek AUTO

Purchased car at ~75K with a receipt for a trans "flush" at ~55K
Car shifts alright but starts getting "sticky" recently ~100K
So I go to my local reputable VW tuner shop and have them do a tranny service. That was 1 week ago, and so far so good. The tranny is deffinately shifting better and "making" better decesions onshifting points.



Post Title:
Posted by: RoBeRt_68 at 2:26 PM 3-10-2005

how to check and change...

and the filter kit.... ~$14




Post Title: Re: (baomo motorsports)
Posted by: rychas1 at 8:28 PM 3-10-2005

Dealer checked atf at 40 and 80k. Last Saturday, I drained the transmission, removed the filter and installed a new filter and gasket and added about 3 liters of new fluid.

The writeup for changing 01M transmission fluid is outstanding, that made it very easy. Cadenza_7o is correct. This is not lifetime fluid. The pan had a lot of sludge near the large single magnet, at first it looked ribbed but when I wiped the sludge away it was flat. There was also a lot of sludge in the pan right where the hole in the filter is, it was not near the magnet. Additionally, the outside of the filter was also covered by sludge.

There were no metal filings, just the magnetic (?) sludge. I did not have a transmission problem but wanted to see. The procedure only removes and replaces 3 of the approximately 5.3 liters. I'll do it again in the fall, this should give me about 4/5ths new atf.

I'm no expert as to the quality of the fluid but believe (to remove the sludge and improve filtering with a new filter) the recommendations here are correct, certainly no more than 50k. I should have changed it sooner.

Regards,
Dermott

Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (francismartin)
Posted by: fspGTD at 1:29 PM 3-31-2005

I also recently changed the ATF and filter in wife's 1995 Passat GLX w/ 096 tranny and about 90k miles on the car. I put in Redline D4 and also a new 096 filter, replacing unknown fluid (don't know if it was changed or not) and original filter. The tranny fluid color and sludge situation was very similar to the 40k mile 01M Golf's in terms of amount of sludge. After putting in the redline and new filter in the Passat, it seems like the shift points are a little bit improved, or it is shifting more solidly, or something. It may have been because the ATF was getting on the low side, or maybe the fresh redline and filter helped the transmission maintain higher pressures. It seems like it might be downshifting a little earlier now, which is nice.



Post Title:
Posted by: wawacito at 12:38 AM 4-13-2005

i have a 1999 vw passat gls v6 with tiptronic. The manual book SUCKS - it tells me nothing I need to know and I think they do that so that we HAVE to go to the dealer to get anything done.

So anyways from reading some of your posts (I couldnt read it all - 9 freeking long pages) I'm guessing that I have the ZF tranny.

Also from reading your posts I need to use ESSO LT 41171 or Quaker State Multi-Vehicle ATF.

My PROBLEM is that I can't find either of those two fluids AAAANNNYYYYWHERE. Doing a search on froogle or shop.yahoo or anywhere on the web and it appears as though nobody sells it.

So can anybody tell me where to get Quaker State Multi-Vehicle ATF? And how much of it I really neeD?

And anybody know a good mechanic in Richmond, VA area that could do the change for me?



Post Title:
Posted by: wawacito at 12:45 AM 4-13-2005

I wont be doing the change myself mainly because i dont want to invest in 4 jack stands - and because I have nowhere to work on the car (no driveway - just condo parking lot) - and also because I can't be without my car for more than a day.

So how much fluid would i need and what should i tell the mechanic?



Post Title: Re: (wawacito)
Posted by: baomo motorsports at 11:28 AM 4-13-2005

I have only 2 jack stands but decided not to use them. Instead, I used 2 regular jacks for the front of the car. Unless you're a very large person, you shouldn't need to raise the car very high. In fact, unless you're using 4 stands, keep the front raised just enough to check the fluid level. When I did this job (40k ago), the front tires were still touching the ground and this is on a NB... possibly with the lowest ground clearance of all "stock" VWs. It's an approximation. 1/10th or 2/10th of a liter (over or under) isn't gonna kill the tranny. Not changing the ATF will.

The entire job shouldn't take more than 1/2 day in snail speed with a couple of beers. In fact, with the car jacked up, you can do an oil/filter change or other stuff with the ATF/filter replacement.

3L is required but an extra 1L just in case. I used 3.1L

Edit: Glad to see people still responding to this thread. It would be interesting to see how long a properly cared VW AT can last. I'm ~10k shy of 100k or the point where my Powertrain Warranty expires. Tranny is running smoothly.

Modified by Cadenza_7o at 11:30 AM 4-27-2005



Post Title: Re: (Cadenza_7o)
Posted by: Mikes72sb at 9:59 AM 4-28-2005

Be prepared to see some real junk.
Good luck,
Dermott




Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (francismartin)
Posted by: Onearmedmidget at 6:06 PM 4-29-2005

Thanks guys.

Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (francismartin)
Posted by: " G " at 7:18 PM 4-30-2005

Please try the following:

Make sure that the Web site address displayed in the address bar of your browser is spelled and formatted correctly.
If you reached this page by clicking a link, contact the Web site administrator to alert them that the link is incorrectly formatted.
Click the Back button to try another link.
HTTP Error 404 - File or directory not found.
Internet Information Services (IIS)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Technical Information (for support personnel)

Go to Microsoft Product Support Services and perform a title search for the words HTTP and 404.
Open IIS Help, which is accessible in IIS Manager (inetmgr), and search for topics titled Web Site Setup, Common Administrative Tasks, and About Custom Error Messages.




Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (" G ")
Posted by: baomo motorsports at 7:49 PM 4-30-2005

http://www.cst.cmich.edu/users...e.pdf



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (baomo motorsports)
Posted by: " G " at 8:07 PM 4-30-2005

Jetta is a O2J (GLIW,337, 20th, are all O2M)

I believe the TDI (MK IV) are all O2J.




Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Mile High Assassin)
Posted by: baomo motorsports at 9:43 PM 4-30-2005

o2j and 02m are manual transmissions, o1m is the 4 speed auto.



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (baomo motorsports)
Posted by: Fantomasz at 10:54 AM 5-1-2005

Good luck.



Post Title: Re: (francismartin)
Posted by: francismartin at 11:37 PM 5-1-2005

Chris



Post Title: Re: (ChristianVR6)
Posted by: Cadenza_7o at 2:30 PM 5-4-2005

First you have to upload your images somewhere else (ie Yahoo). In the Reply window, hit the 4th icon right to B (bold). This will insert the command "[ IMG ] insert your image url here [ /IMG ]"



Post Title: Re: (ChristianVR6)
Posted by: Fantomasz at 6:07 PM 5-6-2005

http://www.pifiu.com/vortex/index.php



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Cadenza_7o)
Posted by: Fantomasz at 6:57 PM 5-6-2005

Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Fantomasz)
Posted by: baomo motorsports at 7:32 PM 5-6-2005

Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (ibcop)
Posted by: Cadenza_7o at 6:40 AM 5-16-2005

ATF & filter: I did another drain & refill plus a filter change at 90k. The fluid wasn't as dirty at it was the first time at 50k. Of course, the first batch was in there 10k longer (plus break-in wear). There was a smaller amount friction material on the magnet and the pan, but the valve-body is clean as a whistle.

Final Drive Oil: I tried but couldn't remove the speedometer drive gear to pump out the old oil. The turbo charger and heating hose (metal) were in the way. Hmmm, I wonder how the techs check the oil? Any body knows?

Inner CV boot (passenger side): This boot is stretched due to heat exposure of the turbo-charger. It's a bit loose and leaks tiny bits of grease. You guys should keep an eye it. The dealer wants $325 for replacing the boot! Very funny!!!



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Cadenza_7o)
Posted by: Fred S at 3:05 PM 6-14-2005

Now I went to replace the ATF after reading the little handbook and noticed that it was some sort of *special clear VW ATF*.So off to the dealer I go to get the "OEM ATF" and they hit me up with $217US after TAX for 4 god damn quarts.(no this isnt a US Dealer....)

Now I am sponsoured by Esso Lubricants and I tried to get something similiar but all they could offer was Esso ATF (Dexron III).Now what should is the going price for the replacement ATF original from Audi/VW and are there any other companies such Esso/Quaker state/Amsoil/Mobil1/etc that offer a similiar product?Apparntly the OEM lifetime stuff is clear and not red....

That being said $217US would force me to convert it to manual!!!



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Wizard-of-OD)
Posted by: baomo motorsports at 4:28 PM 6-24-2005

How much for 1L?
Also is VAG-COM necessary for an ATF change?



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Wizard-of-OD)
Posted by: baomo motorsports at 10:25 PM 6-24-2005

vag is nice to have when changing the fluid but not necessary. if you have a contact thermometer you can put on the pan, just let it warm up when you add the fluid.




Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (baomo motorsports)
Posted by: Issam Abed at 9:59 PM 6-26-2005

My dealer wanted to charge me $217US for the OEM ATF.
I have VAG-COM @ my disposal but I dont see why it would be necessary for a fluid change.I figure if I drain out the ATF and a quantity of "x" comes out then I simply place back in x (as it is doing seriously low mileage but I like to be safe).



Post Title: Re: (francismartin)
Posted by: John_E at 10:38 PM 7-17-2005

thanks for the update. i just turned 44k and will soon attempt this.



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Cadenza_7o)
Posted by: baomo motorsports at 7:57 PM 7-19-2005

how close is the hose? i had plenty of room around mine.

Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (baomo motorsports)
Posted by: pdx650 at 11:59 PM 7-22-2005

About the Differential, the book states..."Unless you believe that the differential oil is contaminated, changing the fluid/oil in the differential of the transaxle is not necessary. The manufacturer states that the differential is filled for the life of the transaxle, and that replacement of the fluid/oil is not necessary."

In the above photo, the wiring harness that plugs into the "Speedometer Drive Gear/dipstick" has the wires coming straight up to the hood of the car. Mine, however, is coming out 90 degrees to the left (facing the front of the car), but I believe it is the same thing as the above illustration. The job looks pretty easy to do too.

Is Redline D4ATF the way to go for Xaxle fluid replacement then? Is it safe to use? Or should I just go to my local vdub place to get the recommended stuff?

After a few years and getting a different vehicle for the wife, this current car will become my "Project Car". My plan is to do an auto to Manual Xmsn swap.

What is a "TCM" and what does it do?

Modified by pdx650 at 9:54 PM 7-22-2005



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (pdx650)
Posted by: baomo motorsports at 2:38 PM 7-23-2005

and the TCM is the transmission computer.



Post Title: Re: (John_E)
Posted by: francismartin at 10:52 PM 7-23-2005

I don't think this is significant.

I honestly believe VW uses this system to convince folks that the ATF is lifetime when in fact by now they must know it isn't.

It can't possibly be super precise as they expect us to check it at every 40k miles and add as necessary, thus they expect to lose some and anticipate us driving for some time without the correct amount until the next inpsection.

I've never known so many people in my area to have as many transmisison problems as Jettas have but its not the fluid levels, it's a lousy system they use. '



Post Title: Re: (francismartin)
Posted by: pdx650 at 4:03 PM 7-24-2005

I changed the filter/fluid at 90k and am doing it again at 130k. I think I'll do the line pressure mod this time around.

Modified by acktdi at 3:49 PM 7-28-2005



Post Title:
Posted by: 99VWV5 at 7:06 PM 7-31-2005

btw it's a 4-speed automatic



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (baomo motorsports)
Posted by: Cadenza_7o at 12:34 PM 8-4-2005

With the electronic harness removed, I could lift the speedo gear about 2-3 inches before hitting the turbocharger body. I think the exhaust manifold on the New Beetle is shaped differently than that on the Jetta/Golf.



Post Title:
Posted by: RoBeRt_68 at 3:34 PM 8-5-2005

Quote, originally posted by pdx650 »

What's a "Tip"?

Tiptronic.



Post Title: Re: (Dan J Reed)
Posted by: pdx650 at 11:20 PM 8-8-2005

good thing tho...tranny is quieter than b4 and surprisingly, for all the noise it made, it didnt seem very clogged or dirty. in fact, the strainer had just a lil bit of sandy grains on it (normal i guess).



Post Title: Re: (rychas1)
Posted by: francismartin at 5:54 PM 8-12-2005

Good luck.



Post Title: Re: (RoBeRt_68)
Posted by: RoBeRt_68 at 12:20 PM 8-13-2005

what'll happen is that if you change fluid that has been in the tranny for a long time and alot of miles and replace it with clean fluid, the clean fluid will varnish the seals, clutches, etc... basically, whatever crud is holding the tranny together and making it work will wash away and it'll be more of a hassle to deal with



Post Title: Re: (rychas1)
Posted by: rychas1 at 11:47 PM 8-14-2005

so my car right now is about 32000. It shifts as if its a manual. Do you guys think i should change it?



Post Title: Re: (RoBeRt_68)
Posted by: pdx650 at 10:59 PM 8-15-2005

Quote, originally posted by francismartin »

Go back and check the Bentley procedure, you're supposed to have the car running when you fill it. Reason: When running, I think fluid is pulled out of the sump and into the trans. If you need specifics, post and I'll put the procedure here. I think you may be off on your fluid level. Good luck.

As with all Transmissions
1. You start the car
2. You place the selector in the "N" position
That way ATF has now been distributed throughout the transmission.At least this is how I was taught to do it.



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Fred S)
Posted by: g60-inside at 1:35 AM 8-27-2005

atf fluid, $20 per liter.

DIPSTICK.... PRICELESS.

Modified by g60-inside at 11:59 PM 8-28-2005



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (g60-inside)
Posted by: g60-inside at 2:53 AM 8-27-2005

SO, here is what i did so far.
i called PARTS4VW's on the phone, and asked them for a trans filter and gasket, since they didnt have it listed ont he site. my rep said no problem, he could order it, and it was at my door a few days later for $43 including shipping, for the gasket and filter. no problem right...

next day, i head to local auto parts store for fluid. walk to the parts counter and ask the guy to look up how much this auto tranny takes. his computer comes up and says 3.2 QUARTS!!! i saw it on the screen. it didnt say LITERS!. granted, this is after i searched thru the worthless Owners manual (where i always look up my capacities and fluid requirements) and there is nothing listed for auto trans fluid. .
the only mention of the auto trans fluid i found in the manual, said "REFER TO DEALERSHIP FOR SERVICE". now why would they say that if there is nothing the dealer can do, other than replace the transmision when it will, without a doubt, prematurely FAIL!!.

So, i ask the Counter guy, what type of fluid. he took off and came back 5 minutes later, with 4 qt's of MURRAYS CHOICE DEXRON III (house brand). i told him i wanted something a little more... CERTIFIED, then said i dont run MURRAYS CHOICE in my lawn mower.

so he head down the oil isle, and hand me 4 QT's of Valvoline MAXLIFE ATF MERCON/DEXRON III. i asked him if it used DEXRON III for sure, and he said YES. so i bought it and 15 minutes later, did the oil change.
i dropped the pan, clean it and the magnet, installed new filter, and poured 3.2 QTS into the formerly sealed fill plug .

the car runs and drives well. it even shifts more like it did at 40,000 miles, and most if not all the of shift sluggishness is gone.
my question now, is do i drain it out, and get the VW fluid, and how many times would i have to drain and refill that to get rid of the DEXRON III that i allready put in it?

is what i get for not checking the tex a few days ago to find this all out before hand.



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (g60-inside)
Posted by: acktdi at 11:22 AM 8-30-2005

I've used Redline D4ATF (it's not officially certified but everything I've read says it's OEM compatible) for over 40k miles without a problem. It sells for under $10 a quart online.

You can get the filter/gasket kit for ~24 from tdiparts.com, they also have the oem Pentosin fluid.

Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (acktdi)
Posted by: Cadenza_7o at 12:01 PM 8-30-2005

Good to hear Redline D4ATF is working well for you. It will be in my tranny for the next drain/refill.



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Holden McRoin)
Posted by: gogeeta13 at 7:01 AM 9-1-2005

I have a 99.5 jetta gls and my tranny is shifting fine for now, but sometimes has hicups on cold mornings and such. I am planning on ordering the filter kit and fluid from tdiparts.com. What else do I need? Do i need those special fittings/tools? Where can I get the filler cap?

Thanks for all the help guys! I'm a long time vortex browser and finally registered because of this thread.



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (gogeeta13)
Posted by: Cadenza_7o at 2:42 PM 9-10-2005

http://volkswagen.msk.ru/trans...e.pdf

Get trans filter kit, ATF, filler plug. Drain/clean oil pan. Install new filter and pan. Fill 3 liters of ATF. Warm engine and trans by running through the gears. Tape a small and accurate thermo to tha pan to approximate the temp. Check ATF level.



Post Title:
Posted by: start2fab at 11:51 PM 9-12-2005

I drained 3.8 quarts of VW ATF and refilled with 4 quarts of Mobil 1 Synthetic ATF. I plan to do this every 20k miles or so.

I'd like to know just how special VW's ATF really is. If Mobil 1 ATF works for me for many miles, it will confirm what I suspect... if it hoses my Tip, it'll just be a good excuse to do the R32 M6 and diff project

Modified by pairojugs at 4:58 AM 9-13-2005



Post Title: Re: (pairojugs)
Posted by: pdx650 at 11:48 PM 9-13-2005

it sad to think that VW knows this tranny is only good for about 80,000 to 120,000 miles.



Post Title: Re: (pdx650)
Posted by: baomo motorsports at 10:35 PM 9-15-2005

Quote, originally posted by pdx650 »

I forget, does VW recommend using atf in the diff or is it 75w90 Synthetic. I'm pretty sure the 75w90 synthetic is correct. It used to be atf in the XMSN and the Diff too, but vw changed it back to the former.

ATF was used in the final drive from december 94 thru august 96. then VW changed it back to the 75w90 synthetic gear oil because the ATF was seeping from the final drive vent on these trannys.



Post Title: Re: (baomo motorsports)
Posted by: pdx650 at 10:45 PM 9-15-2005

why put in the dexron III first, and THEN the vw synth??
p.s. this is really weird because Im having the EXACT same problem. I have a 1997 VW Cabrio, 01M tranny...i ALSO have around 80,000 miles on it...and It ALSO shifts like your gf's did....so right now..im REALLY want to know more about how you fixed it..or why you put in dexron III and then later put in the vw synth



Post Title:
Posted by: mike4089 at 10:23 PM 9-24-2005

sounds like you overfilled it.



Post Title: Re: (" G ")
Posted by: LuvMy97Cabrio at 12:51 AM 9-25-2005

whats a filter oil change? you mean a atf change? so i shouldn't just leave the really old fluid in the tranny?

also you said to use the redline atf...to save money...right now i dont care about saving money when it comes to the atf...all i want is atf that will best solve my problem..so should i still use the redline or the vw synth atf?

Modified by LuvMy97Cabrio at 3:11 PM 9-25-2005



Post Title:
Posted by: empmatt at 3:40 AM 9-26-2005

you missread me. i never put the synth back in. and at this point i never will. i will however, change the dexronIII again, to get rid of the synth that stayed in the torque converter.



Post Title: Re: (mike4089)
Posted by: g60-inside at 12:20 PM 9-26-2005

here's your problem.
when you remove the drain plug, it only drains a qt or so out. there is actually a 2 inch long tube going up into the pan from the drain plug, so it will never actually drain al the way. when you unbolt the pan, it still has about 2 qts in it. i think VW did this so you can happily spill two quarts of nasty dirty "lifetime" fluid on yourself when you do take the pan off.

to the other guy who said his mechanic said the fluid was too dark.
thats not really the problem. VW's fluid wasnt red, and since its' been in the tranny for 80,000 miles, of course its going to be dark.

i think the biggest problem here is, since VW says this fluid is "LIFETIME" (yeah right), then it never gets changed untill its too late and the tranny starts slipping. i am sure that if this fluid got changed at regular intervals like all AUTO tranny's used to be recommended, then the tranny would easily last longer than VW's 80,000 LIFETIME. which seems to be right after the warrenty is up in most ppl's car.

the other problem here is, most shops have never look into this porblem, and they dont know that it is possible to change the fluid, and that the original fluid is always going to look dark and ugly. but changing the fluid at this point is ALWAYS better than leaving it in there.

if ANYBODY has access to VW parts inventory, could you please look into whether or not there is a stock dipstick that will retrofit into the so called "sealed" filler tube on A3 automatic golfs, and jettas
thanks.




Post Title:
Posted by: puyallupmike at 6:29 PM 9-27-2005

I just picked it up yesterday and when I asked him what type of oil I would need, He said just regular Xmission oil. I told him about what I had read in this post and he said to go ahead and go with what the dealership recommended. He did not have a clue on what type of oil the 01m's use.

I will be picking up some oil at the dealer on my way home and hopefully he did a good job on the Xmission.

Now, do I have to do a double oil change if it was just rebuilt?



Post Title:
Posted by: chapa87 at 10:08 PM 10-2-2005

this tube is for cheking fluid level



Post Title:
Posted by: betw at 11:28 AM 10-12-2005

http://www.cst.cmich.edu/users...e.pdf

is it the same as

http://www.chickenfriedsteak.org/01m.pdf

thanks
b-



Post Title:
Posted by: empmatt at 5:03 AM 10-15-2005

What should I do??? The mechanic says that i need to get a rebuilt transmission...and that if i get an atf change, the tranny will stop working or get worse...i think his explanation was that maybe there isn't any friction left in the gears, so the old atf is whats holding it together. He said that the atf is really dark too. Now i've heard that the old atf can sometimes do this...it keeps the tranny working (even though it might not be working very well). So what should I do? Should I first change the filter, and clean the pan out? Will the metal shavings clog stuff up still, or will anything else go bad?

If i do a atf change, just a regular change, will it actually just stop working all together? I've heard that you can gradually put in new atf or something. Like go from 75% old...then later on go to 50%, etc etc. But if i do that, like...i really cant stand my tranny to be working like this anymore, its driving me crazy. What can I do????

Please help...I cant keep driving it like this..and if i change the atf and replace the filter etc, and the tranny stops working or gets worse..i will be totally screwed.

Also if the problem is with the friction in the gears or whatever, is there anyway to get that friction back?? and I dont have toooo much money, so i cant get a rebuilt tranny..
PLEASE HELP






Post Title: Re: (LuvMy97Cabrio)
Posted by: Cadenza_7o at 1:58 AM 10-25-2005

You either live with it or take a chance and change the ATF & filter and see what happens. If you decide to go this way, do NOT power flush the tranny. Instead, drop the pan, clean it, replace the screen filter and refill with 3 liters of ATF. This partial fill is about 55% new ATF. Drive a few hundred miles and do another ATF / filter change. This method is easier on the tranny.

Modified by Cadenza_7o at 11:02 PM 10-24-2005



Post Title: Re: (Cadenza_7o)
Posted by: LuvMy97Cabrio at 11:12 AM 10-27-2005

thats what i thouught i did. i guess i will just drain it again and fill it again and see what happens.



Post Title: Re: (rychas1)
Posted by: VWofWV at 3:10 AM 10-30-2005

Quote, originally posted by baomo motorsports »

i think the fluid for the a2 is 3L of dexron. but i'm not sure, so double check. how to check and change... and the filter kit.... ~$14

and this is the filter kit I found in germanautoparts.

They don't look the same. Am i missing something?



Post Title: Re: (VWofWV)
Posted by: rychas1 at 5:45 AM 10-31-2005

1) Those parts are for a 3speed auto for the 78 to 92 VWs.
2) Don't put Dexron (or Dextron as some people call it) into VW transmissions as it makes the friction surfaces disolve away (like solvent).
3) You can't power flush any VW transmissions, as there is no heat exchanger circuit in the transmissions unlike with other types. Even if you drop the valve block.

Me thinks that if people follow some of the instructions in this thread they'll actually be causing more harm than good!

-frank (not impressed)



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (DaFabolous2.0)
Posted by: kicemocha2 at 1:58 PM 2-19-2006

My thoughts are, could not ever having changing this stuff have caused such a severe problem? My car is stuck in third gear. I had the TCM replaced last week at the suggestion of the dealer for freakin $1200. The tranny fluid has never been touched, ever, as far as I know, and the car has nearly 124XXX miles on it.

And it sounds redundant, but O1M would be what I have for a tranny, right? It's a 1999.5 MkIV Jetta.



Post Title:
Posted by: wallride at 7:35 PM 11-24-2006

has only reverse...PO said it happened suddenly but since it was a female, it may have been slipping for months...

Any hope for this other than a swap? Car only has 76,202 on it
Why would anyone buy another VW after experiences like this????



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Cadenza_7o)
Posted by: alexpenrose at 6:01 AM 1-14-2007

OK so trans code is a CLK - there are no good CLK's to be found anywhere.....
I am finding more and more low mileage VW's on eBay and elsewhere due to bad trannys. It has driven the resale value of these cars to nothing!! VW made a BIG mistake if this "lifetime" fluid statement is the reason for these failures.

BTW is there anyone still watching this thread that can tell me what other tranny will swap in - besides a stickshift!!



Post Title: Re: (OhioBenz)
Posted by: OhioBenz at 11:04 AM 1-22-2007

So, I called a local import repair shop that specializes in VW repairs and stuff. The lady that answered the phone said they recommened flushing the Automatic Transmission at 60,000 miles. I asked her about dropping the base pan to clean it and she said what they do is they have a machine they hook up to the transmission that completely flushed it. While they are flushing it they can monitor the flow of the transmission fluid and from that can gauge the whether the filter needs to be changed or not. She said generally it does not need to be changed, and the complete flush is all they need to do (she said the way they do it they completely flush everything, including what is in the torque converter). She said in the end it takes about 9 quarts of fluid to completely flush it and get the new fluid in it. Does this sound right. She said the total cost labor and everything would be $266?? Does this sound right?? This appears to be my only option as I really can't do this myself.



Post Title: Re: (rockandchelle)
Posted by: Athfar at 8:11 PM 2-14-2007

I did it earlier this year and it took me about an hour and that was after having to remove the cover and crap twice because I was going to slip the stupid red plastic cover but it ended up falling into the transmission guard.

I have a 2000 Jetta GLS @ 100k and these pictures people post on here are horrid. You will most likely just see some gooey stuff stuck to the bottom of the pan.

If you order the kit and oil from ECS Tuning you can get it done for under $100 bucks. Ask them for the sealing washer too because they don't ship one (I ended up reusing mine and it doesn't leak so I dunno how vital it is).

As far as Vag-Com goes you can download the software for free to view the Transmission temp and get a OBDII cable on ebay for like $20 bucks. Other people have stuck a gauge on their pan.

If you have questions bug me at chris at athfar.com or even email me for a phone number heh.

Oh and that chick is an idiot. I don't even think you can plug into these transmissions the equipment use to "flush" a transmission. They are sealed units and it would have to pump it up through the pan and suck it out at the same time.

Plus you don't end up replacing your filter that way so it's not as efficient.

Modified by Athfar at 7:12 PM 2-14-2007



Post Title: Re: (rockandchelle)
Posted by: Slow Jet at 8:41 AM 2-17-2007

Look up fellow Vortexers cuz you'll blow your tranny if you take it to those people. I'll do it for $266 the right way. I live 2 far though.



Post Title: Re: (Slow Jet)
Posted by: Mikes72sb at 10:23 PM 2-17-2007

My only issue is that I don't know the size of the allen key that is needed to take the drain plug cap off of the trans (01M). Once I get that I'll be able to check the physical level of the fluid, but right now it feels back to normal.



Post Title: Re: (Athfar)
Posted by: rockandchelle at 11:27 PM 2-17-2007

Well, I have decided after studying this thread some to do it myself. I will be doing it next month. I will probably just have to stick a temperature gauge on the side of the pan for now, at least till I can afford to get a full Vag-Com system.



Post Title: Re: (Mikes72sb)
Posted by: OhioBenz at 11:03 AM 2-18-2007

Quote, originally posted by Mikes72sb »

This thread and DIY helped me a lot today. Had to top my ATF off in my car because I busted a trans cooler line (external cooler on an IPT-built trans). The project went smooth and it was a lot easier than I thought My only issue is that I don't know the size of the allen key that is needed to take the drain plug cap off of the trans (01M). Once I get that I'll be able to check the physical level of the fluid, but right now it feels back to normal.

Can you share pix on how the external cooler is plumbed in? I would like to do that to my Tiptronic Passat....



Post Title: Re: (OhioBenz)
Posted by: PanEuropean at 1:06 AM 3-2-2007

Michael



Post Title: Re: (Athfar)
Posted by: VladNY at 3:30 PM 4-27-2007

Vlad



Post Title: Re: (VladNY)
Posted by: mrkrad at 9:48 PM 4-27-2007

best thing you can do is a trans cooler, and change the fluid. heat kills.



Post Title: Re: (mrkrad)
Posted by: foshizzlemynizzle at 3:48 PM 6-4-2007

needzzz the filezzzz pleasezzzz



Post Title:
Posted by: Mr. Beelzebub at 2:10 PM 6-12-2007

What do you think about this guy's comments?



Post Title: Re: (foshizzlemynizzle)
Posted by: Dan J Reed at 11:05 PM 6-15-2007

I have the PDF mirrored on my DIY page.



Post Title: Re: (Mr. Beelzebub)
Posted by: Fantomasz at 9:40 PM 6-20-2007

agree



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (sjoback)
Posted by: HGB at 2:26 PM 7-2-2007

the toyota automatic's get close to 39 per gallon on the highway, not a bad option. the vw auto's suck the fuel down quick!

Modified by quickautotech at 10:14 PM 7-2-2007



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (quickautotech)
Posted by: golfiv4dr at 12:47 PM 7-3-2007

I just wanted to thank everybody who helped me by posting!

I ordered the parts to replace the trans filter and fluid on my (new to me) '98 Golf GL 01M auto transmission with 86,000 miles. Fortunately, my transmission pan was fairly clean, but I feel better having done the first filter and fluid change. It really was WAY easier than I thought (what with the no-dip-stick and good-for-life claims). It was just about like doing the same on my old '90 Jetta.

Pull the skid plate, pull the drain plug and filler tube, let it drain, pull the pan, let it drain, replace the filter, replace the gasket, clean and refill. Simple. I added one liter of fluid, then filled the empty bottle with some of the old and repeated until I knew I needed 3 liters. I held a good thermometer to the pan as it warmed up to get an approximate temperature and checked to see if fluid leaked out and it did.

Then, I did the trans reset (by key on, floor the accelerator pedal, wait 10 seconds and let off) (that helped a LOT!) and it runs like a dream. It's been a month and still, all is good.

I'd recommend anybody do it who has some maintenance experience. If you follow the pdf instructions (posted here) be sure to tighten the drain plug and fill tube thing. They neglected to say when to tighten them after saying to put them in without tightening. BUT! THEY ARE EXCELLENT INSTRUCTIONS!

Again, THANK YOU for all who posted here!



Post Title: Re: 01M trans
Posted by: Cabrio_rey at 4:26 PM 11-8-2007

Post Title: Re: (quickautotech)
Posted by: NOBOBO at 9:33 PM 11-25-2007

I drained and measured my old fluid and I needed almost exactly 3 liters, but had four on hand to make sure. It's pricey!

Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (sjoback)
Posted by: Thumper1044 at 1:36 AM 11-27-2007

What is the consensus for "regular basis"? I've searched this ATF forum (and this particular post), but can't find when it is generally prefered to change one's ATF.

I have a '95 Passat VR6.

Thanks.



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Ron_CV)
Posted by: quickautotech at 6:57 PM 12-10-2007

Question on my part:

I heard that the pentosin can be used/mixed with the vw mineral oil, also know that the part number is the same on the pentosin atf, if you doing a drain and fill is it ok to mix the two kinds. I dont see why not?



Post Title:
Posted by: glenmorenee at 8:05 PM 12-16-2007

My sister-in-law has a 2000 V6 with about 65m. The car started shifting odd so she took it in. Now she's your average consumer so she leaves it up to the dealer for all maintenance, including the "fill for life" ATF. Yup, tranny shot but she gets a new (rebuilt) one for free because of the 10 year powertrain warranty.

So how does VW plan on staying in business when they have to replace trannys for free on 9 year old cars?

glenmore
1991 300CE
2000 C280
1990 LS400



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Ron_CV)
Posted by: Dan J Reed at 9:00 PM 12-16-2007

25-30K miles.



Post Title: Re: (HGB)
Posted by: sys3175 at 12:35 PM 12-17-2007

Quote, originally posted by HGB »

That unit would work for cars with a trans cooler going to the radiator, where you can disconnect the lines and connect it easily. You would have to remove that trans cooler, put in some fittings and flush the fluid with the machine. I'm in favor of ditching the factory cooler for a normal external trans cooler, with a flow restictor to help keep the flow at a volume that would allow the fluid to reach operating temp but not exceed it. I've seen where the trans fluid temp actually raised the coolant temp in the trans cooler causing the engine temp to rise. Trans temp, is always a killer of these trans. The synthetic trans fluid do help to lower trans temp but not enough to keep it going long like an old Ford truck that never saw a fluid change.

Post Title: Re: (glenmorenee)
Posted by: sys3175 at 12:39 PM 12-17-2007

Quote, originally posted by glenmorenee »

How the heck does VW stay in business? My sister-in-law has a 2000 V6 with about 65m. The car started shifting odd so she took it in. Now she's your average consumer so she leaves it up to the dealer for all maintenance, including the "fill for life" ATF. Yup, tranny shot but she gets a new (rebuilt) one for free because of the 10 year powertrain warranty. So how does VW plan on staying in business when they have to replace trannys for free on 9 year old cars? glenmore 1991 300CE 2000 C280 1990 LS400

Post Title: Re: (sys3175)
Posted by: Slimjimmn at 3:53 PM 12-22-2007

And when I was at training I stated in class, no wonder vw has so many transmission issues, its not internal problems or electrical problems, its the fluid that is never changed.
I also worked at toyota at the same time and saw maybe 1 transmission replaced a month, maybe. Toyota reccomends transmission flush at 30K miles.



Post Title:
Posted by: woodstockdub at 7:02 PM 12-31-2007

The best thing for you to do is to (like I did) read through all the pages of this post - there is some very good advise!

Post Title: Re: (NOBOBO)
Posted by: mrkrad at 8:54 PM 1-3-2008

This tranny may be defective or had insufficient fluid from the factory.

Quote, originally posted by Slimjimmn »

i worked at a vw dealer as a certified mechanic for 4yrs and we replaced (on average) 1 transmission a week. Sometimes 2-3. And when I was at training I stated in class, no wonder vw has so many transmission issues, its not internal problems or electrical problems, its the fluid that is never changed. I also worked at toyota at the same time and saw maybe 1 transmission replaced a month, maybe. Toyota reccomends transmission flush at 30K miles.

Unfortunately, Toyota is now heading down the "sealed for life" road. It's cost-cutting and marketing. As far as I know, Toyota didn't use synthetic ATF when they had the 30k maintenance schedule. Not sure about now.

Quote, originally posted by Ron_CV »

Per Cadenza_7o, "So, if you intend to keep your VW for a while, do your bank account a favor by changing the ATF on a regular basis". What is the consensus for "regular basis"? I've searched this ATF forum (and this particular post), but can't find when it is generally prefered to change one's ATF. I have a '95 Passat VR6.

I really depends on the way you drive and driving condition (traffic or free flowing highway). I've done 2 drain & refills at 50k each. My car has 135k and so far so good.

Modified by Cadenza_7o at 1:44 PM 1-10-2008



Post Title: Re: pentosin atf1 transmission fluid
Posted by: silica at 4:55 AM 1-13-2008

I have 2002 vw jetta tdi, i think it has 01M transmission, i am thinking of doing transmission fluid change in couple of weeks, i got the filter & fluid from worldimpex.com, i got 4 bottles of pentosin atf-1.
http://www.worldimpex.com/part....html

in the bottle, the description says its fully synthetic. Some people at tdiclub forum saying don't use pentosin atf1 fluid and they are saying it would cause transmission failure on 01M type.

here is the thread snippet:
"I do know every one I have ever seen that had non-VW (Pentosin) ATF added or changed failed very quickly...sometimes before the next oil change."
http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=189029

has anyone experienced any transmission problem after started using pentosin atf1? I am little worried after reading the tdiclub post.. the viscosity index is real close to the factory oem esso flow:

http://www.pentosin.com/flexxt...B.pdf

Pentosin ATF1 Spec:

Unit Result

Appearance bright and clear visual

Density at 15 °C kg/m³ 850

Kinematic Viscosity at 100 °C mm²/s 7,6

Kinematic Viscosity at 40 °C mm²/s 38,0

Viscosity Index 171

Dynamic Viscosity at -40 °C mPa*s 14000

Pour Point °C -51

Taper roller bearing test,
shear loss (20h) % 9,6

Taper roller bearing test,
viscosity after shear mm²/s 6,8

FZG wear test A/8.3/90
// A/16.6/90 failure load stage > 12 // >12

Esso LT-71141 (the expensive VW OEM fluid) spec:
http://www.taligentx.com/passa...s.pdf

Viscosity @ 100ºC: 7.3 cSt (kinematic)
Viscosity @ 40ºC: 37 cSt (kinematic)
Viscosity @ -40ºC: 18,000 cP (dynamic)
Viscosity index: 168
density @ 15ºC: 853 kg/cubic meter
Flash Point: 215ºC
Pour Point: -54ºC
Volatility @ 200ºC: 5%
Foaming tendencies: S1= 10/0
S2= 30/0
S3= 0/0
FZG gear test = failed at stage 12 (of a possible 24)

I kindly appreciate your advice or experience on pentosin atf1 fluid.



Post Title: Re: pentosin atf1 transmission fluid (silica)
Posted by: NOBOBO at 8:54 AM 1-13-2008

I read the phrase non- VW (Pentosin) ATF as Pentosin and factory VW fluids are the basically the same. You could probably ask Oilhammer at the other website what he meant. Does anybody else read it that way?

Post Title: Re: pentosin atf1 transmission fluid (NOBOBO)
Posted by: Dan J Reed at 11:11 AM 1-13-2008

The stuff Germanautoparts sells. is fine. The (Pentosin) ATF is fine, Ive used it for some time now. Smells, looks the same as the OEM fluid.



Post Title: Re: (glenmorenee)
Posted by: Fantomasz at 11:49 AM 1-13-2008

my previous car was 2000 Jetta GLS VR6.my auto tranny was replaced 2 times(at 20k and 35k).I sold that car in 2006 with 69k miles on odo.



Post Title: Re: pentosin atf1 transmission fluid (Dan J Reed)
Posted by: silica at 12:34 AM 1-14-2008

For the past month I've been experiencing an unusual problem with my automatic tiptronic transmission: the car won't move if put into reverse gear unless you drive it for 20 min or so. There are no noise issues or anything weird other than when the car is cold, it won't go into reverse right away. At first it would go into reverse 5 min later or so if I waited. Then I noticed that if I drive to the grocery store, or work by the time I get to my destination (10 miles or so of driving around) the reverse works fine. Sometimes I feel the car jerks but not violently or anything.

My mechanic took at look at the transmission fluid and said it a bit burnt. Engine oil has been replaced every 3k with synthetic oil. All other gears work fine. No jerks or anything, even when using the semi automatic tiptronic. Gears shift smoothly. From what I gather, the issue arises only when I start my car and it is cold. (I live in Orange county, CA so the weather isn't terribly cold or anything like extreme temperatures) Upon doing some research I've read that some of the Jettas 2001 and 02 had a similar problem with transmissions. It was suggested to me to do a transmission flush though I've heard that VW doesn't recommend it because the fluid is supposed to last a lifetime (I doubt this claim though) so I want to do a flush nevertheless.

Could anyone instruct me as to what exactly I need to buy to do this myself. I assume I have to buy some proprietary transmission fluid from VW and that it is not recommended to use any other brand. I am fine with that as long as I am not paying 100 bucks for a liter of their OEM fluid. I read somewhere it cost about 12 bucks a liter. I think I need about 5.3 liters to 6 liters to do a complete flush.

I am assuming I need a new filter and the gasket and a tool to remove the transmission plug. I think this is a task I can do myself but if it proves too difficult I would buy all the parts and have a local mechanic do the flush for me.
Anyone have any ideas as to

1) how much would it cost me to get all parts I need for this (fluid, filter, gasket, any other thing I may need for this that I am forgetting to mention here) and

2) my plan b: take it to the mechanic and have him do it (I'll give him everything he needs) how much would be a fair offer to do so? 40 or 50 bucks? I am simply guessing it won't take more than an hour to do so.

3) what I am trying to avoid (basically getting ripped): how much would a VW dealer charge for this if I had no other option and they probably wouldn't accept me buying the parts somewhere else.

4)what about transmission issues with the reverse gear? is this something common? I am on the right track by assuming that I simply need a transmission fluid or is this symptom indicative that my transmission will ultimately die of some unknown cause.

I'd appreciate some help with this matter.

best wishes

robert



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (proghead73)
Posted by: MrBurritoMan at 11:47 PM 1-20-2008

one day when i was driving over to my friends house and put the car in park (luckily enough right in front of his shop) my transmission spewed its fluid all over the engine compartment and his driveway. it looked horrible, like someone had stabbed my car and it was bleeding to death. luckily when it happened i had just turned it off so no serious damage took place. when i saw the color of the fluid coming out of that drain hole i was hacked, it was like black coffee. then when i took the transmission oil pan off for the first time everything on the inside (pan, filter, valve body) was black, not darkly colored, pitch tar-colored black. luckily it was just a silt deposit that would wipe off and could be flushed out. i checked the pan and didn't really see any metal shavings or pieces. the most frustrating part to this hole thing is that the back-pressure in my transmission blew from the selector shaft. the seal is a rubber skirt that goes around the shaft which is why it blew so easily. now i have a problem that no VW mechanic in my area has ever heard of. i need to change that bushing/gasket around the selector shaft. i have the new one however i cannot get the old one out. anyone have advice on this?

looks like i will be working on the innards of my transmission....weeee.....



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Cadenza_7o)
Posted by: fastskier at 6:18 PM 6-7-2008

I stumbled across this thread and went holy s$#$ I'd better change my fluid.

Took about 2 hours but I'm type A.

Pan had a bit of sludge on the bottom but nothing like the pictures on this thread have. Magnet had about 3/16 of sludge on it. Oil didn't look too black when I was draining it.

Instructions were great.

Just took the car out for a little spin and it seems like it is shifting very smooth again - almost imperceptible.

I do think I was a little low on oil which may have been causing the jerky shifting as I drained under 3L and filled more than 3L.



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (fastskier)
Posted by: quickautotech at 4:31 PM 7-5-2008

I am glad I found this forum. I have a '97 2.0 GL Automatic. I live in the UK and this is an import from HK. There was never a 2l auto option on UK golfs. so it usually stumps mechanics when I bring it in.

Anyway it has 113k on the clock and gear changes are getting bad. It struggles going up hills and it gets stuck in low gear a lot.

I have read through the PDF and it looks like something I can try to do at home but I don't know where to get parts in the UK. Does anyone know any UK sellers who sell the correct ATF and Filter kits?

Also I don't have a vag-com what alternative can I go with?

I have seen thes cables on ebay. Would they work OK?

Post Title:
Posted by: funstuie at 9:15 AM 7-13-2008

My transmission got worst.

Going from 1st to 2nd, it would slip badly if I throttle hard. But work ok if I go slowly.

Any idea what might haven happened?

Post Title: Re: Problem (mrche)
Posted by: adrian8426 at 11:16 AM 8-1-2008

It was living off the viscosity of the old fluid (gunk) and now it's too clean. Pour a lucas stop slip into it and see if that helps. But even if it helps it's still in need of servicing.



Post Title: Re: Problem (adrian8426)
Posted by: mrche at 5:07 PM 8-1-2008

also, i used the Quaker multi-vehicle ATF. I saw people used it with no problem...

Modified by mrche at 2:50 PM 8-1-2008



Post Title: Re: Problem (mrche)
Posted by: VWPassatGLX at 10:33 AM 8-2-2008

I have around 78k on the passat. I have a 00 passat 2.8L(V6), AUTOMATIC TRANS. I'm assuming the tranny fluid has never been changed. I purchased the tranny pan kit from ecstuning and I plan on dropping the pan and doing the fluid change myself. I was wondering what are the required torque specs and sequence of tightening for some of the necessary hardware? I need to prepare myself so I don't get in a pinch. I'm assuming this fluid change is pretty straight forward. The only difficult step I see is how to fill the tranny back-up with fluid.

All help would be appreciate.



Post Title: Re: Problem (VWPassatGLX)
Posted by: makofoto at 11:46 PM 8-24-2008

Suggestions ?!

I'm suggesting a Honda FIT ...



Post Title: Re: Auto Service
Posted by: rennwerkes at 3:09 AM 8-25-2008

After reviewing your concern I would have to say the tranny fluid level could not be correct. When adding fluid to your tranny you want to continue filling while the car is on and the engine temperature is at normal operating conditions. Fill until tranny fluid starts to drip out of the fill plug area. This will verify that the correct tranny fluid level is set during operating conditions. Please let me know what you find out.



Post Title: Re: Auto Service (VWPassatGLX)
Posted by: quickautotech at 2:32 AM 9-5-2008

Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Kwalsh24)
Posted by: quickautotech at 11:19 PM 9-23-2008

The jetta that needs a valve body, I have one at home I'll sell for cheap if you need it let me know. Stick with the VW, they are good cars, there are a few bads ones in the bunch depending on what day of the week they were assembled in mexico but overall they will be reliable, I just drove my 02 TDI from TX to NORTHERN CA and back w/ 199k.

As for the last post, the only transmission fluids you can use are vw mineral fluid from the dealer at $15-20 a QT or Pentosin from Germany which is the same stuff for around ten per qt, you can find it at ETYparts.com, world impex, pap-parts, mjmautohaus, etc etc



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Kwalsh24)
Posted by: rennwerkes at 12:16 AM 9-24-2008

I have compared it to my dad 02 TDI auto BTW....

Under acceleration the tranny seems to struggle, engine reves up a bit more than what my dads car does under acceleration, then when it goes to shift into 2nd it doesnt grab the gear and revs, i let off the acceleration and it shifts and i carry on, 3rd and 4th seem to work okay?

I have yet gotten the time to hook the car up to a code scanner to see if there are any hidden codes stored from the tranny, i hope to do that this weekend... School has kinda been getting in the way the past 2 weeks but i have been itchin to get into this car.... its been sitting in the garage for 2 weeks now since i bought it....

Anyhow....

I just wanted to "test" with cheap fluid incase the tranny is dead, I dont want to put good fluid in just to find out the tranny is shot and waste the fluid... I was going to change the filter out and re-use it if the tranny is shot as it shouldnt gum all up in the short time fram i would be testing for.... There are no other suplements other than the rip off stuff from VW or the imported stuff? Whats goin on with people using amsoil and V?

What ya all think?

Modified by Kwalsh24 at 10:34 PM 9-25-2008

Modified by Kwalsh24 at 11:05 PM 9-25-2008



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Kwalsh24)
Posted by: rennwerkes at 10:43 PM 9-25-2008

Do you guys have any other sugestions?

Modified by Kwalsh24 at 7:30 PM 9-27-2008



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Kwalsh24)
Posted by: rennwerkes at 7:06 PM 9-27-2008

I was reading on the AutoRX site and it states to disconnect the innercooler for the transmission and let that cycle the old fluid out after you have put new trans fluid in? Is that possible on these cars? I know there is a cooler on top of the transmission but it just connects to the Rad lines? How would this let any transmission fluid out? Would it be safe to keep my new filter after doing this process?

Taken from the Auto-RX site....

For Do-It-Yourself Mechanics Only (technical expertise required)

If you are willing to do it yourself here's our recommendation. Install 6 oz's of Auto-RX and run 1000-1500 miles to clean the transmission.

THEN drop pan, change filter, reinstall. Measuring the old fluid in pan into a milk bottle type container, install that amount of new ATF back into transmission. Disconnect BOTH ATF cooler lines at radiator and place a container or pan under each line end (helps to have an assistant). Start engine, shut down after 1 or 2 quarts have come out one of the lines. Refill exact amount of fresh fluid in transmission (this keeps air out of the system).

Start engine again and repeat until clean fluid is coming out of cooler line. This is messy and time consuming but will purge all old ATF from transmission and torque converter. Reinstall cooler lines and start car, cycle through gears, place in park and check level per owners manual. Check for leaks. Top up as necessary after driving and heated up. Don't overfill.

You just safely flushed the whole system, no T-TEC $ cost and Auto-RX has removed the dirt and contamination from your transmission.



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Kwalsh24)
Posted by: rennwerkes at 2:20 AM 9-28-2008

This is not possible with the coolers that VW automatics use, as coolant is passed through the heat-exchanger on top of the transmission, not ATF.

Other types of automatic transmissions pass ATF directly through separate channels on the radiator, which is the procedure that the AutoRx site is describing.



Post Title:
Posted by: Kwalsh24 at 1:56 PM 9-28-2008

thanks.



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (chiraz)
Posted by: randyvr6 at 6:37 PM 10-18-2008

I finally had a leak on the drain plug after 132K miles and decided it was time to try the fluid/filter change myself, and it was pretty easy. I used an infrared thermometer to make sure the temperature was correct. Probably cost me about $90 for filter,gasket and Pentosin and Febi fluid. I ended up not buying enough fluid of 1 brand and had to buy some local of the other.

The pan and magnet had very little debris, and the old filter and fluid actually wasn't too bad visually.

The car seems to drive just fine the last two thousand miles with no issues, so hopefully it will keep on going for several more years.

The DIY instructions helped a lot!

Modified by randyvr6 at 7:31 PM 10-18-2008



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (randyvr6)
Posted by: Variety=Spice at 8:32 AM 7-19-2009

It's pretty special stuff... some of the fluids have a whole bunch of different numbers indicating they change properties in a slew of different situations.



Post Title: Re: 160,000 miles later...
Posted by: Cadenza_7o at 6:32 PM 8-18-2009

The fluid costs $12.5 per quart and you need 4 quarts.

The filter kit of jetta comes for
$22 and that was available as well at the above address..

Their online address is http://www.bap-geon.com

Post Title: Re: 160,000 miles later... (aby)
Posted by: aenima11 at 11:51 AM 9-12-2009

http://www.blauparts.com/prodd...A1012




Post Title: Re: 160,000 miles later... (aenima11)
Posted by: quickautotech at 5:09 AM 9-20-2009

CAR IS LOCATED IN Los Angeles at the moment, looking for something local or I can have it shipped.

Thanks



Post Title: Re: 160,000 miles later... (Cadenza_7o)
Posted by: hans57 at 10:48 AM 9-20-2009

157k... that's good. Have you done any filter change and drain/refill? It may help fix the slipping.



Post Title: Re: 160,000 miles later... (Cadenza_7o)
Posted by: quickautotech at 7:36 PM 9-20-2009

Post Title: Re: 160,000 miles later... (quickautotech)
Posted by: zukgod1 at 12:55 AM 9-24-2009

If your converter is toast your going to need a trans also. I've not seen a trans survive a converter failure...

Lots of broken parts going through there= bad. Cooler lines need flushed, cooler as well.

If all ya do is toss a converter in there good luck..



Post Title: Re: 160,000 miles later... (zukgod1)
Posted by: quickautotech at 1:29 PM 9-24-2009

Quote, originally posted by quickautotech »

have the update for you guys, turns out the noise was coming from a broken flexplate that was pretty much cracked all the way through, another thing I noticed was dextron 3 was used in the last trans. Went ahead and got a new used trans and flushed it w/ pentosin atf1 and car is back on the road $1650 later. 173k and counting on the miles trans has a 3 month warranty so I will attempt to get around 15k at least on that to make sure its gonna be a good transmission. Does anyone know how much fluid the trans takes w/ the torque convertor full, mechanic that helped me do the job said it takes 3 qts even. I went ahead and added about 10% of a qt on top of that just to be safe.

3 Qts is w/o the converter. With it requires about 5 Qts.

Since the trans is already installed, you can do drain & refill to dilute the old fluid. If the filter hasn't been replaced, it'd be good to replace it and clean the inside the pan.

Adjusting for the correct fluid level is a bit tricky...

1. car must be level
2. trans is warm to 95*F (use infrared thermometer)
3. shift through all gears
4. unscrew the *outer* drain plug and add fluid till it drips
5. screw back the drain plug

*** inside the *outer* drain plug is a vertical tube about 1.75" tall... don't remove that as it holds the fluid.



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Drivbiwire)
Posted by: filmnoire at 1:45 PM 10-9-2009

http://ch4n.com/01m.pdf

Good luck !!!



Post Title: UPDATE: Final drive fluid change (New Beetle)
Posted by: Cadenza_7o at 6:17 PM 11-3-2009

Took the car for a 2500 mi trip to Oregon and back. On the way back, the car was driven 12hrs with only a few short stops for gas/bathroom and pictures of the coast.

Glad to report the Bug is still humming along at 164k on the clock.

Modified by Cadenza_7o at 3:21 PM 11-3-2009



Post Title: Re: UPDATE: Final drive fluid change (Cadenza_7o)
Posted by: dunkin13 at 4:19 PM 11-9-2009

plus the filter that i have when u put it to the trans. is just falling down!

do you had the same trouble?



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (checo0292)
Posted by: Cadenza_7o at 8:15 AM 1-17-2010

Quote, originally posted by checo0292 »

What are the metal things? spacers? where they go? i just bought a trans. kit but it was only the gasket and the filter? plus the filter that i have when u put it to the trans. is just falling down! do you had the same trouble?

Yes, they're spacers that go onto the pan gasket. The filter has a rubber o-ring that holds it up. Must be replaced as well.



Post Title: Re: Heads-up: VW "Lifetime" auto transmission fluid (Cadenza_7o)
Posted by: checo0292 at 10:51 AM 1-17-2010

Quote, originally posted by checo0292 »

Oh ok! i bought the trans kit at Auto parts but the spacer didnt come with it.

You can just reuse the old ones when you remove the gasket. They just keep you from overtightening the gasket.

Modified by randyvr6 at 3:33 PM 1-25-2010