Change autobox oil?

Author
Discussion

LeoSayer

Original Poster:

7,308 posts

245 months

Friday 31st July 2009
quotequote all
I've got a 2002 A6 2.7T with 5 speed auto which has done 83,000 miles.

As far as I know the gearbox oil has never been changed, although it works well. Should I get the oil changed?

Dr.Evil

45 posts

235 months

Friday 31st July 2009
quotequote all
I would change the oil if I were you.
Oilchange for DSG is recommended for every 40.000 miles, but I suppose you can stretch it if you mainly go for long drives.

In general I would say that all autoboxes should have the oil changed after no more than 60.000 miles.

Tame Technician

2,467 posts

205 months

Friday 31st July 2009
quotequote all
The official word from Audi is the gearbox oil in the tiptronics doesnt need changing ever, only the dsg and multi tronics have a specified oil change at every 40k.

However it is good practice to change auto gearbox oil every 60k or so, I'd change the filter too if it was me. But when you ring up your local Audi centre, they will say it doesn't need doing and wont carry the parts in stock, because AUDI insist its not necessary.

billy5

235 posts

207 months

Wednesday 5th August 2009
quotequote all
is it easy to change the oil on tip 6speed. a8

Edited by billy5 on Wednesday 5th August 01:33

Jeux

1,170 posts

266 months

Wednesday 5th August 2009
quotequote all
billy5 said:
is it easy to change the oil on tip 6speed. a8

Edited by billy5 on Wednesday 5th August 01:33
is that also the case for an '07 tiptronic 6 speed A6?

are these 'boxes sealed for life?

Tame Technician

2,467 posts

205 months

Wednesday 5th August 2009
quotequote all
All Audi tip tronic boxes are sealed for life.

In fact I think you will find most "NORMAL" auto boxs are now, Jags were from 1998 on.

Oil is easy to change if you have a ramp and the correct tools. There is a specific tool for filling as Audi and or ZF thought this would be best done from under the car. You have to fill a container of oil and hang it up on the bonnet catch, gravity does its thing and forces the oil up into the box.

Jeux

1,170 posts

266 months

Thursday 6th August 2009
quotequote all
Tame Technician said:
All Audi tip tronic boxes are sealed for life.

In fact I think you will find most "NORMAL" auto boxs are now, Jags were from 1998 on.

Oil is easy to change if you have a ramp and the correct tools. There is a specific tool for filling as Audi and or ZF thought this would be best done from under the car. You have to fill a container of oil and hang it up on the bonnet catch, gravity does its thing and forces the oil up into the box.
so is it a good idea to get the oil changed on one of these 'boxs? and does this significant help with its life span?

assuming its best to get this done at a good specialist instead of a dealer....

Tame Technician

2,467 posts

205 months

Thursday 6th August 2009
quotequote all
Absolutely right on both counts. I would suggest every 60,000 miles, oil and filter changes would prolong the life of the box significantly.

DSG and Multi troncis Still best done at the dealer,

Tip-tronics best done at specialist.

skid-mark

375 posts

213 months

Thursday 6th August 2009
quotequote all
think on this model year vag diagnostics eqipment is needed to check the oil level in the box this is also done at a certain running temperature which is around 60 d/c , best to buy the oil from audi to and not to just use common atf fluid as the oil is different and is a longlife oil and is specialy designed for these gearboxes, best to spend a little now rather a fortune when it goes wrong.

billy5

235 posts

207 months

Thursday 6th August 2009
quotequote all
so its not just a case of draining the old oil,
and filling it up till it runs out of a fill hole,
do you measure wat you take out so you know how much to put back,?
how do you get at the filter?

Tame Technician

2,467 posts

205 months

Saturday 8th August 2009
quotequote all
billy5 said:
so its not just a case of draining the old oil,
and filling it up till it runs out of a fill hole,
do you measure wat you take out so you know how much to put back,?
how do you get at the filter?
NO you dont measure what comes out,

Yes but No, you do just drain it out. You do kinda just fill til it comes out, but the fill isnt on the side like a diff or a manual box, and Its all a bit more involved.


The drain and filler are on the bottom of the gearbox sump. So you get access under the car.

There is a special tool to get the oil to go uphill into the gearbox from underneath.


This pic, shows the inside of the gearbox sump, the yellow mark is pointing at the drain bung. The white thing is the inside of the filler.

To fill the gearbox you need a special tool, with a remote oil reservoir, which you have to hang higher than the gearbox so that gravity forces the oil up inside the box. The filling tool actually hooks inside the filler in the sump of the gearbox, the filler is raised from the bottom of the sump to achieve the correct level.

As pointed out above, the type of oil is crucial and you are suppose to check a measure value block to set the level at the correct temperature. But this is less crucial, if you do it cold it will be very slightly overfilled, and that wont hurt. I use a laser thermometer on the sump pan.

There is a specific filling procedure too, failing to do this will result in the wrong level and damage the box.

(1) Fill "using the special tool/remote reservoir" until its up to the level with the engine off, (at this stage the gearbox is about half full and just about safe to run for 5 mins or so, "it would blow up if the rest of the procedure isn't done")

(2) refill the remote reservoir with gearbox oil. Then run the engine and go through the gears
(which lowers the level) then continue filling with the engine running, until it reaches the level. P

(3)Leave the engine running until the gearbox reaches the correct temperature and recheck the level at this time.

Tame Technician

2,467 posts

205 months

Saturday 8th August 2009
quotequote all
Forgot about the filter.

TO get at the filter, you take the gearbox sump off. Clean all the metal off of the magnets, wipe out the inside of the sump and replace the filter with a new o ring of course.


Here a how to for an XJ8 Jaguar, very similar (ZF box also), except jag had the good sense to put the filler on the side of the box rather than the bottom. They haven't figured out how to make oil go uphill in the midlands yet
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

billy5

235 posts

207 months

Monday 10th August 2009
quotequote all
tame tech,
thanks for the detailed info, really bang on.
do i have to get this filler tool or can i improvise
with a pipe that will fit the hole, and a funnel.[any suggestions]
were do i get the o ring and filter if audi dont keep them.
how much oil,1 gallon or wat,
ta billy

Jeux

1,170 posts

266 months

Tuesday 11th August 2009
quotequote all
Tame Technician said:
billy5 said:
so its not just a case of draining the old oil,
and filling it up till it runs out of a fill hole,
do you measure wat you take out so you know how much to put back,?
how do you get at the filter?
NO you dont measure what comes out,

Yes but No, you do just drain it out. You do kinda just fill til it comes out, but the fill isnt on the side like a diff or a manual box, and Its all a bit more involved.


The drain and filler are on the bottom of the gearbox sump. So you get access under the car.

There is a special tool to get the oil to go uphill into the gearbox from underneath.


This pic, shows the inside of the gearbox sump, the yellow mark is pointing at the drain bung. The white thing is the inside of the filler.

To fill the gearbox you need a special tool, with a remote oil reservoir, which you have to hang higher than the gearbox so that gravity forces the oil up inside the box. The filling tool actually hooks inside the filler in the sump of the gearbox, the filler is raised from the bottom of the sump to achieve the correct level.

As pointed out above, the type of oil is crucial and you are suppose to check a measure value block to set the level at the correct temperature. But this is less crucial, if you do it cold it will be very slightly overfilled, and that wont hurt. I use a laser thermometer on the sump pan.

There is a specific filling procedure too, failing to do this will result in the wrong level and damage the box.

(1) Fill "using the special tool/remote reservoir" until its up to the level with the engine off, (at this stage the gearbox is about half full and just about safe to run for 5 mins or so, "it would blow up if the rest of the procedure isn't done")

(2) refill the remote reservoir with gearbox oil. Then run the engine and go through the gears
(which lowers the level) then continue filling with the engine running, until it reaches the level. P

(3)Leave the engine running until the gearbox reaches the correct temperature and recheck the level at this time.
way beyond me...... any specialists you can recommend in the south west or south east that would do the job properly? thanks...

Tame Technician

2,467 posts

205 months

Wednesday 12th August 2009
quotequote all
billy5 said:
tame tech,
thanks for the detailed info, really bang on.
do i have to get this filler tool or can i improvise
with a pipe that will fit the hole, and a funnel.[any suggestions]
were do i get the o ring and filter if audi dont keep them.
how much oil,1 gallon or wat,
ta billy
You can get the parts and the oil from your local Audi centre, but they will have to order it in. When I said they dont keep it, i meant they dont keep it on the shelf as its not a normal service item. Typically we would only get the oil in, if we had to take a gearbox apart of somthing.

You really wont be able to make the tool, it not only has to get the oil in there but has to hook into a smalle square inside the filler inside the box. Best bet is to take it to an auto gearbox specialist near you. Will be loads in yellow pages etc.

Unless you think you can make this, http://www.samstagsales.com/images/vag1924.jpg

Spoons

148 posts

206 months

Wednesday 12th August 2009
quotequote all
Tame Tec,

Is it worth changing the DSG box oil before the recomended time?, my 2yr old Pissat Tdi 170 has 24k on the clock.

Tame Technician

2,467 posts

205 months

Wednesday 12th August 2009
quotequote all
I dont think there would be any benefit in changing it more frequently, its not that type of gearbox.

The only part that fails alot on the DSG box's is electrical and nothing to do with the oil.

Stick to the recommended 40k intervals (but make sure it gets done before 40K) Warranty and Goodwill, if you ever need it later, will rejected claims if the oil is change as little as 500 miles over the 40K interval.


Jeux

1,170 posts

266 months

Thursday 13th August 2009
quotequote all
Jeux said:
Tame Technician said:
billy5 said:
so its not just a case of draining the old oil,
and filling it up till it runs out of a fill hole,
do you measure wat you take out so you know how much to put back,?
how do you get at the filter?
NO you dont measure what comes out,

Yes but No, you do just drain it out. You do kinda just fill til it comes out, but the fill isnt on the side like a diff or a manual box, and Its all a bit more involved.


The drain and filler are on the bottom of the gearbox sump. So you get access under the car.

There is a special tool to get the oil to go uphill into the gearbox from underneath.


This pic, shows the inside of the gearbox sump, the yellow mark is pointing at the drain bung. The white thing is the inside of the filler.

To fill the gearbox you need a special tool, with a remote oil reservoir, which you have to hang higher than the gearbox so that gravity forces the oil up inside the box. The filling tool actually hooks inside the filler in the sump of the gearbox, the filler is raised from the bottom of the sump to achieve the correct level.

As pointed out above, the type of oil is crucial and you are suppose to check a measure value block to set the level at the correct temperature. But this is less crucial, if you do it cold it will be very slightly overfilled, and that wont hurt. I use a laser thermometer on the sump pan.

There is a specific filling procedure too, failing to do this will result in the wrong level and damage the box.

(1) Fill "using the special tool/remote reservoir" until its up to the level with the engine off, (at this stage the gearbox is about half full and just about safe to run for 5 mins or so, "it would blow up if the rest of the procedure isn't done")

(2) refill the remote reservoir with gearbox oil. Then run the engine and go through the gears
(which lowers the level) then continue filling with the engine running, until it reaches the level. P

(3)Leave the engine running until the gearbox reaches the correct temperature and recheck the level at this time.
way beyond me...... any specialists you can recommend in the south west or south east that would do the job properly? thanks...
bump>>>>

billy5

235 posts

207 months

Thursday 13th August 2009
quotequote all
hiya,
tame tech,
is the filling tool the same one that you would use
to do a dsg box,
ta billy,

Tame Technician

2,467 posts

205 months

Friday 14th August 2009
quotequote all
The container for the oil is basically the same, but the end for the DSG box is different. The DSG and Multi tronic ones screw in, the tip tronics hook into the box.

I couldnt find a pic of the DSG one, but this is the Multi tronic one, very similar.

http://www.samstagsales.com/images/vas5162.jpg

These tools are like £150, its surly cheaper to pay someone to do it.


If its any help, here's an american website selling all the special tools, (is where I got the images from)

http://www.samstagsales.com/vwaudi.htm