S6 V10 Transmission Fluid change - DIY? Tips?

A6 All/ S6 All
#1

First, Hello.

I have been lurking for a while, am pretty handy (rebuilt my '95.5 S6 engine a while ago among other car related tasks) and generally feel pretty comfortable working on vehicles. I just finished brakes/brake fluid flush, oil change and inner CV boot replace on the '08 S6 and have even tackled the dreaded pinch bolt when redoing UCA bushes. I want to change the transmission fluid, but as with everything I do, I want to gather as much information as possible before doing this.

I have been searching on this forum, other forums and google in general. I have looked at the Bentley for R&R info and read stories on other car’s fluid changes. However I cannot find a write up on changing the V10’s transmission fluid, specifically how to get the pan off the transmission without dropping the engine to remove the exhaust, which seems to be in the way.

Also, from what I have read, this is not so much a flush as it is a replace whatever drips out through the pan drain hole and when the pan is removed - which is my current dilemma.

I checked through the DIY’s on this site, read several posts about this, found some mentions about the Y Pipe being a PITA, even saw a video entitled something like “S6 V10 Transmission Fluid Change” (which shows fluid dripping out into a giant clear tub for a couple of minutes but nothing else) but no real step by steps and tips/suggestions.

So before I dive in, does anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks in advance for any advice!

Ed

#2

ed welcome to the site. Here is my S4 fluid and pan droping thread. Obviously there are going to be some differences but this gives you an general outline on what the pan and filler tube looks like.

You should be able to drop the exhaust out of the way but you shouldnt need to drop the motor

http://audirevolution.net/forum/index.php?topic=2719.0

#3

Thanks for the welcome. I saw your post and have built my own DYI from it and a few others I have seen about ZF trans fluid changes. Thanks for that it was a good write up.

I decided to start with the passenger side Y pipe, and while I was doing that noticed the clamp fitting aft of the mid pipe resonators AFTER I had loosened the connection in front of it. I still need to undo that clamp do to the opposite way the nuts/bolts are in that section of pipe. The driver side small pipe is up there a bit, so after I get this one off I will look and see what kind of room I have. I also want to deflect the fluid since there is an electrical connection right below the drain hole (why there?).

Anyway, I think I have a handle on it now, and like many things, there’s the book way and then there’s the way that works the best.

I’ll let you know how it turns out.

Ed

#4

Do let us know. And maybe snap a few pix and we can add or update my write up to help accomidate future S6 owners. Or obviously you can make your own. This has been a question that has been asked a few times. So I think it would be helpful.

#5

Yes, very much interested in this.

Don’t leave any details out. For example, how where did you jack the entire car up and level it, assuming you didn’t use a lift, so that you could lay under it and do the refill with the engine running and the trans fluid hot. Also just timing and sequence of the refill to get the fluid in quickly enough.

Thanks!

#6

Just one question/point to add. I havent done my S8 yet but have changed the transmission fluid on a few Audi’s, merc’s and BMW’s in the past. Below is the procedure I have had to use on those cars. Presume the S6/8 is no different?

  1. Fill the tranny until it overflows with engine off, leave the filler pipe in place.
  2. Start car, cycle through gears. Put in park, keep engine running and top up oil till it overflows again
  3. Keep doing step 2 until oil is up to temp.
  4. Do final top up with engine still running.
  5. Refit filler with engine still running
#7

Just as an update, I have been taking pictures and plan on putting together a write up.

First thought was to remove just passenger side pipes, but I had to loosen up the driver side also to get access to the bolts holding the pan. I didn’t want to pull the driver side completely since there is an O2 sensor at the top.

The nuts on the bolts holding the aft clamps had enough bite on the socket and broke the bolt for the passenger side, the other side was too deteriorated, wound up dremeling/chiseling them off and they fought me good.

I will get the write up done as soon as I can.

Ed

#8

for uploading pictures. Use this. All the pictures people post on other 3rd party hosteing sites seen to not work

http://audirevolution.net/upload-media