95 Cabrio Automatic Transmission query

[akapieta]

Hi Guys,

Quick question,

On a 1995 Cabriolet V6 2.6e automatic transmission, what is the correct level of fluid and what is the checking procedure? The car has a dipstick for the ATF fluid. How warm should the engine be, must the engine be running etc?

Why I'm asking this is, the car short shifts when in "drive" even with your foot planted to the ground. 1st Gear shifts at 4200rpm, 2nd gear 4800rpm, 3rd gear 5500rpm. It does rev up straight through to 6000rpm when you select the gears yourself, but not in drive. Can this be tuned?

Is there a specific procedure to repalce the atf fluid? Like a filter inside that also needs replacing?

Any help very much appreciated!!!

[80Quattro]

I can't help with the ATF level, the dip stick made no sense to me when I owned my cab and the manual was no help either. Mine did exactly the same short shift, so I think that's just how they behave. Having regularly used an E60 535D alongside my cab, it made me realise just how antiquated the Audi autobox is. On an open road it is just terrible as you are either stuck trying to accelerate from 1100RPM in top gear, or doing 6 MPG trying to hold it in gear. Selling the car seemed to resolve the problem for me

[akapieta]

Hi 80 Quattro

Hi 80 Quattro,

Yeah she feels just so lazy, I'm almost on the gears more than I'm in Drive mode, but thought isnt there something thats tuneable inside that transmission, I just bought mine so I'm stuck with it for another couple of years, love the car though, but if I can better this she would be a lot better. Heard quite a couple of guys complain of the lazyness of the older auto audi's. Thanks for the reply.

Cheers

[80Quattro]

From what I remember, in the manual it says it adapts the gear changes to your driving style, it doesn't elaborate on that so I'm not really sure how. I do know that having driven mine for 2 years it never made it into the powerband in any gear unless I manually selected it. I don't think there is a good solution to this, it's just such a waste of having a V6 petrol engine when you can't use it's potential. In my 80q the 2.8 V6 feels fast and eager with a nice kick around 4000 RPM. In the cab it was only ever adequate and sometimes even felt slow, a bit of that is due to the extra weight, but I think mostly it's due to that hateful gearbox.

On a positive note, I can't criticise the gearbox for how it drives around town, it is perfect in that situation. But who buys a 2.8 V6 to only drive around town?

[akapieta]

Yeah thats right, I bought it because it had more power than my previous cars, and ofcourse to feel the wind through my hair on warm sunny days. It's just currently I am almost driving it like a manual to get most power out of it. She feels 100 times quicker from the line if you select 1st than put it to drive. I was looking at the A4 2.8 manual as well but this one got by for a bargain. I am not complaining at all, but she will be more driveable if the gearbox shifts better.