JD NEEDS HELP

[Jerry Dunlap]

Yesterday I managed to run over a large rock with our 2003 Audi A4 Convertible. The rock made a small crack in the transmission case where the oil plug is located. The foreign auto repair shop where I have had other work done, said it needs an entire new transmission. According to them, an internet search did not locate a used transmission in the U.S. The replacement transmission is in Germany and the repair cost would be nearly $10,000. The convertible was a gift from our daughter back in 2017. It only has 78,000 miles on it. The insurance company will total the car and we'll probably get around $3,500.

There are many "metal experts" on IW. Is there any type of material(something like JB Weld only better) that applied to the area around the crack(obviously cleaned throughly) that would stick to the outside of the case and create an external seal? I really hate to have to settle with getting the Audi A4 totaled.
JD

 

[Bill Gibson]

Yesterday I managed to run over a large rock with our 2003 Audi A4 Convertible. The rock made a small crack in the transmission case where the oil plug is located. The foreign auto repair shop where I have had other work done, said it needs an entire new transmission. According to them, an internet search did not locate a used transmission in the U.S. The replacement transmission is in Germany and the repair cost would be nearly $10,000. The convertible was a gift from our daughter back in 2017. It only has 78,000 miles on it. The insurance company will total the car and we'll probably get around $3,500.

There are many "metal experts" on IW. Is there any type of material(something like JB Weld only better) that applied to the area around the crack(obviously cleaned throughly) that would stick to the outside of the case and create an external seal? I really hate to have to settle with getting the Audi A4 totaled.
JD
View attachment 279658

Yesterday I managed to run over a large rock with our 2003 Audi A4 Convertible. The rock made a small crack in the transmission case where the oil plug is located. The foreign auto repair shop where I have had other work done, said it needs an entire new transmission. According to them, an internet search did not locate a used transmission in the U.S. The replacement transmission is in Germany and the repair cost would be nearly $10,000. The convertible was a gift from our daughter back in 2017. It only has 78,000 miles on it. The insurance company will total the car and we'll probably get around $3,500.

There are many "metal experts" on IW. Is there any type of material(something like JB Weld only better) that applied to the area around the crack(obviously cleaned throughly) that would stick to the outside of the case and create an external seal? I really hate to have to settle with getting the Audi A4 totaled.
JD
View attachment 279658

This is a long shot but is the housing aluminum? I’d be looking for a really good welder with tig/aluminum experience.....it be a shame to have to total that car......gotta be some welding shops near you that you could talk to.

 

[shoboat]

Jerry,

Reach out to Mike Byer he does foreign car repair I believe?
Did you go to the beach for a picnic with your wife? That musta
been a pretty good size rock?

Thanks,

Mark Sholund

 

[dave roach]

JD
The old bubble gum trick.LOL
Fine someone in you area that can lazer weld and it willn't cost 3500.00.

Dave

 

[Hydro Junkie]

JD, is that a stick or an automatic? If it's a stick, you could probably get away with having someone tig welding the case in the car. If it's an automatic, you may have to pull it and have the case taken apart first, depending on where the crack is. The other thing to consider is whether the car has a Turbo 4 or the 6 cylinder engine. They use different transmissions and it could make a difference in how hard it would be to remove it, if necessary

 

[andy fraser]

Should not be an issue for a competent welder . Is it just a hairline crack with a very slow leak or is the leak worse. There are a bunch of machinable metal filled epoxies on the market. Have used them to repair external water jacket cracks in engine blocks with good success 200 degrees and 15psi , trans should have minimal case pressure.

 

[Mike Byer]

If it's just a crack, you should be able to use something on the outside. Something that would flex with the case as it grows and contracts with the temp. Like Dirko or 3 bond, both a silicone base sealer. Welding with it in the car is out, you can never get it clean and free of oil so you could get a good job. Any 2 part epoxy cures too hard and will crack and leak again shortly.

 

[dwilfong]

https://itwperformancepolymers.com/products/devcon/metal-rebuilding-repair/devcon-aluminum-putty-fDrill a small hole at the ends of the crack and make a slight groove in it.
Then clean with brake clean and slap this stuff on it.
Will never leak again.......

 

[camaroboy383]

lol, gotta love foriegn stealerships! 10k.. lol.. these transmissions are everywhere in bone yards.. they are blowing smoke up your rear.. its a $1000 tranny at most from a boneyard.. its a common 03 a4, not a maserati... lol..

this is one of the main reasons i left the dealership scene, and the foriegn side was the worst, get in your pocket for all they can over and over again..

you can try anything, the devcon suggestion is a good one.. but getting it clean enough will be the biggest hurdle.. aluminum, especially cast, is so hard to get the impurities out.. it would need to be drained and let sit for days as it drains.. cleaned and heated to sweat the contaminants out repeatedly before applying it..

my suggestion is find a good honest mechanic to swap out the tranny for 800-1000, and get a boneyard tranny and call it..

 

[SayMikey]

Need more info,engine size which trans cvt? Used 2003 Audi A4 Transmission Transmission Transaxle Parts | Sea

 

[Mark Anderson]

Jerry, Like Mike said. Need more info. A quick search showed a bunch of options. If we can get the rest of the info I can search a trans. Putting it in should not be a problem. How bad is it leaking?

 

[camaroboy383]

Transmission code will be a 3 digit letter code...

FEP
GBE
GGT
HYF
GBJ

 

[camaroboy383]

or take the 3500 and run...

 

[Jerry Dunlap]

Jerry, Like Mike said. Need more info. A quick search showed a bunch of options. If we can get the rest of the info I can search a trans. Putting it in should not be a problem. How bad is it leaking?

Hi Mark,
It isn't leaking real bad. I'm bringing it back from the repair shop on Monday.

Here's the information off or insurance policy: 2003 Audi A4 3.0 Cabriolet ID#WAUAT48H03K008361. It has a turbocharged 6 cylinder 260 HP engine.

I really appreciate all the assistance/support from IW members. The car has become like a member of the family.

Dunny

 

[Hydro Junkie]

I found three A4s in a Lynnwood wrecking yard, all with the Turbo 4. Somehow, I don't think they are compatible. Was checking auto parts stores, only found mounts, no full units

 

[SayMikey]

https://www.hollanderparts.com/used...,-cvt,-transmission-id-fsh/part-161101-7783-1

 

[andy fraser]

https://itwperformancepolymers.com/products/devcon/metal-rebuilding-repair/devcon-aluminum-putty-fDrill a small hole at the ends of the crack and make a slight groove in it.
Then clean with brake clean and slap this stuff on it.
Will never leak again.......

Crack is not structural, probably don’t even need to drill stop it. If it’s a minor leak clean it with trichloroethane brake cleaner, minor grind to virgin metal, plug it and forget about it.

 

[johnsteltzer]

I tug weld aluminum all the time it would be impossible to tug it with the aluminum contaminated with fluid you will have to clean with acid wash with water take a small torch warm the aluminum to cook some of the fluid out of the poors before you could weld it I could do it but you really got to know what you are doing the best stuff to use is a gas tank repair putty

 

[Jerry Dunlap]

Took the Audi from the foreign auto repair shop I first took it to down the street about a 1/4 mile to another car repair shop that has done a lot of work for my brother. I explained what happened, the external patch procedure recommended by several "IWers," and they said they would take a look at it and see what they could do making an external patch. I asked for the photos the first shop sent to my insurance company and for the life of me I don't know how the insurance company could determine the damage from these photos. I did see a slight crack last Friday, but I don't know what these two photos are showing other than the plastic belly pan ripped off.
JD
showing.

 

[Jerry Dunlap]

I enlarged the damaged area. The circled area in the bottom I think is the drain plug and the damaged area circled above.

JD