Transmission gone - water in it

[vtraudt]

After taking the transmission out of the 1996 A4 2.8 Quattro auto, it was opened for inspection by my local trans shop.
The fluid was milk coffee brown. They said water had gotten into it, likely by a leak of the trans line running through the radiator.

Likely, it will be cost prohibitive to rebuilt the trans.

I haven't checked, but I thought the car has a separate air to fluid transmission cooler? Or are the 2 coolant line from the trans indeed running through the engine radiator (and a leak could force coolant/water into the trans circuit)? If so, I need a new radiator, too. Right?

[blacka4]

yup the factory transmission cooler is the radiator. if something happens then you get water in the transmission fluid. You can prevent that by installing an aftermarket air to air cooler for the transmission

[vtraudt]

So I could:
a) get a new radiator (combination engine/trans)
b) keep the old radiator (with assumed internal leak to trans cooling lines), plug connections for trans lines, and use just for engine cooling; get aftermarket transmission cooler and install.

What size for the external (or sources/links)?
Where and how to mount it on my A4?

[blacka4]

Here is what I would do. If you are going to replace the transmission then I would get a new radiator, and do an external transmission cooler. Any size from Summit, or jegs, Or ECS if they sell them. the reason I wouldn't keep the old rad would because if its bad then you would be loosing coolant.

[vtraudt]

New radiator and new trans cooler. Wow ($$$).
Where to mount the external trans cooler?
the radiator already has to deal with the condenser for the A/C.

Are there pics of examples out there where external trans coolers are installed?

[Sales@RAI]

do a manual swap. Easier and cheaper

[vtraudt]

do a manual swap. Easier and cheaper

Well, for this particular car, it is designated for my daughter and therefore needs to remain an auto trans.

The transmission swap seems to be rather complicated (see http://www.audis4parts.com/page23.html).

So, selecting a project Audi is best done by selecting the desired transmission. Can the engines be swapped more easily?

Id Est:
A4 B5 2.8 V6 quattro manual swap to 1.8T?
A6 manual swap to 2.7T?

Regarding the auto trans I have.
Its a ZF-5HP-19FL

I was surprised to find that this trans is also used in much stronger cars:
BMW 97-current, 3 series E46, 5 series E39, 7 Series E38
Audi 95-current, A4, A8
Audi 97-current, A6
Porsche Boxster 96-97
VW Passat 96-Current

So: how much can the trans in the A4 2.8l quattro handle with respect to power/torque?

Does the above mean I could source a trans from the cars mentioned and install in in a 1996 Audi A4 quattro? I would assume (strongly) that this is not possible, considering the quattro (at the very least).

[blacka4]

Well, for this particular car, it is designated for my daughter and therefore needs to remain an auto trans.

The transmission swap seems to be rather complicated (see http://www.audis4parts.com/page23.html).

So, selecting a project Audi is best done by selecting the desired transmission. Can the engines be swapped more easily?

Id Est:
A4 B5 2.8 V6 quattro manual swap to 1.8T?
A6 manual swap to 2.7T?

Regarding the auto trans I have.
Its a ZF-5HP-19FL

I was surprised to find that this trans is also used in much stronger cars:
BMW 97-current, 3 series E46, 5 series E39, 7 Series E38
Audi 95-current, A4, A8
Audi 97-current, A6
Porsche Boxster 96-97
VW Passat 96-Current

So: how much can the trans in the A4 2.8l quattro handle with respect to power/torque?

Does the above mean I could source a trans from the cars mentioned and install in in a 1996 Audi A4 quattro? I would assume (strongly) that this is not possible, considering the quattro (at the very least).

the tq rating is only 310 Nm.

the external trans cooler could just be mounted in front of he condenser.

[vtraudt]

the tq rating is only 310 Nm.

the external trans cooler could just be mounted in front of he condenser.

No concern regarding air flow? trans cooler, condenser, radiator on top of each other?

[blacka4]

Nope I wouldn't see a problem with air flow. you could mount it someplace else, like where the side mount IC would be on the passenger side