Transmission leak milky fluid :(

[eclipse1]

So last week this car's timing chain was replaced. This weekend I see quite a bit of fluid on my driveway. Took it to dealership and they said it's my transmission fluid leaking through a bottom plate. They tried to open and drain plug and said it stripped but they see milky fluid. I have a plastic container sitting where it's draining and this is what it looks like.






I don't understand how and when it started but I haven't had leaks before and have the car only for a few weeks.
Extremely frustrated with this car. Am I looking at a transmission replacement? Please advise.

A little history on this car... it had a front collision and several front parts were replaced by the previous owner. He did a terrible job and tried to cut every possible corners. The radiator has a crack on the top nipple which he tried to fix with silicone and a metal clamp.

[jfo]

What year is this? If it's a 6 speed auto with Lifeguard 6 fluid, the yellow colour is normal. It's hard to say about the "frothy" looking stuff, but that isn't normal. Condensation in engine oil will produce a frothy residue that is harmless, but you don't hear about this occurring in transmission fluid. Hopefully changing the fluid and filter will be sufficient. Perhaps 2 drain and fill cycles to get as much of the old stuff out. It's impossible to speculate on whether this has affected the transmission. Does it run/shift OK?

[eclipse1]

It's 2011 FWD. 8 speed CVT transmission. The only issue with the car right now is, it hesitates or jerks when I move from a complete stop (doesn't do that every time but most of the time depending on how I press the gas pedal). After that, it runs good.

[rally3]

If the radiator is damaged it's internal transmission cooler may be cracked, allowing coolant into the transmission ??
Is there any coolant loss ?

[jfo]

I know very little about the CVT's. They do have a schedule for trans fluid change I believe. Do you have any service records or do you know if the dealer has any record on their system for the VIN? The colour looks good...not dark or burnt looking. The other containment is curious though.

[eclipse1]

With the service record that I've found, no record of ever changing the transmission fluid. When I checked this morning, I see more brown (oil) than the milky stuff that leaked yesterday. The idiot at the dealership stripped the drain plug and couldn't get it open. How hard is it to get that stripped drain plug out? I'm thinking of doing a transmission flush. What's the typical cost? The tech said it's leaking through a plate that's at the bottom. Any idea what part he was referring to?

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If the radiator is damaged it's internal transmission cooler may be cracked, allowing coolant into the transmission ??
Is there any coolant loss ?

No coolant loss so far.

[S4'ed]

You have engine coolant leaking into the transmission fluid. The trans heat exchanger inside the engine coolant radiator has a leak. Fix this ASAP, and change the trans filter and flush the trans with the fresh fluid...if driven this way, it will trash the trans. The trans is leaking because the engine coolant is overfilling the transmission.....

[eclipse1]

You have engine coolant leaking into the transmission fluid. The trans heat exchanger inside the engine coolant radiator has a leak. Fix this ASAP, and change the trans filter and flush the trans with the fresh fluid...if driven this way, it will trash the trans. The trans is leaking because the engine coolant is overfilling the transmission.....

Is there any place where I can take this liquid sample and have them figure out what's in it? so you're pretty positive that it's coolant that's leaking into transmission? If that's the case, I need to do the following tasks in this order?
1. Replace the radiator (is there a DIY available?)
2. Put new coolant (is there a DIY available?)
3. take the car to a shop to have the stripped transmission drain plug removed
4. drain transmission fluid and fill up

How about the leak? It won't leak anymore if the pressure is right?

[Jacon]

You have engine coolant leaking into the transmission fluid. The trans heat exchanger inside the engine coolant radiator has a leak. Fix this ASAP, and change the trans filter and flush the trans with the fresh fluid...if driven this way, it will trash the trans. The trans is leaking because the engine coolant is overfilling the transmission.....

This is NOT cheap on a CVT.

Trans flush with a filter replacement is about $1000 on a CVT and more if the exchanger is leaking. Generally speaking, the CVT is a junk transmission and the lurching you're describing cannot be fixed. A new transmission is about $4K.

g/l

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Is there any place where I can take this liquid sample and have them figure out what's in it? so you're pretty positive that it's coolant that's leaking into transmission? If that's the case, I need to do the following tasks in this order?
1. sell car

How about the leak? It won't leak anymore if the pressure is right?

fixed

[jfo]

Coolant leak is very likely considering the previous front end damage. This is the only place water can enter the trans and mix with fluid. Your sample looks very much like a oil/water mix. Take the coolant tank cap off and look for oily film, which would confirm the mix. No film doesn't eliminate the probability of a leak though.

[van462]

The timing chain DIY covers the entire front disassembly. His was a MT so 2 extra lines to remove for the trans cooler.
Before working on the drain plug verify the fill plug can be removed. http://www.audizine.com/forum/showth...-and-front-end

[eclipse1]

The timing chain DIY covers the entire front disassembly. His was a MT so 2 extra lines to remove for the trans cooler.
Before working on the drain plug verify the fill plug can be removed. http://www.audizine.com/forum/showth...-and-front-end

van642,
I looked at the DIY and removing the radiator is doable but the stealership already stripped the transmission drain plug. What can be done about that? I read that there are no pan for this CVT transmission, so am I royally screwed?

[ak11214]

van642,
I looked at the DIY and removing the radiator is doable but the stealership already stripped the transmission drain plug. What can be done about that? I read that there are no pan for this CVT transmission, so am I royally screwed?

Seems like this car having so much issue. You might be better off selling it as is or trading it in for something else.

[eclipse1]

Here's what the fluid looks like after 2 days of collection. I haven't driven the car since Monday evening.

[Dr. Awesome]

I'm no expert, but I'm thinking you're in trailer territory there... Was the title salvage? Really sucks you got it from a shady dude... hope you got a deal on it so it doesn't put you out at a total loss, transmission repair isn't cheap on any car.

[Jacon]

To be fair, I think the ATF fluid on the CVT is supposed to be red.

[eclipse1]

are there any CVT transmission owners here who did any service on these transmissions? Any DIY for tranny fluid drain, refill?

[eclipse1]

So with the help of a friend, I lifted the car and got a good look. Can anybody please help identify this plate where it's leaking from? I see a series of numbers(0AW 301 173 A) but wasn't able to find much on Google. Please advise. Photobucket is down this morning but I loaded a video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZOP75PXlBA
The video is long but you can skip through the right are to locate the part and please advise what that is. Also, I couldn't find a fill plug. How do you fill these transmissions? You can also see the stripped drain plug at 3:47.

[Dr. Awesome]

I watched the video, just out of curiosity since I'm not mechanically inclined enough to really help, but I wasn't expecting that music... sounded kind of like I was watching something x-rated lol

[audrobotic]

When you said the drain plug was stripped I was thinking the threads. But it looks like you mean the head is stripped (torx?). I would think there's gotta be pretty simple way to get that out and just use a new one afterward.

[eclipse1]

I watched the video, just out of curiosity since I'm not mechanically inclined enough to really help, but I wasn't expecting that music... sounded kind of like I was watching something x-rated lol

Dr. Awesome, LOL.. That's what youtube offered and didn't play any attention to that part at all! I just wanted to make sure all my cussing isn't heard by my fellow audizine members.

[eclipse1]

Had the transmission fluid replaced. The shop that worked on it said the plate is not for tranny but for differential. this plate is right in front of the transmission. Can anyone please point me to a DIY that addresses the differential fluid replacement? I'd like to replace the fluid and the cover.

Thanks and much appreciated.

[19birel]

It's 2011 FWD. 8 speed CVT transmission. The only issue with the car right now is, it hesitates or jerks when I move from a complete stop (doesn't do that every time but most of the time depending on how I press the gas pedal). After that, it runs good.

Having your fluid changed (which, judging by your last post, it seems like you've done) should remedy that hesitation. Our car had an identical issue, and once the fluid was replaced the problem went away. Audi recommends you change the fluid every 30k miles, for future reference.

[abubakamp]

Did you find a solution kindly assist