A4 owners that manually shift....
Supporting Tuner
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 51,896
Likes: 39
From: ================== Houston, Texas www.englandgreen.com ================== Necessary Evil™ __________
CI 6-7-8-9-10 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14
This one has been beat to death........Not a problem.....................They work just fine, do it in all my vehicles........normal driving, racing AND on road courses. A seperate trans cooler(s) will help it live a longer life if you want to shift more often 
Only smell I get is tire rubber
Trace your smell down for sure, good luck
Only smell I get is tire rubber
Trace your smell down for sure, good luck
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 19,384
Likes: 87
From: Horncastle Lincolnshire, England
2023 C5 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
I've noticed that when I drive hard around the back roads. I'll often leave it in 2nd and hit maybe 70ish. I've always put it down to hot brakes. There's certainly no risk of damaging the transmission otherwise you'd have a "D" and nothing else.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,877
Likes: 1
From: Ok! So you don't believe in conspiracies, but will you acknowledge the possibility of there being coordinated activities in secret places? Texas
No clutch rattle, no jumping out of gear, no sloppy shifter, and no clutch replacement! Never gonna be the same!
A4s rock!
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 11,363
Likes: 1
From: Virginia Beach VA
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
This one has been beat to death........Not a problem.....................They work just fine, do it in all my vehicles........normal driving, racing AND on road courses. A seperate trans cooler(s) will help it live a longer life if you want to shift more often
Only smell I get is tire rubber Trace your smell down for sure, good luck
Only smell I get is tire rubber
Trace your smell down for sure, good luck And AT&NB has some cool cars. 
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Pro
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 573
Likes: 0
I get the same smell when I drive spirited with the A4 shifting up and down. I think the a4 can handle it. Many cars are developed with autostick. Also the vette is designed for race and spirited driving. How would this be different than stomping the gas and the car downshifting on its own?
for those discenting on the tranny toughness, please don't just speculate on whether the a4 can handle this, site your info.
for those discenting on the tranny toughness, please don't just speculate on whether the a4 can handle this, site your info.
Last edited by FAAASTJEDI2000; Jun 26, 2007 at 10:02 PM.
Racer
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 470
Likes: 1
From: Bellevue Nebraska
Sounds to me as if though it may be your first or second gear clutch... Being that it only smells when shifting manually.
My A4 fourth gear gave out on me with no notice, just suddenly started slipping.
Chances are if you have a gut instinct that something is not right, most likely it isn't. I would recommend you STOP shifting manually and drive it regularly as long as it goes fine.
Unless you don't mind a trip to the transmission repair shop-btw, it costed me $2,100.00 for a rebuilt. Good Luck!
My A4 fourth gear gave out on me with no notice, just suddenly started slipping.
Chances are if you have a gut instinct that something is not right, most likely it isn't. I would recommend you STOP shifting manually and drive it regularly as long as it goes fine.
Unless you don't mind a trip to the transmission repair shop-btw, it costed me $2,100.00 for a rebuilt. Good Luck!
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 25,050
Likes: 1,265
From: Virginia
St. Jude Donor '11
You can hurt the trans by manually shifting it. It wasnt buit for that, the gear selections are made for steep inclines or declines. You should just put in Drive and go.
You will end up causing more heat to build within the tranny which eventually will take a toll on the clutches and bands.
You will end up causing more heat to build within the tranny which eventually will take a toll on the clutches and bands.
I have never shifted my A4 manually,(although I would if needed going up or down steep inclines so I wouldn't burn the brakes up going down long distance down hill) pretending to have a stick shift...If I wanted to do that, I would have bought a 6 speed(which I already have...ZF6 speed/1995 LT1)
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,943
Likes: 18
From: Henderson NV
Actually the main thing that will hurt a A4 is Heat.
And actually your tranny will run cooler not in Drive where it has to keep shifting into overdirive, manual shifting is fine as long as you dont exceed the 4k rpm range.
Run a cooler and Redline synthetic fluids
And actually your tranny will run cooler not in Drive where it has to keep shifting into overdirive, manual shifting is fine as long as you dont exceed the 4k rpm range.
Run a cooler and Redline synthetic fluids
