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Which A4 Tranny Components Fail From HEAT ?

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Old Jul 3, 2006 | 09:16 PM
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Default Which A4 Tranny Components Fail From HEAT ?

Well add me to the list of auto trannies that have bit the dust...

Mine gets a lot of abuse road racing. But it was a Level 4.

Does anyone know exactly which parts fail from HEAT vs BREAKING due to excessive HP ????


DH
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Old Jul 3, 2006 | 10:14 PM
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Default tranny

Usually the heat gets to the fluid which can then cause the clutch packs and the bands to go. Can also affect the bushings and thrust washers.
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Old Jul 4, 2006 | 01:31 AM
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Originally Posted by tiojames
Usually the heat gets to the fluid which can then cause the clutch packs and the bands to go. Can also affect the bushings and thrust washers.
I don't really understand the different parts or workings of the A4. But I don't think these parts differ from level 4 ot level 5.

What tranny are you running and do you road race. Also what cooling setup do you have for the tranny/TC

Thanks


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Old Jul 4, 2006 | 03:47 AM
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Originally Posted by tiojames
Usually the heat gets to the fluid which can then cause the clutch packs and the bands to go. Can also affect the bushings and thrust washers.


Excessive heat will cause any automatic tranny to fail whether it is L4 or L5.
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Old Jul 4, 2006 | 11:41 AM
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DH
My tranny has a Superior shift kit,red and black clutch packs and a hi-po band installed by a little shop in Florida. I don't road race on a track and I have the 24,000 B&M cooler. See the sig. for parts and HP.
My tranny temps never go over 220 even here in Az.
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Old Jul 4, 2006 | 03:47 PM
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Originally Posted by Mitch C


Excessive heat will cause any automatic tranny to fail whether it is L4 or L5.
Thanks for the info

The reason I am asking is that I don't want to spend the exta $$$$$ on a Level 5 if it doesn't have components that are more heat resistant. I am not going to be adding any more power.

I will be better off taking that exta $$$$ and putting into larger and more tranny coolers and staying off small techincal couses when its 100 degrees ambient.

I am also going to try bypassing the radiator with my tranny cooler (S) since 230 coolant temps can't possibly lower the tranny temp much. And since I live in SoCal the tranny is never going to freeze


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Old Jul 4, 2006 | 03:49 PM
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Originally Posted by tiojames
DH
My tranny has a Superior shift kit,red and black clutch packs and a hi-po band installed by a little shop in Florida. I don't road race on a track and I have the 24,000 B&M cooler. See the sig. for parts and HP.
My tranny temps never go over 220 even here in Az.
As I've said elswhere ....... I have a great system for normal/spirited driving. My tranny barely gets up to 185 when its 107 ambient. The track is a whole different beast.........


DH
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Old Jul 4, 2006 | 03:51 PM
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Heat is very bad on the seals. Once your seals gets hard and starts to lose a seal, then the tranny starts to lose pressure to the clutches. That causes slip, which makes even more heat until either the seals lose pressure completly, or your clutches burn up. I have worked in a couple of transmission shops in my earlier days, and I would say 99% of there failures was due to seals. Now on a High HP car, it may be different, but Heat does shorten the life.

Last edited by RED99; Jul 4, 2006 at 03:54 PM.
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Old Jul 4, 2006 | 03:56 PM
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Originally Posted by RED99
Heat is very bad on the seals. Once your seals gets hard and starts to lose a seal, then the tranny starts to lose pressure to the clutches. That causes slip, which makes even more heat until either the seals lose pressure completly, or your clutches burn up. I have worked in a couple of transmission shops in my earlier days, and I would say 99% of there failures was due to seals. Now on a High HP car, it may be different, but Heat does shorten the life.
So there is no seals that can handle temps of 250 ?????


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