Multitronic gearbox behaviour

[Az]

Recently (like last weekend) we bought my wife a 2001 B6 2.0 avant with Multitronic, on the test drive all seemed ok, but my wife reported that it seemed jerky the other day, not being into cars that was the best description she could give me. So, I took it for a drive to see what she was talking about, at first I couldn't really feel any jerkiness as such, just a bit hesitant as it was stone cold which pretty quickly cleared, but a bit further into the journey I came to a junction where I had to come to a stop, when it was clear I proceeded but there was a pause in movement, almost like it wasn't in gear and then all of a sudden it julted forward and pulled away as normal.

Sometimes it does this when you come to a stop and other times it can pull away nice and smoothly (like I expect it should) but most of the time it does this odd pause and then almost violently jults forward on pull away. When on the move it changes gear seamlessly and all other functions like kick down and tiptronic mode work fine.

I know it's different to a conventional auto box as it has a multi plate clutch and a DMF, and it's also electronically controlled, but would that really make it behave this way?? I used to own an E46 SMG2 M3 a couple of years ago which effectively has the same sort of gearbox but that never did anything like this and was alway dead smooth on pull away.

If anyone has experienced the same thing with their Multitronic I'd much appreciate any input as to what could be causing it and a solution, or if anyone has any ideas as to what it could be that would be great.

Could it just need adjusting with setting on VCDS??

Thanks in advance,
Az

 

[SL11CKK]

Same thing happens at times on my brothers 2006 Passat with DSG. When engaged in reverse its like as you said and when it goes it jerks.

Mechanic says it could be most likely box related or electric. Although I did sense that he is confused by the problem.

 

[Mike B]

Has it had the ATF changed?Mines a tiptronic drives smoothly and I believe yours should be better if its healthy

 

[Az]

Thanks for the replies.

It has had a ATF change last year, think it was in July when it was changed, got the receipt and it was ATF from Audi so is the correct stuff. I only know that because I thought the same thing last night so went through it extensive pile of receipts.

Does it have a hydrolic pump or electronic pump for engaging the gears? Or at least for engaging 1st or reverse?

 

[Mike B]

Diagnostics might help.Was the ATF change by Audi?

 

[Az]

ATF was done at a place called Cars-tech, looking them up on the net they are a German car specialist, I have a receipt for the gearbox oil from Audi, the previous owner bought 8 litres of it but there is another receipt for returning 2 litres of it, so it looks like up to 6 litres of oil we're used for an ATF change, is that right? Seems a lot to me, from previous experience the most I've ever had to buy for a gearbox oil change has been about 3 litres, and the mrs car is only FWD.

 

[madmike01uk]

They do take a lot of oil mate. Might be worth phoning a cvt specialist to see if they can diagnose the fault, could be an early warning of something failing. There is a specialist in Bristol that seems to have had a few good reviews. Hope it is nothing serious.

 

[ex911driver]

They do take that amount , take 9 litres if they change oil in torque converter.
Have a read of this ,
http://frankensteinmotorworks.com/turbine/docs/multitronic.pdf

 

[Az]

Yeah cheers guys, hopefully nothing serious. It doesn't throw an engine or transmission light on or anything so not sure if it would be holding any faults, will have to invest in VCDS like I've been meaning to for god knows how long!

 

[Az]

They do take that amount , take 9 litres if they change oil in torque converter.
Have a read of this ,
http://frankensteinmotorworks.com/turbine/docs/multitronic.pdf

Thats some serious bedtime reading mate!! Very interesting though! Didn't realise they were such a complicated gearbox, which worries me slightly!.....

 

[ex911driver]

You can buy most of the parts separately, Solenoids, chains,valves pretty much anything .
Audi will say you cannot though. The Oil is special too as it lubricates the final drive as well as is expensive. Make sure they used the right one.

 

[Az]

Well as said the ATF was bought from Slough Audi, it doesn't have the chassis number or registration on the receipt but the part number for the ATF is - AG 052 180 A2, can anyone confirm if that is the right fluid for a Multitronic box?

 

[ex911driver]

yes that is right for a multitronic box

 

[ex911driver]

You could get it scanned with vcds it may show up a fault. The vw 09a box said little or no communication when the high clutch pack was failing on my Golf.

 

[Az]

Thanks for your help mate, appreciate it. I'll have to see if anyone in or around my area on here has VCDS to scan it for me for a few sherbets as I don't have the funds to buy VCDS myself just yet.

 

[_G_]

http://www.audi-sport.net/vb/a6-s6-allroad-forum-c5-chassis/8292-multitronic-problems.html

 

[Az]

http://www.audi-sport.net/vb/a6-s6-allroad-forum-c5-chassis/8292-multitronic-problems.html

Thanks very much for pointing me in the direction to that link mate, very interesting. I'll definitely be doing the wheel sensor clean and checking for moisture or water in or around the gearbox wiring loom and passenger footwell today. I took the car for a decent drive yesterday and it's not 'that' bad, if you drive it carefully and allow the gearbox a little bit of extra time at junctions it's fine, but in situations where you need to pull out quickly out of a junction it's far from smooth and can pretty violently jult forward when pulling away. Hopefully the wheel sensor trick works, I'll report back once I've done it!