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Old 06-24-2011, 01:26 PM   #1
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My Tiptronic doesn't like the hot weather

My Tip has started making a hissing, hydraulic fluid kind of sound. It started doing it only in reverse but now I hear it in park too. The hotter the weather the worse the sound. It doesn't actually run or shift any differently but the sound makes me worry that the transmission might be going out.

I don't like working under the car by myself so I guess I'll take it to the local independent to check the fluid level. But there's not been any leaks in the 6 months that I've owned the car so the fluid level shouldn't have changed.

Seriously, should I trade in the car while it's still driving? I'm not making a joke. I'm guessing a transmission rebuild would be at least $5k. I think it's $1,500 just to R&R the unit not counting the rebuild itself.

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Old 06-24-2011, 03:50 PM   #2
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What vehicle are you considering to buy if you trade it in?
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Old 06-24-2011, 09:44 PM   #3
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I had similar issue (running hot, slippering, noisy, had it all at once). The transmission’s coolant vacuum valve broken in the 'SHUT' mode. That thing is all made of cheap plastic so very likely yours is fried as well. I've just toss away mine and bypassed the valve with a 3/4" aluminum tubing and two little clips ($2 fix). Now the tip is getting free flow of coolant 100% of the time…. just need to be careful not to push it TOO hard when cold but then, who does that!

Just sharing mate... not sayin this is for sure what's going on with yours.

Last edited by madmods; 06-24-2011 at 09:47 PM.
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Old 06-25-2011, 05:46 AM   #4
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Thanks for the "tip" on the Tip cooling valve.

I've actually calmed down a little today. I took it for a drive in the early sunrise conditions and the car went back to being it's old self. No funny noises. So I'm less worried that I'm facing imminent failure. I measure the tran fluid temperature and got a reading of 202 at the drain plug and about 175 on the side of the pan. I don't understand why they aren't the same but the temps aren't crazy in mild conditions.

I actually sold my 2005 Corvette this week because I realized I was driving the Boxster almost exclusively and couldn't justify two sports cars. Of course the very next day I drove the Boxster in hottesttest weather so far this year and panicked when I heard the bad hissing sound.

I was thinking about buying a 2012 Focus or maybe (blushes) a Miata.
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Old 06-26-2011, 09:02 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by madmods
I had similar issue (running hot, slippering, noisy, had it all at once). The transmission’s coolant vacuum valve broken in the 'SHUT' mode. That thing is all made of cheap plastic so very likely yours is fried as well. I've just toss away mine and bypassed the valve with a 3/4" aluminum tubing and two little clips ($2 fix). Now the tip is getting free flow of coolant 100% of the time…. just need to be careful not to push it TOO hard when cold but then, who does that!

Just sharing mate... not sayin this is for sure what's going on with yours.
I can't tell you how grateful I am for this information. I just finished running a little test on the valve with my MityVac and it won't hold a vacuum. I had already ordered the new valve (only $17) based on your diagnosis but now I know for sure my valve is bad.

Your tip has been the single most valuable piece of internet advice I've ever received. I was actually thinking about trading in the car because I thought the transmission was about to fail. My mind was latched on to the idea that the hissing sound was transmission fluid and I never even considered the possibility of a vacuum leak.

Thanks again.
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Old 06-26-2011, 09:48 AM   #6
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Well spotted! Like you said, it's good to start there and see how it goes.

Given what happened to me with that same weird-hidden-plastic-valve-thingny.... I do however have great confidence this is your issue as well but then who am I to tell for sure. I'm not a pcar expert at all.

It would certainly be interesting to see your follow-up when your valve is replaced. Sure this will help a few Tip drivers....

Best of luck mate
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Old 06-27-2011, 06:06 AM   #7
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I drove the car 30 miles yesterday in hot weather with the vacuum source line coming from the manifold plugged with a golf tee. When I got home there was a genuine hissing (not a vacuum leak) from the Tip while in reverse only (it's been doing this for a while in the heat) but no hissing otherwise and no stumbling at idle the way it did before when the vacuum leak was active.

There's no telling how long this valve has been broken in the closed position. I'm planning on replacing the valve rather than a bypass but every American car I'm familar with has a auto trans cooler mounted in the radiator that tends to bring the trans fluid temp to the engine coolant temp. In fact I'd think there would be some benifit from warming the trans fluid in cold weather.

I still don't know about the hissing in reverse but I'm planning on doing a Tip service by dropping the pan and replacing the filter. This will partially replace the fluid too.

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