Click/clunk post Tip service - Ughhhh.

[Starter986]

I'm in a pinch. Humbly I request your assistance.

Yesterday (finally) serviced the transmission.

Drained out ~5.2 quarts of fluid.

Replaced filter.

Installed pan. (Old gasket felt like paper. It was old. Dry.)

This morning I followed the refill process as illustrated in vids and print. At one point during the process you run the tranny through R/N/D... ~10 seconds each... get under the car... add more fluid.

Now... I started with 5 quarts of fresh fluid.

When I started with an empty pan I pumped in 3.5 quarts of fresh fluid. That's when it started the dribble... start the car... warm up the tranny... run it through the gears. While running it through the gears I did have my foot OFF the brake. Just an idle. That foot OFF the brake may have something to do with the ABS light that came on... and remains on for now. So...

After running through the gears I pump in another 1.5 quarts of fresh fluid. At this point I'm thinking time to shut off the car. I do... and when I return to the open filler plug I've tranny fluid quickly dribbling into the pan. I got the plug in... tightened. I go back into the car... start it up... foot on brake... and put it into reverse. Click click click. What??! Neutral. Nothing... quiet. Drive. Click. Click click.

With my foot on or off the brake... click/click/click. No click in park. Didn't check manual.

So... I come inside... do some research and reading... and find that the ABS light coming on might have something to do with the wheels spinning at a low rate of speed for 20 seconds. I've read that once the car gets on the road the light may go out on its own. Not finding anything about that clicking sound. Next...

So... I'm stuck. Car is up on stands... all buttoned up. But I've got a Tip that is clicking in gear. Also... I took out 5.2 quarts... put 5 quarts in and, based upon what I accumulated from the leftover fresh fluid from the five quart bottles... and the fluid that dribbled out... I'd say that the net fresh fluid installed was 4.7 quarts. I'll be hitting O'Reilly for another quart... and will get back under the car tomorrow morning.

Any suggestions? Diagnosis? Questions. I'm thinking I should have left well enough alone.

Thank you.

Edit: I did some more research, and found this: https://www.renntech.org/topic/47603-tiptronic-problems-after-atf-fluidfilter-change/?ct=1590005824

It describes exactly the problem I'm having. Now, unless otherwise I am advised, I'll pick up the fresh quart. In the morning I'll remove the fill plug... see what comes out. If it drains a bit then I know it's level. I'll then start up the car... warm it up... let the tranny warm up to spec. I will not shift through the gears instead letting everything warm up organically, and with the fill plug off (Thanks JFP ). Then I'll get back underneath and pump in fresh fluid from the new quart... let it dribble... plug it up.

Unless otherwise advised. Thoughts?

Thank you!!

[Rickvd]

Sounds reasonable to me. Let us know how it goes & thanks. Rick

[Starter986]

OK. Everything is buttoned up...

This morning I removed the drain plug... and fluid did emerge dripping into the pan. That was around 630A. I went out, again, at 930A, and there was no dripping. Just to be certain I was starting level I used the leftover fluid (.15 qt) and pumped it in. It started dribbling. When there was no more dribble...

I started the car. No gear shifting. The transmission I let warm organically (again, no shifting through the gears). I kept an eye on any dribble and, throughout the entire warmup, not a drop emerged from the fill hole.

When the pan reached at least 105 degrees (I aimed at several spots on the pan) I got in the cab... foot on brake... shift to reverse. Click %*!!#$^y click. OK. So, I'm now thinking this time I'm going to check Manual... and having a feeling Drive is going to give me the same Click %*!!#$^y click. Shift to neutral... no click. Shift to Drive... Click %*!!#$^y click. Quickly I shift to Manual... Click %*!!#$^y click. Back to park. Car off. My foot was on the brake the entire time. Me. Here. Now.

So... here's my predicament: I don't know what next to do. I'm hoping someone can tell me what might be that clicking... at, like. .5 second intervals. What other steps might I take to correct everything?

I've a friend stopping by in a bit and I'm going to have him get under the tranny and pinpoint from where the noise is coming. I'll report back.

Thank you!

[Starter986]

OK. My memory has been refreshed. Hopefully these additional details help. And, thank you to anyone that's been reading, for tolerating all the sordid details. If it's one thing I've learned about this car... our cars... is that the details matter. I'm finding, in this event, that my memory isn't what it used to be. The details come... but in bits and pieces, and sooner or later (later, usually). I chalk it up to age, or the vape. Anyhow...

The first fill. 3.5 quarts. Dribble. Car started... tranny warmed... and I do recall running it through the gears. R. N. D. ~10 seconds each... watched the wheels spin... put it in park.

Here's where my memory is refreshed...

I return to the transmission pan... and start pumping in the other 1.5 quarts (remember, I dropped 5.2 quarts). As I get to the end of quart five there's like a gush of transmission fluid coming from the fill hole. It was almost a rush of fluid and, frantically, I positioned the fill plug back into position. Not before, I'm thinking, .2 quarts came out.

It was after that I returned to the cab... and so on until this morning.

So... my pal came over... got under the car... he heard the clicking, but could identify from where it was coming. Anyhow... car running... foot on brake... the clicking. So... I put it into gear... the clicking stops... and the driver side rear wheel is spinning. Likewise the passenger side. Pal grabs onto driver side tire while engine is at idle, tire spinning. Tire stops. Lets go and it just hangs there, not moving. Give it some gas... stats spinning. Tries to stop it, and does so. He then holds onto the tire tightly while I give it some gas... and he loses his grip. There's no clicking going on while it's in gear. When I put my foot on the brake, in gear R... clicking. Release brake... clicking goes away. Put it in drive. Same thing. No clicking in gear. Click with brake on. When I put it into manual. Brake on or off... clicking.

Guys... I'm looking for advice on what should be the next move. I'm suspecting a failed TC seal... which might explain 1. Why the initial drain yielded 5.2 quarts and, 2. the tranny took a dump a the last of the fifth quart. I don't associate the "dump" with the last drop of the fifth quart going in. It could have happened at quart 4. 4.3. 4.5. It just happened when it happened.

I've got to reinstall the under-parts... aluminum panel... bars... sway bar... and then drop the car. However, before I drop it I'd be most appreciative of some guidance... instruction. My inclination is to drop the car... and drive it forward and reverse in my driveway (HOA). That way, if it's something catastrophic, I'm right here.

I welcome any inquiries. Thank you, fellas, for your consideration.

[piper6909]

Man, Starter. I wish I had some advice for you, but I'm at a loss. Hopefully it's just something minor and stupid and you'll be back on the road soon. Keeping my fingers crossed for you!

[Starter986]

Good morning.

You guys got nothing?

Tomorrow morning after the underbody panel and brackets have been installed I'll drop the car... and do the driveway thing. Does anybody discourage that move? Any advice?

Thank you for your consideration. Cheers!

[maytag]

Originally Posted by Starter986

Good morning.

You guys got nothing?

Tomorrow morning after the underbody panel and brackets have been installed I'll drop the car... and do the driveway thing. Does anybody discourage that move? Any advice?

Thank you for your consideration. Cheers!

Starter, I just read through this thread. I'm sorry man, I got nothin' for ya, except to say that if I were at this point, my plan would be to do PRECISELY as you;re planning to do.
I hate it when I fix things "accidentally"; by that I mean the problem goes away but I still don't understand it. Having said that: it happens. And where right now you;re thinking "all I really want is for it to be fixed", I;d do exactly what you're planning.

But I've never been an automatic trans sorta guy. They're red-voodoo to me. so YMMV!

Keep us posted!

[Starter986]

Originally Posted by maytag

Starter, I just read through this thread. I'm sorry man, I got nothin' for ya, except to say that if I were at this point, my plan would be to do PRECISELY as you;re planning to do.
I hate it when I fix things "accidentally"; by that I mean the problem goes away but I still don't understand it. Having said that: it happens. And where right now you;re thinking "all I really want is for it to be fixed", I;d do exactly what you're planning.

But I've never been an automatic trans sorta guy. They're red-voodoo to me. so YMMV!

Keep us posted!

Thanks, Man. I'm near sick with angst... knowing that if it clicks... or somehow isn't sounding/acting proper... I'm sunk. I'm in the middle carport of three spaces and, while I'd be up for the task, I don't have the room to drop a tranny. If tomorrow reveals a catastrophe I'll save some quid and take it to the shop.

That you'd "do the same thing" brings me some comfort. I was hoping a few of the other brains would chime in. We'll see if tomorrow I wake to any new comments.

Anyhow... tomorrow. :dance:

[Starter986]

Whew. :dance:

Tightened everything back up... dropped the car... preparing for the rubber to hit the road.

Started her up. Good.

I prepared for the "clicking" as I dropped her into Drive. Nothing... meaning no clicks. Let off the brake... car moved forward. No noise. Tried reverse... seemed good (no noises).

Slowly drove the car up the street... letting the auto go through the gears. Felt... sounded good.

Put it in Manual... felt... sounded good.

I then decided to take it for a mile drive. Used the auto and manual... everything seemed to be in order. I didn't wind her up too hard... but did get the revs up a bit. Again... felt and sounded good.

She's back in the driveway... cooling until morning when I'll then get under her (or should I say she'll be on top?)... remove the filler plug... and, with the tranny cold/cool, will pump in some fluid waiting for a dribble. Remember: I drained 5.2 quarts... installed ~4.7/4.8 quarts. So... it may be just a little low.

If anybody has any recommendations about the last paragraph... I would welcome them.

So... my day became much better.

Much.

If anything goes south, tomorrow, I'll be sure to report back.

Thanks Guys!!

[Gilles]

Good for you, these are great news!
.

[Starter986]

Originally Posted by Gilles

Good for you, these are great news!
.

Thank you... yes it is. Mentally I was preparing a list price for a "running" roller.

[piper6909]

That's awesome nes, Starter! :dance:

[maytag]

Excellent news.
I'd be happier if we knew what the sound was, but not much. :-)



Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk

[Starter986]

Originally Posted by maytag

Excellent news.
I'd be happier if we knew what the sound was, but not much. :-)



Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk

What I forgot to reveal was that while I was buttoning everything back up I had the battery disconnected. Remember... that ABS light had come on during the initial process. A Pal suggested that the clkicking might be associatd with the ABC for when I had my foot on the brakes... while in gear... clicking. No brake... no clicking.

When I started it yesterday the ABS light was still on. By the time I returned to my driveway I noticed that the light was off.

Strongly I believe the clicking was the ABS. And, because I had the battery disconnected yesterday, I believe something in the ABS was "cleared". Even though that ABS light was on in the driveway after the startup... there was no clicking.

Next week I plan on removing the entire ABS system... and go Flintstone.

Thank you, guys, for the words of encouragement.

Have a great Sunday!

[Starter986]

Originally Posted by piper6909

That's awesome nes, Starter! :dance:

Look at you... 1,000 posts!

Cheers, Pal.

[brianmch]

Sorry for your troubles.

Mine was straight-forward thank goodness.

I had the "hold the vomit" episode when my AOS went and white smoke billowed out the exhaust. Just sickening.