Yes a regular maintenance schedule will definitely make them last longer... but if you've never changed it and you've got 80k plus miles, it's best not to disturb the beast. I changed my fluid and filter, and a few months later I lost third and fourth at 91k miles. I beat on it every once in a while, most of the time it was just average driving though. My donor T56 has now seen 175k miles, so I guess you could say I'm more of an advocate for manuals now, although I basically went through a clutch trying to learn how to launch. Stocker just starts slipping if you try to push it too hard.

 

14 rebuilds later....i bought a T56.

 

99,000 miles, bought car w/67,000. Trans-go went in at 82,000 with oil cooler. I beat on it hard, 1-2 shift actually broke a ring gear yet no probs yet with tranny. Changed fluid/filter right after I bought it, when installing shift kit, and will change 1st thing this spring. This tranny has handled the hardest 1-2 shift I have ever felt in a car. It chirps 315/35 DRs at anything over 1/4 throttle, would get sideways with the old Dunlop SP8000s.

Regular fluid/filter changes, firmer shifts (mild shift kit) and a cooler will maximize the life of a tranny.

 

I am with sneakin deacon on this one i have gone through 4 trannys in the last 5 years with regular maintenance. Switch to 6 speed

 

maybe it was just the place i was at, but each rebuild was great for all of about 2-3 weeks...i lost 2nd a few times, lost 3rd a few times, ate a converter twice, it just never ended...its now a more track oriented car, so im kinda regretting the T56, wish i woulda done like a TH350/400 and a big stall.

 

hmm i hated to read a cpl of these posts for the 2-3 week life cause i just got mine rebuilt cause it lost all but first gear and barely that (less than 1/4 throttle only :-p ) took it in to be rebuilt got i back, now a month later and third gear slips at half+ throttle shifts... but it barks second everytime with sumitomo srixon 4's (whatever kind of tire that is it seems good) 245/55/16 so lets hope mine wont be one of those cases... the guy that i had do it is very good, and is gonna tear it back down for me tomorrow to see what the problem is... anyway it lasted until 139.5k when it died completely, started slippin at wot around 135 not too bad considered the car has had the entire rear end replaced according to stock vin number compared with the 3.23 gear ive got in it ... =/ brand new driveshaft too... anyway im just hopin for the best with the rebuild and thats how long mine lasted unless it was changed before i got the car

 

yea you know what that is funny about the 2-3 week rebuild. If someone wants to do a search on my name I had the same experience except i would get my car back and then i would have to take it back the day after i picked it up for like 1 week straight thats why if i ever own another A4 car and the tranny goes bad im going to get a SLP or FLP Heavy duty

 

Pro-built and CPT are the only places i'd ever take a 4L60. Proven performers that stand behind their products and for a great price. SLP and FLP make some good trannies, but to me you get get more for your money with the above companies.

 

I had 105k miles on my tranny (i hope it was still the original one. I bought it off some lady) when I took it to Jiffy Lube and got a Trans Flush. Left the shop and I was chirping from 1st to 2nd at 4k rpms and I was like **** yeah and 2 days later it ran from 2nd to 3rd gear only and 1st and OD were missing!
Jiffy Lube did not take liability for it after complaints and SH** talking
.
Found out later that maybe I disturbed some compacted debris that were
holding everything together inside the tranny with the high pressures of the
flush....
.
Now have the rebuilt tranny with a B&M shift kit @ 146k miles. runs fine but sometimes it will not shift into 3rd unless I pop it into neutral and then back into OD while the car is in motion. This happened ever since I pulled the pan out and drained the tranny fluid and added ROYAL PURPLE SYNTETHIC ATF
and it happened as soon as i left the driveway. I checked the fluid level and it was 1" above the hot mark and the temp gauge in the car reading 160*
.
Any suggestions BTW? PM me

 

How does a car feel or shift when a tranny or gear is slipping?

 

mine lost the band that allows you to slow down when you let off the gas or manually down shift at about 105000 and shortly after i lost 3rd. try driving home from work (a little over 20 miles) with only first and second!!!, floored until about 65 mph and then neutral until about 25-30 and do it again, used well over half a tank of gas!!

 

When my tranny went out I only had 2nd and 3rd...I guess it was a one of
a kind A2 and on the freeway it sucked gas like a *****...

 

For a PROPERLY built 60E, I'd say around 3-4 seasons in a low 11 second/high 10 second car. As far as I know, there's only 1 person that can build them PROPERLY, though.

Frank
CPT