DIY automatic transmission repair 01j

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One of the most common questions. which is asked by potential and existing clients - “What is broken in my box and what will you fix in it”? And why such a repair price? We'll have to start from afar. Boxes Audi 01 J "multitronic" are fundamentally different from other types of automatic boxes, pens, DSG. The main thing is, as it were, a "modular" design principle - the box consists of a small number of large parts, assemblies, mostly non-separable, each of which performs several functions. Roughly, we can assume that it is: a housing with a gearbox, secondary shaft plates (pulley set 2), input shaft (pulley set 1), chain, input shaft, valve body with a pump (valve body, valvebody), electronic control unit ... And a bunch of small details. Another sad aspect is that the box is not designed according to the principle of maximum reliability, but with a view to a certain resource of work.

The "trick" of the device, the interconnectedness of all systems inside the box and the complete dependence on the electronic unit sometimes causes a situation where a minor initial defect quickly leads to the complete collapse of the box. For example, with a decrease in pump performance, the box may be killed during a day of driving. A separate topic is a tug, often the box dies after the tug completely, sometimes it falls apart after a while. Driving style and engine power are important. A powerful engine and brisk driving will drastically reduce the service life of the unit. And further. Even now, many are mistaken that the oil in the box should not change, and this also dramatically increases the number of our customers.

The box itself is "experimental" and is constantly being upgraded. Sometimes, even within one model year, some changes appear. According to the letter codes, at the moment there are more than 300 variants of boxes, but in reality there are more. "Old", until the 2005 model year, boxes at dealerships are remembered as a bad dream, then, under warranty, each dealer changed 10 multitronics a month. Indeed, boxes up to model year 05 are not reliable. The main reason is an unfinished, very unreliable valve block, which begins to fail for any reason, for example, after changing the oil, and can also lead to mechanical damage to the main parts. A separate song is all cars with diesel engines and 3-liter gasoline. Up to 05 years old, defective gearboxes that could not withstand the corresponding torque and were subject to premature wear were installed on them. The problem was acknowledged by Audi, but too late. Some of the boxes have been replaced under warranty, but most still drive. Some boxes have ECU software updates, sometimes mandatory. Dealers don't do this, it's not interesting.

The manufacturer of the box, unlike almost all "normal" ones, is Audi itself (on Luk components). She dictates the policy regarding these boxes. Only some superficial manipulations with the box are provided, in other cases replacement. By the way, the price of a "new" box is from 400 to 250 thousand rubles. You can try to get a reverse box, with the return of the old one to Audi, from 200 tr. The older the box, the more expensive it is. You can see, for example, how much the first DZN box (01 J 300041 BX) costs.By the way, most of the boxes, except for the newest ones at the moment, come re-ordered at the factory with broken numbers, with silver-painted cases for the same money.

The details exist only in the original and are very expensive. A big and unsolvable problem is that some parts are not supplied at all. There is a true American firm SLAUSON, which sells any type of parts from 01 J, but this is a second-hand. Repair kits also do not exist, and rightly so, they would be pointless. Americans make cushioning kit's, but useless and of poor quality. People are used to working like that - they ordered a kit, changed the order. It doesn't work here. By the way, there are offices in Moscow that make up and sell padding and even masterkits themselves, when I questioned this option, the answer was, "Why, people ask."

so, the average car that arrives with complaints about the box is now some kind of A6 2002 (older, 00-01 years, in the mass are already departed or do not drive anymore) or A4 8E of the first years, there is a lot of America. Odometer mileage 150-200000. Twisted in 90% of cases, especially on sixes, sometimes twice. The real run can only be guessed at. Complaints are usually as follows: - jerks during smooth or vigorous acceleration, - bumps or slippage sometimes when driving, - bad starting off, all this is usually on a hot box, - noises, hum, sometimes characteristic errors in the box (by pressure, adaptations, slipping clutch and variator) and a characteristic pattern according to the values ​​of the measurement units.

This usually means a complete bulkhead or replacement of the box, as all box components will be worn out and need to be replaced. Usually, a housing with a gearbox and an ECU remains. The rest, unfortunately, has to be changed. It is never enough, for example, to change only the chain or one plate. it doesn’t happen. If they said that the repair consisted of something like that, then either they did nothing, or everything was fine anyway. In addition, there are obligatory work on the box, depending on the type, especially for diesel engines and sometimes mandatory software updates.

The most unpleasant thing in terms of money is that all cars up to model year 05 always have to install a new valve block, even if it drove normally before the repair. Services try not to do this, which leads to sad consequences. Many of those who faced this have already refused to repair cartoons.

For example, the standard case. Car Audi A4 1.9 TD end of 03 year (04 model). GJA box. Odometer reading 212000 is similar to the truth. Complaints about the lack of rolling from a place when D is turned on, twitching during smooth acceleration, single jerks when driving are rare. What do we see when disassembling the box after removing the ECU, valve body and half of the body?

The running surfaces of the chain are worn, corroded and chipped.

All cymbal surfaces are damaged, large scratches and surface arched contours.

Further, the splines of the torque sensor on the input shaft are half eaten away.

Further, the package of front clutches on the input shaft does not match the clearance, and in general this box should be of a different, new type.

Generation on an ejection pump.

On the return tube - a breakdown of the mesh.

Still every little thing. Typical oil leaks from the control hole in the area of ​​the gearbox flange on the left - breakdown of the main oil seal between the gearbox and the gearbox.

1. Replacing the secondary shaft plates (parts not supplied!)

2. Replacing the input shaft assembly

4. Replacement of the ejection pump.

5. Bulkhead of the input shaft on a 7-disc clutch and setting the gap

6. Replacing the return pipe (part not supplied!)

7. Replacing the main oil seal with a special tool

9. Required bearings, internal filter, oil seals, gaskets

10. Mandatory software update by dealer VAS scanner

11. Fluids in the gearbox and box.

Spare parts layout.

Some are not supplied. The main thing is the lower and upper plates of the secondary shaft. The top is not supplied for unknown reasons.The lower one can be considered as an integral part of the housing with the gearbox. Theoretically, 70% percent is problematic, but it is possible to change it, but this does not make it easier, again it is not supplied. Usually, another suitable body is taken (more precisely, the front part) with a gearbox and a plate, and the old one is then somehow disposed of. A good price for an ideal housing with a secondary shaft is 20 thousand rubles, but you will not find it. Further, in our case, the return pipe. You cannot buy it, usually it is left, the hydraulics dies within a year. There are also a lot of little things that are needed for every repair and are not supplied.

The rest of the prices for the popular site exist. ru for September 2009 auto delivery from Germany, term of a month.

At the beginning of the 2000s, Audi was actively developing a continuously variable variator, which was supposed to become an alternative to traditional automatic transmissions. CVT 01J CVT appeared in the proposal of the Audi company in 2002. This CVT was offered for all-wheel drive modifications of A4, A6, A8 cars. The maximum engine capacity was 3 liters. That is why this gearbox was not installed on top-end modifications with powerful power units.

These CVT models were one of the first series-produced transmissions to be installed on Audi vehicles. Note that this gearbox has proven itself from the best side and is capable of running more than 200,000 kilometers without overhaul. Due to its design features, the automatic variator 01J CVT it has a compact size, which makes it easy to install it on small-sized Audi A4 models.

Weak point automatic transmission 01j is the control unit. This element does not have the proper resistance to temperature extremes and can fail in summer heat and in subzero temperatures. We also note the fact that regular oil change using high-quality spare parts is the key to trouble-free operation of the variator. To carry out a complete oil change, you will need 7.5 liters of original gear oil. In some cases, there may be problems with the tightness of oil seals and gaskets. All this leads to loss of oil and insufficient pressure in the system. This variator is extremely critical to the quality of the lubricant mixture and the oil pressure in the system. At the first signs of a breakdown, messages appear on the center panel of the vehicle. When such a message appears, the car owner should contact the service center as soon as possible, where they will carry out the necessary repair work.

A common failure is a problem with the clutches, which must be replaced if damaged. The problem is that clutches are sold exclusively as a set and they need to be completely replaced, which somewhat increases the cost of repairs.

Variable speed drive 01J (CVT 0AN Multitronic or VL-300) released by Audi in collaboration with LuK GmbH & Co in 2002 for the popular all-wheel drive models A4, A6 and A8. With engines from 1.8 to 3 liters. Transmits up to 310 Nm of torque.

Audi made many names for different sub-modifications for each variant of the car and engine, modeled on the names of Honda's automatic transmissions, but these are all Multitronic variators with different letters of the FSA type. JFJ from 2000 to 2007 (below is a table) have the same design for hardware and electronics and are repaired with the same Repair Kits.

Pick up repair kits - press the button on the left.

Typical diseases of the 01J variator:

The main reason for coming to repair this fairly reliable variator in the early years is the oil change (G 052 180 A2).

A partial oil change requires approx. 4.5 liters. Complete replacement - by double partial replacement - 7.5 l. It is sensitive to the level and quality of the oil, the oil is checked against the overflow plug - at a temperature of +35 .. + 45 ° C, oil should start to flow.Change is recommended in 40-60 tkm, but the older the variator, the more often it needs to be checked and changed. Opaque oil is a marker for urgent oil change or overhaul.

Filters are available with 130010 tube (Original) and without 130010A tube (non-original). There are two types of the filter itself - with a rib (130010A - 01J-301-519N) and without rib (130010B - 01J-301-519L ). Interchangeable. The filter is inside the box and changes only when the variator is overhauled.

The design of the 01J variator is especially demanding on the purity of the oil and operation with a borderline state of oil and with a clogged filter kills the variator units with every kilometer of run.

A typical overhaul order for this variator is Gaskets and Seals Repair Kit # 130002. More often they order budgetary Overol ATOK-130002A less often - Prescription.

Rings, seals and seals are changing, aging rapidly from high temperatures.

In some repair kits, there are no Reluctors - speed indicators. They (Regulators, on the right in the diagram - yellow) sold separately - No. 130079, when the craftsmen find it necessary to replace them as well.

Also, clutches are often ordered in one Set - No. 130003.

Kits differ in the thickness of the Forward clutches. 2.7 mm (unified with 0AW) or 2.05 mm.

Winter driving with a cold transmission kills the friction clutches especially quickly. More details - here.

Also, only in a set (Forward and Reverse) order a set of steel discs. - No. 130004.

The kit also changes the piston Reverse 130966 during the bulkhead.

The next typical CVT consumable 01J : Ejection pump (No. 130501).

The ejection pump is made of plastic and works according to the principle of "atomizer", when one stream of liquid entrains (the other) a stream of air. Only in this variator, instead of air, another stream of the same oil is carried away by oil. And of course, like all atomizers, such a system is demanding on the cleanliness of the channels and the oil temperature. It is quickly clogged with suspension, the channels wear out, ceases to work normally and together with the rest of the “consumables” must be replaced.

Problems with this pump lead to problems with the cooling and lubrication of the clutches. He really does not like working with cold oil.

Another consumable is the oil pipe (No. 130992).

All three solenoids-electric regulator are changed after the resource is exhausted (normal resistance is 4.7 Ohm).

Solenoids are the same: 130420A - no spout, there are three solenoids on the plate: N88 - cooling and emergency shutdown solenoid, N215 - pressure regulator in clutch packs, N216 - pulley gear ratio control solenoid (see diagram on the left)

This variator uses a pull chain. From tensile loads and friction, such a chain develops its resource quite early (Drive chain variator - No. 130700), is replaced practically at every overhaul of the variator after runs over 100 tkm, since even a slight wear will lead to a noticeable disruption in the sliding of the chain along the cones, which immediately reduces the transmitted torque and quickly "ages" the cones themselves.

Empirically, a regularity was established that up to 2 liters it is reasonable to use a pushing chain, and over 2.5 liters - a pulling chain. But for powerful cars, the variator turns out to be even less reliable than preselective boxes, and in modern stepped automatic transmissions, the gearshifts have become no less smooth than in variators, with a significant superiority in reliability. Therefore, the direction of development of variators in the direction of the "pulling" chain can be considered unpromising.

Together with the chain, tension bars are often changed - 130701 and 130702.

The design of the variator does not allow the vehicle to be towed, which leads to fatal consequences for the cones and, as a result, for the transmission itself. The cone is the CVT unit that determines the resource and the bottleneck in the design.

The sore spot of an electrician is familiar to all variators and 6-mortars of the first generations: ECU - CVT control unit Multitronic VL-300 ... For repair press No. 130446A.

The reason for the early failure: the unit floats completely in oil, which heats up in these transmissions over 110 degrees. The material of the case and sensor components, especially of the first years of production, could not withstand prolonged overheating.

Therefore, for these variators, there is a recommendation after 3-5 years of operation - to install an additional oil cooling radiator. Or every summer to clean the existing cooling system inside and outside and change the oil more often than at a “young” age.

In 2003, the manufacturer refined the design of the control unit, using materials that are more resistant to temperatures and the VL300-7 Multitronics began to come for repairs later and less often.

The problem is usually expressed in the fact that the display "PRND" lights up and the computer generates various kinds of errors. And depending on these DTCs, the Multitronics are successfully repaired. (Suggestion from below).

- There is another serious (but more rare) problem - Differential.

During the overhaul, you should pay attention to the condition of the differential. If there are problems with him, then the box is not a tenant. Differential replacement 01J it is almost impossible work in a service environment.

Fighting Oil Leaks - Replacing Oil Seals:

- cuff (oil seal) of the pump (130070),

- cuff of the left and right axle shaft (130073, 130076).

The opinion of the masters on Multitronics is here and here. 01J device - here.

In general, on new cars this super-complicated and finely adjusted transmission works fine in German, but after 150-200 tkm driving with it is like playing “Russian roulette”.

Refurbished Multitronic VL-300 on ZF variator 01J.

Two variants of Multitronic are known to be repaired:

- Square connector (on right 130446 B).

- With K round connector (left 130446A).

Although the investment in a proprietary European CVT project was astronomical, this pull-belt CVT design could not compete with DSG and push-belt CVTs. Many designers and financiers consider such a design a dead-end branch of automatic transmission development and an unsuccessful investment of Audi.

The cost and availability of the items you need can be checked in the online store by clicking the number on an orange background to search for a part.

An automatic transmission is an expensive component. There is no point in delaying the repair if it starts to work incorrectly. In a car service, such repairs are expensive. You have to pay for the work of specialists and for the details. Having studied the market and the price range of services in this segment, motorists come to the conclusion that repairing automatic transmissions with their own hands is not such a pointless undertaking. The prices of the workshop masters cannot be called modest, and the professionalism does not always correspond to the price. And, after some thought, motorists can decide to fix the problem on their own.

Wherever you decide to repair the gearbox, the whole process goes according to the following scheme:

• diagnostics,
• dismantling the box,
• disassembly of the box,
• complete set with spare parts,
• assembly (installation),
• installation on a car,
• diagnostics after repair.

To fix the problem yourself, you will need some car mechanic skills, tools, a certain amount of time to work with, patience and perseverance.

All automatic transmissions are arranged the same, but there are two types of transmission control - hydraulic and electronic. Their renovation has some differences.

It is important to notice transmission problems at the earliest possible stage. Then, with the correct diagnosis, complex repairs can be avoided. Quiet and smooth operation of the automatic transmission is considered normal. There are a lot of signs that something is wrong with the box. Most often these are extraneous sounds when changing gears or during robotic transmission. It can be crunching, clicks. An unpleasant smell also speaks of problems. It can appear during long-term or short-term operation of the box.It is worse if the gear shifting slows down, or one of them does not work at all. Then immediate intervention is required.

Do not be lazy to look under the car, it should be clean there. Red spots will indicate an oil leak from the transmission. Checking the oil level regularly is a must. Normally, it should be translucent, reddish in color. No burning smells or muddy shades! If they appear, it's time to change the oil.

Automatic transmission malfunctions often arise due to improper operation. The transmission becomes unusable due to insufficient oil level or overheating. For this reason, the gears wear out, the machine can jerk when changing gears. As a result, any part of the automatic transmission may fail. Shocks when driving indicate overheating of the oil and the appearance of problems in the valve body.

Aggressive driving with hard acceleration and braking will erase details. Does not add durability to the box and driving in traffic jams, slipping. All this leads to overheating of the box and has a bad effect on its general condition.

All faults are divided into two subgroups. They can occur in

• electronic control system,
• mechanical and hydraulic parts of the gearbox.

If a malfunction occurs, the automatic transmission goes into emergency mode, that is, it goes into third speed and does not switch. The corresponding icon appears on the display.

If problems have arisen with the electronics, then it will not be possible to fix them by repairing the automatic transmission. Therefore, it is important to understand the nature of the faults.

In diagnostics, the main thing is to collect the necessary information and interpret it correctly. Therefore, it is better to consult a specialist. Determine what the problem is at the service station, and take care of the repair yourself. Without proper experience and equipment, you will spend a lot of time on diagnostics. There are mechanical and computer diagnostics.

General scheme of diagnostic procedures:

• check the oil,
• check the operation of the engine at idle speed, the connection points of the wiring and cables,
• determine the error codes of the operation of the control units (CU) of the gearbox and engine,
• check the box on a car without movement,
• check the automatic transmission in motion,
• check the pressure inside the control system.

If the cause of the malfunctions is electronics problems, then most likely you will not need to dismantle and disassemble the automatic transmission. Diagnostics of malfunctions in this system is carried out by the control unit. It monitors the sensor signals, the transmission ratio and the resistance of the output circuits. Malfunctions of such parts and assemblies may occur:

• input sensors,
• electronic control unit,
• executive devices of the control system,
• violation of the integrity of the electrical wiring connections.

The transmission computer receives signals from various sensors. If some parameters are out of order, it writes the code of this problem (DTC) into memory. You can decrypt such numbers using a special scanner.

These are the main problems of the automatic transmission itself. They are conventionally divided into three subgroups:

1. Damage to friction groups, bushings and housings, calipers, planetary gear sets, pump and other mechanics.
2. Defective transformer. This includes:
   • breaks in the splines of the wires,
   • mechanical destruction of the blades,
   • overrunning clutch,
   • wear of the main blocking clutch,
   • depressurization of the piston oil seal.
   • Problems with the mechanics of the hydraulic plate.

If the diagnostics were successful and you cannot do without dismantling, then we proceed to this stage of the automatic transmission repair.

You will need a special lift, or at least a viewing hole. As well as a transmission jack and a set of keys. It is better to perform this procedure in a specially equipped garage or box. It will not be superfluous to invite several physically strong guys to help you move the removed box. Its weight is beyond the strength of even a very strong person. Further action plan:

1. disconnect all communication tubes and cables;
2. unscrew the torque converter mounting bolts, as well as the motor flywheel membranes;
3. remove and move the gearbox;
4. assess the scale of the breakdown and start repairing.

Before removing the gearbox, the oil does not need to be drained from it. However, then do not forget to substitute the container at the place where the oil supply pipes are attached when you disconnect them - otherwise you will get an ugly puddle under your feet.

All actions must be careful. Sudden movements can damage the splines on the input shaft of the diaphragm.

It is better to do automatic transmission repair with your own hands, having it at hand proprietary manual and a printed diagram of the gearbox. First you need to inspect all the systems that serve the gearbox, mounts and blocks. Then we proceed to the repair. For this:

1. We disassemble the gearbox, wash and dry the parts and check them for defects.
2. We change all gaskets, seals, as well as worn out parts.
3. Remove the inhibitor block and sump. We clean out the dirt inside. It looks like metal magnetic shavings.
4. We remove the wiring of the ring from the plug and push them inside the plug.
5. Remove the valve body, loosen the brake band bolts. We wash the valve body.
6. We check the clutches, gears and planetary gears for wear. We will replace it if there is such a need. All internal rubber bands must be changed!
7. We open the oil pump. We check all the details, especially the filter. We change what has already served its term. We use the manual so as not to swap parts.
8. We take out the valves and springs. We wash the valves. Their sticking can be the reason for incorrect operation of the automatic transmission. Replace the accumulator springs if they are broken.
9. Putting everything back into place. It is important not to confuse anything!
10. We replace rings and friction bolts.
11. We check the gear shift assembly and the large piston and put the oil pump in place.

Assembly takes place upside-down.

There are some points that it is advisable to take into account when repairing. Often a transmission problem is related to the filter. It will not be possible to change it without removing the valve body. And when it is removed, the gasket breaks. To replace it, you will need to disassemble the valve body completely. The same applies to the accumulator spring from first to second gear. A special stopper does not allow you to remove it without disassembling the valve body. All valve body gaskets are very similar, do not mix them up. Assembling the valve body, we tighten it with a torque wrench. It is important not to overtighten here.

If all the breakdowns are eliminated, we install the automatic transmission. The moment is responsible, haste is inappropriate here. During these works, the following recommendations should be adhered to:

• When installing the automatic transmission in its place, the diaphragm is checked for end runout using an indicator head. If such a defect occurs, then it must be replaced.
• The radiator is flushed until the gasoline is clean. Then a liter of transmission oil is poured into the gas turbine engine and put on the input shaft. You need to achieve a secure connection and a complete fit. Then you need to dock the engine with the box along the guide centering pins. The crankcases must abut completely.
• Tightening the bolts in the box is the next step. After that, the absence of gaps along the entire plane is checked. After connecting all the highways, the correctness of the connections is checked.
• At the final stage, oil is poured and the operation of the automatic transmission is checked at low engine speeds.

Beginning the installation of the box, be sure to check for the presence of centering pins on the crankcase flange - there should be two of them. If at least one is missing, the automatic transmission cannot be attached.

Automatic transmission repair and diagnostics do it yourself - not an easy, but feasible task. Choosing a car with an automatic transmission, novice car enthusiasts believe that repairing it at home is impossible. This is not true. But before deciding to carry out such important work at home, you need to weigh all your possibilities. Then you will not be in for unpleasant surprises during the renovation.

In this article we will talk about the breakdowns of CVT boxes that have been installed on Audi since 2001.

The purpose of this article is to educate all those interested in this problem and so that you do not have to explain elementary things to the client every time.

Let's start with the fact that if your car with a variator gearbox suddenly stopped driving completely, that is, it stands and does not move forward or backward, and at the same time the car starts and works, then most likely you have a problem not with the gearbox but with the drives, more precisely apparently on one of the drives the outer or inner CV joint is out of order.

So multitronic. All ingenious is simple, it was once said, and in this case it is one of the confirmations of this statement. The arrangement of the box is simple and straightforward.

The rotation from the engine initially sets the oil pump in motion, and in the future, the oil pressure is precisely the control mechanism.

Further, the rotation is transmitted to a shaft with two moving cones, between which there is a chain that transfers rotation to another shaft with two of the same cones. The second shaft, through the gearbox, transmits the rotation to the wheels.

As already mentioned above, the cones move and when the chain on one shaft is at the top and at the same time it has a maximum radius of rotation, then on the other shaft the chain is at the bottom and it has a minimum radius.

The springs inside these shafts are aimed at squeezing the cones and extruding the chain. During rotation, the oil pressure forces the state of these cones to change and accordingly the gear ratio of rotation also changes, if initially the drive shaft made five revolutions, then the driven shaft made only one revolution, but gradually the situation changes and now both shafts have the same rotation, and then the drive shaft has one revolution, and the follower has 5.

Therefore, this box is called stepless, there is simply nothing to switch. An important point, all this is controlled by the electronic control unit, which correlates both the engine speed and the vehicle speed, based on how much pressure the control unit will allow to pass on the cones, thus one cone will move for compression and the other for expansion. This is how it all works.

This is where all the problems begin. The electronic control unit (ECU) operates in oil, the temperature of which most often exceeds 100 degrees Celsius, and although the microcircuits of this unit are in a sealed case and are filled with silicone at the factory, nevertheless, over time, the tightness is broken and the unit fails.

As a rule, this leads to the fact that the car goes into emergency mode. In this case, the information board does not show any speed, but shines completely red.

In this case, the repair consists in replacing the ECU, everything is simple. There is only one problem - price! The cost of a block can be from 45 to 85 thousand rubles.

There is an exit, in Europe there are specialists who can repair such blocks and on average the whole procedure costs 32,000 rubles with a half-year guarantee.

That is why we strive to have ECUs available for all variators. Unfortunately, for a certain engine size, often not even one but six different blocks are needed, more precisely, there is one block, but the software is different and if the software does not fit, the car will not even start or will immediately show emergency mode again.

We pay so much attention to the emergency mode, since this is the most common problem with these boxes, but in fairness it is worth mentioning the mechanical breakdowns of these boxes.

Here, too, everything is simple, there are only two options, either the drive chain breaks, or the gearbox collapses.

In this case, the repair is impractical, since the breakdown of these parts leads to the failure of a number of other things. In this case, we simply install another box, and this is also not easy.

Depending on the volume and power of the motor, there are at least 4 types of gearboxes with their own gear ratios.Of course, this article does not cover all the problems and ways to solve them, but we still give a general overview.

Even at the official dealer service, you will often not be given this information, sometimes because it is not profitable for them, and sometimes because they simply do not know it.

We can give a simple but very striking example.... A client approached us with a desire to purchase a variator for an Audi A4 2009 release.

At the official service, he was told that it was necessary to replace the ECU of the box, but given that the operation cost 85,000 rubles, he preferred to buy another box. We installed another variator for the client and in the end the problem remained the same.

The client did not react to our statements that the problem was not in the control unit and chose to believe the statement of the official dealer that, allegedly, there was also a broken ECU on the used box.

Of course, we took our box back, and the client went to the official dealership.

As a result, he first gave 85,000 rubles for a new block, and when after that the car did not run normally, they were able to convince him that apparently by this time the box inside had already broken down and the client gave another 320,000 rubles for a new box.

How difficult it was for them to explain something, when and after installing a new unit, the car again did not drive correctly. Of course, we defeated this problem, but this client ended his relationship with dealers forever.

A relatively new development - CVT 01J (Continuously Variable Transmission) variator was produced in 2003 on the basis of the German manufacturer ZF. Subsequently, all-wheel drive Audi A4, A6 and A8 with engine volumes from 1.8 to 3 liters began to be equipped with such boxes. The variator has become one of the most ingenious engineering inventions of our time, where developers with the least loss in reliability and power can solve most of the past problems with automatic transmissions.

The declared resource of the 01J variator is 150,000 km, and this is not an inscription on paper, but a fact proven by numerous motorists. In the overwhelming majority of cases, the first breakdowns and repairs of the variator (CVT) 01J happen just after the first hundred thousand km.

"Diseases" of the ZF 01J variator

If you are faced with these or other problems of the ZF 01J variators, and also need routine diagnostics, a special REKPP transmission repair service is waiting for you. We provide our clients with up to 2 years warranty for diagnostic and repair work on automatic transmissions, all depending on the complexity of the activities.

REKPP is a guaranteed return of the automatic transmission to its original characteristics!

This table shows a list of vehicles with a 01J variator

01J is a continuously variable variator (CVT) jointly developed by the two German engineering giants Audi and Luk. The simple and at the same time ingenious design of this variator, the cones of which have an extremely complex geometric shape, has found application on Audi A4, A6 and A8 series cars with engine volumes from 1.8 to 3.2 liters. The unit was designed so successfully and competently that it meets the mileage mark of two hundred thousand kilometers without any special difficulties and mechanical problems, not taking into account the control unit with seven Hall sensors, which react to strong temperature drops inside the variator and fail.

The first years of operation

Since the 01J variator is quite reliable, in the first years of operation, only periodic oil and filter changes are required. Moreover, if for an incomplete oil change, a volume of 4.5 liters is required, then a cardinal replacement already requires all 7.5 liters.

The original filters used for replacement are produced together with the tube, and non-original ones without it. Although the filters themselves are available with or without a rib, they are interchangeable.

Do not neglect the oil change procedure, as dirty oil and a clogged filter destroy the expensive elements of the 01J continuously variable transmission with every kilometer traveled.

Typical faults and repairs

It is strictly forbidden to tow cars with a variator.This will definitely lead to breakage of the most important structural parts of the CVT - driven and driving cones, since the driven one will rotate at the speed of the wheels, and the leading one will stand still. At the same time, the chain will cut through such grooves, which cannot be relieved even by grinding.

The 01J hydraulic control unit suffers from frequent breakdowns. It is possible to feel such damage in the embryonic phase by the specific jerks of the machine when driving when the gear selector is in the reverse gear position R.

In the first production batches, the rear support bearings of the drive cone often failed. After 2005, this factory defect was eliminated by increasing the size of the bearings.

On cars with a mileage of more than 250-300 thousand km, the inner part of the forward clutch piston is erased, since the connection is made rigidly "iron-on-iron", albeit with high precision, but without any seals. Symptoms of a malfunction are expressed in the appearance of a strong shock at the moment of the start of movement and the subsequent impact, as well as further jerks when stopping. A complete replacement of the clutch block helps to solve the problem. Less often - complete disassembly of the unit and replacement of individual spare parts.

One of the frequent breakdowns of the variator is the wear of the drive chain, which is expressed in sharp and abrupt jerks during acceleration and their frequency with increasing speed. The wear and tear of the valve body has the same signs, with the only difference that jerks and jerks do not depend on the speed of movement, but are always present when starting off. Jerks, which always appear at the same load, indicate significant wear on the cones.

It is worth solving the problem well in advance. The drive chain should be changed every 100 thousand km. Also, after one hundred thousand mileage, it is necessary to replace the control unit, since by this time its resource has been exhausted. The culprit is the high temperature of the oil (over 110 ° C) in which the block floats.

The above-described replacements are best done during a major overhaul or every 100 tons. Km of run, or 3-5 years of operation. In addition, do not forget to regularly change the oil, oil seals, and after five years of use, it is recommended to install an additional radiator in the oil cooling system.

The presence of another serious, but rather rare malfunction, damage to the CVT differential, is indicated by a specific sound with a trill.

So, the finely adjusted brainchild of German engineers, the 01J continuously variable variator works for an excellent rating up to a mileage of 150-200 thousand km, and then it becomes unsafe to drive it without replacing large units.