Gearbox removal & installation: Audi 2.5 TDI (AFB, AKE, AKN)

🧭 Before you start

Fits: Audi A4 B5 (8D)

• Opens: power steering fluid
• Renewed: if necessary
• Also covered elsewhere: Electronic parts catalogue

Don't miss

• Before installing engine, check that brace (B) is still turned to one side in direction of (arrow) (brace is pivoted back down after installing engine).
• Before installing engine, tie electrical wiring to one side so that it cannot be trapped between engine and gearbox.
• Clean the input shaft splines and (in the case of used clutch plates) the hub splines. Remove corrosion and apply only a very thin coating of greaseG 000 100 to the splines. Do not lubricate guide sleeve.
• A needle bearing must be fitted in the flywheel on vehicles with manual gearbox. Install needle bearing if necessary .
• Short engines are supplied without centring sleeve in crankshaft. Drive centring sleeve in before installing drive plate .

🔧 Engine codes this applies to

🔩 Torque settings

Values can differ between engine variants — check the code stamped on your block.

ℹ️ Always cross-check the exact figure against your vehicle's factory manual before final tightening — a wrong torque can damage the engine. These values are extracted from workshop data and may not cover every variant or revision.

📋 Procedure

1. Before installing engine, check that brace (B) is still turned to one side in direction of (arrow) (brace is pivoted back down after installing engine).
2. Before installing engine, tie electrical wiring to one side so that it cannot be trapped between engine and gearbox.
3. Check whether dowel sleeves (A) for centring engine and gearbox are fitted in cylinder block; install missing dowel sleeves.
4. Clean the input shaft splines and (in the case of used clutch plates) the hub splines. Remove corrosion and apply only a very thin coating of greaseG 000 100 to the splines. Do not lubricate guide sleeve.
5. Check clutch release bearing for wear; renew if necessary.

6. Check that the clutch plate is properly centralised (only necessary if you have carried out other work on the clutch).
7. A needle bearing must be fitted in the flywheel on vehicles with manual gearbox. Install needle bearing if necessary .
8. Short engines are supplied without centring sleeve in crankshaft. Drive centring sleeve in before installing drive plate .
9. To secure torque converter on drive plate, use only new bolts (same as original equipment); refer to Electronic parts catalogue.
10. Tighten bolts for torque converter with special tool V/175.
11. ⚠ Risk of damage to gearbox if torque converter is installed incorrectly.If the torque converter has not been fully inserted, this distance will be approx. 11 mm. — Before bringing engine and gearbox together, turn torque converter and drive plate on engine so that the holes for one securing bolt are in line with the opening for the starter motor (arrow).
12. To secure torque converter on drive plate, use only new bolts (same as original equipment); refer to Electronic parts catalogue.
13. ⚠ Risk of damage to gearbox if torque converter is installed incorrectly.Before and during tightening of bolts securing engine to gearbox, continually check that the torque converter behind the drive plate can be turned.If the torque converter cannot be turned, the drive lugs of the ATF pump and consequently the gearbox will be damaged when the bolts are finally tightened. — Secure ATF lines to ATF cooler 37.
14. Install engine mountings free of stress. To do so, shake engine before tightening engine mountings.
15. Install air conditioner compressor and power steering pump.
16. Check whether dowel sleeves (B) for centring air conditioner compressor have been fitted; insert missing dowel sleeves.
17. Bolt on power steering pump at holes (B) on bracket (A).
18. Install poly V-belt pulley for power steering pump.
19. Secure viscous fan.
20. Install alternator 27.
21. Install poly V-belt for power steering pump, alternator and viscous fan .
22. Install lock carrier .
23. Allow stop for torque reaction support to rest on rubber buffer for torque reaction support and tighten bolts (arrows) to 28 Nm. — 28 Nm (21 lb-ft)
24. Fill up with coolant . [Note: Do not use drained coolant again if:the cylinder head or cylinder block have been renewed.the coolant is contaminated or dirty.]
25. Top up power steering fluid and bleed steering system 48.
26. Align the exhaust system free of stress: vehicles with front-wheel drive , vehicles with four-wheel drive .
27. Electrical connections and routing .
28. Observe notes on procedure for connecting the battery 27.
29. ⚠ Risk of irreparable damage to injection pump.Do not attempt to start the engine without first bleeding the fuel system! — Bleed fuel system 20.
30. Check engine oil level 802.
31. Read out fault memory of engine control unit 01. [Note: Faults will have been stored in the memory because connectors have been unplugged. Therefore interrogate and erase fault memory after installing engine.]
32. Adjust headlights 94.
33. On vehicles with automatic gearbox: check ATF level 37. [Note: Tightening torques apply only to lightly greased, oiled, phosphated or black-finished nuts and bolts.Additional lubricant such as engine oil or gearbox oil may be used, but do not use lubricant containing graphite.Do not use degreased parts.Tolerance for tightening torques ± 15%.]

Other AUDI procedures

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