Ahhh... good 'ol D1 was doing so well too.
Barely a problem in quite a long while .. then bam!

One day a couple of weeks back, in between sorting the busted D2 trans cooler hose issue, I thought I should check the trans level in 'ol faithful' ... oopsie!
Not only did dipstick come out, but half the tube comes out with it.
I don't recall that process the last time I checked trans fluid!

Anyhow ... top half of the tube came up and out .. snapped(cracked) just above the bracket that attaches it to the bell housing.

Not good. I reckon it's been a long process as I've had larger than usual oil stains on the driveway for a couple of months.
Thinking this was more due to the D2 than the D1. I'd say it was cracked for a few months then finally gave up totally. I had to drive it to work(D2 still in the shed) a couple of times, and yup! .. trans fluid remained where parked, depending on parking angle too.

So rushed to get the D2 all boxed up .. and back out for commuting duties, so ol faithful can slide in behind her and into the shed. Very slurrrry drive from cold(oopsie again) .. obviously very low in fluid now.

Today spent about 5 hours to remove, weld and secure the tube a bit better.
Removal was a total PITA. Front drive shaft in the way to get a tool up and in to get to the bellhousing bolt for the bracket. Filler nut on the trans sump is a monstrous 200mm sized behemoth .. or something like that. Only had a pipe wrench to fit onto it and a long tube for some leverage. Only way I could get the bellhousing bolt off was the the dak-dak gun, not enough swing space for any of my socket bars.

All welded up again, leak tested .. and in such short time too(only 3 hrs) .. most of which was spent finding the right tool to get to the bellhousing bolt .. before settling on the blaster gun.
I thought it was going to be a worse PITA to refit the tube and bracket bolt to the bell housing, but dumb luck got it in first go no probs.

Then onto finding something to secure the top half of the tube from the bell housing bracket ... up!
Spare parts D2 ... slowly disappearing! ... came good with an angled bracket from the radiator support, and a small length of flat steel to reach the tube and a rubbery P bracket to grab the tube.

Before I fitted the cobbled up upper bracket .. geezuz! does the tube vibrate violently!! .. noticed whilst filling it up. The newly fabricobbled upper bracket helps heaps with that now tho.


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Yup! .. it happened coz I have a pic of it too.
Had to paint the tube in a galvanising grey paint(didn't have any black) .. but idiot me forgot to paint the raw flat bar too!

I've never heard of others with snapped auto trans filler/dipstick tubes on Tdi's ... so anyone with an auto Tdi, could be wise to check the tube near the bracket(about half way up the tube), next time you're underneath.
I doubt it'd be a problem for V8s tho.