B5.5 RPMs vary by 100 40 to 50 mph in 5th

Fasteddie10

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 23, 2011
Location
Illinois
TDI
2004 Jetta Wagon TDI, 2-2005 Passat Wagon TDIs, 2-2004 Passat Wagon TDIs
2005 Passat B5.5 RPMs vary by +/-100RPMs between 40 to 50 mph in 5th gear. The car has 235,000 miles. Rebuild torque converter from ZF at 159,000 miles. RPMs vary only under load, downhill causes steady RPM. During the shifting up 1-2-3-4 -5 between 2-3 3-4 is sometime there is a harsh shift.

I was reading about adjusting the internal pressure by KERMA. Would this help?

I LOVE this car! I want to keep it going >500k miles.

Thanks!
 

Tom_B

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 24, 2004
Location
Central Oklahoma
TDI
15 Touareg, 14 A6
Do you have access to VCDS? If so, look up the Technical Bulletin on the TC and perform the checks to see if it's related to your rebuilt TC.
 

suncoug

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 28, 2015
Location
USA
TDI
2005 Passat TDI
I wouldn't go very far from home. Exactly the same thing happened to mine before the transmission oil pump seal popped out.
 

Fasteddie10

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 23, 2011
Location
Illinois
TDI
2004 Jetta Wagon TDI, 2-2005 Passat Wagon TDIs, 2-2004 Passat Wagon TDIs
Where is the oil pump seal?

I wouldn't go very far from home. Exactly the same thing happened to mine before the transmission oil pump seal popped out.
How did you get it repaired?

Thanks!
 

Fasteddie10

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 23, 2011
Location
Illinois
TDI
2004 Jetta Wagon TDI, 2-2005 Passat Wagon TDIs, 2-2004 Passat Wagon TDIs
Vcds

Do you have access to VCDS? If so, look up the Technical Bulletin on the TC and perform the checks to see if it's related to your rebuilt TC.
I do have the VCDS, I have not found the TB on the TC. Where can I find this?

Thanks!
 

suncoug

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 28, 2015
Location
USA
TDI
2005 Passat TDI
How did you get it repaired?
Thanks!
I took out the engine and transmission and replaced the torque converter as well as the front pump mysefl. I also replace the valve body with a rebuilt unit. It worked fine for about 500 miles and I started having other issues like not upshifting into the 4th gear. Looking back, I should have replaced it with a factory reman. unit or converted to manual trans.

As I said before, these transmissions are a lost cause, once they reach certain mileage.

If you haven't done so, do check the fluid level and also see if there is any leak.
 
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2004PassatTDI

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May 25, 2004
Location
NW Burb of Chicago
TDI
2004 Passat Sedan, 2016 E250 Sport
Mine has been varying rpm since new, in the same manner you stated. Car now has 195,000 miles. Had trans fluid changed 3X. Pan was dropped the first two times, everything normal.
 

Fasteddie10

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 23, 2011
Location
Illinois
TDI
2004 Jetta Wagon TDI, 2-2005 Passat Wagon TDIs, 2-2004 Passat Wagon TDIs
Transmission better now!

So I looked for leaks, none found. I did a filter and fluid change. The fluid was a little less than 1 liter low. About 70k on this fluid, filter and torque converter rebuilt by ZF.

Shifting is nice and smooth again! No rpm varying!

Thanks for your help!

:)
 
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