Water in auto box

[orggti]

Hi everyone, i have a customer who has had there radiator fail on there 1992 audi 80 and its mixed the water in with the auto fluid. She took the car to a specialist auto shop and they told her there was paper gaskets in the box that would fail due to getting wet??? and that it would need a full $3500 rebuild! plus the new radiator presumably. I told her to not go ahead as the car was too old and not worth spending that much on and you could buy another one that goes tomorow for that much money. However im wondering if i should just drain and refill the box and get a 2nd hand radiator cheap and see if these so called paper things dont crap out. i should just be able to loop the hose back on itsself and even bypass the rad for a few miles to see if it works still.
Can anybody tell me more about these boxes and whether they think theres paper in there that will get water damaged. Thanks 

[Pushbutton_auto]

sounds wet      got a manual at other place check in morning abt 9 am

[orggti]

thanks, hey do you have a towbar for your audi? i got one you can have v cheap if you dont.

[Pushbutton_auto]

ok cant find the 80 manual, but is only Haynes and according to the other two I got here, there is NO details of box, just the usual "too complicted 4 us normal people, take it to Audi shop"  But the whole thing smells like   rip of the old lady thing .

Nah, both of mine have towbars already , but thanks.

[orggti]

thanks buddy

[Pushbutton_auto]

Well wadda you know, not only a gasket but also some glue in the box is indeed water soluble and WILL reap havoc. 

[orggti]

Well wadda you know, not only a gasket but also some glue in the box is indeed water soluble and WILL reap havoc.?

Wicked!! How did you find thiis out?