I have a 98 audi aeb and i had to replace motor. I removed torque to empty fluid because i wanted to get new fluid in there. I then emptied the pan and filled it with 2.5l of new fluid. I started the car and moved through all gears and then checked fluid. It started to drip right out, but I have no gears at all. I've changed 3 trannys in jeeps and they have all sucked the fluid up. Am I doing something wrong? Thanks for any help.

Are you sure you have enough fluid in it? Anytime you take the plug out you will get some dripping, but when its full the fluid should come out is a stream. Did you have problems getting the torque convertor bolted up or the engine back all the way? Convertors have never been fun to get fully seated, but some of these newer cars with multiple spline shafts can be really hard to get.

I just took a quick look at the Bentley CD... see attached images.

It looks like the pump is turned by the Torque converter (even if it is empty) via the two cut-outs at the end of the torque converter shaft.

So it's the lack of fluid inside the converter that is keeping the Turbine from spinning the transmission input shaft.

Whether or not the pump will eventually fill the converter just by idling... I don't know.