1997 audi a6 c4, hardshift/sticky gas pedal

Hello, Like the title says I'm having problems with my throttle getting stuck and my transmission is " jumping hard "

into gears, as well as hesitating to up shift/down shift /not shifting at all at times.



I have a 1997 a6 Avant c4 2.8 12v with 125k miles ( Quattro, automatic). I am the second owner and this car was fully maintained at an Audi

dealership before I got it. As far as I know the transmission has never been worked on. The only thing I had done at

a Volkswagen dealership was having the radiator replaced, ( two times, they didn't use a genuine audi radiator the first

time and it cracked ) and Iirc they have to use a special tool when doing so for the ATF. However this was over 20k miles

ago and the transmission has had no problems until now.



So just before I started having these problems I did a timing belt/water pump/thermostat job on the car ( blauparts kit,

didn't change the seals though ) and change my valve cover gasket. I also took off my throttle body so I could clean the

butterfly really good in front and behind it. Now after doing this job the car sounded GREAT. I even drove it two times

on a 3 hour trip ( going 90+ over I80 from Reno to California lol ) and the car did so well!!!. So then I left the car

parked for a few days in front of my dads house and I started to have these problems.



The car will shift/jump really hard into first and once it gets going into second ( around 20 mph ) its like it can't

decide weather to upshift or down shift. And another things its doing is, I will floor it and it wont kick down into

overdrive. It will just slowly and I mean dog slow get up to speed. Now it won't do this every time however!



Another problem that just started at the same time is my gas pedal seems limp/sticky. It was getting stuck so I sprayed

all around the linkage with silicone lube and also around the hinge on the gas pedal. This helped and the throttle is no

longer getting stuck, but it still feels sticky and doesn't feel like its returning to the proper position when I let

off the gas.



Do you think I messed something up when I put the throttle body back on? ( I've made sure the linkage cable isn't impeded

all the way to the firewall)



Is it possible im missing a spring somewhere in the gas pedal? does it have one?



Could there be a vacuum leak causing the shifting problems? or does this sound related to the linkage not working right?



Or am I just having bad luck and my transmission needs work?



I think what ill do next is look for vacuum leaks, and take the throttle body off again and see if something inside

around the butterfly is getting stuck.



Thanks for any ideas , it's much appreciated.