A very nice fellow on the BrickBoard sent me a fax of Volvo's docs for changing ATF. He asked only that I update him on any problems I found. This was my email response to him. I thought you all might be interested. ----- Garth! I changed the ATF. I was unable to do the job I wanted because of two problems. First I did not have a large TORX bit to get the pan off. The pan is attached with with TORX screws and is at an angle sloping up. Access to some of the screws is going to be difficult. After talking to as many people as I could, I am left with the belief that there is a screen behind the pan that should be cleaned out. The drain plug is positioned so that it screws inhorizontally , seem to remember it is on the outboard side. . There is a crush washer that people say to replace, I could not get one at VOLVO dealer so I used the old one. Buy a long necked funnel, say 12 inches to add the ATF through the dipstick tube. I used clear gallon milk containers to track the amounts drained. Because I could not remove the pan and clean the filter, I put through 2 gallons of Dexton/Mercon and then 2 gallons of Mobil 1 synthetic $4/gal and $20/gal respectively. I figure I am left with somewhere less than 25% D/M after the mixing(going through the gears). I used Dexcron III because I did not find Dextron IIe. My understanding is that only Chrysler transmission have trouble with D III and must have D IIe. I would say that the directions (from Volvo docs) you sent me and the UK Haynes manual are fine with the single exception that there is no mention of how to deal with the clips that hold the tranny hoses into the radiator. The hose have , I suspect , O-rings that do the sealing of the fitting( the might be quite similar to air-hose fittings on power tools) the clips do not act at hose clamps but rather perform the function of insuring that the fittings do not separate from the fitting hole. I would say, it is most difficult to manage with one pair of hand to stretch out the clips enough to remove the hose and pull on the hose at the same time. A mechanic on the BrickBoard warned me of the clips and says he hate to deal with them and basically uses my method of flushing. If you do remove the hoses and do the job right, get a replacement clip or two and practice on the upper hose first, since it is easier to access. There is probably a tool for these clips. It would be a "reverse" plier (how is that for a new term) when you squeeze the handles the ends would separate. The perfect tool would have little indentation on the outside to hold the edges of the clip as you squeeze. A circlip tool might work. I would say the edges of the clips are about 1/4" apart initially and have to separated to about 3/4 " to get the hose fitting out. The clips are quite springy. I never saw the nipple on the fitting of the AT hose but would guess that a 3/8" OD clear plastic hose and a hose clamp would work for the monitoring of the bubbles outlined in the changing ATF documentation. THe drain plug is magnetized -- be sure to clean off the metal filings from it. I could have drained the old ATF and put it through a filter and then put it back in the tranny repeatly to get out the particulates and than added the synthetic. Can you tell me if VOLVO makes their AT or if they use american made ones?

Note: when you drain the pan you get perhaps 3 quarts, the rest stays in the torque converter and elsewhere in the tranny.

Good Luck!

Mark