Volvo RWD 200 Forum

Hello All,
I have just signed up for this great site last night and have been ploughing through all the forums for an answer to my problem regarding my auto transmission, I have not been able to find an answer yet so will ask here ,please forgive me if this has been answered elsewhere,

Right, I bought a 1991 Volvo 240GL 2.0 Auto and everything seems good apart from the fact that it won`t kick Down and will not change up when I ease off the throttle it will not change up untill I have taken the revs up to about 4000 rpm,which is not a huge problem around town,but is on 60 mph roads with cameras as when I ease off from 65/70 to 60 it changes down and I am high revving again! on my search around the internet I have an idea it may be the kick down cable,but I have no clue where that should be or is, I am in no way a mechanic and have never owned a Volvo before, I have ordered a Haynes manual but thought that the Volvo owners on here would maybe be able to assist me? I wonder if someone could point me to a diagram of that region of the engine and if it is the Kick down cable that needs, changing/adjusting it may be able to help me in doing it?

Hope someone can help me,
Best Wishes,
Rob.

It can be difficult to get that slack cable back into the sheath.

I suggest elevating the end as is shown in Art's photo and dripping a good penetrant onto the end of the sheath which will let gravity do the work.

After soaking with something like PB Blaster for a period of time grasp the cable with a pair of pliers about 1/4" from the end of the sheath. Push the cable back in an effort to get to go into the sheath. By grasping it close to the sheath it will not have a tendency to bend.

If you can get it to move apply more penetrant after you have moved it an inch or so and let it soak again. Continue this process occasionally pulling the cable out and pushing it back in. Once it moves easily (if it does) change to ATF fluid and drip it into the sheath again letting gravity do it thing.

If you can free it up you may just get some additional life out of it.

If you have to change it out for a new one I would be suspect of one that is an aftermarket. I have replaced two with aftermarket and both were a terrible fit where they snap into the transmission case; I would not buy another.

Randy

Well I am overwhelmed with all the support here, I certainly joined the right website eh!

I will try everything you good people have suggested and let you know how I get on, I will probably have to get a mechanic to help though as I am worse than useless..

Thanks again.

Hello again,just to update you good people, I tried the method of lubing the cable and I am afraid that made the problem worse meaning my car was not going up a gear until at least 5000 Rpm, the 20 mile drive home from my brothers was hell and I admit to shedding tears of guilt for thrashing the guts off the poor old girl,anyway I think that lubing the cable must have freed the cable a bit but not all the way down but freeing what it did made the kick down stick on all the way down!!if you know what I mean! anyway I took the car round to a Volvo owner and freelance mechanic who in turn flushed the gear box and he said that the valve was sticking on and the cable was all ceased up, he for reasons known only to himself proceeded in cutting the bloody cable at the end in the engine bay and just before the throttle cable!I started to doubt this man`s credentials as a mechanic when he told me that over the phone.. anyway he said that it was an improvement and charged me 80 quid for the work, I have since got home and checked the transmission fluid on level ground and the "Mechanic" has overfilled it by quite a way, which is obviously not good,is this going to do more damage and is there a way of draining a bit out? also my car now changes to 2nd at about 2 and half rpm and to 3rd at about 4 rpm which I know is not right,the mechanic said he ordered a kickdown cable but they sent him the wrong one,another question is...do I buy a cable and will fitting it maybe cure this problem? sorry to ask so many questions but my head is done in and I feel that I have been taken for a mug,maybe I am a mug but I dont want to pay to be told...

Rob169in,

How many liters did you mechanic bill you for. Should be about 7 liters. Transmission holds 7.4. How did you check the transmission level. Below are the instructions from my owners manual in reference to checking transmission fluid level.

Check the fluid level as follows:

Park the car on level surface with the engine idling. Slowly move the selector lever through all the gear positions and then to position P. Wait 2 minutes before checking the fluid level. As the illustration shows, the dipstick has a "Cold" and a "Warm side. The fluid level should be between the MIN and MAX marks. Wipe the dipstick with a clean cloth.

Warning! The fluid may be vary hot!

Do not use rags which can leave lint on the dipstick.

Hope this helps,

Ron J

Rob169in,

How many liters did you mechanic bill you for. Should be about 7 liters. Transmission holds 7.4. How did you check the transmission level. Below are the instructions from my owners manual in reference to checking transmission fluid level.

Check the fluid level as follows:

Park the car on level surface with the engine idling. Slowly move the selector lever through all the gear positions and then to position P. Wait 2 minutes before checking the fluid level. As the illustration shows, the dipstick has a "Cold" and a "Warm side. The fluid level should be between the MIN and MAX marks. Wipe the dipstick with a clean cloth.

Warning! The fluid may be vary hot!

Do not use rags which can leave lint on the dipstick.

He didnt bill me for an amount he just said call it 80 quid he is freelance and dont get weighed down with receipts etc! I will go to a proper Volvo garage now as its obviously better in the long run to go legit ,you live and learn eh?

Thanks very much for your advice I will try that in the morning.

Rob
Take a look at the 700/900 FAQ's, the transmission in the 240 is the same.
http://www.brickboard.com/FAQ/700-900/TransmissionAuto.htm

The cable can get frozen (corroded) over time so a good dose of PB Blaster down the cable may free it up if it is sticking.

Make sure you have the proper level of good clean trans fluid. If it is dirty (old) you might consider a complete flush, the FAQ's cover this easy procedure and often solves problems with the trans.

The kick down cable is attached to the throttle body pulley along with the accelerator cable, look for the
cable that goes down towards the transmission.

You might also want the Robert Bentley manual for the 240, it is in large part based on the Volvo manuals called the "green books".
Dan

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Thanks mate thats very helpful, just in the process of printing off the Transmission Faq. I will let you know how I get on!
Thanks again.

Just been under the bonnet and I take it the cable below the throttle cable is the kick down cable? if so that cable is slack I loosened the bolts and adjusted the cable to try and tighten it but its still slack and has loads of play,I will try and add a picture.I wonder if anyone knows if that cable is worn out and has no adjustment left or its just not fitted right?


I have added a pic but have no idea how to link them? Sorry Im a noob!

Hi Rob,

That's OK, some of us posting here for ten years haven't figured out how to post pictures. Your words describe the frozen kickdown cable perfectly.

The slack you see is a result of rust bonding the cable strands to the sheath probably down around the bend it takes where the firewall joins the floor. The cable is stuck in the kickdown state.

It is a long shot, but you may be able to drip oil into it as noted in other responses. Work it in and out to try to free the bond.

If not, the correct fix is a replacement cable. Scroll down to the "Kickdown" section where JoeHC did a rear main engine seal job in Joe's writeup for a look at the task.


--
Art Benstein near Baltimore

Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him how to fish, and he will sit in a boat and drink beer all day.

That's not good. Hopefully it is still attached at the transmission end, and not broken, but with that much slack . . . kinda expect it's broken. Try pushing it back down into the hole, use WD40 liberally. It is supposed to retract itself, but if it is rusted in the sheath or broken, or the tranny end is loose, or spring broken . . . yeah. Try pushing it back in. Then start looking online for a new one. FCPGroton.com

Good luck.