Thanks to posters here I finally located the tranny dipstick on my 2000 v70. The tranny was recently flushed at the dealer. I think they overfilled it. When stone cold and not running it reads overfilled. Is it correct to check it while running and in park? Been getting some rough shifts from 2nd to 1st lately.

Thanks to all

Gene

The engine needs to be running while you check the tranny fluid. When the engine is cold, start the car and move the gear selector from R to D a couple of times - slowly so it engages. Put it in Park and check the level. Remember that one side of the stick is for cold, the other side is for hot.
If you think it is over filled, take it to the dealer real soon. Too much fluid is worse than not quite enough.

Klaus
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(V♂LV♂s 1975 164, 1995 854T, 1998 V70R)

KlausC was right about overfilling is worse than underfilling.

But I'd like to add something about checking your fluid level. While it's true that you have two scales (hot and cold) on opposite sides of the dipstick, they are calibrated for temperatures you may not be at when you check. How, in fact, do you know what your ATF's temperature is?

I may sound overly compulsive :-) but I've found -- and here I must point out that I have 240's, and also Mercedes, but not any FWD Volvos -- that a little off with the temperature and you may erroneously think that your fluid level is off when it's not; as well as vice versa.

Let me get to the point... a very handy gadget to have around your shop is a hand-held IR thermometer (like the RayTek unit sold by IPD, Griot's Garage, and many other mail-order vendors). I check the temperatures indicated on the opposite sides of the dipstick, and then I take the transmission's actual temperature by holding the RayTek under the car and up against the sump of the transmission -- that sump temperature should accurately represent the fluid temperature. With that information, I can interpolate the fluid level on the dipstick, at the now known temperature, to where it should be relative to the full and add marks the dipstick. Or in other words, I know with certainty whether I have enough fluid, too much, or too little.

And the weakness in the dipstick scales is that often, the usual remarks about what it takes to warm up the fluid is grossly untrue. For example, the "cold" marks are not the fluid when the car is cold -- and after driving a bit, it may still be higher or lower than you expect. And often, no matter how long you drive, your fluid temperature may not rise to the "hot" temperature -- it really depends on the season (weather), type of driving, etc. I've used my RayTek to prove time and time again that there is no reliable way of warming up your transmission to any certain temperature. So instead, you should measure your fluid's temperature, and then interpolate a third, "mental" scale for your fluid's temperature from the two scales on the dipstick.

Good luck.

I apreciate your advice, but very few of us have an IR temp sensor - a very handy tool.
Because of that limitation, I always suggest that the tranny fluid be checked when cold. This morning, I checked the fluid level before starting the car. It was 1 1/2 inches above the hot max mark, with the engine still off. I then started the car, moved the shift lever from R to D several times and then shifted to park. When I checked the fluid level again, it was dead on the max for cold.
The only problem I had was reaching in and pulling out the dip stick from it's terrible location! One would think that a dip stick could be routed to some better location than under the intake air duct, where there is only one inch of space to insert a hand.
Grumble, grumble, gripe, gripe,

Klaus
--
(V♂LV♂s 1975 164, 1995 854T, 1998 V70R)

Actually, they have a lot of good uses besides measuring ATF temperature, and (for anyone reading this who's interested) they're only about $80 or so (from IPD, Griot's Garage, and other sources).

Best regards,