Trying to flush the transmission on my '99 XC this morning (reason follows), but the ATF simply trickles out, and somtimes not at all. I've flushed my Volvos before, and it pumps out quite fast normally.

So... I know very little about automatic transmissions. Is it toast? Something blocked? Electronic?

Background: We've owned this car a few months now. About 100,000 miles on it. When we got it, a new timing belt was installed, I installed a rebuilt ABS module (that's the only thing working, right!), and the throttle module recall was done. The car has run very sweetly. Shifted great.

Driving home from Wisconsin (after a few hundred miles on the road), the car started shuttering and not wanting to downshift. The Volvo dealer said "bad bevel gears with no fluid" (wrong... as determined by a local Volvo shop). Anyway, the independent found the timing to be off, but was dumbfounded as to the problem. So... $1500 later found me with a new timing belt, motor mount, "speed sensor" and possibly some other things (I don't have the bill yet). Headed home again... car ran great... but after a couple of hundred miles... the same thing!!

I now think it's the transmission or something that works with it. I don't know why 3 trained mechanics couldn't pick up on that.

Anyway... sorry for the long story. Ignore if you like!! My main question: what can be the cause of the ATF not pumping out???

Thank you for your time and patience...

Steve