posted by
someone claiming to be 240on280
on
Tue Nov 17 05:00 CST 2009 [ RELATED]
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I hope I can get some advice on a transmission problem we've had. My wife's 2000 S70 (non-turbo) has been acting up for a while. The transmission will sometimes hesitate and then slam into gear. This happens only when the transmission is warm. A couple of weeks ago, the transmission up arrow started blinking and the check engine light came on. We had the codes pulled by an indie shop and he said something to my wife about a torque converter lock up engagement fault and the check engine light was reporting the TCU fault. We had the ECU software updated by the Volvo dealership and this improved the shifting a lot but there are still some glitches only when the transmission is hot. The car has done 128K miles and I was wondering if a transmission fluid flush would help. The transmission fluid looks original and has some discoloration but it's not filthy. I'm thinking of buying the IPD kit and doing it myself as most places want $160 for the flush. I can't get a supplier for the fluid. NAPA told me it was Dexron IIIG. Where can I get this from? Also has anybody tried using Seafoam Trans Tune transmission additive to the S70/V70 transmission? I've used Trans Tune on the AW70 transmission of my daughter's 240 and it seemed to help. I'm sure Volvo would say it's not recommended but has anybody actually tried it?
Any advice would be appreciated.
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In the back of your owner's manual you will find "ATF Dexron III and Mercon" for fluid type. Easily found at autoparts stores. You can also use Mobile 1 ATF synthetic, but it is a little pricey when you need at least 10 quarts to flush the system.
Flushing is quite easy. I wouldn't bother to empty the the tranny drain plug, the pumps will pick up the dirt quite nicely anyway.
You will need 2-3 plastic gallon jugs, 5-6 feet of clear 1/2" inside diameter tubing that will stretch from the radiator to the jugs. A tranny fill funnel with a long neck.
Warm up the tranny with a 2-3 mile drive. Remove the air intake ductwork, pull it off the aircleaner first then pull backwards to get it out of the top of the radiator. Remove the top tranny hose from the radiator and fit the plastic tubing over it. If the tubing feels loose, like it is going to fall off, use a ziptie or equivilent. Thread the tubing to a jug, place the jug where you can see it from the driver's seat. You did mark the jug at 2 and 4 quart levels, right?
Start the engine, the fluid will pump rapidly into the jug. Turn it off as it approaches the 2 qt mark. Add 2 quarts of new fluid. And repeat the process until you run out of new fluid.
Button it all back up, you are done. About 30 minutes. There is no way to hurry the fluid down the funnel, it is very slow.
Klaus
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Proud owner of a 220S. If I had more room, I would have more Volvos.
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Thanks, I was intimidated b/c of the cost of a tranny, but these instructions were clear and the procedure was easy. I did a partial (1/3) replacement just because of other posts and a little concern about neglect with 123k on it. Used the Toyota oil but will order a case of Mobil 3309 ATF from avlube.com for use until I get it clean. I got a handy funnel from Pep Boys with caps on both ends, a screen built in, and a shut off for $4.99. Life's a breeze.
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"NAPA told me it was Dexron IIIG."
NO!!! Don't listen to them. If it's a 2000 S70 BASE, it's gonna have the new 5-speed automatic, in which you need to use the Volvo fluid JWS3309 or Mobil 3309 ATF. Do NOT put Dex-III in this one. You should be able to order the fluid from a Volvo dealer, or I believe NAPA should carry the Mobil stuff.
I'd say a flush would probably help especially if it's never been done - and much better to do it yourself and keep it away from their evil transmission flush machines.
I'd stay away from any additives at the moment, and see if the flush alone helps the car before you go adding anything else into the whole system.
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Have you ever changed the fluid in your trans? If not I'd be willing to bet when you get it out into a container it will look black like used engine oil - every single FWD/AWD Volvo I've ever checked had burnt fluid, and most other FWD cars I check do too.
I'd definitely stay away from additives for now.
You're going to have to be careful about what fluid to put in there - there seems to be some confusion about which years/models had which transmission.
I think the general rule of thumb is that the 4 speed transmissions used DEXIII while the 5 speed transmissions used the 3309.
If you need DEXIII go with a cheaper fluid, then flush again with a more expensive fluid after a few thousand miles.
If you need 3309 you can buy the Volvo fluid, Mobil 1 3309, or Toyota fluid that meets 3309 spec. Some have suggested Toyota dealer is the cheapest place to find this.
Either way, these fluids do not appear to be compatible with the wrong trans so be very sure you're using the right stuff before proceeding.
DO NOT USE A POWER FLUSH MACHINE UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES
Also keep in mind it may be too late for a fluid change to help you. Prudence would dictate flushes at a regular interval to ward off problems, and definitely at the first sign of trouble. Waiting until you hear the clunks usually means you're too late. Still it's a pretty cheap thing to try before diving in to a trans swap.
If you do have to put another trans on there, get a used one and flush the fluid right away - new/rebuilt ones are pretty pricey. Also do the rear main seal on the engine and any seals on the trans you can reach without pulling it apart - it's expensive to go in there again later.
BTW a trans fluid flush should definitely be something you can do yourself in your driveway. Search around on this forum and other Volvo sites for help.
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posted by
someone claiming to be 240on280
on
Tue Nov 17 06:43 CST 2009 [ RELATED]
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Thanks for the advice. Our 2000 S70 has a 4 speed automatic, not a 5 speed. We bought the car with 50K on the odometer and haven't flushed the transmission. It seemed to need Dexron IIIG - not the common-or-garden Dexron III. NAPA didn't try to sell me Dex III and tell me it would be O.K. Advance Auto just said " We don't have it". Who would stock the Dexron IIIG? The instructions for flushing looks pretty straightforward. So would you drain the transmission first, refill and then start flushing 2L at a time or do you add an extra 2L to the dirty fluid and flush? I've read it takes 12L (3 gallons).
Thanks!
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do some reading to verify for yourself, but I'm pretty sure DEXRON III H was the last spec released before DEXRON was cancelled. I think most fluids labelled "DEX III" meet the DEXRON III H spec, but there is no way to really know since the DEXRON licensing is done now.
Here is a thread on bobistheoilguy that might interest you:
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1196391
I would be willing to bet anything that meets the new DEXRON VI spec is okay, but I would want you to verify that for yourself. GM is recommending all GM cars that call for DEXRON III cars use DEXRON VI now...
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posted by
someone claiming to be 240on280
on
Tue Nov 17 07:59 CST 2009 [ RELATED]
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Thanks again. I did some more reading and it seems that some 2000 S70s had a 5 speed (AW5) and some had a 4 speed (AW42) so I'll need to check which it actually is before I proceed. If it is a 5 speed and it is on the way out should I replace it with a 4 speed since these seem to be more robust and I could pull one form an 850 - or would the TCU and ECU detect it's the wrong transmission and stop the transmission?
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I believe 2000 non-turbo S70's all had the 5-speed; while the GLT and T5's still had the 4-speed. I'm not 100% sure on that, though, and my VADIS won't open for some reason. The more complicated 5-speeds worked well in the later-model V70's, but as 2000 and 2001 were the first years for the transmissions being used in these cars, there were I believe some software issues that destroyed the transmissions prematurely. They later released "updates", but most people probably never had it done.
If you suspect that it is going, you could swap the ECU and transmission with a '99 model S/V70 and it would work fine if you choose to go that path. Personally, I wish my car had another gear - the gear ratios on the 4 speed are really stretched out.
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posted by
someone claiming to be 240on280
on
Tue Nov 17 08:51 CST 2009 [ RELATED]
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Thanks, greatly appreciated.
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posted by
someone claiming to be 240on280
on
Tue Nov 17 10:38 CST 2009 [ RELATED]
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Has anybody tries Castrol's ATF IMPORT MV - it claims to mee the 3309 spec.
http://www.castrol.com/liveassets/bp_internet/castrol/castrol_usa/STAGING/local_assets/downloads/p,q/pds_ImportMV.pdf
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It meets JWS-3309, which should be just fine. Call Toyota parts and ask them for a price also.
Klaus
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Proud owner of a 220S. If I had more room, I would have more Volvos.
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Check at a nearby auto store - I'm not sure if most carry this or not. If not, I'm sure they can very easily order a case for you if you ask and have it in a few days. I'm sure the Castrol would be fine - my dad swears by Castrol products for his cars; I use Mobil-1 in mine.
A Toyota or VW dealer carries a very similar fluid that you could use in it.
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posted by
someone claiming to be 240on280
on
Tue Nov 17 10:20 CST 2009 [ RELATED]
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O.K. It's a 5 speed - so I have to find Mobil 3309 ATF - up to $90 a case- ouch! Any suppliers you'd recommend?
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