Greetings!
Started a new thread because the old one was old.

I've done the dump and fill several times in the past on my '01 S60 2.4T just as a precautionary thing. Old fluid was always only slightly dirty.
I always used the Mobil 3309 which I know is OK for the car.
About 3 quarts each change.

Now, at only 84K miles and after 20K miles since the last drain and fill, it is slipping temporarily during the change from 5th lockup to just 5th.
A manual downshift to 4th works OK.
Some other gear changes like 1-2 seem to have the slight temporary slippage as well.
Also the fluid is very discolored. The cold level is OK.
I suspect the discoloration is from clutch facing disintegration.

Is my transmission toast?
Do dealers do a valve body change?
Is total replacement the only option?
Do independent Volvo shops do the valve body change?
Is that done with the trans in the car?
I read $1500 for a good used trans plus 5 hours labor. Is that about right?
Where would I find a used trans better than my 84K mile one?

Lots of questions, but the answers are important to me.
This board has been a big help in the past.

Thanks,
Rich

FINAL CHAPTER ON SLIPPING TRANSMISSION
See posts from Aug 3.

I picked up the car with rebuilt trans.
It got new 2-3 clutch, torque converter, valve body, Volvo oil, and a used case half.
That was because the output bearing was loose in the case.
Drove it around gently for a couple of days, then a 200 mile road trip on a hot day.
Problem was just as bad as before! Bad 2-3 shift and bad 5-4 shift.

But I thought it felt like misfiring, so got the codes read by an independent shop.
(Volvo charges about $120, but deducts it when they do the repair.)
No check engine light, but a misfire code for #4 cylinder.
Got new plugs from Volvo ($65!) and a used coil from the inde shop.
$105 to install plus an engine oil change.
Success! All problems are gone.

I know the ecu retards the timing during a shift so it will be soft and not noticeable.
Reg gas in the car. So during the 2-3 shift at 1/3 power the timing gets retarded which means the plug has to fire against increased cylinder pressure. Turbo has spun up, adding more pressure. Hot day, and reg gas means the timing is retarded more, making it very hard for the plug to fire. Result is mis-fire.

Mis-fire limits power so shift cannot be completed , but it keeps trying resulting in burned 2-3 clutch. It is possible that the trans did not have to be rebuilt, but the burned clutch and bad bearing made it justified.
The trans shop mentioned in the thread did a good job at a reasonable price.

My advice is check the trans codes by a dealer or a high-end place that can read the stored codes before starting major repairs.

Rich, who learned a lot from this episode.

Dealers will not open up the tranny. Most will not even swap the solenoids. They will update the software for a small fee.

When you check the level, the engine is running? If not, you are too low on fluid.

I would get the software level checked first. The 2001 5 speed ATs were not the best.
--
My name is Klaus and I am a V♂lv♂holic

Klaus:
Yes the engine is running while I check.
If not running the level is higher.
So I agree with you.
Temp was 75 F and car had sat overnight, then was shifted through all gears.

Since the original post I had an offer to flush the fluid using 8 quarts of Volvo fluid @ $20 per quart. But that still leaves a bunch of dirty fluid.
Then from following threads on another site, I found rebuilt valve bodies from VBX and an estimate of $1200 for a new Volvo valve body. Then a reference to Holly Transmission who said he could do it in half the time that Volvo allows because he is a specialist.
Stanhope, NJ, (973) 347-1860. Local to me.
He said the dirty fluid is due to the bad valve body and changing fluid will not help because the valve body causing bad shifts is the cause, not the fluid.

I will probably go with his work and will report back on the end result.
I can only get Mobil 3309 thru Pep Boys, and will ask if he can use that or Toyota T-4, instead of sending a dealer's kid to college.

-- Rich

Toyota ATF is 3309, says so on the label, and is the cheapest around. If your local guy can clean things up, great! Otherwise you are looking at a used replacement.

Let us know how it works out...
--
My name is Klaus and I am a V♂lv♂holic

I have a 2002 S60 automatic that has sounded the death knell for the last 30K mi, slippages and slamming in gear especially in stop and go traffic. The Volvo guys have already told me it's toast. I'm just hoping for it to get to 150K or above. It's at 115K now.

ErieVovo, that's Vovo with no "l", has these rebuilds, guaranteed for life for just over $1000. I'm on the west coast and had it priced at $1450 shipped. My understanding is that it's a 10 hr job which puts the total repair in the $2500 range for an independent shop.

I checked a Volvo salvage yard in Sacramento that I've dealt with before and they quoted me $850 for the transmission. I'm such a sucker for the warranty that I'd still probably go with the ErieVovo one.

BTW, the replacement transmission from the dealer is a rebuild, not new, so ... and I don't know what kind of warranty they give for their repairs.

More info on the transmission.
Apparently the two or three drain and fills had no effect on the trans life.
Local shop put a pressure gauge on it and found troubles with the pressure in the 2-3 shift. It will hold full boost (14 lb) and power in 3rd once engaged manually.

Trans guy agrees with me that the 3rd clutch does what the pressure tells it to.
So the trouble is in the valve body, but the damage is to the 3rd gear clutch and the lock-up lining on the torque converter. The dirty fluid is the symptom, the faulty valve body is the cause, but the damage is to the clutches inside.

He has quoted a price of a rebuild of my trans for around $2500. It includes new 3rd gear clutch and drum, a NEW valve body from Volvo, a new torque converter, and a fill with Volvo fluid. I do not detect any clues that he is dishonest.

He has quoted a valve body replacement using the Volvo part and new Volvo fluid for around $1500. He says the rebuilt valve bodies quality depends on the skill of the re-builder and will not use them. And only Volvo fluid.
Warranty is what Volvo gives him and is two years/25000 miles.

Given that the car has only 85K, is the very rare Maya Gold, the car is flawless, and I intend to keep it for more than two more years, I am going with his re-build.

If it does not turn out well, I will report back on this thread in a few weeks.

Rich

It's a lot of money, but then again, it is a lot of car. And you are going to keep it for a while. The rebuild is a lot of labor, in fact most of the job is labor, not parts. As for OEM fluid, that is questionable...
--
My name is Klaus and I am a V♂lv♂holic

Klaus:
In for a penny, in for a pound.
Yes the Volvo fluid adds $100 to the bill, but the shop can decline to offer any warranty. I agree that he is probably overdoing the rebuild, and it could be done for maybe $500 less.

Rich

At the end of this you will want to go to the dealer, have an TCM updates done (there was a recent one from 2012 that I just had done) and also have the dealer go through the adaptive learning process. Your current TCM will be expecting the old tranny whereas you will now have a "new" tranny. TCM update and adaptive learning is a must if you want it to last.

steve

Thanks for the advice.
I had not heard that before, and will ask for other responses on it, considering that the dealer will charge me an outragious fee for the service.
The transmission shop says the battery will be disconnected for at least three days. Does that start the initializing process all over again?

However, I have never understood what the adaptive shifting (or whatever) system actually consists of. In I tip-toe around for a month, then want to smoke some Mustang, what will the transmission do?
What actually changes, and in what way, depending on how I drive?
Thanks,
Rich --- '01 S602.4T LPT with IPD bump to 14 psi.

The 'learning' is mostly shift points in everyday driving. When you get the car back, it will go through the adaptive process and complete in a day or two. No big deal.

If you normally tiptoe and then slam it hard, it will go. However, if you are a lead foot and suddnly tiptoe, it won't shift at low rpms.

--
My name is Klaus and I am a V♂lv♂holic

Both Erie and Volvo warrantee the rebuilds for 1 year.

Ask if you can repl it with a 2002 or 2003 5 speed auto. It makes a difference if it is the shift yourself kind or old fashoned D,3,2.

--
My name is Klaus and I am a V♂lv♂holic

ErieVovo - Lifetime Replacement warranty on all used Volvo parts.