Hi All,

We've got a '95 T5-R with about 65K miles on it. When coming up to a stop light (lightly) on the brakes, sometimes I can feel and hear a light "clunk" like the automatic transmission is downshifting from 2nd to 1st. I don't really remember it doing this before and it is doing it enough now that I have noticed it a few times. It does not seem to be confused jumping between gears, but rather goes solidly from 2nd to 1st (or whatever gear it's changing to). The car has had regular scheduled maintenance done by a Volvo shop, it up-shifts very smoothly, and doesn't slip when taking off from lights. We haven't had any transmission problems to date. Is this normal? Is she dying?

Thanks,

Darin

Many other 850 owners with auto trannies have reported similar tranny issues. It could have something to do with bad programming. I believe the S80 also had this problem until a recall (?) was put out with a different programming.

Try doing an ATF flush and fill. It will probably help and shouldn't cost all that much. Check your ATF. Is it brown, and smells a little burnt? If so, you DEFINETLY should change it.

The ATF Change may help some, but I thing the problem is greater than

that. I have had this clunking problem during down shifts for some time.

I live in the upper midwest where the winter gets very cold and what I

found over the winter is in extreme cold 20 or less the trans performes

very well, then as the temperature increases the clunking becomes more

noticable. So I am planing to install a tran oil cooler to keep the oil

temp a little cooler. I will post my results upon completing this.

Any other help on this matter would be good.

All 850's with automatics already have a transmission oil cooler. It's incorporated into the radiator.

In your case, with what you believe temperature to be the cause for the clunking, I also recommend running synthetic ATF.

Synthetic ATF's run cooler then non-synthetic ATF at any temperature.

If you aren't towing, or carrying heavy loads, the use of synthetic ATF will probably do more good then running non-synthetic ATF and a tranny cooler.

FOR EVERYONE WITH AN 850, if you aren't already running a synthetic ATF, you should, the next time you change your ATF. Which in most 850 owners' cases, should be soon.

Synthetic ATF's cost about twice as much as non-synthetic, but lasts in some cases three times longer. So there is no way anyone can claim that synthetic ATF's cost more to run. Initially yes, but if you plan on owning the car for more then a 4 or 5 years, you will be saving more money running synthetic ATF. One tranny change will make you WISH you had never tried to save those pennies. And there are more than enough 850 owners that have faced this nightmare.

With what I believe to be the most superior ATF available, AMSOIL synthetic, it is scientifically tested and proven to last THREE TIMES LONGER, then GM Dexron III, Allison C-4, Ford Mercon, Chrysler ATF Plus, Mercedes-Benz AG 236.6, Caterpillar TO-3, and many more.

And Mobil 1's synthetic ATF will last atleast twice as long as non-synthetic ATF.

And AMSOIL is known to run significantly cooler then non-synthetic ATF. So if all you need is to cool your tranny that does not carry heavy loads or is not used for towing, I wouldn't waste my money on a tranny oil cooler.

Think about it, at an average price of under $8/quart of AMSOIL, and 8 quarts necessary for a full flush and fill, while say the average non-synthetic ATF is about $3/quart. Assuming a longevity of about 2 years for non-synthetic ATF, you are paying $12/year. For the AMSOIL, you are looking at about $10.67/year. And with the AMSOIL, you know you are getting superior protection. And then there is the added cost of having your tranny flushed unless you do the flush and fill yourself. Say the shop charges you $20 for each job for labour alone, that now means you are paying $22/year for non-synthetic ATF, and only $14/year. In either case, there really are no savings to NOT running synthetic ATF. (All prices in US, and only approximations)

I'm not saying that synthetic ATF is the end all of automatic tranny problems. But the vast majority of 850 auto trannies that failed were running non-synthetic ATF, and if they were running synthetic ATF, there wouldn't be as many 850 owners complaining about failed trannies.

My transmission shifts a bit rough and I was planning on changing the oil. Where do you get this amsoil ATF? I saw it at a local toyota dealer. Are there different type or weights, as there is with engine oil? I haven't been servicing my own car for very long, so I've never touched a transmission. Used to let the dealer take care of that.

There are different specifications for ATF. However, you need not worry if you order/purchase AMSOIL's 100% Synthetic Universal ATF. The 850 tranny requires Dexron III, and along with Dexron III, AMSOIL's 100% Synthetic Universal ATF can also replace Allison C-4, Ford Mercon, Chrysler ATF Plus, Mercedes-Benx AG 236.6, and many more.

You can order it straight off of AMSOIL's web site. This is probably some of the most expensive AMSOIL you can buy though. Look for local distributors.

I'm assuming you are in the states. There are many licensed distributors all over the place. I myself am a licensed distributor, but I'm way up North in Toronto.

To keep solicitations off of this board, as requested by Jarrod, send me an e-mail if you are interested in ordering from me.

But keep looking. If you are lucky enough, you won't have to pay for shipping because the licensed distributor will be in your town/city.

Because of the savings of buying locally, I put together a group buy in Toronto for 5 buyers. They each bought two cases of 5w-30 engine oil, one case each of ATF, engine flushes, fuel injector cleaners, and a couple of them purchased the foam element air filters. It was a HUGE bill, but because of the large order, and the lack of shipping, they picked this stuff up at less then any synthetic lubricant price.

So if you can find good deals locally, grab them. If not, send me an e-mail and I'll see what I can work out.

Amen! Let me add that for those with modified ECUs who like to push their auto trannies to death on the highway, running a good synthetic ATF will, in my opinion, undoubtedly save you headaches down the road. I think highly of the 850 auto tranny--it's smooth, is quick to downshift and has a great 3-mode function (being econ, sport & winter) but it's performance suffers greatly with poor maintenance.