Hi,

I am doing preventive maintenance on my Automatic Transmission. I have a few questions:

1. The drain bolt from the casing seems large (my biggest wrenches are only 21 mm and 25 mm). Is it 22-mm, 23-mm or 24-mm wrench that I need?

2. I am "lazy" and do not want to remove the connection between the oil cooler and return hose (labor-intensive as you have to remove battery and battery tray and reconnects etc.); just want to drain ATF from the drain bolt. If I just fill and refill ATF, run the engine and transmission; repeat the drain-refill cycles a few times (draining the ATF out through the drain bolt alone): can this flush out the ATF from the cooler adequately?

Does ATF flow through the cooler ONLY when the ATF is hot or doea it circulate through the cooler all the time? Sorry I do not have a working knowledge of the Auto Transmission as the Haynes manual does not have a diagram of how the AT works.

3. At stop lights, do you shift to neutral (like a manual trans)? I seems to me that if you shift to neutral, you do not have to apply the brake (easier on your R foot) and less wear on the automatic clutch discs.

But shifting in and out of an Automatic Trans: can it cause damage down the road?

Thanks for any advice.

cn

1998 V70

I just replaced my trans oil using mobile one synth.On my '99 T-5,I removed the engine cover just behind the front bumper.One 10 ml bolt.It slips right out after that.From there you can reach up and losen the trans cover return line.I used a standard wrench,I don't recall the size,may have been a 7/8" wrench.Volvo says to remove the cooler line from the radiator.This is not necessary.I simply pulled up an the trans connector,high enough so that it was above the battery.I slipped in a 3/8"vinyl tube,the clear type.It fit snug and sealed well Run the clear tube to a drain pan..I did drain the trans from the drain plug.somewhere around three qrts.The process from there is very easy.Add two qrts to the trans tube for checking the oil level.Start car and run till bubbles appear.The hose wants to dance around a little,so secure it.Shut the car off and repeat till clear.Mine used nine qrts till clear.Any question i'll be glad to answere

I just flushed my transmission with Mobil 1 Synthetic ATF.

I can now say that I do feel some improvement - specifically, crisper shifts and more responsive downshifts.

I was lazy too and chose to disconnect the top hose from the cooler so that I did have to mess with removing the battery and battery tray.

See this method posted further back and at OZBRICK.

Works very well - just make sure you spring for an extra retainer clip and o-ring just in case. I had spares, but did not need them.

Using this method you don't even need to mess with the drain plug.

It is a "sweet" method that very effectively pumps the old stuff out.

I used 12 quarts of Mobil 1 ATF for the flush - and got nice clean ATF out.

Why spend the $'s for some clown to do the job? The dealers/mechanics ussually just drain what is in the case anyway and charge probably $75 to $100.

Good Luck !

Being lazy, why not take it some place and get it flushed out porperly for under $100.00? It will be money well spent, unless you have been draining "all your life". After doing the professional flush, every 15-20K miles pop the drain plug, and refill with SYNTHETIC ATF. In about 45K you will have all (or mostly) Synthetic, will not have burned up the clutches, which are worn more engaging the tranny than sitting idling in gear (Leave the shifter in D), and if you are wearing our your right shoe holding the brake down, get your ABS checked...ATF flows through the cooler anytime font pump is spinning (engine running). P.S.-Buy a wrench that fits...