Hello to all.
This is a nightmare. and a long one but please bear with me because my fellow boarders have never let me down. Let me also thank you all in advance because all input is welcomed. 95 850 turbo: 128,000 miles. start of 2005 was driving like a dream. Well since then things started getting a bit funny.and less dreamy. Allow me to start at the top, My coolant light came on and i started having to fill up after about every 10-20 miles. Either it was boiling over or just bone dry. So mechanic says "you got a busted radiator" So that gets replaced. Couple of drives later light on again, tank bone dry. Topped her off. now my tranny light starts flashing. I hit sport that goes off, no big deal (or so i thought) well after roughly a month i start feeling a lul in speed around 20 to 30 and then a hard thud and lunge. Friends suspect slipped tranny. Well then i check my fluids and my coolant tank is a muddy mess. Me knowing very little, i take it to jiffy lube thinking my negligence with the air filter is the reason its filthy in that tank. "Flush my transmission system and change my air filter" i say with some authority. That happens. 7 days and 3 short drives later the troubles really start. the thud is getting harder and the time it takes to get out of second is longer. meanwhile it smells like metal gringing on metal. and not in a good way. Then what i had been fearing happened. my 850 stalled out on me for the first time ever. Started right back up. And i drove it directly to the mechanic. He said " your radiator had a problem with the part that cools the coolant. that some how resulted in the coolant getting into your engine, transmission fluid in your radiator, now we need to rebuild your transmission. What should I do. Dont want to suddenly have a car payment and would never dream of junking it but...

You say your resevoir was bone dry again after the radiator was replaced. Sounds like the mechanic didn't refill the coolant system completely. Looks like you initially got coolant in your tranny and that's not a good thing. I would definitely not recommend letting them rebuild your transmission if you expect to keep this car for any length of time. Get a known good used one or a Volve rebuilt unit. I don't think you mentioned any engine overheating indications. I would not expect getting transmission fluid in the engine coolant would case any problem with the engine but you want to do a few quick engine coolant flushes after you get your tranny problems resolved. Good luck....

I am totally baffled as to how tranny fluid could get into the cooling system or the reverse. I realize they both have lines in the radiator, but not one inside the other?

Agree with the antifreeze level going down after flush. Poor mechanic.

Klaus
--
98 V70Rawd(101Kmi), 95 854T(85K mi), 75 164E(173K mi)

Ricky,
The radiator has three lines going through it, water, oil, and atf. If there was a hole/break that let water escape into the tranny or engine oil, you have a hosed car.
Get a second opinion after checking the level of the tranny fluid. Usually when the tranny "hunts" for a gear and then "slams" into it, it is because the atf is low by at least a quart. Muddy/cloudy antifreeze is a serious problem and needs to diagnosed right away.

Klaus
--
98 V70Rawd(101Kmi), 95 854T(85K mi), 75 164E(173K mi)

Klaus - I changed my radiator on my '93 and there were no oil lines. Is that a later year or turbo difference?

The 83 only cools antifreeze? Boy, am I glad I didn't buy one of those!

Klaus
--
98 V70Rawd(101Kmi), 95 854T(85K mi), 75 164E(173K mi)

'93 cools ATF & antifreeze, my '94 manual tranny only antifreeze. Which have oil coolers?

Both my turbo's have oil coolers.

Klaus
--
98 V70Rawd(101Kmi), 95 854T(85K mi), 75 164E(173K mi)

The one possibility of the radiator you've dealt with - that is one place tranny fluid and coolant get close as tranny cooling lines connect to radiator. Doubt very much if new one would fail that quickly.

The next thing I would suspect would is an internal blown seal(s) and the fluids are mingling inside the engine. Check the tranny fluid - unless Juffy Lube screwed up more then usual (never ever go there again if you value any car you own), the fluid should still look somewhat red and clean. And check the oil dipstick too to see what it looks like. All that fuild has to be going somewhere and if not leaking under car then getting into engine and out tailpipe.

Where are you located - you probably should seek out a good indy volvo shop in your area. Another professional opinion wouldn't hurt. Hopefully I'm wrong, but it doesn't sound good for your tranny. I just had mine done (on a '93 with 287,000 miles) and labor was about $600 and used tranny another $600 (which is cheap as they had one from a parts car that blew timing belt - expect more like $1000 for used and $2000+ for rebuilt).


Good luck and be sure to post results.

I will probably be getting a second opinion as soon as i get back in town. Thank you for the advice, because i cannot help but think this mechanic is trying to screw me as i've long heard that these are strong trannys.

If in the course of these events if you seriously over heated your engine then your car may be a candidate for the bone yard. It also sounds like you could use a better mechanic. One more opinion, don't take a Volvo you plan on keeping to Jiffy Lube.

hi there Polaris, I've just read the mail you sent on 850 Ricky's problem. I'm curious about the remark you made about "the car being good for the bone yard"
I have had my car heat up quite badly twice and would be grateful if you could explain, why?

Thanks, Stretch.

Hi Stretch,

My understanding is that an all aluminum engine will undergo more degenrative changes on a serious over heat compared to an iron block motor. Even with iron heads you can still warp them if you get things hot enough. The problems caused by overheating can sometimes take time to reveal themselves, warped heads, blown head gasket, or piston/ring problems may not declare themselves untill you have noticed the symtoms associated with the cause. I recomend that you or a good mechanic solve your cooling problem pronto.

Actually I have already blown the head, twice. The 1st time it warped coz of a blown waterhose which was cracked (I obviously didn't know at the time but quickly found out)I was doing 135mph at the time and didn't realise until I stopped at traffic lights and saw the steam. 6 months later it went again because it wasn't done properly the 1st time. The head was warped beyond the specified tolerance, but an independent engineer assured me that he could fix it by heating the head to a high temperature and warping it back. My mechanic warned me that it wouldn't last, and boy was he right. 6 months later it went again, but this time I changed it with a second hand one that came from London.(www.volvospares-uk.com contact Keith Cooper at sales@volvospares-uk.com he's a very helpful guy and can arrange shipping, I've dealt with him twice and he's very reliable). I went through an expense the first time for nothing. Now my gearbox has gone and I am told that this could have been caused by the engine overheating in the past. I've just ordered a second hand gearbox from my friendly supplier in London which is costing me Stg 350 and my mechanic rekons this is cheaper than overhauling my gearbox. I am also changing the radiator as apparently the oil cooler which is in it has also gone. At the same time as this is happening, I've just blown a piston on my Maserati, its a 1987 Spyder Bi Turbo, I have only recently fitted a bleed valve, increased the boost slightly and it looks like the engine couldn't take it, so thats another major expense.
What could possibly be next?