I recently acquired a '93 940 and am having a tranny issue.

The car will shift by itself from 1st to 2nd, a little rough, a little on the jerky side.
It will not shift into 3rd or 4th at all when driven normally (at least up to 3500 or 4000 rpm, but I'm hesitant to rev it higher), but will shift very nicely if I let my foot off the gas.
Downshifting seems to be completely normal.
The throttle cable appears okay. The transmission fluid is at the proper level and doesn't appear to be burnt or contaminated.

My sense is that the transmission is probably okay and that something else is causing it not to shift properly.
Do you think replacing the speedometer head would be a good place to start?
http://www.brickboard.com/RWD/index.htm?id=1353565&show_all=1
I'm pretty much going to have to go at with trial and error as I don't have any testing equipment and am at the basic backyard mechanic level.

Thanks in advance for your help, and Happy Thanksgiving.

Dan

As Herb notes, I think you have a 90% chance your kickdown cable is kinked, worn, or sticking: see the FAQ notes.
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See the 700/900 FAQ at the drop-down menu above right.

Unlike newer transmissions your AW70 is not electronically controlled and therefore is not influenced by the speedo or any computer. It is all internal hydralics. Shifting is strictly a function of rpm, throttle position and torque or power applied. Carefully check action of the downshift cable (not the throttle cable). Would also suggest a flush.

Sometimes misdiagnosed as a tranny problem is an apparent late shift caused by very low power from engine, driver gives more throtle to compensate and this holds tranny in a lower gear because of the downshift cable action.
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David Hunter

Thanks for the replies.
Any pointers about the downshift cable? Where is it located?

Dan

Throttle cable and downshift cable wrap around the same drum on the throttle body. The downshift cable goes down to the tranny. There is info on this in the FAQ section.
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David Hunter

Well, just for the sake of experimentation, I disconnected the downshift cable, and lo and behold, the car now upshifts like new - nice and smooth, no jerks, no nothing. I guess I'll live with manual downshifting until I have more time to fiddle with it.

David, you give the impression that you're pretty Volvo-savvy…is there a repair manual that you would suggest for a neophyte like me?

Thanks again -

Dan

When disconnected you may now find that you will not get a proper downshift when you give er the gas. The amount of "pull" of the cable is adjusted with the elongated nut on the cable shield. You want less pull from the original setting. Sometimes the cable can get sticky and not return fully with the throttle. For me final adjustment is a trial and error process.

I have used Bentleys and Haynes manuals over the years but I don't think they have one covering your vintage of 940 series. I have also subscribed in the past to All Data (www.alldata.com) on line manuals, not sure how they are for the 940. You can also purchase the Volvo manuals but they are expensive. There is a lot of good reading in the FAQ section right here. The shortcut is at top right of page. Note that the 960/S90 series are a different animal than the 940.


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David Hunter

Check the kickdown cable, as per the 700/900FAQ-- select it from the pull-down menu in the upper right.

Good luck!