Please help. My wagon revs up high and laud then jumps into gear. I can ease the shift if I let I let up slightly on the accelerator pedal. However if I let it shift at its own timing it revs up to 4,500 - 5,000 rpm and is rough. My local volvo specialist has adjusted the kick down twice with no success. Could this be a sensor? Or does the cable need to be completely replaced?

While no help to you, it might be good to know that this seems to be common, that our tough, bulletproof transmissions also tend to shift somewhat hard under load. My 1990 744 with the AW70 automatic transmission has always done that. I think the Volvo engineers imagined people who accelerate much more sedately than most of us actually do. ;-)

I have learned to sort of shift with the pedal by getting the car up in the revs a bit and letting off to get it to shift. I have never heard of this being a problem.

Now, if it is just shifting hard all the time, even when you are accelerating gently, you probably need to flush your transmission fluid as per the method in the FAQ.

Good luck with this. I hope someone with a *real* answer comes along soon to help you. I just did not want your post to languish unanswered like a lot of mine have been lately.

Seems the brickboard RWD forum is slowly turing into an empty room of sorts. How sad for those of us committed to keeping our bricks running to the bitter end, heh, heh, heh...

Wade
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Mama always told me to eschew obfuscation...

Thanks Wade. Flushing is my next step, then more adjusting. I did read on another brick post that there needs to be a centimeter of slack in the cable. I'll try that.

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Bruce Young, '93 940-NA (current), 240s (one V8), 140s, 122s, since '63.

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Bruce Young, '93 940-NA (current), 240s (one V8), 140s, 122s, since '63.

The late/hard shifting you mention is nearly endemic to the model/tranny. I've owned 6 740/940's and each has displayed this characteristic to some degree. The kickdown cable seems to get "sticky" within the sheath. You can try directing some atf down the sheath from the engine end. I have used an old oil applicator like this one: http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-162842414/stock-vector-oiler-can-symbol.html?src=BPAFhmEy13dpx4Hggebs8Q-1-4
Having the nose of the car elevated helps as well. Not a cure all but helps. And yes you should have a decent amount of looseness/slack in cable. Personally I have simply learned to live with it.