i've got an 86 240 wagon with an automatic transmission. my problem is that when i accelerate slowly/gently it kind of jerks when shifting from 1st gear into second. but when i give it more gas and accelerate quickly from a stop it shifts more smoothly into 2nd and doesn't "jerk". has anyone else experienced this situation and if so is it a problem that will continue to get worse? do i need to do something to correct it? i just bought the car and i've really been enjoying this message board. i'm excited the more i learn about volvo's and think that all the feedback and help people give is really great! thanks.

jacob

The two possibilities the other guys listed are correct. Either te kickdown cable is out of adjustment, or you need the new check valve ball in the trans. Obviously, the simpler of the two is adjusting the kickdown cable, sotry that first. Gene said the cable might be too loose. I just changed my kickdown cable about a month ago and remember it being the other way around, that is, a tighter cable gave me harder shifts. In either event, it's easy to adjust.

There's a little crimp bushing on the kickdown cable that at idle (no pressure on the accelerator) should be about 0.040" from the kickdown cable sheath. Have someone hop into the car and press the accelerator to the floor (with the engine off of course)and check the distance between the bushing and the end of the kickdown cable sheath. As I remember, it should be about 2.00" give or take a couple of thousandths. Use a 13mm wrench to loosen the nuts holding the cable in place and adjust as needed. Even if the cable measurements seem to be correct, play with the adjustment and see if it gets any better. It won't hurt anything.

Also, make sure the cable isn't binding. If it is, you may get lucky squirting some WD40 or some other cable lube into the sheath to free it. Otherwise, it's time to replace it.

neal and others,

thanks for the good tips. i'll definitely try adjusting the kickdown cable first. hopefully that will fix it. i'm also going to be flushing the trans. fluid using one of the methods that gets most of it drained. that should also smooth things up a bit.

thanks again,

jacob

I highly reccommend that if you are going to flush or change the ATF in the car that you remove the pan and clean it. there typically is a buildup of crud that will just get stirred around of you don't take the pan off. that's my 2 bits.

STefan

The kickdown cable, which the transmission uses to determine shift points and pressures, may be adjusted too loose.

If you're coming from an American or Asian car, you may just not be used the "tight" European way of doing things.

If it's really hard on the 1-2 shift, there's a nylon check ball in the vavle body of the AW-70/71/72 that's known to wear and let fluid bypass a restrictor. If it doesn't feel like you're getting rear-ended, then this isn't your problem. The 700/900 FAQs cover it.

I have to second that check ball thing - my 1987 745 has the AW71 tranny and was peeling rubber when it shifted from 1-2. it was a lot of fun showing off to the neighbor kids. anyhow, winter is here and I didn't want to fishtail every time the thing shifted, so I bought the parts (about $40) and paid a good tranny shop about $135 to do the labor on it. it shifts like new now.

The check ball thing may not be your problem, but in my car the thing would peel rubber 100000 miles ago if youreally tried, then it eventually got so bad that it would do it all the time. hence the nylon wearing out and finally passing thru the orfice that it was "checking"

anyhow, hope that helps.

Stefan