Following some post here on the board, I tilted my car on the driver side using jack stand to overfill. I poured in almost 2 US quarts -- just shy of it.

I used Castrol automatic transmission fluid Type F.

Are they any known negative side effects to overfilling?
How much should you overfill?

Now that I think of it, I could have titled my car the other way when flushing to get more out. When flushing my car was straight.

Thanks for your input.
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'89 244DL M47 158K miles

I hate this topic.. This is the only place this info is valid for this tranny application only..

Most of the time you ovewr fill a gear box, or differential you drown seals. Don't make it a habit of more is always better or you will create leaks..

Once a seal leaks it stays leaking... Mac

Ok Mac. It's a good point.
I'll only do that to my M47 tranny and nowhere else...
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'89 244DL M47 158K miles

Highly recommended, in fact. But if you're concerned about it, I'll tell you one thing with total certainty:

If the transmission has "too much", it will dump it out of the vent hole, which is hidden behind a bolt in the rear of the trans.

For that reason, you can never really overfill it, although you can keep far more than 1.5 (recommended) quarts in it. Which is always a good idea, since the M47 is not the best transmission out there. And for the vent to clog, would be almost impossible on an M47. Or at least unheard of.

Are they any known negative side effects to overfilling?

Since the transmission will just chuck any extra oil through the vent, the only negative side effects would be that you might get some transmission fluid dripping on your garage floor after the first time you take it for a drive. And you might get some fluid spilling and being flung around by your driveshaft, but really not enough to worry about. In fact, in your case (just shy of 2 quarts) you won't have any fluid being chucked. It should all stay in there.

How much should you overfill?

You did about right. I think you could have gotten a little more in there, but it's nothing to quibble about.

When flushing my car was straight.

That is correct.

Thanks Bruce. Actually the way I had the car tilted I could not put more oil than I did, it just started overflowing when I stopped and I did not try to put more in (I filled the transmission from the engine compartment running a small plastic hose from a funnel into the filler plug).

Next time, so I know, how much should I put in there?
I wanted to see first with type F teh results I get, I might go with synthetic soon.

I saw a post recommanding Mobil 1 and another recommanding Amsoil.

I saw a lot of different kinds of Mobil 1 synthetic in my automotive store, which one do I need to get? (I am in Eastern Pennsylvania.)

Thanks.
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'89 244DL M47 158K miles

I used Mobil 1 ATF, but found year-round shiftability was better with Red Line MTL.

Guess I'm a synthetichead. I've got synthetics in virtually every place liquids can go in the cars except the windshield washer.

DO NOT put Mobil-1 or any other motor oil in that transmission. Motor oils do not have the right frictional characteristics for the synchronizers, and especially synthetic motor oils are too slippery. Good info on this at http://www.redlineoil.com/products.htm

Redline, Mobil, Amsoil, and Valvoline (and others I'm sure) make synthetic ATF's that would work fine provided they are the correct type (Type F, as you noted). Redline's MTL is specifically for manual trans's. I compared specs to the ATF Volvo recommend for these boxes, then tried it. On spec and visually it is very similar in viscosity to ATF, but it is GL-4 rated for gear wear protection, which ATF is not, and it definitely improved shifting ease on my M46/OD.

Ya pays yer money, and....but don't use motor oil.

(Capacity for your trans is 1.6 US qts, per the owner's manual)
--
Bob (81-244GL B21F, 83-244DL B23F, 94-944 B230FD plus grocery-getter Dodge minivan, MGB, and numerous old motorcycles)

Next time, so I know, how much should I put in there?

Well, I guess I should probably tell us which tranny you have. Your manual should say what the capacity is, and just figure maybe a half quart or so more than that. But I'm just guessing. Really there's no science to overfilling that you need to worry about. If you had half of your car up on jackstands while you filled up (assuming of course that it was jacked up on the side of the tranny with the fill hole), and you pumped in enough fluid to start overflowing at the plug, you did just fine.

Sorry I can't help you on the synthetic recommendations. I would think that any synthetic type F would be just great, but I'm sure there are syntheticheads on this board who can recommend one or the other.

Is your car a standard transmisson?

I am buying an older 242DL, 4 speed to drive for a couple of months until I can get my 854 fixed. Your supposed to use automatic transmission fluid in a standard????????
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1993 854 - Hopefully the next million mile Volvo

ATF type F fluid is reccomended for the M-46 I know.

It's also used in the Power steering pump.
--
If you listen to the radio in Portland, OR, you may know me as "Portland's Favorite Soul Brother!"

My Haynes says Dexron 2 for power steering, if you read that in Bentley's, I'd like to know.

Bentley says Dexron II for the power steering (I guess these days it's Dexron III that you're more likely to use).

Yes the M47 is a manual transmission and the owner's manual calls for

automatic transmission fluid ATF type F

It is also the same fluid as in the power steering in that car (as noted in previous post).

The Castrol ATF type F oil is red in color.
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'89 244DL M47 158K miles

Well I guess its a good thing that I decided to read some posts on the 240. This will be my second Volvo, and I had NO idea that manual trans used ATF.

Thanks for the clarification!!
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1993 854 - Hopefully the next million mile Volvo

Quote: "and I had NO idea that manual trans used ATF."

On a Volvo, yes, they use ATF in many of their manual transmissions. However, you can design a manual transmission to take different fluids by making various changes in it's design (syncros and seals being the two biggest factors). For example, my younger brother's '87 Pontiac Grand Am has a manual transmission and it calls for a special type of "General Motors SyncroMesh Fluid." This special fluid is basically a bottle of synthetic 5W30 motor oil. Other manual transmissions require a straight 30 weight motor oil, 90 weight motor oil, Dexron II/III ATF, Type-F ATF, etc. In the end, your owners manual is the best place to look before adding fluids to your vehicle.

As for the M46 and M47 in a Volvo, there was a recent discussion about the use of synthetic ATF Type-F in these vehicles and which manufacturers make a compatible fluid:
http://www.brickboard.com/RWD/index.htm?id=742215

God bless,
Fitz Fitzgerald.
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'87 Blue 245, NA 231K

You don't have manuals for your Volvos?