I am in the process of buying a 1989 745 parts car, in non-running condition. It has an M47 transmission (and everything else needed to convert an automatic 740, in one convenient package) and I am wondering how best to evaluate the condition of the transmission. The car has 220K on it, and nothing obviously wrong with it, other than the damage and missing parts from having sat in a junkyard for about a year. (getting it running for a test drive is not an option) I believe the previous history of this car is that it was a trade in on a new Volvo, was wholesaled to a used car dealer who was unable to sell it (or didn't try very hard) gave up on it and sent it to the junkyard.

What I would like to know is how to determine if this transmission is in good shape, before I go to the trouble of installing it in another car. Obviously, if the output flange wobbles from side to side 1/8--1/4 inch (which I've seen a couple of times) the rear bearing is bad, and if the old oil is all sparkly when it drains out, or there is a long "beard" of filings on the magnetic drain plug, something is badly worn, but other than that, is there anything else to check? The shifter moves easily through the gears, but all that means is that the plastic bushings in the linkage are in good shape.