The right transmission fluid
 

Hi, this might have been covered before on Dexron/Mercon ratings for v70's, but I wanted to check what I bought is the right thing to put in my 1998 V70XC from you guys on here as well. Advance auto parts, castrols website, all say it will work in my transmission according to my owners manual (ATF Dexron IIE/III and Mercon). But im skeptical based on Volvo dealers saying don't mess with transmission fluid etc. Don't know the last time it was changed. Heres what I bought according to "Exact fit" on advance auto parts website Castrol Transmax Dexron/Mercon Domestic Multi-vehicle (ATF) Automatic Transmission Fluid (1 Gallon) 03520: Get the best Automatic Transmission Fluid at Advance Auto Parts


Car has 172000 miles so I am going to do gradual 3.5 quart replacement. That wont be an issue for what fluid is already in the system, correct?


Thanks

AS long as you are following your owners manual and getting fluid that is compatible with what is listed there you should be good to go.

[QUOTE=AlexV70XC;400781]Hi, this might have been covered before on Dexron/Mercon ratings for v70's, but I wanted to check what I bought is the right thing to put in my 1998 V70XC from you guys on here as well. Advance auto parts, castrols website, all say it will work in my transmission according to my owners manual (ATF Dexron IIE/III and Mercon). But im skeptical based on Volvo dealers saying don't mess with transmission fluid etc. Don't know the last time it was changed. Heres what I bought according to "Exact fit" on advance auto parts website Castrol Transmax Dexron/Mercon Domestic Multi-vehicle (ATF) Automatic Transmission Fluid (1 Gallon) 03520: Get the best Automatic Transmission Fluid at Advance Auto Parts


Car has 172000 miles so I am going to do gradual 3.5 quart replacement. That wont be an issue for what fluid is already in the system, correct?


Thanks[/QUO


There are several reasons why dealership dont like you changing your trans fluid. They have been trained go believe that volvo trans fluid outlast your car. Its pure BS.

Most trans fluid flushes are not successful according to most of the forums Ive read. Unless you flush your trans fluid every 4 oil changes.

Most recommend "drain and fill" rather than a flush. Most people that drain and fill claimed that you are not fully agitating all that metal shavings all over your trans. Somewhere in the valve body there are solenoids. If one of those gets clogged with metal shavings you will have issues i.e rough shifts.

I have a 2008 XC90 3.2 AWD. I took a little trip at Volvo. I was laughed at today when I asked for a trans fluid flush. They claimed that they dont flush 2008 XC90 unless I have 150K miles. I told them that I was curious of a flush in the hopes that I can prolong my trans. It hums from 1st to second gear all other gears shift flawlesly. They said its too late, you need a new trans and looking at over $8K or $9K.

went to their parts dept and asked what they use for my model. $96 for 4 liters but the tech said I need 16 litters. I took a pic of the spec and found the same thing at FCPEURO for $69 free delivery.

https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/aut...-liter-1161640

From experience I dont buy anything at the dealership anymore. Im going to do a drain and fill. Drain from the pan and refill on the filler plug. Maybe 3 or 4 times just to get most of the filty stuff and metal grindings from the drain pan. I have a diagnostic tool that can reset the trans fluid counter and activate the trans adaptive mode.

[QUOTE=xc90skip;401409]Oh wow! Just got off the phone with Volvopartswebstore. They sell the 4 liters for $60.

OK dude, here's the deal. Your tranny requires JWS 3309 fluid. If you doubt this, read the Product Details at fcpeuro.

Other vehicles with Aisin Warner transmissions (yes, you have an Aisin Warner tranny), Toyota among them, also use JWS 3309 fluid.

Here are your options for JWS 3309 fluid:
1. Toyota T-IV, about 6 bucks a quart at any Toyota dealer.
2. Mobil ATF 3309, $69.45 a case (12 quarts) .
3. Idemitsu TLS, $68.00 a case (12 quarts) on eBay.

There are other universal fluid type alternatives but the three I have listed above are the EXACT SAME FLUID your Volvo dealer will sell you for 24 bucks a liter.

I thought everybody already knew this sh!t.

Thanks migbro, and believe me I'm here to learn from the experts like you. That's why I joined this forum in the first place.

I also went thru over 25 pages of info from the "Transmission Fluid" thread. Prior to that, I've gone thru the suggested procedures outlined in my VIDA DICE 2014A. Recommended fluid is JWS 3309 nothing more, nothing less.

As I mentioned previously, my tranny issue is negligible at the moment. In an effort to prolong its life just a bit, I wanted to change the fluid by a series of drain and fills. My trans is Aisin Warner TF 80SC .

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AWTF-80_SC

Having been quoted over $8K for a new transmission by Volvo is very disturbing. For now I don't believe that I need a new one. If so, I will just drive the car until it falls apart.

I will drain and fill 4 times with Mobil 3309 (16 liters approx). If it doesn't improve after 500+ miles, I will do another series of 4 more drain and fills with the volvo branded fuid (16 Liters, approx).

Volvo doesn't make tranny fluid, they buy it. Though I don't know for certain, I think Mobil supplies JWS 3309 to Volvo in N. America.

There is NO reason to buy the "Volvo" fluid at four times the price.

See if you can figure out how to install an inline Magnefine filter on your transmission. I do this on all my vehicles but haven't installed one on my V40 yet.

Also, it's easy to do a complete fluid exchange instead of a series of drain and fills.

[QUOTE=migbro;401546]Volvo doesn't make tranny fluid, they buy it. Though I don't know for certain, I think Mobil supplies JWS 3309 to Volvo in N. America.

There is NO reason to buy the "Volvo" fluid at four times the price.

See if you can figure out how to install an inline Magnefine filter on your transmission. I do this on all my vehicles but haven't installed one on my V40 yet.[/QUOTE)

The inline filter sounds like a good idea as well. Ive seen a youtube about that, no Magnefine but same concept. The video was posted by marh1952 "DIY Volvo XC70 Transmission Flush"

Watching several videos on Volvo transmission flushes almost made me an expert already lol. Im just a bit worried that using the internal pump might agitate some metal grindings and clog one or more of the solenoids. That is why I was more inclined on drain and fills. I used the 2008 XC90 to haul 5 X 8 Uhaul trailers from AZ to Cali 6 times. As ignorant as I was, I was driving on overdrive up to 4,200 feet. Should have been on Manual with the geartronic. Of course the SUV was in shape at the time. I thought it was invincible:). Now at 81,000 Mi, its starting to fall apart.

After reading the Magnefine specs, I feel more comfortable performing the full flush if it actualy filters out 3-15 micron of ferrous materials. Thanks for bringing that up.

That makes zero sense. The pump is running whenever the engine is running so whatever is in the fluid is getting circulated through the transmission and valve body all the time.

I understand but having done it both ways I can tell you the fluid exchange is better. Plus you also get all the old contaminated fluid out of the tranny. The drain and fills leave some of the old fluid still in there.

So dirty fluid goes thru the valve body solenoids before going out to the oil cooler? If thats the case, aren"t the solenoids prone to being clogged of ferrous materials? Technically, these tiny peieces of metal grindings were just agitated by the pump during the pumping out process.

You've obviously made your mind up about this so you should do whatever you imagine will be best.

Yuppp, flush with Mobil ATF 3309s and install a Magnefine filter

Aisin Warner makes ATF 3309, FCPEuro sells it, it's like 8-9 bucks a quart. I use it in my wife"s 2004 XC70 and I do drain/fills. I did like 5 drain/fills on my wifes '04 when we first bought it a few years ago. My 2000 V70XC I used Valvoline Max Life ATF which is Dexron III to do the drain/fills, I've done 3 so far since I bought it less than 6 months ago. With our '96 850 GLT I did plenty of drains/fills, if you don't put in some new fluid the trans will eventually let go. I guarantee every trans fails before the motor following the recommendation that ATF last the life of the vehicle. I worked at a Lexus dealership for over a decade and I've never heard such nonsense.

2004 XC90 AWD Volvo Transmission fill
 

How do I add more transmission fluid? Its dripping and I'm afraid to damage it before I can fix it. Not sure how or where to add fluid. At the dip stick? If so does anyone have any cool ideas as to how?

Add at dipstick, buy a transmission fluid funnel, sold at any auto parts store.

also pay attention to the fill procedure as the fluid temperature varys by engine temp. most dipsticks have a cold line and a warm line. And as recommended, use the fluid spec'd in the owners manual for your model.

According to an article in Politico, you can use Wesson salad oil in the transmission,

but your car will smell like french fries...

Why are you telling him to use the wrong fluid? He said a 1998 v70 XC. Would help if you actually read the post.

its Dexron 3 his gearbox is the AW50-42LE I know. I have two outside!
https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/vol...lvo-1161621kt1