All:

New here. We've got an 83 Volvo wagon. It's my wife's harp-mobile. Concert grand pedal harps fit perfect in there.

The AT is shifting weird It's got a tach, and when you start to move, from a stop, it is real sluggish, and you've got to rev it real high, before the car will start to move. Once you're moving, watching the tach, and how it feel, I think it is coming in and out of gear, it sounds like it is constantly trying to shift. the tach goes up and down all the time.

When I got the car a year or so ago, the the light was on indicating that the overdrive was off. That light has been going on and off since we got the car. Right now the light is off, so in theory, the OD should be working.

Have checked the transmission fluid, appears to be plenty in there.

Since I know that there is some electrical issue with the OD, is there some electrical issue that could cause the transmission to do what it appears to be doing? I'm just trying to narrow down any options before the "the tranny is shot" option.

also, it looks like mine is a model 245. When I run a search for 245, though, nothing comes up. Is the 245 the same as the 240, then?

Ideas?

Aaron

 

If it's revving up and not moving - either the fluid is low (checked with engine running, correct? it's higher with the engine off.) Or clutch/valve body/worn out.

The overdrive is 4th gear, you still would have the first three gears (if the trans was still ok) - and the OD solenoid is easily bypassed almost for free so 4th will work all the time.

 

I think I'm going to have the transmission flushed out, and see how it acts. Assuming that doesn't fix the problem, then I think probably looking at the clutch would be the next thing. any reason not to spend the $$ on getting the tranny flushed? I've got some shop space now, where I could tear into it. However, i've never done a clutch before. Am I likely biting off more than I can chew? I could always get a mechanic to give me an estimate on it, if it comes to that.

Aaron

 

How many miles are on this '83? Is the transmission original? How long has the unit been acting up?

If your fluid is up to level and clean (indicating no recent burn-up) I'd check the pump pressure first. The pick-up screen / filter could be all clogged up and stopping the pump from creating pressure. That'd be the easiest first thing to check.
The revving of the engine being necessary sounds like no pressure (bad pump) or leaking valves / solenoids in the valve body.
I do not know the transmission in those 240 series cars. What "clutch" are you speaking of? ATs have clutch packs which wear or are not actuated fully. There are bands (brakes) in some which stop drums from rotating but effect directional change in planetary gear sets. I believe "changing the clutch" is a term which doesn't apply here.

I'm fairly certain a torque converter can wear out / jam up / fail too.

Seals / pistons in actuation solenoids can break. When they do pressure drops and you get weak (if any) engagement.
Also, plain neglect can result in scored bores which can effect solenoid action.

If there's one unit which can be economically removed, it's this one. If you find the unit is worn out or that the VB has developed severe leaking, a "soft rebuild" might be all you need.
If the unit has been rebuilt and if larger metal parts have been worn down, a "hard rebuild" might be necessary. On any car 38 years old I'd skip any "junk yard" option unless it was free and I installed it myself. Needing a thoroughly rebuild unit wouldn't be the end of the world.

When I was young one member of the state's Philharmonic Orchestra carried her harp to concerts in a VW squareback. We'd carefully unload and reload her instrument. She'd place a bag of candy on a table in gratitude. Little did she know we'd've done it for her anyway.

 

Are you paying someone to do this "tranny flush"? Usually that will involve undoing a cooler line - which at this age could easily be seized onto the radiator, so avoid taking stuff apart unless absolutely needed. I would recommend a couple of simple drain and fills first. That trans takes standard fluid so - no great expense. With that old trans oil pan - expect problems with that simple job. The aluminum drain plug may/will strip - or be too damaged to go back in, so have a new one handy. If you dream of removing the pan and replacing the "filter" which is just a screen, expect the filler tube to not come loose from the pan - and if you try to loosen it - you will destroy the threads in both the pan and the filler tube. I would imagine those are hard to find nowadays. To get the pan off simply remove the starter bolts in addition to the pan bolts. The pan will be bent from being over tightened also.

That is a common transmission from back in that time period, so parts should still be readily available. And if you find someone old enough that has seen them - would be easily rebuilt.

Automatic trans repair/rebuild/re-manufacture is a specialized field. You really need to know what to look for - unless you don't mind doing the job several times. I've rebuilt overdrives, countless manual transmissions, countless engines from all sorts of 70's british 4-6 cylinders to v12 jags to big v-8 rolls, then 39 years of Volvos, countless cylinder head jobs, the most complicated control unit/ canbus problems - but never felt i had the specialized knowledge to rebuild an automatic transmission and have it work the first (or the second) time. So yes I would say you are biting off more than you can chew if you are considering replacing the "clutch".

 

How do you check the pump pressure and that screen/filter you were talking about? I don't have a good visual of what I'm looking for.

Those square volvo wagons are gold in the harp crowd. My wife has been wanting one for years. When we met in college, I used to carry her harp around in the back of my 69 Ford pickup. About a year ago I was given this 83, so if I can keep it on the road, my wife will be extremely happy.

Aaron

 

I had 2 harp customers that used 240's to carry them - One still plays in the Atlanta symphony.

Filter/pressure - some one posted this service manual

http://www.240.se/litteratur/tp30868_2.pdf

 

Thank you for the link. I'll look this over.

 

So sort of humorous update to this little saga:

So today, I finally get time to drain the transmission fluid, and probably no more that two quarts come out. That's a head scratcher: when I checked the level, with the engine running, it read full. I suppose somehow fluid got up the dipstick, even though it was really, really low? I have no idea.

Anyway, I'm looking at the transmission specs one of you sent (thank you). I'm not sure if I've got the AW 70 or the AW 71 transmission. Those specs have the mph where the car should shift, but not where the rpm's should be, at those point. There's something screwy going on with the shifter, as the light the indicates whether it is in 2nd or 3rd isn't accurate, and you can get the light to change, just by rocking the shifter a little bit, in place.

So, I was driving down the interstate just now, and I was doing 55 mph, and the tach was reading 3000 rpm. Was I in third gear, at that point? can somebody give me a rundown of where you're at, in the 4 different gears (so including the overdrive), rpm-wise? This should tell me if I need to do that trick to make the OD work, that a previous post mentioned.

Thanks, Aaron