I have a question about a car that is for sale near me that I am interested in.

I have not seen the car in question in person and am trying to save a 45 minute drive if the answer is a definite no. Auto transmission and I believe 220K miles.

Question is; the ad states that the car runs fine but doesn't shift out of second. Is there a possibility this could be an easy fix? Say the cable that connects from the throttle to the transmission is messed up, or some type of solenoid that is bad? I am trying to find out if there is any hope of picking up a cheap car, with an easy fix, that is in better shape than my current 91 240 and getting the tranny shifting or should I steer clear?

Thanks for any thoughts on the topic you may be willing to share.

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I have a questionable transmission in my '89 with 141k (occasionally hesitates to go into drive/hard downshift to first, whine noticeable at low speed that I don't remember hearing in my '92). Lev suggested the tranny might be going, but I tried some Transmedic and it improved but did not cure the behavior. I'm going to drive it until Spring and if it holds, flush it, change the filter, and cross my fingers.

If it goes, I'm going to replace it. Transmissions for these run $240-$400 with warranties from 1-3 years. Have not contacted to see if they will warranty labor (or at least part of labor), as you can get a used tranny, install it and find out it's no good.

I'm no expert and get other opinions, but with regards to the tranny on that car, unless you get real lucky and it's something like a hung up kickdown cable, I doubt that unless you can get it to shift that any sort of transmission additive will work (unless it can cycle through the gears, any transmission flush won't make it to the valves to free them up). Also, 220k is near the end of the lifespan on the tranny.

If the rest of the car is REAL nice, no rust, clean interior, runs and idles smooth, exhaust, brakes, glass, electrics, etc., I would offer 10% over scrap based on that it's going to need a transmission. I paid more than that for my '89, but the transmission problems didn't demonstrate when I test drove it... But even if I have to replace it, it's worth it for me as the rest of the car is solid.

If your current brick has a compatible transmission, you may want to swap that one into it. The good thing is you can at least drive it to the shop as opposed to towing it.

I might even try and rebuild one, as there's detailed instructions on the forums, I've never done it before, and I like doing stuff like that. But I'm 'special' that way.

 

the only solenoid on an AW70 tranny (any automatic 240 after about 1984) is the overdrive (4th) lockout.

its quite easy to tell if the kickdown cable is working right... at the throttle spool, verify the cable is fully retracted at idle, and ther'es about 1/8" between the stop bead on the cable and the orange dust cap over the end of the cable tube. turn the throttle spool like you're stepping on the gas, the kickdown cable should smoothly extend out, just before full throttle, you should feel a sort of 'cam' notch, which is the actual kickdown thing in the tranny. smoothly let the throttle spool back to its idle position (don't just let go and snap it), making sure the cables go back in their grooves, and the kickdown cable should fully retract back to where it was without binding. if so, your kickdown cable is fine.

its /possible/ a transmission pan cleanout could help. there's little point in a new filter, its just a screen. you clean it if/when you drop the pan. the pan is a labyrinth of hydraulic passageways and little valves and stuff, if some grit got down there, it could be messing with the shifting. do be aware there's a bunch of tiny parts in there, and make sure you do it in a very clean environment, clean the heck out of the outside before dropping the pan, document everything before/during diassembly.

 

Thanks for the info. I have a 91 240 with an auto trans. I am assuming that they are compatible. Do I just look for a transmission model plate on the side of the unit and match them up?

I was hoping to sell mine and find another one. But my current transmission shifts very smoothly. It is very tempting but I don't really have time for a transmission swap.

Part of the problem is that I got in to the first car without doing the proper research. The interior is beat up, the suspension is sub par and creaks and groans. The motor is good with the current repairs I finished with the forums help. This other car looks great. the interior pics show it to be in fine shape. It looks like it was stored in a garage, paint doesn't look crappy, unlike my clear coat. I was just looking for a cheap car to run my son to school but I guess my pride got the best of me and it looks a little too cheap.

I guess I need to decide if I want to commit to merging the cars if the tranny in car #2 is toasted. I could also get by with driving it in second for a while because my daily run is a max of 35 mph.

So much to think about.

Thanks for your help.

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there are virtually no changes between a 91 and 92 240, they are almost totally interchangable.

actually, that AW70 transmission is virtually the same as any automatic 240/740/940 from circa 1985 forward, except the turbo 7/9's have a heavier duty version (the AW71) which is fully interchangable, and the relatively rare DOHC 16V 740/940's have a AW72 with different gear ratios. Some of the 7/9's have a desirable AW70L with lockup, that gives you better highway mileage.

 

Good to know. Did those years all have notches for the crank position sensor?

 

ah, that, no. CPS started with 89 for non-turbo and 90 for turbo.

I've heard its not hard to dremel a notch in an older one, but have no personal experience. that, or swap the bell housings.

 

Good to know (i will eventually need one... Or two.).

Also good to know (and this might provide a way to change the ignition timing, if I'm feeling adventurous).

 

The overdrive relay,button and overdrive solenoid are all related. These failure will make the Volvo stay in gears could be 1st,2nd or 3rd gear.
basically the best practice is to
1)check the fuse to the overdrive relay.
2) replace the overdrive relay that is behind the glove box.
3) under the car on the driver side located on the side of the transmission is the overdrive solenoid..look to see if the wire is broken or un-plugged.

But if the orange up arrow lights up when the button is pressed and you can hear a very faint click sound ...it is defently the solenoid not engaging.

my 91 vovlo 240 was stuck in 2nd gear.i replaced the solenoid and relay about every 7 years.
so I installed a overdrive solenoid bypass.
bought it on Amazon for $22
super easy to install.
now it shift 1,2,3 and 4.
you will lose mpg thou because it will go 1-1 as they say.
hope this helped

 

the overdrive relay *only* effects overdrive/4th gear. if its broken, you don't have a 4th, just 1-2-3. if 1-2-3 is broken, then the main automatic transmission needs service, and its usually easiest to just swap it for a rebuild. if you're paying a shop to do it for you, expect about $1000 in labor to remove and reinstall the transmission. the Aisin-Warner AW70/71 transmissions are really durable and generally really reliable, they are AW43D variants, as used on various Toyotas of the mid 80s... 4 cylinder Toyota 2x4 pickups used the same transmission from 1982 to 2004. so did some turbo supras and such.