Got the word back that the car is fine save for a new radiator. Which is good news because it means the head is fine. Also Ozark said my compression numbers look good so I'm now looking for a new tranny to install down the road. I see I have several options:

1) Buy a used one from eBay, around $600 shipped + $500-$600 to have a shop install it. This is the cheapest option, but no guarantees on how long it'll last.

2) Getting a rebuilt one from Transmission Planet for $1100 shipped to my door, w/ 2 year unlimited mileage warranty. Then another $500-$600 for a shop to install it.

3) Somehow find all the parts for a 5-speed and pay someone to swap it. I know parts are around $1000 or so, I was thinking of having tech do the swap but not sure if he's up for it and how much he would charge.

Thoughts??? I vote 5-speed but it would take a lot of time and patience to get that stuff together, plus I'd need someone who really knows what they are doing to do the swap.

Car has ~150k on it, other wise seems great, which is why I want to put another tranny in it instead of selling it.

 

Only 145,000 miles and you need a new trany? My AW71 (745T) has 257,000miles and it is still going strong. Do the newer transmission suck that bad?

Anyways....
I think the 5-speed would be a nice option. Tech said that there are some guys on the other forums (VS, or swedespeed) who sell everything need to do the install.

 

I strongly considered the 5spd swap, because mechanically it did not look too bad (lots of info on volvospeed). However, when I read more about the troubles people had getting all the electrical issues taken care, it no longer seemed worth it. You have to trick the ECU and OBD to stop looking for the auto trans. If your state has really strict inspection and e-check it sounds like a real hassle.

Definitely read up on the other forums. And if you decide to do it, post pictures!

 

Interesting, I will have to read up on it. I'm not very "mechanically inclined" so to speak so I would want to have someone who knows what they are doing do it. My state just does a safety inspection no OBD checks on 95 or older cars, but I still wouldn't want the CEL to flag. Is that what happens?

What did you end up doing about your tranny?

In regards to the tranny, most don't suck, but myself and tech have the same issue we don't know what it is. I even wrote the company who rebuilds them for Volvo and they don't know. It drops out of gear when coming to a stop into neutral, then you tap the gas and it "pops" and jerks back into 1st. Weird. But annoying and you know eventually it's going to just let go. Mine went on the same fluid for 143,000 miles so that probably contributed to it. Plus I grew up driving the car and would neutral drop it into drive to spin the wheels. Hey - I was 16 and trying to look cool driving a station wagon....

 

FYI...you can get a ECU from a Manual car, that way there should be no "electrical" problems, if you swap.

That is strange that you guys have that problem witht your transmissions. I thought Volvo had a Software update for the Transmission? Maybe that is for a different model.

 

I would go the cheapest route possible to fix the car. If it was a turbo I would vote on the 5 speed. I would just go for the cheapest tranny you can find, get it running as good as possible, sell it and get a Turbo.

 

Is this car a turbo or a N/A? If it is an N/A it is an easy deal - just get a manual ECU. On a turbo it is tougher since they never had a manual/5 speed combination in the US. I really wish IPD would flash a chip to deal with it but they likely have some copyright issues that prevents them from doing it.

...Lee

 

The 95 850 GLT was not a Turbo. 97 was the only year the 850 GLT had a low pressure turbo.

 

I wouldn't depend on eBay deals as being the best.......I've found, for example, Volvo re-manufactured wheels from other online wheel stores much cheaper than ones on eBay. There are loads of Volvo parts dealers online that you should research for rebuilt or used Volvo transmissions, or even regular transmission shops that might have rebuilt ones or can rebuild yours. For example, a couple years ago we had our Volvo 850 GLT auto transmission rebuilt at East Coast Transmissions in Alexandria, Va, for $1200 total..........parts and labor installed and got a one year/12,000 mile warranty. They also do the more complex transmission repair work for Don Beyer Volvo Dealer so I felt confident they knew what they were doing on Volvos! Also, trying to switch from auto to manual tranmission could be very complicated but you could check with a Volvo transmission speciality shop.

 

I guess I'm weird I don't want a turbo car, just another expensive thing to break!!

 

Wow that is a good deal, for $1200 installed with a rebuilt tranny that would be worth the drive up there. How has it held up? Is it still going strong? My local Volvo/Import tranny shop wants $3k, no way Jose!!!