Before I get started, let me say that I'm not sick about this, and if my transmission is bad, dead, limping home, that's not a real big deal to me. It will be the ONLY reason I need to try my skills at a manual swap.

Now to the issues... I picked up a '95 turbo wagon a few days ago and let me clip the topic first. Don't wait another day to service/flush your tranmission. It's to easy to do and will cost to much if you continue not to and your tranny goes out. It is easier than chaning the oil. Just drain and refill 3 or 4 times and your done. Why in the world you (or ANYONE) RISK a $5,000 transmission replacement ($1,500 for a used one), when you can spend $40 and service the thing yourself??? REALLY!!! If you take the car to Volvo after it's 15 years old and has over 150,000 miles on it, trying to cry about the cost of the repair on such an old car, they will have NO MERCY on you. It's your car, your risk, your expense, don't wait another day. If the fluid has not been REPLACED in the past 30 to 50k, do it. And another thing... I have not seen anywhere in the manual that says that the fluid is lifetime and DOES NOT need to be replaced. It has a drain plug for a reason. USE IT!!!

Now to my issues... When I got the wagon delivered to me some 1,500 miles away from my home the seller told me that the tranny was slipping more than he thought. He claimed that it had an issue not going into reverse but when he went to drive it to me at the airport (or drove it a few days prior), he learned that it was also slipping in the first 2 gears (real bad). So I get the car and tried to drive it about 1/4 mile away to the hotel next to the airport (they lost my carry on bag and put us up for the night). It took about 15 seconds to ease into gear and slipped the entire time it was in 1st, then slipped into 2nd and never hit third before it crawled into the parking lot. I could have walked there faster.

Trying to turn a novel into a short story, I was afraid to try to drive the car the 1,500 miles home. I was thinking that it would not climb uphill from a stop, that would likely happen during a 1,500 mile, 10 day trip (visiting family most of the way back). The night did me good because I had time to thing a little. In the morning I pulled the transmission dip stick and seen the BLACK stuff that looked more like oil in an old neglected car motor, I decided to give the car a transmission flush (drain and refill 3 times). I did fear that draining the black water from the tranny could cause it's death but I'd rather cut my losses at the airport than to be 100 miles from any decent town with a dead transmission on the road (the seller claimed that it ran fine once in third, good luck getting it into third). So I picked up 3 gallons of fluid and a wrench from Sears and made my first flush. The car immediately stared shifting better and reverse started to work a little (went back for about 3 seconds before a forward gear would kick in and make the car move forward). Before the first flush the first 2 gears would squeal real bad before they would shift to the next. I hit the road and did the 2nd flush about 150 miles down the road. After the 2nd flush the reverse started working better, 1st gear stopped squealing and it slipped a lot less. Second gear still squealed but would shift to 3rd sooner. In the mean time I was getting cel's which I would reset while driving. The car was limping a little with the codes and once it was in 3rd and 4th the gears were strong so I just reset the thing with my ScanGauge II. I drove the car another 100 miles and at the end of that short trip I learned the tansmission was shifting a little better but still not good. The reverse was working about 30% and the forward gears were now working 75% vs the 30% when I got the car.

The next day I drove about 350 miles. Just a few stop and go so not much 1st & 2nd work out. The next day I did the 3rd and final flush. Drove around town a little and quit getting cel codes. Good sign I though, eh, maybe not. The 1st gear was still slipping a little and 2nd gear even less. The tranny was now at about 85%. Please know that I was driving like it was about to break down, I haven't put any pressure on it yet. Near the end of this trip I was a little frustrated with missing an exit so I finally put a little pressure on it and I think I blew the 1st gear totally out.

The next day it seems to take as long as 20 seconds to go into a forward gear at times, as if it's not going to. So I shift into reverse hoping that a forward gear kicks in. Once reverse kicks in and pressure builds I shif to D and it drops into a forward gear pretty quick. I'm now 1/2 way home and I feel pretty good about making it. Yesterday I decided to check fluid level to make sure it was topped of correctly and when I selected L going through the gears, it immediately lurched backwards (in reverse I thought??? So I let off the brake and the car started backwards as if I could drive the entire way down the street. Not sure if this is good or bad ).

Here are a few observations:

1. When I first got the car and 1st & 2nd were really bad, I decided to click the Winter mode button and bypass those 2 gears all together. That worked great the 1st day and I would not hesitate to do it again for this car tries to top on me.
2. After 3 fluid changes the fluid is still NOT red, it has a hint of read but not red.
3. When I remove the throttle body cover to check the fliud level I noticed that the throttle body wheel looks pretty new. Not sure if that has been adjusted properly.
4. I got a P0730 code several times (last code seen 2 days ago).
5. I got a P0500 code a couple of times.
6. I got a P0750 code a couple of times.
7. Yesterday, when I started in S mode, I think 1st is back. So maybe the car is suppose to start in 2nd under normal circumstances when no load is present.

So, if someone has some input for me that would be great. I'm thinking about taking a mini vacation detour and then head home. I feel a little safe but not totally out of the woods. I'm considering getting this throttle body checked out but really doubt that it will take care of any of my issues.

 

PNP? Tech is in Atlanta. Maybe pay him a visit?

 

You made it home! What an adventure!
Sounds like you don't crack under pressure, many in your scenario would've given up and towed it home...

Now post up some pics of that bad boy!!

 

So, I drove the wagon today and boy it is shifting pretty good. Still has an obvious slip in 1st but not really in 2nd anymore. I don't know if this situation is going to keep getting better but if it does I may be able to wait till some later time to do my manual swap.

 

Update on the transmission... It's in the shop now being replaced. The place that I get parts from (Volvo salvage yard with about 70 Volvo's decided to shut down. The guy is 75 and is tired of dealing with mechanics, receptionist, Volvo of USA sueing him, etc.). So he sold me a tranny for $100. Then his last mechanic offered to install it for $400, a deal I could not pass up.

I came to the conclusion that I had no 1st gear, the car was starting in 2nd. If I kept the rpm's under 2250, it would start out fine, shift to 3rd and 4th fine and I could drive ok, all day long. Starting in 2nd (slipping through 2nd) and that low/no torque situation took all the fun out of having a R. I also was seeing a little oil on the floor from time to time so I think my RMS was leaking. About once or twice per week I would pop a 730 cel code. That would slow the car down a little because it was causing the car to drop into "limp home mode" so I kept my code reader pulled into the OBD-II port and reset it when it appeared. I think that entire tranny situation was causing my mpg to drop about 3 to 4 mpg. I was getting between 25-28 city and 27 - 33 highway with my yellow T-5R.

The kick down feature on the tranny did not work. I could be driving 60 mph and floor it and it would not down shift. Just pick up speed slowly like a car that had no HP. However, it would do 100+ easy.

I really think with regular fluid changes this could have dragged on for a while. Sometimes I would shift into drive and the car would just sit there and not move but most of the time it would nudge forward in less than 15 seconds. When it did sit, all I had to do is shift it into reverse for about 10 seconds then to drive and it would drop in gear.

The transmission that I am having installed is an exact swap. The model & series numbers match exactly. There is one that seems to be the same with a different series number on it, maybe that is the one for N/A cars or the R model has a certain transmission. The main thing is that it does not have a sensor that the newer cars have. I'll get those numbers tomorrow and post them.

Hopefully the replacement tranny will be in good shape and I'll keep it that way.

 

Doing a FLUSH yourself is the way to go. I hope it's what you're recommending otherwise if you just drain it you get maybe 1/3 of the fluid out and when you add the three quarts in they just dilute the dirty stuff. Still better than not doing anything. BUT:
Pull a hose at the radiator and put a hose over the end and run it to an empty gallon or 5qt oil bottle from your last change so you can measure what comes out. Start the vehicle and watch the fluid come out until it starts to bubble out and shut the engine off. Look at how much came out and add that amount back in and do it again. You can flush out the old stuff this way easily. It's written up pretty well on Matthews Volvo site. It should take 9qts but you may want to use more depending on how clean it's coming out.

 

When I did the drain and refill, I got about 3.6 quarts. The owners manual says that the auto trans holds 2 us gallons. So, I figure that's about 40% (give or take). So I then do it again in a day or so, that will give me amother 25% fresh fluid, now I'm up to 65% or so. I then do it a 3rd time a few days later, I should get another 17% which takes me up to about 82% fresh fluid. I know it's not as good as doing a radiator disconnect but I figure 80% new fluid it not that bad.

I plan to do this every 30,000 miles. Hopefully this will keep my replacement transmission in good shape. I may get the flush kit from iPd one of these days, until then, I'm a drainer. It's to easy not to do.

BTW, the guy that changed the transmission called me today and told me that he is done with my transmission replacement. He said that he has driven several turbo Volvo's but this T-5R was noticably faster. He told me that at least 3 times.

 

"this T-5R was noticably faster. He told me that at least 3 times."

Always a good thing to hear !

 

Man, I picked up my wagon today and it is agressive in E mode. I sang all the way home. This thing is sweet. I didn't put my foot in it because I haven't replaced the PCV yet but I can't wait. Will likely do it Thursday. I have been driving a '96 Saturn which has NO torque after 35 mph.

 

Manual or auto?

 

Man, I had to go auto for now. I'm going to keep my eyes open for a manual. I'll grab it and store it until I can replace it.

I'd like to try to get the better mileage out of the 5 speed. I'm getting 25 / 33 now so it may not make a big difference.

The big thing now if for me to work on the stage 0 stuff, especially the PCV since I don't know it's age or condition.

 

I hear some people say wait as long as a week to let the newly added fluid dilute with the old fluid before moving on to the next drain. What's you guys' take on this? How much time/miles should one wait before doing the next drain and fill?

I did my first drain & fill (4 qts) last Saturday and have driven about 120 miles.

Thanks,

 

Two scenarios:

Stage 0:

Best way to service these transmissions is to replace the fluid entirely. IPD kit or DIY method is fine. Second-best is drain+fill 3-4 times, I mean Drain+fill, drive around the block for 10 minutes, then do another drain+fill. Old fluid in these transmissions really does nothing good there.

Scenario 2: Ongoing: Drain+Fill every time or every other time you do an oil change. Just another ten bucks.. Like RSPI said -- it's too easy to not do.

 

It's a little more work to disconnect the cooler line, attach a hose and route it to a container but that way your fresh fluid is pushing out the old stuff. If you just drain and refill you are mixing the fresh and old stuff together between each drain so you are getting better fluid but it's diluted with the old stuff.

 

Something you should know...the manual final drive (5th gear) is not as good as the auto. The auto RPM on the freeway is much better. When I swapped I was continually thinking I needed to shift again on the freeway because the RPMs were higher. Nope, its just the manual and thats the way it is.

 

@ BoxPin: Which manual do you have? I hear the H has a different gear than the L. When I'm going 70 mph, my tach is at about 2450.

 

I opted for the drain+fill method because of the horror stories about flushing the fluid and possibly causing the sludge to loosen-up and create problems.

When you say "replace the fluid entirely" using the IPD kit/DIY method, would that be considered a flush or is it considered a flush when an auxiliary pump is utilized to drain the fluid? I'm trying to decide whether I should continue with the drain+fill via the drain plug or switch to the IPD method.

I appreciate everyone's input.

 

The IPD method is considered a flush. Now using some kind of pressurized pump system would be a super flush. The thing about the IPD kit is that you get just about all of the fluid out and fresh fluid back in while the drain and fill methond leaves at least 15% old fluid in (under the 3 drain method) which uses more fluid.

 

I see.... I guess the IPD method is considered pretty safe then, I was just worried about the possibility of the sludge moving around and causing issues. I'll get the kit and use the IPD method to finish it up since it would give me a cleaner mix.

 

wait! so what are the exact steps to flush the trranny? please!