I have decided to replace the transmission fluid in my 2001 S60 2.4t with Mobil 3309 (thanks to everyone for the help on this decision, I decided "lifetime fluid" was more of a risk than new fluid....so I am changing it).

I currently have 108K miles on the original fluid (previous owner did not change it) and of course it is dark brown. I would like to get some opinions from those who have done the Drain & Fill method. This will be a project I will complete myself at home (seems to easy to waste my money at the dealer) and I am really leaning towards the drain and fill method with 12 quarts of JW3309. Any reason why the drain and fill would work as well as the flush method?

Just curious how the drain & fill worked out for those who have done it. I just had another software upgrade and I would really like to go ahead and get some new fluid in the Transmission. I am not worried about the volvo mystery synthetic/JW3309 because I have weighed all the MANY discussions and decided Mobil 3309 sounds good to me....
Thanks for all the Help!!

 

It's all Mobil. If you read the threads the volvo fluid and Mobil are one in the same. Drain and fill every oil change until you have exhausted the 12 quarts of the 3309. You will be fine. Flushing is too messy, ha.

 

I have read so many threads on this subject and have to agree with you on the same fluid deal. Actually, I decided on the drain and fill after reading one of your post about obtaining 82% of new fluid this way. After having the software upgrade completed on my Volvo last Friday I have to decided to go ahead with it (especially since it is so easy). The dealer said the fluid was brown and needed to be flushed bad (which of course I already new). They also said it wouldn't hurt anything to go ahead with the software upgrade (which I did) since I was planning on changing it soon. Of course they stated it took the famous "synthetic" fluid they used and it would cost $399 to flush. It felt great to tell them, No Thank You, I am going to change it myself with JWS 3309......They also assured me I wouldn't need another software upgrade after I changed it.

By the way, the software upgrade was for mainly the neutral control function and to clear up any computer related shifting problems (sometimes it shifts quick as well as a little jerky). New fluid should only make it better.......

Thanks Again.

 

Received my 12 quarts of Mobil 3309 today. I am planning on doing the drain and fill sometime this week when I do my oil change. My plans are to:

1. Drain ATF fluid
2. Fill with new fluid (approx. the amount that came out from draining)
3. Drive the car through all of the gears about 5 minutes.
4. Repeat this process 2 more times (which would equal 3 times draining and filling)

Does this sound like a good plan? I would rather do it all at once rather than over the next three oil changes. Will this method work enough to replace all the old fluid with new fluid?

Thanks!

 

So..........it appears that you are planning on dilluting new fluid with old. Unless you flush the fluid by pumping all the old out and replacing it with new............then you are simply mixing old with new and you will never remove the old 'stuff'. So.............would you drain the oil out of your crank case and not change the filter and then start pumping the left over oil that is in the filter back through the new oil? Think about what you are planning on doing. The only way you can flush/change your trans fluid is flushing all the old oil out by pushing it through with the new oil until it runs clean. That is exactly how you change your brake fluid.................push the old out with the new. When the new fluid comes through the line, then and only then have you accomplished what you set out to do.

r.

 

I totally agree with reg..
don't drain and refill, all the oil in the torque converter will
never come out, you need to flush...go at any auto tranny shop
they will do it for 1/4 the price volvo would..
don't waste your time flush it!!!!

v70 2.4t

 

You'll be fine with the drain-and-fill method. Better for high mileage vehicles to avoid sudden high detergency. Of course, in that respect, your method won't be that different than a flush. Repeated drains are more effective IMO in getting out the gunk that has settled in the pan. Trick is to do it regularly every 20k or so miles torefreshthe detergency and additive pack. Requirements of transmissions and engines are totally different and do not compare.

 

Thanks for all the good advice. One of the main concerns I have had all along is that I purchased the car with 105K miles on it and the transmission had NEVER been flushed before. I have all the original records from the dealer (previous owner had all service completed by the dealer at the scheduled intervals with the exception of the transmission fluid) and it has no record of being flushed. I have always changed my transmission fluids for all of my vehicles in the past (which includes a very long list of american made trucks) but this is a little different considering all the mileage on the original fluid and the components thathave continously been used with the old fluid. I may decide to flush it anyway (I know it isn't very difficult) but I am not sure how completely new fluid will do in a fairly worn transmission.

I do understand the analogy used with engine oil but I wouldn't consider this to be exactly true with transmissions or the interval for change would be much different than "inspect and change if needed". Of course I would not purchase a car that didn't have regular oil changes and I wouldn't expect someone to change transmission fluid that often. If the transmission fluid had been changed every 50K I would certainly do a flush my self but since it has been in the car "dirty" and dark brown for a long time I am afraidof the transmission slipping with the addition of brand new fluid all at once.

Of course a good arguement can be raised for both scenarios but I am trying to do the best preventative maintenance for my car given the current condition and mileage. I definitely would like thank everyone for their good advice! This forum has been great and I appreciate all the information I have received.

Sorry that I am still a little on the fence with issue of drain & fill vs. Flush but since the transmission hasn't had any problems to this point, I would like to make the best decision I can. By the way, I havehad personal experience with a transmission flush before on a high mileage vehicle and I did have some slipping issues afterwards, which would explain being a little hesitant with a flush. I had a dealer complete a full flush on a Chevy truck I used to have and it never ran the same after the work.

Thanks Again!!

 

I did a drain and refill and I drove the car for a while and then I checked for the fluid and it was still black.

When you do the drain and refill, you change only 1/3 of fluid so you may want to do flush at around 100000miles.

 

One things for certain, fresh fluid replenishes the additive package and gets some sheared up oil out. Three D and F's, will essentially result in 82% new fluid. Plus you get sediment and gunk drained out. Reg, there is no filters on P2's. Don't know about P1's.
Even flushing will not get ALL of it out, but will get most of the torque converter fluid removed.
Someone made a good point though, paying a non dealer to use the T-tech flushing machine is cost effective. You bring your own fluid (3309) and pay for their machine and labor. That's probably under $50 to do so. Anything is better than the dealer ripping you off for $400.

 

Put a brand new transmission with brand new fluid.

 

I'm new here, so pardon me. But where is the Automatic Transmission dip stick? I looked in the manual and under the hood and couldn't find it.
Thanks.

 

Why how many miles did you have on the old one?

 

dip stick is very small, yellow.
Open the hood drivers side, between the radiator and the block, half way down. A couple of hoses are in the way.
It's there. If you do a D and F you have to get a long tube into the dipstick tube to refill the fluid. Sounds harder than what it is.

 

thanks found it. They really don't want you to get at it.

 

This is my estimate for 3* (drain and refill).
Please note that this is an estimate and actual results might vary + -3%

Pessimistic data:
1. First time we will replace 30%-33% of old fluid

100% of the fluid = 70% (old) + 30%(new) – ...first time is most effective drain!

2. Now fluid got mixed. And we have to drain old and new fluid together. If next drain will drain approximately 30%-33% of the fluid then 70% is more then 30% and we will get next results:
Next drain 30%=20%(old)+10%(new)
70% - 20%=50%(old fluid) 30%-10%=20%(new fluid left inside)
After refill we will get 50% - new fluid and 50% old fluid

3. so after 2 drains and refills we will get 50x50 and at that point next drain we remove 15% (old) and 15%(new)

results:
50-15 = 35%(old) and 65% of new fluid.

Pessimistic data will show that after 3 x (drain and refills) we will replace 65%!

Optimistic data:
1. 67(old)+33(new)
2. 47(old)+53(new)
3. 47%-14% = 33% (old fluid) and 53-16%(new fluid drained) - Optimistic data show that it will be 67%

4. 33%-10%=23% (old fluid) and 77% (new fluid)
5. 23%-7%=16%(old fluid) and 84%(new fluid)
6. 16%-4%= 12%(old fluid) and 88%(new fluid) – after 6 x (drain and refill) we will get acceptable results!

The trick with drain and refill is: more drain and refills you do more new fluid you will remove during drain stage.

With first flush you will replace up to 95% of fluid. You need 6 drain and refills and 2 times fluid = 1 flush result with regular amount of fluid.

At that point Flush is better then 3 x (drain / refill)!!!

I think better results could be: One drain and refill + flush.

Who can show me advantages of 3 x (drain – refill) ?

 

Get that algebra book out Red. You are pretty correct. I think the trans only holds about 9 quarts and you do get about 3.8 quarts out per Drain.
My math had it at 82% new at 4 drain and fills. I do them when I have the car up on ramp anyway for an oil change. Thus it takes me over a year to do four of them. And by that time the fluid that was new is now semi old. But I am comfortable with that. The key is to remove sediment via a drain (which you accomplish each time, and clean the magnetic drain plug area), to replace the additive package in the oil, which you do easily with three new quarts, and to get some of the sheared out old oil out and replace with new oil, which you do every time. And a big key is to save you money over what the stealership charges you and to buy your own Mobil 3309 instead of the rip off Volvo rebranded fluid.

Constantly doing this will extend the life of the trans over not doing it at all. By how much? Who know? no one does.

For 12 quarts and $50 of Mobil 3309 that will get you close to 4 drain and fills. Enough to feel safe for many years of driving.
If you want a flush bring the 12 quarts to a mechanic or quickie oil change place with a T tec fluid exchanger and they will charge you around $40 if you bring your own fluid. Dealer will charge you $400 incluiding fluid.

 

Many are lucky doing an entire flush under 120,000 miles but on higher milage automobiles it is profoundly unwise to take such an enormous risk and you can Google exactly why this could ruin a transmission. (flushing 12 to 13 quarts is too risky unless it is very, very low milage- for all the good it does in the long run, costs aside too)

Volvo allowed only 3.5 quarts to be drained for good reason, or they would have designed draining the 7 liters in its entirety. (let alone circumventing lines and replacing clips, high cost of a dozen quarts, etc.)

As much as we love the idea of all new fresh fluid, forget a total flush like an engine oil change, a transmission does not work that way.

Simply drain and fill only the 3.5 quarts every 30 to 50,000 miles (annually or every two years depending on how much you drive) is best, safest, and least expensive. a total flush risks damaging the transmission or introducing hard shifting.