My 2001 S60 hit 87,000 miles, and is due for an oil change so I checked on the 90,000 service prices. Over $600 at dealer and $450 at the indy. Ugh. So with the help of many of the posts here, and some of the other forums, I changed the sparkplugs yesterday and the cabin air filer. I also changed the main air filter. Oil change tonight at the dealer (I don't have a lift or ramps, so for $40, letting them do it is a no brainer). That leaves the new brake fluid...and the ATF Flush (not included in the prices quoted above). I hadn't worked on a car since high school. My 1970 Cutless with a Rocket 350 was easy.

My ATF has never been flushed or drained and filled for that matter. I know my dealer will want a lot to do it, and my indy Volvo mechanic is such a stickler, he will use the $18 a quart Volvo brand fluid instead of Mobil 3309. So here's the question, I haven't worked on cars for over 20 years until last weekend. I managed the spark plugs (coils gave me pause until I saw advice saying to pull straight up) and cabin air filter. I changed my headlight bulbs as well. Can somebody like me, who hasn't even changed oil since 1984, flush the ATF? I know about the IPD kit, and have looked the instructions online, but I don't know how involved it really is, and how messy. I've got basic tools, socket set, etc., but no ramps and nothing tohold the drained oil (yet).I'm just looking for a realistic assessment.

Thanks,

Steve

 

Unlike your '70 Olds (nice car b.t.w), the Volvo has a drain plug at the bottom of the tranny. You can drain about 2.5 to 3 liters at the time from this point. If you do this 3 times over the course of about a week, you will have replaced about 3/4 of the fluid. It is the cleanest way. You can go to the Toyota dealer for the fluid. The Toyota T4 is the same stuff at about $6.00 a liter, or if you want to blow the bank spring for the Amsoil ATF. It is now rated for J3309 and is the only syntetic available for this trans (as far as I know).

 

If you're looking for an easy step-by-step, I really like this one. http://www.volvoxc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5668

I saved some empty milk jugs and marked them off with 1 quart intervals. Shut the car off at 2-quart intervals and replace with 2 fresh quarts (thru the dipstick). Repeat this process until the fluid looks new. In the end you should be very close to the original fill level. It helps to have an extra pair of hands to do it, but its not completely necessary.

The drain-and-fills are OK if you have access to the drain plug and if you're already down therechanging the oil... but if you'd rather stay on your feet, this flush method is the way to go. 2002v70 is right, the Toyota stuff will work but if you have a Mobil distributor nearby it'll probably be cheaper there. You should be able to get the Mobil 3309 for about $5/quart and you'll need around 14 quarts to do it right.

 

Thanks. This is looking more and more doable. I keep seeing slightly different versions of it though. On my S60, it seems that I need to connect the tube to the lower output on the radiator (some say its a female allen-wrench connection). The pictures at the XC forum show the tube connection at the top of the radiator. Also...when you disconnect the existing tube from the radiator...what do you do with it? Nobody mentions that.

 

Hi Steve,
PreviousVolvos had the trans fluid running in the opposite direction (in at the top of the radiator and out the bottom) hence the different tutorials but all of the S60 models, I believe, have the fluid going in thru the bottom and out the top. If you choose to go at it from the bottom you will have to connect your hose to the trans line, not the radiator. I remember reading on matthewsvolvosite that someone ignored the flow direction and wound up with trans fluid all over their engine bay.

So to answer your question about what to do with the existing tube, just move it aside. Try not to make a mess. In the link they used a 9/16" O.D. tube with tape wrapped around it. A 5/8" O.D. tube will work as well and provide a snug fit.

 

WellI did the flush. Worked fine...although the green clip was a bitch. Mine was old and soft, so depressing the wings just bent the plastic. Had to pull very hard to get it out. If you turn the tube a little, the curve provides sufficient leverage. I'm glad I used the IPD kit because I replaced the clip and o-rings and the tube fit perfectly and snugly into the radiator. Shifts seem about the same as before, but then I didn't have any problems, just 87K on the ATF. It was brown/black.

Lessons learned:
1. ATF is nasty stuff. Wear gloves. A little on a rag is nice degreaser though.
2. Underfill by a full quart and then check levels. I had to flush a full quart back out, even though I measured what came out carefully.
3. Don't break the dipstick ($17 at dealer).

Now that I have my new dipstick, I'm confused by the readings. With a warm engine (not running) I was in the middle of COLD and HOT. With awarm engine running, I am at cold.Do you measure cold and hot with the engine running? If so, I many not have overfilled, and may need to put a half quart or so back.

 

You want to check hot and engine running. ATF will expand. If you overfill, it will puke out the vent.