M47 5 Speed Gearbox .....
 

Question: What is the CORRECT oil for the M47 gearbox? I believe that the only place to get it is from Volvo, but what is it called/designation? I have not see any reliable oil supplier offer a suitable oil in their online specs/catalogue. Bob.

I’ll be interested to know the answer to this too. I’ve read that it’s 10w30 for an average mileage box that’s working fine, and Volvo “Thermal Oil” for high mileage cars or boxes with an issue of some sort. I’m not sure how accurate that is though, or what Thermal Oil is!

As an M47 user I’d love to know what the official line is. My box is silky smooth but I’d like to change the oil at some point just to be on the safe side.

As far as I am aware so far as the Volvo official oil is concerned there is no difference between mileage. As I understand it the oil is a 'special oil' definitely NOT bog standard 10/30w. Lets see where the responses take us. I am looking for a specific answer. :)

The official fill was 10w30 engine oil in m45, m46, then moved over to Type F or G automatic gearbox oil, there is Volvo Thermal oil for cars used on high mileage, and subject to extreme use, heavy towing mountain areas, and there are some oils from castrol, shell etc for gearbox's that say they are are good replacements for for manual boxes that spec auto fluids

Thanks Jebus ... as indicated above both the Shell and Castrol websites (they can't even cope with a 28 year old G reg!!) will not be drawn to recommend online a suggested oil. Everything else but ... :)

When I bought oil for my M90 gearbox the Volvo dealer had to consult Volvo in Sweden. I guess you will have to do the same.

That's what I used on the M47 in my '88 740 as that's what was stated in the handbook

The handbook also says firstly .... "Manual: Volvo synthetic transmission oil".

From what I can see from oil on the backend of the engine from the gearbox it was filled with clear/reddish oil very much like a Dextron ATF. There is not a leak from the power steering/gear. This leads me to think that the box was originally filled with Volvo synthetic on manufacture (the gearbox oil has never been changed in the life of the car).

I have found that Liqui Moly make an F/G oil under the name 'Top Tec 1300'. However that is a mineral oil.

My concern is mixing mineral into synthetic which seems to be a bit of a no,no.

Type F and G oils were minerals as well Bob, if you want to go synthetic i'd suggest an ATF such as Carlube ATF-U - however i've never checked out its compatibility with Volvo manual boxes, only the auto ones and for those, it's excellent!

http://www.carlube.co.uk/?product=atf-ufully-synthetic

Somewhere from this link you should be able to find the Data Sheet which i'm fairly confident will say "Meets or exceeds ATF Type F/G specifications" - alternatively Carlube suggest Carlube Driveline ATF-G :

http://www.carlube.co.uk/?product=atf-gmineral

http://carlube.lubricantadvisor.com/....aspx?lang=eng

Sure you'll work it all out from there! ;) :D

euro car parts do type f/g by gulf, its cheap and easy to get.