Pre 1995 940 - cars without M90 Gearbox- any good?
 

Hi All,

I have seen a couple of 940s on EBay - they look good and are pretty cheap. They are both 1994 M reg which I believe doesn’t have the M90 gearbox as they are 1995 onwards?. Are the earlier gearboxes any good? Is it something that should bother me? Are they worth swapping for an M90 or are the earlier ones still good?

Thanks

volvo 940 gearbox
 

m47 gearbox is strong we have had a few 940s never had issues like anything in life if you abuse them you pay the price if you buy the 940 change the gearbox oil goodluck with your searching

Some might say the earlier boxes are better as they don't need a special lubricant like the M90 and don't have a Dual Mass Flywheel clutch.

Both boxes are strong but i would suggest the M45/6/7 (same basic box, M45 = 4-speed, M46 = 4-speed + O/D, M47 = 5-speed) is as good as you're ever likely to need and if i was looking for a manual, would prefer the M47 to an M90 because it's got a normal clutch.

Each to their own but don't be put off just because it's older!

If you buy a 94 940 with an M47, don't bother changing it as it's not really worth it for the work involved.

Also if you're going for a 940, go for a pre-96 one, the parts are a better quality. The reason i know this is my 88 760 shares several parts with the 940 and i've bought a few secondhand spares from various age 940s since i've had it. The ones before 1996 are always better quality.

Yes they are.

The m46 originally in mine was a nice box, it feels old compared to the M90 but nothing wrong with it and the overdrive button is cool, only upgraded to the M90 because the original engine has terminal piston slap and the first replacement engine i got was already well on the way.

Changing the fluid helped shift quality, use proper type F automatic fluid as specified, and treat it nicely, they take longer to shift than modern stuff, but they will live for ever and unless you are planning on tuning no real reason to upgrade to the M90

Yes they are fine, not as refined and as positive as an M90.

I have a 940 engine running my 360 with a >200K miles M47 gearbox, drag racing, track days etc, holding up fine.

The M90 can take more power, so if you want north of 300bhp+ then go for an M90 car.

Correct me if i'm wrong Tony but doesn't the 360 have a 5-speed transaxle as standard? Wouldn't that take the power from the tuned 940? :thinking:

Having owned various M46/M47-equipped 200-series car and an M90-fit 900-series my preference is for the older box; it might not be capable of taking the same level of torque/bhp as the M90 but I prefer the gear-change pattern with reverse locked off and and doesn't feel any less refined than the later units.

Some are 4 speed. They're still M45 and M47 boxes though :)

Thanks Jim, didn't realise that was the designation on the 360 boxes. Last manual Volvo i drove more than a few hundred yards was my 360GLT about 20 years ago.
With the exception of a "bought for spares" 740GLE saloon with the M46 box, all others (except a 440Li that we won't mention) have been auto.