440 Manual gearbox oil
 

My 1994 manul 440 has recently developed a slight transmission oil leak. Unfortunately I can’t get it repaired straight away so I thought I’d simply top it up until I can get it fixed.

The question is what with? My Haynes manual suggests ‘Volvo special oil Part No 3343922-5’ and does not list an alternative. My local dealer can supply this oil but they were somewhat shocked to learn the smallest quantity they could order was 3 litres at a cost of £45! I reckon I need about ¼ litre maximum. They did try to find out what it was so I might be able to buy a smaller quantity of a suitable equivalent elsewhere but found Volvo weren’t giving any details away.

It looks and smells like a hypoid EP80 or 90 gear oil but that’s hardly scientific! On the basis any oil is better than no oil , I’m tempted to try a modern synthetic gear oil.

Any comments and advice would be welcomed please.

Many thanks

Martin Cox

440 1.8 SE manual
V70 Tdi auto

I am in the same boat as you, the joke is the 440 gearbox takes 3.4 litres and volvo supply the exact amount.

I have choosen to go with halfords own brand EP80, as i had the gearbox topped up back a while ago by a volvo specialist who used non volvo stuff.
When i get the time i will get it up on blocks and do a full change with the correct stuff, but sourced from renault as it should work out a little cheaper.

Halfords also do a manual and diff 'stop leak' stuff, i had a look at it, but want to do my home work on it first.

Well, almost 5 years later, (looking at the date on my original post) I still have the 440 and here's what happened. The leak was so slow that there was little perceptible drop in the oil level. I got rather adept at removing the filler plug and peering in the hole! The leak was from the inboard end of one of the driveshafts. Eventually the CV joint boot on the same shaft failed so I had the whole lot done at once. The gearbox was drained and refilled with the correct stuff. To date, it's been absolutely fine ever since.

So to cut a long story short, I never did find a suitable alternative oil.

Martin

see posts on www.volvo-480-europe.org re possible alternative oils which are compatible with phosphor bronze parts used in volvo evolutions of the renault boxes (renault units dont have upgraded parts on most boxes). volvo specific upgrades. millers maybe a replacement (make oils for classic cars which used phosphur bronze parts as standard. These are not compatible with sulphur based anti wear additives). Best thing is to use volvo oil but millers maybe nearest most suitable.

I recently spent £35.50 purchasing this 'special' oil for my Volvo 440 1.8i (M55 373M gearbox and B18U engine).
The Volvo dealer took my VIN number, apparently to identify the correct oil, and ordered it under Volvo part number 1161681 rather than 3343922-5 that I gave them (as specified in the Haynes manual and my Volvo vehicle handbook). On receipt, the 3.4 litre container clearly listed its contents as SAE75W80, API GL5 which my local parts dealer sells for little over £20 for 5 litres.
Either the fancy oil sold under part number 3343922-5 has been superseded by part number 1161681 or the VIN number identifies the wrong oil !!

If the bottle of oil from Volvo notes that it is specifically for the 400 series and S40/V40 series then its the right one.

The oil specs that you quote here are only part of the story.

The important difference between the Volvo oil and the aftermarket one or indeed the Renault suitable one, is that the Volvo version has specific additives that are compatible with the synchronizer material and bearing upgrades/redesigns Volvo completed on these Renault gearboxes. So really the Volvo units are evolved from the Renault ones and are not identical. It's important to use the right oil as the non-Volvo one has additives which will corrode the synchros in the Volvo box.

Does the bottle you have note part number 1161681 on the side or detail re it being for the 400 series, S/V40 or gearbox types?

There has been a lot of debate on volvo-480-europe with regards aftermarket oils and those made by Elf for example which list suitability for Renaults. But, as above suitability with Renaults and oil grades and specifications doesnt give the whole story. Volvo's can only use the Volvo oil.

Nordic list the manual transmission oil via their own part number of 3345534

http://nordicpartsdirect.co.uk/volvo...ls.asp?id=4684

Nordic list part 1161681 as for S/V40 96-04 M3P 3.4 LITRE

3345534 440 89-97 MAN 5 LITRE

They also list two CVT oils for the 400 series so I'm asking them what the difference is and how you tell which is for which vehicle. The 400 listing seems incorrect as the 400 series boxes also take 3.4 litres, not 5.

Interesting there's different oils for the 400 series and the S40/V40. Thought they'd be the same oil in the shared gearboxes.

S40/V40 range understandably lists different oils for the JB/JC/M3P based series from the M56 and autos. But, the S/V40 manuals with the M3P seem to have different oils to the 400 series with these gearboxes. Hmm..

M5D DSL is a gearbox I havent heard of for the S40/V40. Anyone know what that is?

Ignore that last bit about the M5D. Its part of the M3P, M5P, M5D family.

Hello

My local Volvo dealer has confirmed that part 1161681 is the oil listed for a 440 with a JC5, a 440 with an M3P and also a 1999 S40. So it seems then they all use the same oil. Not sure why Nordic list different ones for the 400 series and the X40.

I'll ask Nordic....