Gearbox service

[sellxc70]

Originally Posted by ferg55

I would avoid using a garage that flushes the box with a machine (i.e under pressure) this has been known to cause harm to the valves etc.

You don't need to pressure-flush it anyway - the proper method (Volvo approved) is to disconnect the pipe from the intercooler and let the box pump the oil out of the torque converter and internals by itself (aka Gibbons method).

I would put the Gibbons method above the drain and fill option and flushing if you are not comfortable with going that route.

The flushing problems generally relate to machines that backflush the transmission. Forward flushing in the same direction as the oil flow seems to be a safer option. However this is a topic where data and results are difficult to come by.

The AWTF80SC seems to be a fairly robust transmission which should last with a periodic oil change.

Steve

[Kev0607]

Originally Posted by ferg55

I would avoid using a garage that flushes the box with a machine (i.e under pressure) this has been known to cause harm to the valves etc.

You don't need to pressure-flush it anyway - the proper method (Volvo approved) is to disconnect the pipe from the intercooler and let the box pump the oil out of the torque converter and internals by itself (aka Gibbons method).

The garage I use just does drain & fill. They didn't disconnect the pipe from the intercooler on mine for sure.

No, I wouldn't pressure flush it.

Originally Posted by XC90Mk1

I have Vida but you don’t need it. The level is set (from memory) at 50/60 C.

It took my XC90 20 mins to get to 50C and then sat stable for 25minutes and didn’t rise.

I tried driving without adaptation reset and with abs didn’t notice a difference.

Re reusing the washers. It’s a good point to replace but I certainly had no leaving and fitted new washers on the last drain.

There is no need to take this to anyone or to have a specialist do it. Once done once you will be able to do it in 30 minute intervals, possibly 15. I understand Toyota fluid is to same spec and much cheaper.

I'll reuse the washers in the first instances, but replace them with new ones on the final drain & fill.

[Kev0607]

A bit of a thread resurrection here, but it saves posting another.

I'm planning on doing a transmission service on the S80 and V70 (myself this time).

I've been watching some videos and reading posts on here, so I'm not really sure which to go off (not that I'm implying anyone on here is wrong or giving bad advice).I just want to know which is the more common method.

Some videos online show people doing two or three "sump dumps" in succession - Simply cycling through the gears at a standstill for approx 10 seconds, then setting the level and the fluid counter on the final one and calling it a day... Job done. Si Robb on Youtube (cheshired5 on here) did this a while back on a V70, as did volvosweden on an XC70 (YouTube). Not that I'm criticizing their work in any way, but is this method a bit pointless, i.e. the fluid isn't getting chance to mix properly? Or is it okay? The fresh fluid that's going in is bound to be better/cleaner than the old?

Others suggest doing one drain and fill, then drive the car for say 200-500 hundred miles and then doing another drain/fill at roughly the same mileage interval at a later date (and maybe even another after that depending how bad the fluid is). So basically, a "spaced out" fluid change.

Which is best? I want to do a good job, but its not going to take long to do 200 miles being realistic and time is of the essence. Trying to get the cars level will be the tricky part I think. No ramp, just jacks and jack stands.

[GrahamBrown1]

Originally Posted by Kev0607

A bit of a thread resurrection here, but it saves posting another.

I'm planning on doing a transmission service on the S80 and V70 (myself this time).

I've been watching some videos and reading posts on here, so I'm not really sure which to go off (not that I'm implying anyone on here is wrong or giving bad advice).I just want to know which is the more common method.

Some videos online show people doing two or three "sump dumps" in succession - Simply cycling through the gears at a standstill for approx 10 seconds, then setting the level and the fluid counter on the final one and calling it a day... Job done. Si Robb on Youtube (cheshired5 on here) did this a while back on a V70, as did volvosweden on an XC70 (YouTube). Not that I'm criticizing their work in any way, but is this method a bit pointless, i.e. the fluid isn't getting chance to mix properly? Or is it okay? The fresh fluid that's going in is bound to be better/cleaner than the old?

Others suggest doing one drain and fill, then drive the car for say 200-500 hundred miles and then doing another drain/fill at roughly the same mileage interval at a later date (and maybe even another after that depending how bad the fluid is). So basically, a "spaced out" fluid change.

Which is best? I want to do a good job, but its not going to take long to do 200 miles being realistic and time is of the essence. Trying to get the cars level will be the tricky part I think. No ramp, just jacks and jack stands.

For the best results you would be best taking the car for a little drive between drain and fills. Simply cycling the gears doesn’t get the fluid out the torque converter or final drive. As you say nothing wrong with just cycling the gears and no dought this is better than not changing it at all. I suppose it comes down to the level of effort you want to put in but by driving in between drain and fills you are doing your upmost to change all the fluid. If the car was higher mileage and no history of change I would be tempted to do gradual drain and fills over a few hundred miles.

[bananarama]

My D3 had 110k and the oil was black and stinky, so I decided to include ~500miles between single-dumps to give the TCM "time to adapt" to the slightly cleaner oil. Whether this made a difference I do not know, but the logic seems sound.

[xavierx]

Originally Posted by Kev0607

Others suggest doing one drain and fill, then drive the car for say 200-500 hundred miles and then doing another drain/fill at roughly the same mileage interval at a later date (and maybe even another after that depending how bad the fluid is). So basically, a "spaced out" fluid change.

Which is best? I want to do a good job, but its not going to take long to do 200 miles being realistic and time is of the essence. Trying to get the cars level will be the tricky part I think. No ramp, just jacks and jack stands.

I would suggest that the oil doesn't get "more mixed" whether you drive 1 mile or 500 miles, all that matters is that you trigger each solenoid in the gearbox to push the oil fluid out of each passageway.

Further more, the oil is always going to be some level of dirty, no matter how many times you flush it, so not sure there is a huge benefit to drive it at all, rather than just cycle through PRND a couple of times, as per the videos you mentioned above.

Any amount of fluid change you do is going to put you in a far better situation than Volvos "Sealed for life" nonsense

[kdst5]

I also think it depends on when you do the oil change and what condition it is in. I did the first one at about 60K with just a single drain and fill. The oil was darker than the new (as you would expect) but didn't smelt burnt.

My plan is to repeat this every few years and think that is sufficient given I started doing it a quite low mileage. It's also the way I think Volvo say do it if you tow or used for taxi use albeit at a lower mileage still.

If the oil comes out smelling burnt then I think you probably need to get quite a few changes in within a fairly short time frame.

[Bonefishblues]

Originally Posted by kdst5

I also think it depends on when you do the oil change and what condition it is in. I did the first one at about 60K with just a single drain and fill. The oil was darker than the new (as you would expect) but didn't smelt burnt.

My plan is to repeat this every few years and think that is sufficient given I started doing it a quite low mileage. It's also the way I think Volvo say do it if you tow or used for taxi use albeit at a lower mileage still.

If the oil comes out smelling burnt then I think you probably need to get quite a few changes in within a fairly short time frame.

Is that official Volvo procedure, i.e. assuming I understand your post, a single partial drain and fill?

[Kev0607]

Well it went well I think... 1st drain and fill complete on the V70.

I know there's cheaper places online for JWS3309 transmission fluid, such as Smith & Allen, Mannol etc (mine takes that particular spec). I didn't have time to wait for it fluid to arrive, which was 4 days according to most sites. I ended up getting 5L of fluid from Halfords (Comma brand) for £37. It was cheaper to buy one 5L container than individual 1L containers and its the correct spec.

First step was to get the car up on ramps... no problems there (car was driven beforehand, so it was nice and hot). Then I checked if I could remove the fill plug before draining anything. I got the air box out of the way and the MAF sensor, which gave access to the fill plug. I got it undone, but it was tight!

Then I got the car as level as I possibly could with the help of a spirit level and jacks on either side of the car on the passenger and driver's side. The front was up on ramps.

Then I drained the fluid into a container (3.3 litres came out). It wasn't as black as I was expecting, but it was more brown than red (it wasn't black at all actually). I've had the transmission serviced in the past at a Volvo specialist, so that's probably why the fluid was cleaner than I had originally thought it would be. However, it was a single drain and fill (which I've found out later down the line is useless, as it only partially renews the fluid). It needs more than one for good results.

I put the small plugs back in (Torx 40 and Hex 17).

Poured 4 litres of fresh transmission fluid in and tightened the fill plug back in place.

Reconnected the MAF sensor/air box so I could start the car.

Started the car and cycled through the gears for approx 10 seconds in each gear.

Then hooked up VIDA to see what the transmission fluid temp was with the car running. It was 49 degrees, but its supposed to be between 50 and 60 degrees to set the level properly. I waited for a few minutes and got it to 52 degrees, then got underneath to loosen the T40 torx to set the level (with the car running).

I managed to get a good bit out, approx 600mm (I drained 3.3L originally, but added 4L, hence the drainage). What was drained from setting the level was definitely cleaner than what was drained originally (more red than brown this time), but its still not great.

I'll do another drain and fill in about 200-300 miles (decided that was the better option), but I'll have to buy some more trans fluid (1L spare currently). I'll also replace the o-rings on the drain/level plug on the final drain/fill. No point buying new ones to undo them again in no time. I'll just replace them on the last drain/fill... I think one more should do it.

I also reset the TCM fluid counter via VIDA.

Checked for leaks. Happy to report there's none. I also gave the area a clean down with brake cleaner and an old cloth.

I decided that spaced out fluid changes might be better. Like I said earlier, I've had the transmission serviced before about 3 years ago, but I don't know if it was ever done in the past prior to purchase. There's 163k on it now.

How often do you guys service your tranmission? It doesn't do any towing.

Are the washer for the drain plug and o ring for the level plug on the transmission only available from the main dealer?

[Sotosound]

As part of the annual service, I normally ask my Volvo specialist to check the condition of the ATF and advise.