8 Speed Geartronic

[Zitro0101]

I am asking about the drain plug on the 8 speed, I look underneath and see a torx bolt inset in a 15mm hex key driven bolt. Is this the drain plug for the transmission? The dealer told me there is no filter. 80 k on,y 2019 xc90 and am replacing tranny fluid. Thanks

[Philip Fisher]

Originally Posted by Zitro0101

I am asking about the drain plug on the 8 speed, I look underneath and see a torx bolt inset in a 15mm hex key driven bolt. Is this the drain plug for the transmission? The dealer told me there is no filter. 80 k on,y 2019 xc90 and am replacing tranny fluid. Thanks

Wow! 80k miles on a model year 2019 car. Is it you driving it? What are you using it for?

[Quacker]

The drain plug is at the very bottom and can be further recognised by it being a plug within a plug. To drain it you undo the whole thing using the outer section which I think is hexagonal to grip. Once off you will find a plastic straw about four inches long attached, which is the fluid level when at about operating temperature. Obviously to get the level you undo the inner bung.
The transmission has four fill points including pumping up through the inner bung. Use whichever is easier to access. I do not know which that would be. You need to access one of the three upper ones to vent the air out at refilling anyhow and ideally you would refill very slightly more than was dumped through that, using a plastic pipe and pump or funnel. Final checking of fluid level should be done after a run to get it up to the required temp. as I explained in a previous post. Have a read back and you will even find a picture of the plug. It won’t be identical, but similar.

I suggest that unless you have access to a pit or lift and have a good idea of what you are doing, to have it done by a competent mechanic. With your annual mileage you are very wise to change the fluid at this point and every 50,000 to 80,000 from now on. Annually by the sound of it.
There will be significant fluid left in the box after every change. That doesn’t matter. What matters is that the condition of the whole fluid is kept up to standard by topping up with the required additive package and viscosity supplied by the slug of fresh fluid you do change.

[Quacker]

I should mention that the fluid should only be refilled with the genuine Volvo fluid or the appropriate Toyota fluid for the same transmission in Toyota/Lexus cars. Do NOT use Dexron or Ford fluids.

[Fursty Ferret]

I wouldn't be particularly concerned about changing the oil, to be honest, unless you tow heavy loads.

It's there to provide drive via the torque converter for move-off but in general will be required for cooling only as every gear has a lock-up. I'm assuming oil pressure is used for clutch and brake band activation as well.

Modern oil is generally of high quality so unless you're red-lining it and then dropping from neutral into drive, I'd tactfully suggest that other bits of the car will wear out first. 🙂

[Quacker]

Originally Posted by Fursty Ferret

I wouldn't be particularly concerned about changing the oil, to be honest, unless you tow heavy loads.

It's there to provide drive via the torque converter for move-off but in general will be required for cooling only as every gear has a lock-up. I'm assuming oil pressure is used for clutch and brake band activation as well.

Modern oil is generally of high quality so unless you're red-lining it and then dropping from neutral into drive, I'd tactfully suggest that other bits of the car will wear out first. 🙂

Not for a high mileage user such as this. For a normal car, yes, which is why they are sometimes 'filled for life'. The long life synthetic fluid actually has to work quite hard in that it lubes bearings and engages and disengages clutches and brakes which are made of friction material 'resin infused cardboard' that slips when changing, plus the high flow of forced lubrication to some bearings and the load of complex planetary gear compound nests and the final drive and differential of course.
It is remarkable that such transmissions will ordinarily last for a good 150,000 miles despite the fluid going out of acceptable spec at an average of 100,000 miles. By 150,000 miles most cars will be at least ten years of age and probably nearer fifteen and ready to be scrapped for other reasons, but there are plenty of cars and vans that are expected to last two or three times the 150,000 mile mark. If they are to be run at least cost and inconvenience then some regular preventative maintenance is essential for the best prospect of long term reliability.
If it were mine and 350,000 or five years was the target at 80,000 per year, I'd change the fluid every year for three years and chance the last one. That's unless the car was in exceptional condition, which it might be if not used as a taxi.

[Fursty Ferret]

Thanks, didn't realise it was such high mileage.

[ymc30]

Not much info on this gearbox is available (at least not on this forum) but in a week or so I will attempt an oil change on my V70 D4.

I had a V70 with the same tranny which I sold at 170k miles and had no issues at all despite not changing the oil and now the new owner is over the 200k mark. The reason I never had the oil changed on that one is that I have bought it with 100k on the clock and I considered changing the oil at that point as a risky business.

Pretty much a year ago I have bought another one with a failed engine (haha, it wasn't, but it's a different story) with roughly 150k on the clock. She had got a "new" engine+gearbox combo from a 60k V70.

So to cut the long story short next week or so in lockdown Britain I'll change the oil on this one. I've bought the Aisin ATF6+ FE instead of the normal ATF6 due to the high mileage I cover I might see some benefit to the lower viscosity of this one.

I might also be able to document the process as it's a bit different from the old 6-speed gearbox.

I wonder if anybody would be able to help me with the part numbers of the gasket/o-ring as they have no part numbers in VIDA?
(Please see attached picture item 21 & 22)

TG-81SC o-ring.jpg

[Quacker]

This is all you need to know about the AW transverse Lepelletier design planetary automatic transmission.

[YOUTUBE]https://youtu.be/Ehgwf_C5zgY[/YOUTUBE]

It tells you how to change the fluid. Forget about flushes or filter changes, they are just not required.

[ymc30]

Originally Posted by Quacker

Forget about flushes or filter changes, they are just not required.

Well, I didn't plan to do any flushing, just a drain and refill. I have 8 litres in two cans but I'll use just one of them. For the next engine oil change (which is usually a couple of months ahead - 10k) I'll do the other one.

I haven't planned to change the filter either but still need some help with the o-rings, though...