Yet another transmission problem thread

Post by **priapism** » 28 Jul 2010, 12:36

So, the car is an 01 and has 141k on it. We just did a trans flush and the guy said it was "like chocolate". Prev owner apparently didn't take care of it. It shifted a little hard (didn't do that when on the test drive). It shifts better now but it takes a looong time to go into gear when D or R is selected. We replaced the filter and the gasket on the trans.

Think this is a fatal issue? How much time does this gearbox have? What would it cost to repair / replace if there's an issue?

jda2000 · Post by **jda2000** » 28 Jul 2010, 12:44

before you give up on the tranny:
first, do a drain and refill procedure x3, with a couple hundred miles driving between changes. I suspect that if the fluid was "like chocolate", you need to refresh/clean the new fluid, a bit at a time, to "lubricate all the internal parts and get rid of the thick stuff. Get a case of Toyota type IV tranny fluid and do this yourself, so it will cost you about $60. Drain and refill procedure uses 4 quarts at a time.
Second, upgrade to the new B4 servo cover, about a $20 part.

If these do not improve things, then I am afraid the tranny is past the salvageable state.

Post by **priapism** » 29 Jul 2010, 07:50

We just did a flush but I'll drain/ top in a few hundred miles as well. What would it cost if it had to be replaced? I realize it's a tough question but I'd like to know what kind of mileage this thing has left as well.

Post by **JRL** » 29 Jul 2010, 08:24

$4500 (plus or minus) depending on the deal you can make
Some dealer charge $5500, some as "little" as $4000, regardless it's more than the car is worth on a trade in

Post by **priapism** » 29 Jul 2010, 08:36

Holy crap!! Oh jesus, I'm so screwed. We bought the car for 4k.

Post by **FlyingVolvo** » 29 Jul 2010, 08:44

Need to do your research on such things! 01-02 had crappy transmissions with only a few exceptions when taken care of very well. An 01 in normal conditions/maintenance usually still failed, so an abused one is very bad news.

If you get a new/rebuilt transmission, take care of it like crazy and it will last longer, but it still is the same design that fails.

Spending a few thousand more on 03+ is nicer than having to spend 4K+ on an older car that you got for 4K.

Good luck!

Post by **priapism** » 29 Jul 2010, 08:57

I knew it was an issue on these cars but transmission replacements / rebuilds I've had priced out for other cars ran $1000-1500. Even factoring that into the purchase price I thought I had a decent deal. Five grand for a gearbox is absolutely insane. This is my girlfriends' car, I hate to tell her to sell it right after she bought it and we put a bunch of work into it.

Post by **FlyingVolvo** » 29 Jul 2010, 09:00

You can shop around for better prices, or take your chances with a low miles used one. I remember seeing on here though, that many shops don't know how to rebuild these transmissions correctly. So you may be gambling with a non factory-rebuilt unit.

Post by **priapism** » 13 Aug 2010, 15:24

I took it to a decent Volvo shop, he said it didn't have the marks of a faulty something unit. I don't speak Mechanic, I'm sorry, but he said one thing usually goes bad and the test was how it pulled from a stop. This car pulls fine from a stop. But it does clunk inbetween gears once or twice a trip, enough to make me real nervous. I had a trans flush and did another drain-fill this afternoon (Toyota IV) and it still seems to do that. I don't think stop-neutral is present.

When the trans' go bad, what are the usual symptoms?

Post by **JRL** » 13 Aug 2010, 15:55

Your "Volvo shop" hasn't a clue
The pulling away determines if the awful OEM stop neutral software is still there or not.
Just because it's been removed (most have by now with new software) means nothing, damage has been done.
They shift flare in between shifts, 2nd to 3rd, they clunk big time on downshifts and eventually they will just die.

Did he tell you the quality of your fluid?
If it was "like chocolate", the damage has already been already done.
Tick,tick,tick.....goes the time bomb.

If someone charged you for a filter, you got robbed!
These have no filters and there's no gasket to replace either

Was any software loaded?
Were the adaptions reset?
Did anyone do a "drive cycle"?

ALL these should be done when flushed, ESPECIALLY with a bad tranny

You took it to a shop that knows not much about these cars,
if it really had a full flush, another drain and fill is not necessary now