1994 850wagon, Auto-Tranmission will no engage

cmjcamp13 · Post by **cmjcamp13** » 16 Feb 2011, 13:47

I have a 1994 850 wagon. The car was just purchased for being used as an engine swap. I currently have 1996 850 wagon that over heated and cooked the motor. The 1994 has a Automatic Transmission that will not engage any gears. When you move the stick back an forth the only place that you feel anything is moving from "reverse" to "park". It makes a sound as if you were grinding the gears on a manual transmission. Any one have any ideas. I would prefer to fix the trans if something simple then do an engine swap.
I have tried to read the transmission codes. It comes up as 1-1-1. The car had been sitting for 4 month before I purchased it and the battery was completely dead so I am sure that is why it is reading no codes.

Post by **jblackburn** » 16 Feb 2011, 13:51

Either one of the driveshafts has come out of place (look to the drivers side one first), or the internals are toast.

cmjcamp13 · Post by **cmjcamp13** » 16 Feb 2011, 13:58

If the driveshaft has come out wouldn't the fluid level be low? The fluid is at the correct level it is a little dark. I am in the middle of a rain storm right now and I cannot lift the car up to check right now. If the axle has become disconnected is there a certain procedure to try to reinstall?

Do you know if I can install a 1996 transmission in a 1994. Or would it be better to do an engine swap from the 1994 to 1996?

cmjcamp13 · Post by **cmjcamp13** » 16 Feb 2011, 14:15

Okay rain has stopped, I jacked up the drivers side of the vehicle. I checked the front drivers side axle. On the wheel side there is no play. But on the transmission side it seems to be loose. I have never touched an axle shaft that is attached to a transmission but this is definitely loose. The car was also in park but I could freely spin the wheel.

What should I do next. How do I lock the axle shaft back in. I really appreciate your help.

Post by **jblackburn** » 16 Feb 2011, 15:16

If you could freely spin the wheel on the passenger side with the drivers wheel on the ground, something is definitely wrong - it will not necessarily leak transmission fluid, though.

Remove the wheel and start at the wheel hub bearing. The axle spline should be in right smack in the middle of that once the large 36mm nut is out of the way.

If you can drop the control arm away from the frame, you should be able to pull the hub away, remove the axle, and have a look at the end of the axle.

https://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/forums ... 74&start=0

cmjcamp13 · Post by **cmjcamp13** » 16 Feb 2011, 16:52

I will jack up the car tomorrow and see if the passenger side spins with drivers side wheel on the ground. If it does spin then I am looking at a replacing transmission? I will also try to get the axle on drivers side removed even if it spins to inspect.

If replacement is a must then I have a delema, I also have a 1996 850 with a bad motor but transmission is good, the 1994 has a good motor and possible bad transmission. Both are nice cars. What is the best option to do? An engine swap to get the 1996 working properly or do a transmission swap and get the 1994 working. I would think the engine swap would be better idea because I know more about the 1996 vehicle. But can you remove the Engine without removing the transmission with it?

Thanks again, Matt

Post by **Ozark Lee** » 16 Feb 2011, 18:17

Elaborate a bit more on the cars in question. If the '94 is a turbo then it should have a Motronic ECU and it should be able to talk to the '96 TCU since your '96 should also be a Motronic 4.3.

If the '94 is a N/A then chances are it has a LH 3.2 ECU system and I don't know how well it talks to the later models TCU.

The earlier models had a different VSS signal and I'm not so sure that the later model TCU can communicate with the early model ECU.

...Lee

cmjcamp13 · Post by **cmjcamp13** » 16 Feb 2011, 20:16

Both cars are non-turbo.

Post by **jblackburn** » 16 Feb 2011, 20:24

The 96 transmission will not cooperate well with the 94 electronics. I'd say the engine swap is your best bet. BUT!

You said the passenger side axle was the loose one, correct? If both wheels were off the ground and you were able to spin one, that was normal - though the other side should have been spinning in reverse.

I would first confirm that the axle isn't just loose on that side of the '94, and you may have a working car without having to swap anything. The drivers side has a circlip to hold it into the transmission housing, and they do occasionally pop out of place.

I would think the engine swap would be better idea because I know more about the 1996 vehicle. But can you remove the Engine without removing the transmission with it?

I agree - and the guys that have done it say it is easier to remove both as one unit and separate them outside of the car. The torque converter housing is huge and clunky. See wheelsup's writeup that is pinned at the top of the 850 forum.

cmjcamp13 · Post by **cmjcamp13** » 16 Feb 2011, 20:36

The Driver side is the loose one. I can shake the axle and it moves up and down 1/8 to 1/4 inch approx. The wheel side is very solid. I am praying that it has just popped out and I can repop it in and have a working car. I paid $600 for it just for the working motor to swap but if I can fix this transmission and make it run it would be a blessing. It would save me so much time.

I will let you know the outcome in the next couple of days.

Thank You so much for the help, Matt