2002 V70xc tranny

[Tonyx]

OP= original poster

That's a gime if there was one.

xHeart was posing to OP his VIN to ascertain the need for B4 cover replacement.

[mrridout]

I am the original poster. My tranny fits in the range. It is 01G.

I have fluid on the way and also the B4 cover.
I went ahead and bit the bullet and took the chance and registered the car. I drove it down the highway about two miles to get it inspected and discovered some new symptoms. Besides clunking into forward or reverse and flaring into second, it flares into third too and while going down the highway in forth or fifth, not sure which, it disengaged and revved to 5500rpms before I could let off. After that I was ready for it, and it went out of gear a couple of more times on the way back. My kids has a '95 850 that did something like this. We switched out the PNP switch and the problem was solved. Could that be the problem here?

Mick

[JRL]

Highly doubtful

[MattHenning]

The PNP switches on these cars are not as prone to failure as the earlier ones. Not impossible, but, as JRL said "Highly doubtful."
It would really be worth your while to find someone with a VIDA/DiCE setup to read the codes. A generic code scanner will not be good enough. If it is the PNP, VIDA will identify it as such. You could spend a lot of money with trial and error diagnostics/repairs.
It is likely a problem with the valve body, as it is a common weakness of this car. However, there are a variety of other things that could cause this as well.

[xHeart]

It is more likely that a tranny gradually reaching 100,000 miles with short trips would have worn B4 Servo than one accumulating same # of miles on highway. Volvo benchmarks 120,000 miles for this mechanical part.

After reading various insights of DIYers, replacing B4 Servo between 120,000 - 200,000 is normal. I would not attributed this $28 part replacement to the poor materiality of transmission.

I have extreme weather in Great Lakes, and with my girls on the road, it is important to maintain ALL fluids.

[mrridout]

Well, I got the B4 Servo cover. I was not enthusiastic about starting the job, but actually it turned out to be a piece of cake. Jacking the car, removing the wheel and getting the cover off took about 20 minutes. Getting the cover back on was a little harder. I couldn't use the bolt that IPD sent with the kit. I just couldn't lever it. I did find a screwdriver the right length and wedged it from the cover to the suspension pivot. It was a little tough getting the cover in really straight so it would slide in. Once it was straight it went in easily and the snap ring popped in so slick that I thought it must be wrong.
But it was right. Then I did the shifting while parked deal to remove the air and checked the fluid level.

Initially there was a magical difference in the shifting.
The harsh clunking was gone. It shifted much smoother over a couple of days. But now, it is still much better, but it is still flaring. the worst is in a turn when it shifts down from 4 to 3. If I forget to notice, and I just step on the gas coming out of the turn, sometimes it revs to 5000 or so. The engine is quiet so i don't notice it until it catches and jerks. I half to remember to look at the tach.

I haven't changed the fluid yet. Do you think it will make a difference?

Mick

[Tonyx]

Did you check the fluid condition? What was it like?
I suggest fluid refresh then fluid counter reset along with shift adaptation. Likely need a trip to dealer if you don't have VIDA.

I ordered Mobil 3307 directly from Amazon. Had it at $67/12 quart at one time so quickly ordered.

[birdman_s80]

After a year of manual shifting my 2002 V70XC because of the slam shift issue and after trying all the quick fixes I finally broke down and replaced the valve body with a rebuilt valve body from Level10 transmissions. I wish I had done this sooner because the car drives like new now. Call them and describe your shifting issue because they have solved this on many cars that use the AW55 tranny.

[xHeart]

Well, I got the B4 Servo cover...
But it was right. Then I did the shifting while parked deal to remove the air and checked the fluid level.

Initially there was a magical difference in the shifting.
The harsh clunking was gone. It shifted much smoother over a couple of days. But now, it is still much better, but it is still flaring. the worst is in a turn when it shifts down from 4 to 3....

I haven't changed the fluid yet. Do you think it will make a difference?

Mick

Replacing B4 Servo cover means air have entered the transmission. The adaption procedure helps remove these air bubbles. Just like bleeding power steering, heating and cooling, and brake system, etc.

The adaptation reset requires the vehicle be driven, the amber/red triangle on dash blinks as each gear/shift is reset.

MVS folks would recommend just one D&F at each oil change. My two cars are +140k, I do 1/3 simple drain and fill at each oil change with MOBIL ATF 3309.

[mrridout]

I took my V70xc in to a little local Volvo shop run by an ex-Park Place-Dallas certified Volvo mechanic. He did a partial tranny fluid change out. I provided the fluid and he did the work for $50. I switched out the B-4 cover. After weeks of driving, no real change. I got a used computer. I switched it out and presto, beautiful shifting..... for one day. Then it went back to flaring, searching and clunking. I talked to IPD and they seemed to think that Seafoam would help. But that requires a complete fluid change out. They said that is what I should do. Is it?

Every once in a while, control of the transmission sort of goes away all together. The indicator on the facia doesn't show a letter or number, just a hyphen. The tranny doesn't shift and cannot be shifted into any gear. It stays in maybe third or fourth, can't really tell which gear. I have to pull over and turn off the car and when I turn it back on it resets.

This would suggest a computer issue.

What do you think?

Mick