2001 XC70 replacement transmission options? - check

[zooklm]

Once you decied what you want/need, try searching at www.car-part.com. It is a website for auto salvage yards. You can search for exactly what you need. You are buying from individual salvage yards and they will ship. I bought a 1999.5 auto trans with 50k miles for our Nissan Pathfinder which is working great and a replacement engine (96k miles) for our 2002 V70 which is doing great (came from a yard in TN called Southern Vovo).
Good luck,
Lee

[slicker]

Thanks Lee for that link. There are 5 pages to choose from!

To give you an illustration of the number of apparently compatible transmissions I used a part description search in VIDA "Automatic transm exch" "B5244T3"

9480897 *part number on broken transmission didn't show but the following did.
8251617
8251741
8251620
8251740
8601838
8251403
8251406
8251619
8251742
8251743

and I know there are other common ones like the one Precopster mentioned 863xxxx. These usually have the generic description V70 (00-08), 2001, B5244T3, AW50/51 AWD. (00 - 08)???, we know MY01 and MY02 are different to the others.

So I have the dilema or selecting a replacement with the exact same part number as mine, or going for any of the 01/02 transmission from an AWD B5244T3 vehicle.

[precopster]

Using the Vida parts guide is a bit easier and far more specific than just using searchwords. Once you plug in your VIN into Vehicle Selection go to INFORMATION tab then on far left PARTS tab. Then choose 4 Power Transmission -Transmission-Transmission, automatic TURBO, B5244T3, AW50/51 AWD

After this choose transmission according to your VIN break. For example VIN ending 039230 suits ONLY 8251620 whose part number is 8602388. HOWEVER this may differ from the part number stamped on the casing. For example the VIN above has part number 8636765 stamped on the casing (this is my own 2001 XC70) This is because Vida ONLY provides exchange transmission part numbers in the parts guide which doesn't help the used parts search.

You'll find only one part number suits your specific VIN so you had better choose the transmission wisely or you'll be left with a hunk of metal that won't communicate properly with the TCM.

[slicker]

Thanks Precopster. I was aware that the part numbers for my specific VIN is a much shorter list. I was pointing out that for the same model there are many different transmission part numbers specified.

I'm also following your thinking on compatibility. The transmission has no electronics in it, just sensors and solenoids. The electronic module that talks them and they may behave slightly differently but unless the wiring harnesses are different and the sensors are a lot different it should work.

It is also hard to believe that since there are so many different part numbers for transmissions for the same year and model they can't be swapped. Nobody has said they've swapped a transmission for the same MY and model and had a problem. In fact many of the sellers say a certain transmission can fit (S60 AWD, XC70, V70 AWD).

If anyone knows there are definitely compatibility problems please say so now. thanks. Leigh

[precopster]

Yes within the same year range however the SLT, SLS & SLU solenoids were constantly revised and these pesky solenoids as well as detail changes to the valve bodies of which there were at least 4 revisions within a 2-3 year period.

The solenoids must match the detail changes in the valve body and the TCM programming must suit them both. You can't get a 2005 TCM version into a 2001 TCM and you can't place a 2005 TCM into a 2001 car without being a programming genius. Some valve bodies are ported with a small exhaust hole and some aren't. Others have no markings and then progress up through A, B and C stamped.

Yes a S60 AWD trans that was mated with B5244T3 in MY 2001 or 2002 will probably be fine for a 2001 XC given that the donor car's chassis range creates a match. In fact I bought an entire written off S60AWD whose chassis range created a match for my 2001 XC's transmission last year then decided to put it back on the road......lovely vehicle

So in all probably only one or 2 of those numbers will suit HOWEVER as I stated they are exchange transmission numbers from Vida NOT numbers from used casings. How on Earth we match those other than being ultra careful with model year I just don't know.

[stinger04038]

Isn't buying a 2001 punishment gluttony?? These cars have bottomed out on the depreciation curve, so buying something away from this troublesome year would make sense.

I'm not saying to throw away a 2001 that needs a trans, but to buy one needing trans work just seems to be a high resistance path. We have to be close to where Volvo will Obsolete parts on these.

Your asking for trouble with these transmissions, it is a known flaw since day one on Volvo's part. When you least expect it you WILL end up stranded and your wallet will suffer drastically. Believe me, I made this mistake!

[JRL]

Incorrect!
It took Volvo about one year, THEN they knew they had trouble but did not do too much about it!

[SuperHerman]

I am not going to do the work, as I no longer have either of my two XC70s. True I am waiting for the used one in need of a transmission as I have two donors in my garage as well as a VB and tranny rebuild kit. That aside. I would go to a Volvo part website and enter your vehicle information - then see what it gives you for a replacement valve body. Then change the model year to something newer and see what it gives you for a valve body. Then do the same for software upgrades.

I have not done this, but from what I read new valve bodies are being placed in old transmissions by the dealers. If this is the case, you can confirm by searching, then the solution is to upgrade your software and not worry about the valve body casing stamp letter.

The three main Solenoids from Rostra as I understand it are all the same - only the harness length changes b/c they turned one of the Solenoids up or down (I forget). Like you said, the solenoids do what the software tells them.

That is my theory

[precopster]

I recall doing some VIN searches for valve body replacement 2 years ago. The XC70 valve body changed with 2003 model year and the S60AWD also changed for 4 years and then returned back to the same number which superceded to the same number as a 2001 or 2002 XC70 in 2008 and 2009.

So a 2008 or 2009 VB from an S60AWD suits a 2001 or 2002 XC70 however this isn't the case with model years in between.

As far as SLS, SLT and SLU solenoids the Rostra catalogue has at least 4 variations and they don't categorise the model years or which VB they suit. The solenoid matching is done from pics only.

Get hold of Vida and check it yourself. You'll need to input the numbers to the Tasca site which will automatically upgrade them to the superceded numbers. It's a fun packed 4 hours of research