black transmission oil at 110K. is that normal?

drexel · Post by **drexel** » 14 May 2007, 07:01

Good morning,

At about 110K I found the transmission shifting becoming rough and when I checked the oil I found it quite dirty. I flushed using the procedure(3309) and the tranny is running noticeably better.

Just wondering if it is normal for 3309 tranny fluid to turn black after 110K. I am suspecting some transmission failure may have caused the oil to burn.

thanks.

2000 S70 Automatic

zenmervolt · Post by **zenmervolt** » 14 May 2007, 09:34

It's probably more to do with the fact that the transmission should be flushed at least every 60,000 miles than with anything wrong. You've almost doubled the recommended service life for the transmission fluid in your car.

drexel · Post by **drexel** » 14 May 2007, 10:21

zenmervolt wrote:It's probably more to do with the fact that the transmission should be flushed at least every 60,000 miles than with anything wrong. You've almost doubled the recommended service life for the transmission fluid in your car.

thanks for the details. I wasn't aware it is supposed to be replaced at 60,000 miles. Is this a recomendation from the dealer ?

zenmervolt · Post by **zenmervolt** » 14 May 2007, 12:04

drexel wrote:
zenmervolt wrote:It's probably more to do with the fact that the transmission should be flushed at least every 60,000 miles than with anything wrong. You've almost doubled the recommended service life for the transmission fluid in your car.
thanks for the details. I wasn't aware it is supposed to be replaced at 60,000 miles. Is this a recomendation from the dealer ?

It's from my mechanic (independent Volvo-exclusive mechanic). The maintenance schedule in the owner's manual for the car doesn't give a replacement interval, but calls for inspection every 5,000 miles when the engine oil is changed and says to replace the fluid "as necessary".

The 60,000 mile is based on his experience with the 850/S70/V70 series cars.

Post by **pfeener** » 14 May 2007, 12:32

Volvo has this "wierd" attitude about transmission fluid replacement. They don't recommend any interval for change, but everyone knows it needs to be changed every 60K or so. An interesting point is that most all automatic transmissions are constructed roughly the same way, but each auto manufacturor has a very different transmission oil flush interval. Mercedes is 30K for example.

P.S. If it were my car I would go with the 30K change interval. That's where most of us are here on the forum.

Post by **MadeInJapan** » 14 May 2007, 17:21

I would not wait for 60K miles on any Volvo for a flush. I would go under 50K miles for the first one and then 30K miles after that. When I got my S70 I immediately flushed it (90K miles) and have been flushing it religiously every 30K miles since. I think this is good preventative insurance.

Btw, if your fluid is black and smells burnt, I would not do a full flush but a drain and fill....drive it a week and do it again. Flushing fully at those miles and condition of tranny fluid could cause the tranny to have a melt down...don't ask me why, just happens....read about it all of the time.

Instructions for either the drain and fill or full flush are in the data base section...take a look!

Baker · Post by **Baker** » 14 May 2007, 21:00

1997 855

Black fluid is not good. My owners manual makes no recommendation as to the hydraulic fluid service. People on this site talk about 30K and 60K changes. Dealer change about $300. The changers on the corner suck the fluid out thru the fill tube with vacuum. This gets the ATF in the sump but not in the plates and cavitys. Look at your fluid and see if it is light reddish. Give it the sniff test. It should not smell burned. Change again soon.