2001 V70 T5 Auto transaxle problems

[precopster]

Hey there Nautic. Congrats on a job well done!!

Did you end up posting any pictures of the broken parts? My 2001 V70 T5 coasted to the same stop as yours 2 weeks ago. I'm pulling the engine to gain access to the torque converter because I heard that turbine-like whine for about 3 weeks before failure.

Are those parts that failed accessible without splitting the casing ?? (apart from the filter of course). ??

[01_Nautic_V70]

Hey there Nautic. Congrats on a job well done!!

Did you end up posting any pictures of the broken parts? My 2001 V70 T5 coasted to the same stop as yours 2 weeks ago. I'm pulling the engine to gain access to the torque converter because I heard that turbine-like whine for about 3 weeks before failure.

Are those parts that failed accessible without splitting the casing ?? (apart from the filter of course). ??

I'll post some pictures tomorrow. They're still on my phone.

I don't want to be the bearer of bad news...but that pump whine isn't the torque converter. It's a starved pump in the transmission. The filter clogs and starves the pump. This increases wear and particulates. This clogs the filter further. Eventually, the pump can't make enough pressure and the clutch packs aren't pressed together anymore. Then, you don't move in any gear.

Replacing the filter would get you running again but you have to ask where all of the stuff in the filter came from. It's your friction material from the clutch packs. They're shot. A full rebuild of the transaxle would replace all of these.

The pump, filter and magnets can be accessed after you split the bellhousing off the transmission.

[precopster]

Sigh..... that sounds more like a bench build job to me. That's what I'll need to do. Thanks for the input.

[01_Nautic_V70]

Sigh..... that sounds more like a bench build job to me. That's what I'll need to do. Thanks for the input.

Yes, it's a fairly involved bench rebuild. Not that there's not much of an option. No new transmissions made for these cars, so even the best dealer options are remanufactured units from good cores.

[01_Nautic_V70]

Here's the new (used, but new to me) transmission getting cleaned up, checked out and a new filter installed. If the transmission is out of the car, it's about an hour job.

The biggest pain is getting the pump assembly back into the unit properly after the filter is installed. The 1-2 clutch pack is on the back of the pump and that all has to line up as the assembly is slid onto the input shaft. I've found this is easiest if the transmission is horizontal or even angled slightly down. However, angling too far down means the differential wants to fall forward out of the unit and knocks the pump assembly out of your hands as you're trying to align it. this would be easier with a second set of hands for sure.

Have plenty of shop towels on hand as you'll get the better part of another quart out of the unit even after draining through the plug before disassembly. Also, you'll need red, high temp gasket maker to button it all back up when done. I'm replacing the axles seals on both sides as well as they're likely original (122,000 miles) and now is absolutely the easiest time to get to them.

As a late 2002 unit, this should already have the improved B4 servo cap, so I don't think I'll need to replace that, but I'll check it once the old transmission is out. I replaced the cap on that one, so I can swap from there if need be.

Looks like I may be starting the swap this weekend.

[precopster]

These would have to be the 1st set of internal pics posted here on MVS!! I while back Kallekula (I think I got it right). repaired the 5 speed auto on his 2000 P80 V70 but alas there were no pics.

It would be great if you could let us all know where to buy the Teflon seals, filter & bushings as most of the listings I see are for either frictions or metals or both.
About the filter: is there an in/out port on the filter or does it simply catch sediment because it's located at the lowest part of the transmission? If it simply catches lower suspended particles by gravity it can't really prevent the flow of fluid. It would seem rather counterintuitive if all fluid passed through the filter as it would likely become re-contaminated by contact with the particles.

The 5 speed autos are a great drive when working well. I just wish I bought cars with a solid drain/fill history. Catching up with fluid changed later in the car's life just doesn't work.

[01_Nautic_V70]

I have plenty more pictures of internals I can upload tomorrow along with site recommendations for internals.

The great thing is you can buy as much or as little as you like. Full rebuild kits with every steel and friction plate and every seal are about as much as this used transmission was.

I have pics of removal and reinstall but will take new ones during this swap since I'm more familiar with it now.

[01_Nautic_V70]

Also, as for the filter, that lower section is the pickup. The red ring is a silicone gasket that seals the filter intake to the pump housing inlet.

100% of flow into the pump goes through that filter.

I've also put a magnefine inline filter on the old one. I have a new one for the new unit (avoiding cross contamination wherever possible.) I'd love to put the old filter on the band saw to see what's in there.

[precopster]

I can see why solenoids collect metallic sludge with that filter design and also why the filters block.
A design that at least let's you replace the filter periodically would have been so much better. These front drive transmission designs seem to all suffer from this problem as I see that the casings have no removable sump.

Knowing all this I wonder if I can try to have mine pressure flushed to get the sediment out. Can't be worse than not working at all.........

I can also see why dropping fluid every 25,000 kms would be the only way to save them.

Please bring on any more info such as suppliers and links to their sites. I'm literally watering at the mouth now.

[01_Nautic_V70]

I do think several factors have hurt the reliability of the 01-02 AW55-50SN's.

The neutral stop feature causes unnecessary wear in the transmission.
The non-serviceable filter means friction material worn off by that feature cannot really be removed from the system, it just continued to build up.
Not recommending fluid changes means the filter wouldn't get a break by getting cleaner fluid.

The combination of those effects was a real detriment to this unit. Add in a few other ancillary factors like a poor bushing design on the planetary and the B4 servo cap issue and you have a transmission that could have been great, and often was if maintained above and beyond Volvo's recommendations. But many many of these were not maintained above or even at Volvo's recommendations. so here we all are.