AW55-50SN woes-easy to repair? Topic is solved

[vtl]

In my honest opinion, if you don't want to rebuild it, I'd just replace the filter, clean the magnets and put it back together without going deeper into the transmission.

Makes little sense: it has a controlled slip torque converter, which is better be refurbished every time transmission is out. This is the main point in transmission that clogs the filter. Also last P2 XC70 left production line 10 years ago, even healthy transmission, as it can be after 10-15 years of service, has a lot of wear, which you can fix.

Add to that no one in Volvo world does complete ATF change every 20k miles as AW recommends.

[01_Nautic_V70]

In my honest opinion, if you don't want to rebuild it, I'd just replace the filter, clean the magnets and put it back together without going deeper into the transmission.

Makes little sense: it has a controlled slip torque converter, which is better be refurbished every time transmission is out. This is the main point in transmission that clogs the filter. Also last P2 XC70 left production line 10 years ago, even healthy transmission, as it can be after 10-15 years of service, has a lot of wear, which you can fix.

Add to that no one in Volvo world does complete ATF change every 20k miles as AW recommends.

I'm going on the assumption that he wants to replace as little as possible and limp along for awhile. When I replaced my 2001 transmission, I did replace the torque converter with a rebuild, but if he's doing that, then replace the transmission too. I paid almost as much for the torque converter as I did for the used trans.

[precopster]

Thanks all for the contributions.

The assumption Nautic has is correct. The total parts cost for a full rebuild is extremely high; probably in the vicinity of $1,200 or more including postage from so many different sources to Australia.

My goal is to empty/replace filter then continue to drop fluid every 20,000 kms to save from further wear.

Next week I'll call in at the local auto trans rebuild shop and ask him for a used filter. I want to do some study on what solvents can lift and suspend the material before I waste more trans fluid and solvent.

[mrbrian200]

Crazy... but... How about drill into the housing near filter, tap a thread there to use as a plug later after getting a flexible magnet recovery tool in there then insert bolt/plug. Obviously a chemical to dissolve the clog is still best.

That doesn't sound all that crazy to me. Looking at this teardown video of a AW55-51SN out of a Nissan Maxima, I would say after you have your hole drilled you would then back flush it with compressed air at the radiator connection like you've already done. The junk that's repeatedly plugging it would push out the hole with the fluid where you could catch it with a pan.



Without pulling the transmission from the car to separate the bell housing this might be the only 'method' that might actually work. You'd need a junk trans to inspect/partially take apart to determine exactly where and how deep to drill the hole. It would probably also be useful to see a new filter to determine whether you need to also make a hole through the lowest bit of the plastic filter in case the junk is getting trapped inside and has to resist gravity to push up and out. You could make a larger threaded hole in the transmission--say M17 in the main transmission housing and a smaller hole- M12 or 13 in the filter plastic so that you could install a plug on the filter before reinstalling the larger bolt into the main housing. It might take several rounds of backflushing, or devise some method for pushing fluid through instead of compressed air.

[01_Nautic_V70]

Thanks all for the contributions.

The assumption Nautic has is correct. The total parts cost for a full rebuild is extremely high; probably in the vicinity of $1,200 or more including postage from so many different sources to Australia.

My goal is to empty/replace filter then continue to drop fluid every 20,000 kms to save from further wear.

Next week I'll call in at the local auto trans rebuild shop and ask him for a used filter. I want to do some study on what solvents can lift and suspend the material before I waste more trans fluid and solvent.

How about replacing the filter (yes, you have to take the trans out to do this, but it's a necessity) with a filter that has the screen mesh removed. Install an inline filter in the cooler line and replace that every 20,000km along with the fluid.

[precopster]

Is it possible the screen mesh is what's stopping the sediment from being pushed out? Is it up high in the filter Nautic?

At 25:45 Hirram shows the exact filter location. This helps a lot.

I am almost kicking myself at not protecting this transmission with a Magnefine or similar filter while doing fluid drops. I only did 20,000 kms since ownership with only one fluid drop of 3.5 litres. They were hard miles as I was exploring the T5s surprise factor

[cuhfs]

Nautic -
you wrote...

"How about replacing the filter (yes, you have to take the trans out to do this, but it's a necessity) with a filter that has the screen mesh removed. Install an inline filter in the cooler line and replace that every 20,000km along with the fluid."

FYI -
I have a clogged unit on my work bench. Is there an easy way to pull the filter? Or does one have to know transmission repair. You kinda make it sound easy. Is it?

[01_Nautic_V70]

Nautic -
you wrote...

"How about replacing the filter (yes, you have to take the trans out to do this, but it's a necessity) with a filter that has the screen mesh removed. Install an inline filter in the cooler line and replace that every 20,000km along with the fluid."

FYI -
I have a clogged unit on my work bench. Is there an easy way to pull the filter? Or does one have to know transmission repair. You kinda make it sound easy. Is it?

I've done it, it takes patience and lots of shop rags.

Here are the pictures.

Here's a fouled filter.

Fouled Filter

Here's the clean filter, mesh is about 10mm up into the filter. The pickup sits about 5-10mm off the bottom of the case.

Clean filter

In order to remove the filter, you need to split the bellhousing section from the main body of the transmission. After that, the pump has to be removed to get the filter out.

Internal view, filter removed

Then, you can install a new filter. so much work to access a $12 filter.

New filter installed

[cuhfs]

How difficult is it to split the housing and remove the pump? Can you estimate how long to do once trans is out? Sorry for the question but it uncharted territory for me. Do you have a pic of the pump? Thanks

[vtl]

May help: https://www.atsg.us/atsg/aw55-50sn-book.html