Wearing out the welcome mat - tranny drain plug Topic is solved

[YV1LW]

IMG_0280.jpg (115.75 KiB) Viewed 1147 times

I believe this is the lower end of an AW42 AWD version.

Is the bolt depicted in the photo just a drain plug?

If so, then why not just dump & refill instead of the start/stop pump out into a liter or two container (i.e. the technique outline in the iPD Transmission Flush Hose Kit #T7072)?

[ZionXIX]

In my case I wanted to change all 200k miles worth of fluid in one session rather than drain 2 or 3 quarts every 100 miles or so. I would rather spend a couple hours now standing upright vs putting the car on ramps every weekend until I'm confident all the fluid is changed. Also I feel I get a more thorough fluid exchange this way. To each his own though.

[abscate]

Only about 1/3 of the ATF sits in the sump when the car is shut off, so you can’t drain it all.

Using the transmission line let’s you pump it out so you can replace almost all of it.

[erikv11]

I believe this is the lower end of an AW42 AWD version.

Is the bolt depicted in the photo just a drain plug?
...

Yes and yes.

[crlande]

Darn right! So much easier to be standing while doing the start and stop and filling, than getting under our cars is the way to go. Good piece of mind that 90% gets swapped out in 20 minutes or so.

[YV1LW]

Thanks to all for the info, data and opinions. It's definitely not easy for me to crawl around under a vehicle, BUT maybe a warm vehicle, pulling that plug and letting all the debris on the bottom of the pan come whooshing out might a positive. Then do the pump & dump program.

I'm going to wager that someone on this forum has on the tip of their tongue the size of the crush washer that fits the AW42 drain plug. It couldn't possibly be the same size as the oil pan drain plug would it? could it?

[abscate]

Volvo part 977751 crush washer will fit both the oil drain plug and the AT drain plug - I think it fits the M56 drain plug too.

You can check fitment at either volvopartswebstore or at FCP of course.

[YV1LW]

To close this topic out, I did what I would term a hybrid fluid change. I dumped the pan, cleaned the magnetic plug (no bits of metal with part numbers) refilled, then pulled the upper hose and pumped and funneled fluid. Consumed nearly 5.5 gals. When I was done, and I did not add back more than I took out, the dipstick showed well over full HOT after a spirited test drive. I removed about 1 to 1.25 L of fluid, including this morning when I checked level cold (it was 23 degrees F not C). Need to check again as the fluid seems to "creep" up the stick. Capillary action??

Fluid is now red and not dirt brown. No shift issues thus far. Thanks for all the tips and tricks. HNY

[ZionXIX]

To close this topic out, I did what I would term a hybrid fluid change. I dumped the pan, cleaned the magnetic plug (no bits of metal with part numbers) refilled, then pulled the upper hose and pumped and funneled fluid. Consumed nearly 5.5 gals. When I was done, and I did not add back more than I took out, the dipstick showed well over full HOT after a spirited test drive. I removed about 1 to 1.25 L of fluid, including this morning when I checked level cold (it was 23 degrees F not C). Need to check again as the fluid seems to "creep" up the stick. Capillary action??

Fluid is now red and not dirt brown. No shift issues thus far. Thanks for all the tips and tricks. HNY

If you drained the fluid while hot but refilled with room temperature fluid, you will add too much. Transmission fluid expands a lot once it heats up.

[YV1LW]

@zionxix
I had not considered the coefficient of expansion. Might be an interesting science experiment - put a liter of HOT tranny fluid in a 1 L container and see what the volume is when at room temp (or colder).

I regret not checking the stick more closely BEFORE starting the process.