Procedure for removing angle gear on a 2007 Volvo V50, AWD, M66

[Richard99]

Hello,

I have recently done the task of removing the angle gear to replace leaking transmission seals on a 2007 Volvo V50, AWD, M66 and wanted to share the procedure and some solutions to hangups I experienced. To the best of my knowledge, there is no step by step procedure for this process on P1 cars, though it is somewhat similar to others. The step by step procedure is as follows:

Minimum tools required:

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19 mm socket
17 mm socket
14 mm socket
13 mm socket
10 mm socket
7 mm socket

8 mm hex socket

T25 bit
T30 bit
T40 bit

21 mm or 13/16'' wrench
13 mm wrench
10 mm wrench

8 mm Allen wrench

mini sledge
ball joint separator
pry bar
flathead screwdriver
various extensions
oil drain pan
coolant catch pan(s)
needle nose pliers
vice-grips
pick(s)
small bolt for cv joint - angle gear flange removal

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1. Loosen the 19mm passenger side wheel bolts

2. Remove CV axle bolt (14 mm for me, some are 13 mm)

3. Raise car sufficiently as to be able to work comfortably underneath. Install jack stands

4. Remove passenger side wheel

5. Remove wheel fender liner (2 x 10mm + many T25)

6. Remove skid plate (7 x T30)

7. Unclip wheel speed sensor

8. Undo control arm ball joint bolt (21 mm wrench)

9. Use a ball joint separator to separate the joint from the knuckle (it took a lot of force for mine to come undone.)

10. Use some kind of pry underneath the sway bar end links to leverage the ball joint out of the knuckle and separate the knuckle from the ball joint

11. Remove the two 10 mm bolts to undo the carrier bearing bracket for the passenger side CV axle. Rusty brackets may require some persuasion with hammer or mallet.

12. Use a small extension to tap out the end of the CV axle a little bit , then use a combination of turning the knuckle clockwise and pulling the CV axle to remove it from the knuckle. Prepare to catch leaking transmission fluid upon removal of CV axle

13. Remove the CV axle from the transmission. Check the condition of the boots and carrier bearing and plan for a boot refresh if necessary.

14. Remove lower turbo piping. There are 3 x 10mm bolts and 2 hose clamps that hold it on.

15. Undo the angle gear heat shield bolts. There are 3 x 10mm total. Two are very accessible, and one is completely blind. You will have to feel around for the third. It sits very close to the top-most Angle gear to transmission bolt. I recommend undoing it from the top if you have skinny arms. Otherwise, you will need to take a small wrench and get to it from the bottom. This can be a very difficult process. Have patience. Do not replace it for an easier job in the future. The heat shield can't be removed without warping it. Don't bother removing it. This step is simply to allow easier access to the other bolts of the angle gear.

16. Remove the passenger side angle gear bracket. There are 2 x 10mm that hold the angle gear to the bracket, and 2 x 13mm that hold the bracket to the engine. Undo all and remove the bracket. You will likely need to push the oil cooler line away to fit a socket over the lower 13 mm bolt. That was the case for me, at least.

17. Use a 17 mm socket to drain the engine oil in order to remove the oil cooler. Don't attempt to try to remove the angle gear without removing the oil cooler. You'll just damage it. I know it's possible on P2 cars but it's unlikely to be successful on P1 cars.

18. Undo the 4 T40 bolts that hold the oil cooler to the oil pan. The oil cooler should stick to the oil pan even with the bolts out. Prepare to catch some oil from the pan and the cooler.

19. Wiggle the oil cooler away from the oil pan. Some oil will likely come out. Make sure to try to drain out any remaining oil in the oil cooler by flipping it and moving it around over a catch pan.

20. Thoroughly drain the coolant from the petcock. A pliers may be necessary to loosen the petcock.

21. Undo the 4 hose clamps for the two hoses using a 7 mm socket. It's tight in there but doable. Use a flathead screwdriver if necessary.

22. Prepare to catch coolant that will rush out of the hoses when they are undone from the oil cooler and piping. Use a pick and work it underneath the hoses. They will likely be very stuck on. Once they have been sufficiently worked over with a pick remove the ends of them from the oil cooler. Be ready with a catch can. Some coolant will rush out.

23. Remove the oil cooler and completely remove the hose that runs nearest to the angle gear. The other one can be left attached to the engine coolant piping.

24. Undo the 6 x 8mm hex bolts that hold the angle gear flange to the propeller shaft cv joint. You should be able to rotate the shaft to gain space to remove them (otherwise put car in neutral). I used an extension of appropriate length with an 8mm hex bolt socket and was able to remove them that way. It's a long process so be patient. If you're having trouble with a socket try an ordinary 8mm Allen wrench with as long a handle as possible.

25. Undo the 2 x 13 mm and 2 x 10 mm bolts to undo the forward most bracket for the propeller shaft. This will allow for easier separation of the flange and cv joint

26. Separate the angle gear flange and propeller shaft cv joint. If it won't get undone by hand, use a small bolt (a bit shorter length than the 8mm hex bolts just removed) to placed on the backside of the angle gear flange to separate them. Note that the hole on the backside is NOT threaded. There are two holes that are 180 degrees apart on the backside of the angle gear flange. You will need to feel for where they are. Place the bolt through this hole. You will feel it bottom out. Using the heat shield as a stabilizing surface, whack the bolt with a mini sledge many times. Repeat on the other side to evenly separate the flange. Use penetrating fluid as well by spraying it in the bolt holes. "Sliding" the hammer over the heat shield surface helps to guide the hammer better when in such a cramped space.

27. Undo the 5 x 13 mm bolts that hold the angle gear onto the transmission. 3 are very easy to access; the top 2 are quite difficult. I recommend starting with the top 2 and using a 13 mm wrench from the top to gain access. From the top you can see the second highest screw, the 5th is completely hidden. Remove the necessary items such that you can stick your hand down from the top of the engine to undo that screw. It's helpful to have a ratcheting wrench for this so that you don't need to keep placing the wrench over the screw with the limited space available. Once the highest screw is undone also undo the second from highest screw from the top. Next undo the last three screws from the bottom.

28. Finally wiggle the angle gear until the drivers side surface has clearance over the transmission mount bracket. Wiggle it towards the passenger side and out through the hole below. Have a little patience. It shouldn't take long. Be ready at all times to catch it so that it doesn't fall on you! It's not super heavy (maybe 50 lbs) but would still hurt if it fell on you.

29. Lastly, remove the angle gear collar sleeve by using a vice grips, clamping the rear side, and wiggle it out. Make sure to use an up and down wiggling action and take your time. It will eventually come out. It appears that Volvo uses some kind of glue to hold it on. There was a hard resinous substance left behind on the transmission side splines. If it won't budge from the vice-grips, tap it gently and repeadedly on alternating sides with a mini sledge. This should free it from the glue. Follow the vice-grips removal method from here. If you still don't feel it giving way a bit upon wiggling, repeat until it does.

30. Replacement is the reverse of removal. Good luck! If you're replacing the three transmission seals, they can be easily removed using some kind of pry. Be careful not to mare the sealing surfaces.