Car sticks in low gear on freeway.

vdriver · Post by **vdriver** » 19 Apr 2009, 15:43

I have a 1990 740 that has about 227,000 miles on it. Recently replaced the fuel pump and a week later, though it functions normally in the city, when I take the car onto the freeway, it will run in the low (overdrive?) gear instead of Drive. It is the gear I use when I use the button on the side of the gear shift.

I checked the relay behind the ashtray, it looks fine.

The mechanic where I usually take my car told me over the phone that it could be a kickback cable; however, when I looked in a Chilton service manual, there was no mention of a kickback cable anywhere.

If I change the transmission oil will that be a good start to eliminating my troubleshooting options? Can anyone explain to me the procedure for changing transmission oil? Is it just a matter of draining the fluid and replacing it?

Any other troubleshooting advise would help alot. Thanks.

Post by **billofdurham** » 19 Apr 2009, 16:23

I have moved this to the RWD forum as you are more likely to get answers to this common problem on the older cars.

Overdrive is actually a higher gear. I am assuming you have an automatic box which is, in effect, a 3 speed box with 4th as an overdrive controlled by the button on the side of the gear shift. The box should change from 1 - 4 in normal mode but when you are in 4 you can drop to 3 by pressing the button. A warning light, in the shape of an arrow pointing up, will illuminate on the dash to remind you that you are in 3. Pressing the button again will re-engage 4 and the light will go out. I would suspect you are using the overdrive button the wrong way. If I have misread your post the overdrive problem is well documented on this forum. Post back and we shall point you in the right direction.

A relay may look fine but you can only check that it is working by testing it or by replacing it with a known good one.

The cable your mechanic was referring to would be the kickdown cable which has little to do with what you describe. It only comes into play when you push the accelerator pedal to the floor when you want to do a quick downshift to overtake something. This action will drop one or more gears, depending on engine and road speed, but will change up again when you ease back on the loud pedal.

Before embarking on a fluid change, unless you know that it is more than 20,000 miles since it was changed (that is the interval specified by Volvo) check the level of the fluid and also check the colour and condition.

To check the fluid follow this:
A 30 minute run; back to a level surface; apply parking brake; engage P and, with the engine idling move the selector lever through all gears pausing for 4-5 seconds in each position. Back to P and let engine idle for about 2 minutes, remove dipstick, wipe on a lint free cloth, replace dipstick then withdraw it and check the reading. If it needs topping up add the fluid slowly through the dipstick tube. Do not overfill.

The fluid should be a nice reddish colour. If it is brown and smells burned then it is in need of changing.

Before moving on to how to change the fluid check to see if it needs it. Post back for the instructions.

Bill.

vdriver · Post by **vdriver** » 20 Apr 2009, 07:16

Thank you, Bill.

Yes, you are describing precisely the issue of the overdrive I am having problems with. I checked the transmission fluid as you advised and it is brown. Unforturnately, the person I bought the car from was a neighbor that turned out to give me bad info of the car.

The history of maintenance on the car he promised never appeared so do not know when the last change on the transmission fluid happened; consequently, I have put quite a few repairs and lots of money into it. I have had the car about 2 years.

The next step is to change the transmission fluid, so will wait on some advise from the forum.

Thank you, V

Post by **billofdurham** » 20 Apr 2009, 11:26

Views on transmission fluid changes are varied. Some just do a basic change others go for a complete flush. It is felt by many including me, that a high mileage box may suffer adversely if it is flushed.

For a basic change see paras 1 & 2 of the attached. This will change about half of the fluid leaving old fluid in the torque converter. Obviously this will mix with the new fluid and partially contaminate it. To change all of the fluid you will need to follow paras 3 & 4.

740 trans fluid change.pdf: (118.27 KiB) Downloaded 165 times

You will also find this thread interesting: https://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/forums ... nge#p48071.

The IPD trans flush kit can be found at: http://www.ipdusa.com/Volvo-700/Transmi ... -669-1026/

Bill.

vdriver · Post by **vdriver** » 21 Apr 2009, 08:35

Hello Bill,

Thanks for all of the info for changing and flushing the transmission fluid. Yesterday I went to the library to look at the Chiltons Manuals for changing the transmission fluid a second time. Turns out I was looking in the wrong section for my particular model Volvo.

Here are a couple of parts I am not familiar with and need to know if I can get some kind of visual illustrations to familiarize myself with these parts:

-kickdown cable and throttle pulley
-control rod, reaction rod
-transmission to driveshaft flange
-the wire at the solenoid
-transmission cross-member assembly

I am thinking this is for the removal of the whole transmission. I found this on pg 21-40 of the Chilton Manual for 1988-1992 Volvos.

Anyway, is there any visual help that you can give me to help me navigate through this job?

Thanks again, V

PS. You say the 'high mileage box' will suffer if I choose to do a flush. Since my car has 228,000 miles now, would you consider a flush to be asking for more problems down the road? What are the issues for my car if the old transmission fluid contaminates the new?

Post by **billofdurham** » 21 Apr 2009, 12:30

I don't have a Chilton manual but it probably reads like this:

740 auto box removal.pdf: (94.51 KiB) Downloaded 166 times

This is from a Volvo publication.

The parts you are concerned about only need to be disturbed for removal of the box. However, as you have asked here they are:

740 kickdown cable1.pdf: (34.54 KiB) Downloaded 139 times

The throttle pulley is the bit on the left in the top diagram.

740 shift linkage.pdf: (22.58 KiB) Downloaded 160 times

740 auto box.pdf: (710.94 KiB) Downloaded 184 times

The transmission to driveshaft flange is part #5 and the cross member assembly is part #11 or #21.

740 od solenoid location..pdf: (364.01 KiB) Downloaded 156 times

The wire goes into the top of the solenoid.

Unfortunately I can't find any pictures of the drain plug or the oil pan. However, whilst looking for these I did find that Volvo discontinued the requirement to clean the fluid strainer so there is now no need to remove the oil pan if it is fitted with a drain plug. This was in a technical service bulletin (TSB) issued in December 1990.

You say the 'high mileage box' will suffer if I choose to do a flush

I actually said "may suffer". This is my opinion and I know that others feel the same. However, you will find that many members of this and other forums will disagree with me. I feel the same way about flushing the oil system in high mileage engines. I would never say, "You must not flush this unit." That is a personal choice.

Read this thread for more information on partial and full changes: https://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/forums ... nge#p66350

madorion advises partial changes followed by full. That was also the advice given to me by a Volvo tech.

If the old fluid is badly contaminated, and smells strongly of burning, I would suggest that you do fluid changes at 10,000 miles instead of 20,000 for the first two or three changes.

Bill.

vdriver · Post by **vdriver** » 21 Apr 2009, 13:52

This is priceless info and much appreciated. I feel confident now that I can do this job right.

V

Post by **billofdurham** » 21 Apr 2009, 15:56

Keep us posted.

Bill.

vdriver · Post by **vdriver** » 22 Apr 2009, 16:51

Just got home from work and immediately drained the transmission fluid from my car. I have attempted to remove the filler tube but the nuts are not budging.

I sprayed the bolts with liquid wrench to try and loosen their grip and am now letting it sit for a few more minutes.

My only problem is whether I am attempting to loosen the nuts

in the correct direction. I am coming at the nuts from the drivers side, and if it is lefty loosy, then I am trying to loosen the nuts with the wrench by turning the nuts toward the front of the car. Is this right?

Thanks again

PS. It is the next day and still no progress with the nuts. Still unsure of which way to turn in order to loosen the nuts. Is it from right to left?

vdriver · Post by **vdriver** » 24 Apr 2009, 06:05

If the nut for the filler tube loosens the same direction as the bolt for the drain pan, then it is the 'lefty loosy, righty tighty' protocol.

Since I am in my garage with no lift, the space I have to work with is very cramped; consequently, it is turning out to be quite a struggle loosening the grip of the first nut.