96 850T transmission advice needed

rwerner · Post by **rwerner** » 18 Sep 2009, 11:41

I'm a long time reader, and have read most of the relevant topics on this but haven't found my exact symptom.

1996 850 Turbo, 160K miles

This morning my wife took the kids to school, when she got home she said "The Volvo is shifting funny - would you look at it?"

I started the car, shifted to Reverse, there was a thunk, and when I released the brake the car didn't move. I shifted into Drive and the car moved forward fine. I shifted back into Reverse, again nothing. In Neutral I tried pushing the car, it felt like the brake was on. I verified that the parking brake was off, tried Reverse again and after revving the engine the car clunked into R and started moving, but jerkily. Drive worked fine.

Trans fluid is full, brown but not horribly so. I'm about to try a trans fluid flush, before I start that I thought I'd ask for advice from you experts.

Thanks in advance.

Post by **Ozark Lee** » 18 Sep 2009, 14:38

Welcome to MVS,

Do you have a flashing up arrow light? How does it shift through the forward gears?

...Lee

rwerner · Post by **rwerner** » 18 Sep 2009, 15:20

No flashing up arrow light. Haven't dared move it any further than to get it into the garage where it is level so I can do the ATF flush. Forward at low speed seemed OK, my wife reported that she had to rev it up to get the transmission to engage.

rwerner · Post by **rwerner** » 18 Sep 2009, 17:25

Did the ATF flush, no joy.

When in Reverse or Neutral, it feels like there is a brake on. To get it back out of the garage I had to rev it way up to get the car to move, accompanied by a grinding noise. It seems to move forward in Drive just fine.

Any suggestions before I call the shop?

Post by **Ozark Lee** » 18 Sep 2009, 17:46

It sounds like the transmission is toast. You can buy a used transmission for a ton less than you can get the old one rebuilt. If you have an OBD-II code reader I would try to read the power train codes. Volvos are good about setting codes even if things haven't gone to the total failure mode. Any standard OBD-II reader should pull transmission codes.

Your best case scenario is that you have a bad shift solenoid and that should show up with a code scan.

If you can pull any codes post them back.

...Lee

rwerner · Post by **rwerner** » 18 Sep 2009, 23:23

I did try to pull the codes, didn't get anything. My OBD-II reader doesn't support the special sequences needed to get the Volvo transmission and SRS codes.

I talked to the shop, they say to replace the transmission is $4K. The car is worth maybe $2K - well, it was yesterday. Even with doing a lot of the labor myself it had turned into a real money pit the last few years, with front struts, starter motor, ABS module, blower motor, front seatbelt tensioner, on top of the usual stuff like brakes, tires, timing belt, etc. etc. etc.

Oh well. Anyone want to take it off my hands for the parts?

Post by **Ozark Lee** » 18 Sep 2009, 23:58

Go ahead and post it in the for sale sections - in your case I would throw it up in both the parts and cars sections since you can make a case for either.

Be sure to add a location in the post.

I understand your frustration. These are great cars but unless you can do all of the work on them yourself they will eat you alive.

...Lee

rwerner · Post by **rwerner** » 19 Sep 2009, 00:31

thanks Lee, I'll do that.