Drop transmission pan?

Post by **FireFox31** » 03 May 2023, 16:41

Is it at all reasonable to drop the transmission fluid pan on a 2000 V70? My goal would be to do a very thorough fluid change, removing any metal bits which might be there. My transmission is so bad I think it could use that level of care.

I just did the transmission fluid change on my 2016 Mercedes E350. It's designed to drop the pan, letting you change the large fluid filter, clean the magnet, and wipe everything down of fine carbon particles. Would really love to give the V70 that much cleaning.

Post by **FlyingVolvo** » 03 May 2023, 19:15

If your trans is already a bit rough, it's generally not advisable to do a full flush or aggressive cleaning. The most recommended method would be to do a series of "drain & fills". Drop the drain plug, usually about 3.5 quarts comes out. Refill with the same amount and do this 2-3 more times with some driving in between. It'll gently clean out the transmission without the shock of all new fluid instantly.

I've also run a Magnefine inline filter on mine, since there is no filter stock. Been using them for 100K+ miles with no issues. In the past, when I've opened them up, it's easy to see they've done a really nice job of attracting metal particles with the magnet.

Post by **foggydogg** » 04 May 2023, 08:07

Pulling the plug and having a hard look at the fluid will tell you as much as removing the pan on these cars. Stick a magnet in the bottom of your catch receptacle, it will gather the ferrous bits. I've used Robert's (and others) method of disconnecting the cooler line and pumping the remaining old fluid in stages - after the initial topoff after unplugging.