Transmission Advice

[DCintraining]

I've looked at all the transmission related posts, but I need some more advice.

I have a early 1993 850 GLT nonturbo with 185K miles. My wife and I received this vehicle as a gift from my in-laws when we moved back to the east coast 2 years ago (162K).

First, I'm in Grad school and would like to keep this car until I graduate in $125K err 3 years. Lately the trasmission has been feeling a little "clunky" and makes at little "swishing" briefly (approx 1 sec) when first accelerating past 15 mph after starting the engine. My father-in-law doesn't remember when the trany was flushed, but a little sticker on the airbox indicates that it was done 138K.

I could flush the system myself (using advice from the forum) but I have several concerns.

1. How much transmission fluid would I reasonable need to buy to flush the system?
2. What type of fluid should I buy?
3. Being environmentally friendly, where should I bring the old stuff for proper disposal?
4. Would I be better off having it serviced by a transmission shop or a independent garage?

Thanks for all the advice and help!

[matthew1]

1. How much transmission fluid would I reasonable need to buy to flush the system?

I used 12 quarts in my inefficient method. The system takes 8 quarts. I'd recommend the tube method, where you affix aquarium tubing to a nozzle and the car pumps it out while you add in fluid via the dipstick.

There's this and two or three more tips here https://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/tips_content.php (search on 'ATF') that document this method:

LAgte
11/18/2001
Piece of cake to flush yourself. Remove exit hose from tranny to radiator at the radiator attachment point. A snap-ring pliar is highly recommended to remove clamp. It looks like you can do it with a screw driver, but clamp damage is highly probable, and you don't want it blowing off later in traffic.

Run engine until bubbles show up (clear hose is nice--and 850, S70, V70's are kind to the mechanic because the drain is on the driver's side, allowing one to watch the progress out the driver's window), shud down, add a couple quarts of tranny fluid, then keep repeating until you are satisfied it is clean--I think I pumped 9 quarts through my wife's 96 turbo wagon with 85K and wished I had had about three more quarts to get it crystal clear. Top it off and put the hose back on. I used Castrol synthetic blend mostly because I could not find pure synthetic locally. And I think I would rather go with more frequent changes at a lower cost rather than extended service with synthetic.

2. What type of fluid should I buy?

Dextron IIE/III

3. Being environmentally friendly, where should I bring the old stuff for proper disposal?

Call auto parts stores in your area. Most around here take fluids for free. Buy an oil drain pan for easy used fluid transport.

4. Would I be better off having it serviced by a transmission shop or a independent garage?

It's a time/money tradeoff, as are most do-it-yourself things . A bonus to doing it yourself is that you gain an understanding of how things work that may be useful one day in an emergency.