1993 Volvo 850 Reverse/Trans Issue

alexk243 · Post by **alexk243** » 28 May 2014, 11:13

So I recently started noticing that when my car is put into reverse and gas applied I get a skipping/bumping sound/feeling when the car drives. It seems to directly related to how much gas is applied... Is this an issue someone has dealt with before?

Post by **jblackburn** » 28 May 2014, 11:45

These are usually the beginning signs of the transmission starting to fail. Sometimes it can be due to a clogged filter screen, but that is internal to the transmission in these cars and there is little you can do to clean it.

Reverse requires higher line pressures to be maintained to engage than the forward gears.

The first questions you'd be asked by anyone:
-When's the last time the fluid was changed?
-Filled properly? Still nice and red, or is it dirty and brown/burnt looking?

alexk243 · Post by **alexk243** » 01 Jun 2014, 11:05

It was actually flushed maybe in january this year (fill and drain method, not forced through). Fluid still looks ok. Is it time to get rid of the car or is this preventable?

alexk243 · Post by **alexk243** » 08 Jun 2014, 10:38

Any Solutions? Or am I looking at a new trans soon?

Post by **Ben850** » 08 Jun 2014, 10:57

alexk243 wrote:Any Solutions? Or am I looking at a new trans soon?

I could not be sure, but my '93 throws me a curve sometimes.
I've done almost enough drain and fills over the past year and a half to believe the previous owners demons have been put out.

I had also pulled the TCM from the box and sprayed the contacts with electrical contact cleaner. I knew it at least couldn't hurt.

Do another drain and fill. spray the contacts on the TCM. The other options are not as easy.

Solenoids, PNP rebuild/replace?

You could also park in places where reverse would not be necessary. (my buddy used to do that when his shifter linkage had become disconnected to reverse on his Muncy.)

I digress. I hope at least some of these options might be of help.

alexk243 · Post by **alexk243** » 23 Sep 2014, 19:36

Naw... I live in the city so reverse is important (parallel parking).

Ill flush again soon. How soon does this "spread" to the forward gears?

Post by **chrafael** » 23 Sep 2014, 19:54

Just an off the wall question, did you check the motor mounts? When the little mount by the crank pulley went out on mine it sounded like a rod knock. Just a thought.

Post by **timmybdaddyof3** » 24 Sep 2014, 06:49

chrafael might (and hopefully) has a point, have someone sit in the car with it running and shift slowly from park through drive and back again while you watch for motor movement; there should be almost none if mounts and every thing are good (and the fastest way to kill mounts besides hard driving in an automatic is not to use your parking brake)

Unfortunately though these are the signs of full failure approaching....usually it goes with loss of reverse completely, followed by loss of forward shifting. You got a couple of options - 1. Sell it while you can, 2. New/Used/Rebuilt trans (a low mileage used from a unmodified car would not scare me as these are pretty stout), 2. It could be the filter, and you may be able to reverse flush it clean....this is a route that is delicate to go down and I would be very hesitant unless you either have the means to do it yourself or a shop that you really trust....done right (which is NOT a money maker for a shop that has the equipment) it COULD solve your problem, done wrong, you'll need a new tranny within 500 miles. and its a 50/50 on being the solution 4. I am not a fan of half ass fixes, but there are a few "miracles in a bottle" out there for stuff this - 95% of the time you are merely covering a problem, but it does by you time.

Professionally speaking if you walked into my shop with these symptoms I would pitch trans swap, if you said money was tight I'd get as much history as I could, pop the drain plug, drop the 3.5 quarts, add 2.5 of trans fluid and 1 of an additive and tell you to drive it for a week or so...If you feel like it solved your problem come back and give us $35, if not we can look at doing it right (I wont take money on a half baked temporary solution unless I client actually sees some value to it). There are a couple of additives I keep on hand but don't want to openly recommend without knowing more of the history...magic in a bottle is neat band-aid but it is definitely not a one size fits all.

Post by **timmybdaddyof3** » 24 Sep 2014, 06:49

chrafael might (and hopefully) has a point, have someone sit in the car with it running and shift slowly from park through drive and back again while you watch for motor movement; there should be almost none if mounts and every thing are good (and the fastest way to kill mounts besides hard driving in an automatic is not to use your parking brake)

Unfortunately though these are the signs of full failure approaching....usually it goes with loss of reverse completely, followed by loss of forward shifting. You got a couple of options - 1. Sell it while you can, 2. New/Used/Rebuilt trans (a low mileage used from a would not scare me as these are pretty stout

alexk243 · Post by **alexk243** » 26 Sep 2014, 11:53

The feeling is defiantly due to trans issue and not the engine shifting due to bad motor mounts. are you guys saying the bad mounts can contribute to the trans going out? Or that it may be giving me false symptoms?