Auto box error code?

Last month I was on my way home from work when the car started acting strangely. It took AGES to accelerate away at junctions ( which was a bit hairy). Luckily only 6 miles from home I stopped for fuel and after restarting she seemed a little better and at least got me home. This was my last day of shift for 4 days and I had promised her a 'drain and refill' for the gearbox as I was getting a 'TRANSMISION SERVICE NEEDED' DTC. message.

I may have mentioned in another thread that the oil change was carried out and the old oil was BLACK. I thought I had pulled the wrong drain plug , but the smell told me it was AQF.

I refilled it with 'the best stuff' not the cheapest but came recommended by many Volvo contacts. After this she seemed like a 'new car' and was changing gears and kickdowns were a dream. The faulty code also went.

But the other day she again performed 'weird' and the LED indcator in the dash had 'lost its memory'. It was showing only a '-'. I pulled over and tried the gear selector but it would not recognise what gear it was in so I limped back to Tesco to get some grub. I came out and tried a restart and AMAZEMENT it was back to normal and took me home. The gear indications were now showing and she was performing 'normalish'.

I checked the VIDA codes and I have now got 'CLUTCH 'A' EXCESSIVE SLIPPAGE'?

Now is this because I didnt do a FULL 'drain and flush' PURGING the galleries until CLEAN oil came out - ONLY an oil change. Have I got silt still in the box do you think or is something else wrong please?

Its only had one owner a disbled lady who drove it very gently, had EVERY little job done on it and no red lining etc also it was 'low' mileage when i got her (the car not the old lady!) 120k on the clock ( my other cars have had over 170k BUT this is my first AUTO V70. My previous ones (ALL T5's) I bought manuals for performance) I was warned the Volvo 'semi auto' box is a horror - but Ive had the car 3 years now with only minor issues so whats the crack?

Surely the gearbox cant need changing at 150k???

Im up for a FULL drain and flush (I know it costs a fortune in oil) but could this cure the fault and 'save' the box?

All advice welcome please?

Cheers

OK no interest in that then!

Has anyone swapped out a gearbox on a V70 Phase 2 please? I know this is going to be an engine, drive shafts, exhaust etc OUT of the car. I'll have to get a second hand box or get mine recond.

Has anyone got an engine hoist I could borrow (if and when needed) please?

Whilst the engine is out I'll change the steering rack for my spare one as it has a slow leak.

How have you come to the conclusion that the whole gearbox needs replacing? Flush the transmission fluid using the Gibbons method. If you have any concerns that the transmission is getting gunked up and playing havoc with the solenoids then fit an in line MAGNAFINE 3/8” magnetic oil filter (with a paper element) which will catch everything. Fitted one to mine. Never looked back. You can get them online for about £20.

Level diagram Attachment 33269

YOU SIR are a genius what oil do you use please?
THANK YOU!!!

I use FUCHS TITAN 4400 which is JWS 3309 compliant. Recommended by opie oils.
Attachment 33271

Attachment 33272

Thanks mate. Where does the 'MAGNAFINE' fit into the system please?

I was beginning to think a box change was needed as there is a 'flat spot' when accelerating the gears just hand between 2&3 for a few seconds then change. Slowing down to a roundabout I have to go VERY gently on the brakes otherwise there is quite a jolt when the car stops? This all went after the oil change. But as I now know I only drained about 3 litres of the 7. So I need to do a live flush through to clean it all out. Ill get 10 litres that should do?

Yeah. 10 litres will do nicely. You can buy a washing machine waste hose from a hardware store for a fiver. The rubber end of the hose fits snuggly over the upper radiator fitting. You will have to cut the transmission hose which leads to the radiator to fit the magnafine and use 2 fuel line or hose clamps to pinch it tight. The magnafine filter holds about 200ml so take this into consideration if you are putting in exactly what you have taken out. Once you have run the transmission through all the gears and the transmission oil temp is 40 degrees with the engine running use the transmission dipstick to get exact readings of fluid level. You won’t have too much time as the oil temp increases fairly quickly. Nail the oil level and it will shift beautifully. These transmissions do not like too much or too little fluid. They start crazy shifting immediately. Always try to check the temp at 40 or 80 degrees centrigrade as the dipstick is designed to be read easily at these temps.

Note. When flushing using the Gibbons method take no more than 1.5 litres out and then put 1.5 litres in via the dipstick tube using a LONG flexible funnel. Ideally you need an extra pair of hands on the job. Someone to switch the engine on and off and someone to monitor the fluid levels in the containers. I used washed out plastic milk containers with a pre marked fluid level on the side. Remember it’s always easier to add a bit if you are short rather than take 300ml out of you overfilled. So err on the side of caution each time you add the fluid.

You should be flushing the entire transmission every 5 years or 50,000 miles. I believe that volvo introduced this additional layer of servicing many years after production as “lifetime” fluid has many meanings!!!

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Originally Posted by uqj83l

Yeah. 10 litres will do nicely. You can buy a washing machine waste hose from a hardware store for a fiver. The rubber end of the hose fits snuggly over the upper radiator fitting. You will have to cut the transmission hose which leads to the radiator to fit the magnafine and use 2 fuel line or hose clamps to pinch it tight. The magnafine filter holds about 200ml so take this into consideration if you are putting in exactly what you have taken out. Once you have run the transmission through all the gears and the transmission oil temp is 40 degrees with the engine running use the transmission dipstick to get exact readings of fluid level. You won’t have too much time as the oil temp increases fairly quickly. Nail the oil level and it will shift beautifully. These transmissions do not like too much or too little fluid. They start crazy shifting immediately. Always try to check the temp at 40 or 80 degrees centrigrade as the dipstick is designed to be read easily at these temps.

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I had a look at this pipe onto the radiator it appears to be aluminium or does it go to rubberlower down to fit the Magnafine?

Lower down it changes to rubber.