Cost of changing the automatic gearbox oil?

[RM955I]

Originally Posted by Finbo

Thanks RM955I, I get what you're trying to say, but engine oil is rather different to transmission oil

Not really - all oil depends on having good anti-shear and lubrication properties. As it degrades with time, use and contamination, those properties are lost: doesn't matter whether it's ATF, PAS fluid, engine oil or any other. PAS is another thing people neglect, allowing all the fine ferrous particles to slowly eat away at steering racks...but that's their choice.

If you want my advice, do sump dumps spread a thousand or so miles apart - that will allow the detergent to get to work.

The reality is that dealers know what Volvo tells them: owners know from running and living with the cars over many thousand miles and many years. My previous car came with 88k on the clock, left me with 163k on it and the new owner/buyer remarked on how smoothly it shifted: that was achieved via 'sump dumps'.

People who do the full flush are generally happy because they see the immediate results of clean fluid come out the other end: what they rarely see is how black the oil is a few thousand miles later.

In all honesty, you'd be well advised to take the advice given here whether that be sump dump or flush.

What is it they say about opinions? They're like a-holes: everyone has got one. All I can tell you is what I know from hands-on experience.

[Geozyg]

Personally I have changed mine at 70K. It has to be JWS3309, its NOT ATF.
But I just bought 8 Litres bought from Germany for £24. And yes its new Manoil. Its just Volvo and UK pricing thats ridiculous.

One of the best options I read and done myself if the drain out what easily comes out when the plug is removed, measure it and put new back in.
This avoids the hassle of undoing pipes to the cooler and air locks when filling.

It doesn't remove all the old oil but it does refresh. I am doing this every 9k miles with the engine oil (yes I know 18K is the service requirement and yes if you shop around you can get the oil for a sensible price) until I have put the 8 litres through the gearbox. Its not perfect but as there isn't an issue then what harm can it do.

The first time I did it the gearbox oil was a dark red, by the 3rd time its much more like the light red as new. So it must be working...

[I-S]

Originally Posted by Geozyg

Personally I have changed mine at 70K. It has to be JWS3309, its NOT ATF.
But I just bought 8 Litres bought from Germany for £24. And yes its new Manoil. Its just Volvo and UK pricing thats ridiculous.

Just be careful with definitive statements like this. Your 2009 vehicle will indeed be JWS3309. However, sometime during the MY10/MY11 region the spec changed from JWS3309 to the lower viscosity AW-1 fluid. So, everyone be aware that there are different fluids for different model years, despite the same AW TF80SC transmission being used.

I assume that there is a different control software set for the thinner viscosity fluid, if not physical differences.

[RM955I]

My 2010 handbook says BOT something or other: it's not - it's JWS3309 and the handbook is actually incorrect as verified by VIDA/a respected Volvo dealer.

"ATF" is a generic description: whether it's Dexron, JWS 3309, the BOT spec or anything else, it's all ATF as that's exactly what ATF is, a generic description for Automatic Transmission Fluid. Just make sure you use the right specification of ATF for your car.

[Finbo]

In a previous post, you said after a full flush the oil turns black again within a few thousand miles - why is that when it takes the original oil a long time to change colour?

[RM955I]

ATF has small amounts of detergent in it: by allowing the detergent to go to work rather than just passing it quickly through the system you all ow it to properly do its job. I suppose that you could also argue that the clean fluid has a greater capacity to absorb the contaminants rather than a suspension already laden with crud.