Transmission Fluid Service

[Clan]

Originally Posted by Kev0607

Its not an urban internet myth at all. I phoned my local dealership and they told me they don't do transmission servicing... I'm not making it up.

The handbook states that the transmission only needs to be serviced if the vehicle is being used for towing or in arduous conditions. People read that statement and interpret it as "I don't do any towing, so I don't need to bother."

They service department should not have said that, they cant pick and choose what jobs they do, they are there to comply with volvos franchise agreements and in your case they broke them because they couldn't be bothered to find out for you. Its shocking really.. easy money for them too. In my 47 years experience with servicing volvos I don't think it matters really when you change the auto gearbox oil as long as it is in the 50000 to 100,000 miles range .

[Darlo 1]

Originally Posted by Kev0607

Its not an urban internet myth at all. I phoned my local dealership and they told me they don't do transmission servicing... I'm not making it up.

The handbook states that the transmission only needs to be serviced if the vehicle is being used for towing or in arduous conditions. People read that statement and interpret it as "I don't do any towing, so I don't need to bother."

Would you leave the engine oil for 20 years? Transmission oil has a hard time inside a gearbox so it makes no sense to not change it no matter what your dealership says.

[stuart bowes]

I get the impression Kev was doing his best to try and do just that

there are plenty of people out there though who see cars as a lump of metal with 4 wheels and some seats, with zero understanding at all of what goes on underneath, I know some of them personally

so in some cases it's very much down to outside advice as to what care and attention the car gets in its lifetime

that obviously doesn't apply to most people who take the time and effort to sign up to forums and learn as much as they can

[Kev0607]

Originally Posted by Darlo 1

Would you leave the engine oil for 20 years? Transmission oil has a hard time inside a gearbox so it makes no sense to not change it no matter what your dealership says.

Of course I wouldn't, would you?

I was making the point that my local dealership doesn't offer transmission servicing, which is a complete disgrace.

I believe all fluids need to be changed. I don't believe in the "sealed for life" statement. If its "sealed for life", why is there a drain plug and fill plug?

I change all fluids. Always have.

[stuart bowes]

I realise this has been done to death but can I just double check something I think I read somewhere but might have remembered incorrectly

I've done 3 dump 'n fills within the last 10-12k or so (couple of years ago) and it's been running better but still the occasional flare into 3rd, so I'm going to do another 10 ltrs but using the gibbons method (got some tubing and a spare green clip ready)

the question: is it still worth doing the 1st change as a dump 'n fill to give the pump something clean to work with, or does that mean when I start the gibbons method I'll literally just pump out the clean stuff straight from the sump and waste good fluid

what I'm trying to achieve (what I thought I read somewhere..) was the dump and fill means that clean stuff is pumping around the system (and through torque converter) while the old dirty stuff is coming out of the tube, then you top up with new stuff, rinse and repeat as they say

I will have the car jacked up to start with anyway as I'm doing an oil change as well, so it's not a case of saving time or effort, it's more just wondering how the fluid moves around the box if you see what I mean

[barrybritcher]

about 5 drain and fills will have the fluid fully changed but on the AW55 5 speed its best to do two drain and fills then anything beyond that do as a gibbons flush ( washing machine drain hose)

[stuart bowes]

this might be really stupid for some reason but..

if I still have the empty big blue tub from last time (never got around to throwing it away) and a big new full blue tub

can't I just get two hoses and put one in the full and one in the empty, and run the engine until the new tub is empty (or at least until it's coming through pure red) I could even have it up on stands and go through the gears a bit at the same time if that helps

or is the gearbox pump too weak to draw it up that length of tubing

I don't mind the usual method of stopping every now and then and topping up again though, it's not a problem it just takes longer I guess

what I wanted to know though was.. does the fluid come from the sump, through the internal components, then out into the cooler (or bucket in this case) OR does it go from the sump through the cooler then back into the top and through the internal parts. makes a difference in terms of whether it's worth doing a drain and fill first

when I say 'sump' that might not be right but I mean from the bottom of the housing near the drain plug