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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2015
    Location
    Gilbert, AZ
    Posts
    22

    Default ATF drain simple, but...

    Finally got the time to attack the trans oil service, and I've gone through all the relevant posts for the fluid change. What took me a while was figuring out which was the drain plug! I'd seen the drawings from the service publications, but under the car it didn't leap out at me, and I was looking for a horizontally-oriented plug. Found it, and for anyone else who needs a little direction, it's circled in the first photo below.

    Absent a helper, I elected to do the simple drain-and-refill method. The job is conceptually simple, but I ran into some problems which I was fortunate enough to conquer. First, removing the fill plug was ridiculously difficult! It took a 1/2" drive breaker bar to crack it - which tells me the trans had never been serviced before today. (And as a reminder, any time you plan to drain a trans or a diff, ALWAYS open the FILL port first to make sure you can refill after you drain! Long story behind that advice.) Next, draining almost didn't happen! The cheesy little level-port screw (with the Torx 40 head) seems to be made of aluminum or pot metal, and it was nearly as tight as fill plug. As I applied torque, the head started to strip, and that could have gotten ugly. I used a hammer on the drive tool both to bottom it firmly in the bolt head, and also to help break the "stiction." That worked, and blessedly the bolt came out. The final "problem" wasn't much of one, but at least two sources had claimed that the aluminum crush washer on the main trans plug was identical to that used on the engine oil pan plug - nope. The trans plug is a larger diameter. I'll chase that down and find a replacement bolt for the level plug as well.

    The rest of the task was as uneventful as it should have been. About 3-1/4 quarts drained out, and I simply refilled the trans with the same volume of fresh Mobil 3309. The old fluid was pretty dark (see pics) and poured about like water, but I was encouraged that it neither smelled nor tasted burnt. The drained ATF (at 117K) was not opaque, but it surely convinced me that "no service necessary" for the Volvo automatics is somebody's pipe dream. I'll repeat the procedure at the next few oil changes .
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails XC70 trans drain-level_2.jpg   XC70 old ATF.jpg   fresh ATF.jpg  
    Last edited by smitty; 08-07-2016 at 07:32 PM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    May 2015
    Location
    Arkansas
    Posts
    50

    Default

    You are correct, changing ATF is not rocket science. I agree, Volvo's claim that it is "lifetime" is absurd. Of course they do that so they can sell more transmissions! Personally I think the second and even third change of ATF should be at about 100-500 mile intervals. You should notice a smoother shift with the fresh oil.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Location
    SE Pennsylvania
    Posts
    98

    Default

    My level plug head stripped. I had to use a pipe wrench on the drain plug. An 18" pipe wrench and it just barely came loose. I had ordered a replacement from Volvo. Replaced crush washer and torqued to specs so I could do another drain/fill without the pipe wrench. Replacement drain plug, level plug and crush washer was about $40.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jun 2015
    Location
    Gilbert, AZ
    Posts
    22

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by bugeye View Post
    My level plug head stripped. I had to use a pipe wrench on the drain plug. An 18" pipe wrench and it just barely came loose. I had ordered a replacement from Volvo. Replaced crush washer and torqued to specs so I could do another drain/fill without the pipe wrench. Replacement drain plug, level plug and crush washer was about $40.
    I did my second 3-quart drain and refill today, and that pesky little Torx-head screw stripped completely. Vise grips worked to remove the main drain plug, but now I want to replace both parts. Neither is identified on the FCP or Tasca sites - would you happen to have part numbers handy?

  5. #5
    Join Date
    May 2015
    Location
    Corona California
    Posts
    16

    Default

    16 Level indicating pipe 1.00 30713218
    17 Plug 1.00 30713219
    18 O-ring 1.00 1233068
    19 Gasket 1.00 30713220

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jun 2015
    Location
    Gilbert, AZ
    Posts
    22

    Default

    Perfect! Thank you!

    As a followup to my previous post, this was my 2nd 3-quart drain & refill - about 5000 miles since the first one. Driving around today, there was a surprisingly noticeable difference in how smooth the trans shifted. Much more noticeable than after the first drain/refill.

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