question about transmission flush

[jimpierce7]

Just a curiosity here. Watching and reading how to do a tranny fluid flush it of course always starts off with draining the transmission first.

Then pull the LP line, after filling with what was drained out, then pump out a couple liters, fill, repeat until it runs clean. I'm betting $100 in fluid?

Not what I seek. I know it is surely a simple answer that I'm too thick to see (this is often the case) Why drain it first? Why not just pump out two liters and start there?

[Xfingers]

My gibbons flush was done without pulling the drain plug. I just swapped out 10 quarts thru the transmission cooler line, 2 quarts at a time. The drain plug is supposed to be magnetic so you can check to see if you've got a lot of metal filings attached (indicates transmission wear!). Clean off plug and replace if you go that route. Not sure what other advantages there are.
Happy Turkey!

[Scopeman]

I think the premise is, why dilute the fresh oil going in with 3+ qt of dirty fluid?

[Astro14]

The pump picks up from the bottom of the transmission pan.

So, start with fresh fluid there?

Or, start with old fluid, then dilute it 50/50, then 80/20, etc.

Do you want to pump fresh fluid through your transmission, or diluted dirty fluid? That's the question.

Further, I like pulling the plug, checking the magnet, cleaning it and re-installing. To do that, you have to drain the pan anyway...

[howardc64]

I do drain/fill + 2x pump/fill cycles through the return line and end up using between 7-8 quarts. Color is just a little darker cranberry red after this. Likely swapped out 90%+ so didn't feel the need to send through another 5-6 quarts just to get the last few percent.

I think this is the best sequence. Drain+fill swap out 3.5 quarts. pump/refill through the return line gets rid of all the old fluid in the ATF cooler path (maybe another 2? quarts) Not sure how much of ATF inside torque converter can be flushed out. Maybe thats where all the old fluid mixed into the new fluid will come from? I've done an ATF flush on Mercedes e320 before and directions calls for opening a drain bolt on the TC.

Toyota Type IV is widely available for ~$8/qt at Toyota dealer and much cheaper than the Volvo labeled identical fluid at Volvo dealer. Alternatively, you can get Valvoline Maxlife for under $20/gallon at Walmart. Its compatible (3309 spec) and Myself/others have used it on this tranny with no problems.

[Astro14]

Better than Maxlife is Valvoline Import Multi Vehicle. Also a synthetic base, but closer to the viscosity of Mobil 3309. The Maxlife is a bit thinner.

http://www.valvoline.com/our-products/automatic-transmission-products/maxlife-dex-merc-atf

http://www.mobil.com/english-US/Passenger-Vehicle-Lube/pds/GLXXMobil-ATF-3309

Of course, I still prefer the Mobil or Toyota, because I know they meet the spec, but my Valvoline experiment (using the Import Multivehicle for the past 30,000 miles in the XC) has been successful, too...

[Gene-M]

After reading every single thread on every Volvo forum having to do with transmission fluid changes, the one name that kept popping up was the Toyota T-IV fluid. Since Aisin Warner is the maker of the transmission, and Toyota uses the same transmissions in certain Toyota and Lexus cars, I just went with the Toyota stuff. My local dealer sold it to me at a discount of $5.00 per quart for a whole case, so I got to do the whole job for roughly $75 (used 13 in total + tax), plus what it cost me for the O-rings and hardware that go into the cooler return orifice. My nearest Volvo dealer would have charged me around $224 for the same amount of Volvo branded Trans. fluid that was actually made in Japan. Some online sellers were selling the Volvo branded stuff for $29 a quart, which would have easily come to $377, and they had a very persuasive way of telling you that THIS was the ONLY one to get.

I may be new to Volvos, but I'm fairly well experienced at sifting through internet and forum based information on this kind car stuff, and whoever it was that said in one of these threads, "Why waste your money on the overpriced stuff?, was right. On the other hand, the confusion that I found in trying to discern which were the best diff, and angle gear fluids to buy, just caused me to go with the Volvo brand just to be safe. I figure at only one liter each, I can afford to pay the high price of the Volvo stuff and not have to second guess myself.

[jimpierce7]

Thanks folks!! The pick up. Makes sense now. lol It looks like I have to pull the pan to change engine oil too I'll get it all at once. Building some ramps to get the car up a little higher to get my fat a............ belly under the car!

[Astro14]

Gene - you're new, so you've missed this discussion. The Volvo fluid is rebranded Mobil 3309. So is the Toyota T-IV. We've hashed this out dozens of times on this board.

You don't get better fluid by spending more.

I've recommended the T-IV on many threads.

[JRL]

You can buy a case of Mobil 3309 thru Amazon for $72 and free shipping if you're a prime member
As was said:
Mobil 3309
Toyota type IV
and Volvo branded fluid is ALL THE SAME FLUID!