02 XC70 Transmission Flush From Bottom

[zotparkerm]

I was (am) underneath the front end replacing the driver's side fog lamp and found pulling the plastic bits pretty easy.
While I wait for delivery of the fog lamp I am also doing all the brakes and planning a transmission flush.
I found (and have now lost) a thread about pulling the lower tranny line from the radiator/cooler instead of the top, but I think it was for a different year model.
Since I have all that plastic out of the way, is it easier (less messy) to pull the bottom line and slip a tube over the line than to get a tube to stick in the radiator?
If so, is there any vacuum in the system that will keep the radiator from dumping when I pull the line or should I wear goggles and a snorkel while doing so?

[ericjp]

I've always used a fiber reinforced clear hose pushed in the top port on the radiator. I think it's 5/8 inch. I have about 10 feet that I run into a container that I watch when flushing the fluid. I pump about 3 quarts out and then stop and refill. Pretty easy and only lose a few drops when pushing the transmission line back in.

[Astro14]

Thanks guys.

An update.

The car has 191,000 on it now. It got a flush at about 188,000, along with a new filter (and a host of other work) and is now in the gentle hands of my oldest daughter in Saint Louis. She's a med student, and needs a car for her rotations.

Trans still works perfectly. The car was a pleasure to drive out there in January of this year. If looked after properly, the Volvo P2, including the "weak" transmission, is a good, durable car.

[kutcht1]

You being in Texas I would cut the top hose, do the fluid transfer and add an ATX cooler to those hoses you cut. Mount that in front and keep things cool. That is exactly what I did and I am in Minnesota where we only get 10 hot days a year. Never heard of an ATX failing because it was to cold.
TomK

[Astro14]

Well, 2 1/2 years later - the V70T5 soldiers on in Salt Lake City. It has over 210,000 miles on it now.

It leads an active life: commuting to the hospital, driving to various sights around the city, heading up to the mountains for skiing and hiking.

It still shifts perfectly, in cold and hot weather, in hard use and in city traffic.

All good.

[NTXC]

Well, 2 1/2 years later - the V70T5 soldiers on in Salt Lake City. It has over 210,000 miles on it now.

It leads an active life: commuting to the hospital, driving to various sights around the city, heading up to the mountains for skiing and hiking.

It still shifts perfectly, in cold and hot weather, in hard use and in city traffic.

All good.

Glad to hear it, I took your direction to do the same job when I replaced my radiator. Thanks again.

[Astro14]

You can pull either line. Pulling the bottom line results in spillage of about 8 oz of fluid from the trans cooler, but the hose slips over the line. That's the way that I do it...

I've added a cooler in the return line on the XC. I've added a cooler with thermostat and a spin-on filter in the return line on the T5. Time will tell if they make any difference, but the plumbing is relatively straightforward...

[Scopeman]

Astro,

What cooler and thermostat did you use?

[Astro14]

Derale 13011 Fluid Control Thermostat Kit
Derale 25750 Remote Filter Mount Kit
B&M 70264 SuperCooler Automatic Transmission Cooler

Had to use about 5 feet of hose to complete the routing. Fluid goes from Trans to radiator to return line/spliced to filter. Filter to thermostat. From thermostat to both cooler and return line into trans pan.

So, as fluid flows out, it gets warmed/cooled by coolant, then goes through filter. Above 80C, it goes to B&M cooler. Below that, the filtered fluid goes back to the transmission. I used a K&N filter, a big one, but don't remember which size. The Derale filter mount fits a wide variety of filters...

[Astro14]

From left to right: the cooler mounted below the bumper, the filter, the filter with thermostat in view, and the plumbing by the radiator.

Some notes: I removed the bumper for access. I mounted the cooler in front of the condenser and intercooler to get the best/cool air. I used some aluminum bar stock, heated just enough to bend easily, that I pop-riveted into the bumper mount to mount the cooler. I did the same with the thermostat. I bolted the filter mount into the frame itself, and used a nut captured in a wrench. I slid the wrench into the frame so that the nut was on the inside, and the bolt went in from the outside. I also used lock-tite to prevent those bolts from ever loosening.

I routed the lines so that there were minimal bends. I shot every bolt with some zinc primer to prevent rust. I used stainless steel crimp (Oetiker) hose clamps - far, far faster and cheaper than worm-type screw clamps. Took 10 clamps. The routing took the hoses close to the fog lamps. The cooler, filter, lines and hardware took nearly 2 quarts of fluid to get back up to the proper level. It should be easy to remove the plastic guard under the bumper (one screw) to get at the filter and the filter was mounted so that a filter wrench would be an easy swing to get it on/off.