Wrenchin... Adventures under the hood... Put em here.

**MontuckyFried** · 09-01-2022, 07:19 AM

Originally Posted by aanev

However, Volvo claims the transmission fluid is lifetime

. The valve body solenoids start to fail after 150k miles. AFAIK Rostra sells upgraded solenoids.
Regular fluid change can help a lot but adaptation with VIDA is required as Volvo opted for software correction instead of fluid change.

Originally Posted by gravitylover

Yeah the lifetime thing is such bullshit. Aisin usually has something like a 60k service intervals but, like so many car co's, Volvo calls it lifetime because their drivetrain warranty only goes to 60k.

Correct. The 'lifetime' fluid thing is such a joke. When I first bought my car 10 years ago, the Euro shop I took it to told me to completely ignore the manufacturer's lack of a schedule and do routine fluid changes like I should with any other car and it'd be fine. At 210K, I'd say they were correct! In fact I'm due for another. Need to order that Aisin fluid. Since I have Vida now, I can do my own 'reset.' FU, dealers! Haha

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**Timberridge** · 09-01-2022, 08:04 AM

Yeah, and ZF also says ~60-80K or something and every vehicle owners manual for those says "lifetime." You have to hunt high and low in the aftermarket for the replacement pan and instead of making the process easy and giving us a $10 filter and dipstick and making it a $100 job, ZF makes you replace the pan into which they have molded the filter, then you have to monitor the fill fluid temp with a scan tool on refill.

**Ted Striker** · 09-01-2022, 08:19 AM

"German Engineering"

**gravitylover** · 09-01-2022, 08:35 AM

So my tranny is working really well compared to before but I overfilled it. I got the oil changed this morning at a shop so they could go through a bunch of stuff before I do 1k miles this weekend and they pulled a quart out. It was ugly black rather than the nice clean red I put in 2 days ago. It looks like I should do another filter and fluid change ASAP and get the goo out of there. Maybe running it overfilled flushed the crap out of the cooler lines and torque converter *shrug*

**Mazderati** · 09-01-2022, 08:55 AM

Some of the newer Aisins have a 10 degree range where the fluid level should be checked. Not sure if that is common. I'm not exactly looking forward to the hoop-jumping of read/fill/read.

**El Chupacabra** · 09-01-2022, 09:02 AM

Originally Posted by gravitylover

So my tranny is working really well compared to before but I overfilled it. I got the oil changed this morning at a shop so they could go through a bunch of stuff before I do 1k miles this weekend and they pulled a quart out. It was ugly black rather than the nice clean red I put in 2 days ago. It looks like I should do another filter and fluid change ASAP and get the goo out of there. Maybe running it overfilled flushed the crap out of the cooler lines and torque converter *shrug*

If that van has external cooler lines, with soft hoses that can be disconnected, that makes for a very easy way to pump fluid through the system until clean new fluid comes out. I've done that on a couple different vehicles. Kind of like a flush, but using the transmission itself as the pump, so not forcing anything loose inside - have an assistant sit inside to key on/off the vehicle while you drain fluid at the cooler line and add new fluid at the dipstick.

Newer vehicles without a dipstick make this harder, but not impossible.

**Mazderati** · 09-01-2022, 09:17 AM

^ I've done that, too, and would recommend. Graduated buckets make it easier to know how much is coming out / how much to add. Big box hardware stores sell them.

**gravitylover** · 09-01-2022, 09:23 AM

That's the plan. For today I'm just going to suck it down to the right level and do the flush next week. I am wondering if it's worth the effort to replace the filter again though after seeing the ugliness that came out this morning.

**fatnslow** · 09-01-2022, 10:31 AM

Originally Posted by gravitylover

So my tranny is working really well compared to before but I overfilled it. I got the oil changed this morning at a shop so they could go through a bunch of stuff before I do 1k miles this weekend and they pulled a quart out. It was ugly black rather than the nice clean red I put in 2 days ago. It looks like I should do another filter and fluid change ASAP and get the goo out of there. Maybe running it overfilled flushed the crap out of the cooler lines and torque converter *shrug*

That's to be expected. You are only draining 3-4 qts when you change the fluid by dropping the pan and still have quite a bit of old fluid in the system. You probably have roughly 10 qt capacity so most diy recommend 3x drain/fill over a short period of time or you can always disconnect one of the lines as recommended. Leave your filter in, it only traps hard particles, the black fluid you're seeing is just the old fluid slightly diluted with the new fluid.

**gravitylover** · 09-01-2022, 03:42 PM

It supposed to drain 5.5 but it was more like 7. I had the pan off overnight rather than just the few minutes you'd usually have it off because it got too dark and the mosquitoes were having their way with me. That flush and leaving the filter alone sounds like a much less messy plan than dropping the pan again, I like it.

**fatnslow** · 09-02-2022, 01:08 PM

Originally Posted by gravitylover

It supposed to drain 5.5 but it was more like 7. I had the pan off overnight rather than just the few minutes you'd usually have it off because it got too dark and the mosquitoes were having their way with me. That flush and leaving the filter alone sounds like a much less messy plan than dropping the pan again, I like it.

do some research and figure out the supply line to your cooler or radiator and you should be able to drain/fill pretty easily with a helper to start your engine/stop a few times. Get a bucket and a hose that is big enough to slip over your atf line and you should have minimal spills.

**gravitylover** · 09-04-2022, 06:39 AM

That looks like a pretty easy way to go. Thanks.

Next- lol. It doesn't have the panel under the engine, must've gotten ripped off at some point I guess. How big a deal is it to do a road trip in the rain with everything exposed?

**fatnslow** · 09-04-2022, 10:12 AM

Originally Posted by gravitylover

That looks like a pretty easy way to go. Thanks.

Next- lol. It doesn't have the panel under the engine, must've gotten ripped off at some point I guess. How big a deal is it to do a road trip in the rain with everything exposed?

It's not a problem. Those guards keep debris out and keep oil from dripping on the ground mostly. It might benefit you for winter since your in the NE.

**Aldo** · 09-04-2022, 04:31 PM

Get one on there before winter.
Red hot cats don’t like cold water fyi.

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**El Chupacabra** · 09-04-2022, 04:56 PM

Originally Posted by Aldo

Get one on there before winter.
Red hot cats don’t like cold water fyi.

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Most, if not all, pickups have the cat fully exposed.

I wouldn't expect a problem with the under the engine shield being missing, unless stuff is just mounted very low on that engine - if an alternator is the lowest point that probably isn't great to pack it full of mud or slush.

**Aldo** · 09-04-2022, 06:38 PM

It’s called a splash shield for good reason.
This on the Volvo or the new minivan , sorry not up to date.

**gravitylover** · 09-05-2022, 05:00 AM

^On the minivan. I'll find one tomorrow, silly problem to have. Grr. Of course it hasn't rained in almost 3 months and the day I'm planning on replacing the rear shocks and some other stuff I'm supposed to get 3" of rain tomorrow. Yay

**bagtagley** · 09-05-2022, 06:56 AM

I found the GL tranny fluid epic to be amusing as I thought about how easy it is on an Odyssey with the drain plug. 🤦

**warthog** · 09-05-2022, 07:02 AM

Before:

After:

**warthog** · 09-05-2022, 07:11 AM

Labor Day project:

Getting the frame and undercarriage all coated before putting the tank back in.
Should be about done by next weekend.

**gravitylover** · 09-05-2022, 09:43 AM

Originally Posted by bagtagley

I found the GL tranny fluid epic to be amusing as I thought about how easy it is on an Odyssey with the drain plug. ��

If it has to come off again I'm getting a new pan with drain plug. That was a pain in the ass.

**MontuckyFried** · 09-05-2022, 10:10 AM

Originally Posted by gravitylover

If it has to come off again I'm getting a new pan with drain plug. That was a pain in the ass.

Makes you wonder if Dodge and Land Rover engineers teamed up to design things to be as difficult to work on as possible. Seriously though. WTF is up with pretty much all manufacturers these days acting like transmissions should be non-serviceable items. Even more egregious is how some have even done away with engine oil dipsticks. WTF? Absolutely maddening.

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**fatnslow** · 09-05-2022, 11:18 AM

Originally Posted by gravitylover

If it has to come off again I'm getting a new pan with drain plug. That was a pain in the ass.

Why not unplug you supply line at the radiator or cooler ? Don't overthink it. You get out old fluid and put in new fluid done to level then your done.

**gravitylover** · 09-05-2022, 03:45 PM

Not this next time, I just put a new filter in so it shouldn't need one again before the thing rusts out but if it did... After much consternation and research I figured shit, it's just a beater old minivan so why wouldn't a Gabriel shock be sufficient. Turns out the Napa branded ones are the top level Gabriel truck shock and they're cheap

and their sway bar end links are also a real brand and have grease ports. Hopefully the rain and wetness dries out tomorrow.

**unitofstuff** · 09-05-2022, 10:41 PM

Originally Posted by Mazderati

Some of the newer Aisins have a 10 degree range where the fluid level should be checked. Not sure if that is common. I'm not exactly looking forward to the hoop-jumping of read/fill/read.

I've done the same on a ZF automatic and it really wasn't too bad. Have your fill plug out and your hose in it for the fresh fluid, fire it up, as soon as it's about to hit temp you slide under and pump new fluid in until you get a nice thin stream, slide out, check the temp, slide under, and put the fill plug in. If you're fancy and can pump from not underneath or watch temp while you're underneath it's that much easier. Easiest yet is to have a helper.