• Hello Guest, welcome to the initial stages of our new platform!
    You can find some additional information about where we are in the process of migrating the board and setting up our new software here

    Thank you for being a part of our community!

240 3 speed auto? or is it broken?

spiffy926

spiffy926

New member
Joined
Sep 19, 2014
Location
Cape Cod
I just recently got this 81 GLT on the road, and I knew it didn't have OD but even still running at 3k RPM going slow on the highway (no speedo, so maybe 55mph?) seemed really high.
Then I realized its only shifting into 3rd gear.
It's broken right? I didn't know of a 3 speed auto from Volvo. Any suggestions on a quick fix? It shifts mint and firm otherwise.
 
Oh, lame maybe I should step up the diff ratio, not a very practical highway car as it is now.
It doesn't have a button on the side of the shifter.
 
Its the BW55...fine for around town driving, but a buzz kill on the highway. Ask around, I'm sure someone is trying to pawn off an AW70 that they swapped out, which is an upgrade from what you've got. lol
 
Ah, yes, the Aw55 and 3.73:1 rear axle combo used on all US model non-turbo 1981 240's. Either find a non-turbo 1979-82 M46 (1208141, 1208211, or 1208230 part number) or an Aw70 and swap that in. 1981 240's should already have the extra holes for the crossmember where the Aw70 mounts, so no need to fabricate brackets.

-J
 
I believe '82 is first year for 240T automatic, '81 is ONLY M46 IIRC. But the B21F powered 'GLT' (Turbo suspension and trim, yes, but no turbo power) has the 3-speed option.

Auto-auto is a lot easier than auto-manual. Driveline, converter depending on year, shifter linkage bits (and bucket/shift lever if you want the OD button), OD wiring, x-member and aluminum spacers, POSSIBLY down pipe (sometimes the earlier N/A downpipes turn up too soon ad hit the x-member on the late auto cars), pan and dipstick has to go with the AW-7x. I've re-used the kick down cable from the k-jet car, but it's probably different, realistically the OD is in the converter housing on AW-7x and the trans moves about 2" back/the converter housing is about 2" 'deeper' for lack of a better term.

All the '81+ cars I've encountered have the holes in the rearward position for the AW-7x already present. As though they were ready, but didn't have the transmissions yet...
 
You have to use the K-Jet kickdown cable. None of the other cables are the right length. Did this swap many moons ago on an '80 264GL B21 car that a former coworker of mine owned when we worked at Bernard Imports in Tukwila, WA. '82 LH cable is wayyy too long (won't even kick down when adjusted properly), 1983-93 LH cable too short, as is K-Jet Turbo. So, has to be a K-Jet non-turbo cable.

-J
 
Do the trans cooler lines match up to swap in an aw71? A swap may be out of scope for me at the moment, but it's good to know my options. I do have a spare 3.31 1031 axle, that should be quick and easy to swap in, right? But for now I think i'm good with leaving it as a round town cruiser.
Besides, driveline vibrations try to keep me below 50 anyway.
 
Yes, they do.

The swap is going to be no worse than putting a 3.31 rear axle in. Maybe a little easier. Plus, it'll get rid of your driveshaft vibration, since you'll be using a different driveshaft anyway.

-J
 
The trans cooler lines match up, but they're too short for an AW70/71. The BW55 is a shorter box, overall. I had all sorts of issues when converting mine to AW71L.
-Driveshaft needed changing. The flanges at the transmission and rear end were the 'big' ones, vs. the smaller flanges of the BW55 and 1030 (the early stuff, anyway).
-tranny cooler lines needed extending
-you will need the proper AW70/71 dipstick/filler tube. The BW55 one is again, too short.
-you'll probably need the aluminum spacers that go between the body and the transmission crossmember. The BW55 doesn't have those, but you can use a couple pieces of 5/16" aluminum/steel/whatever instead. The tailshaft of the transmission will sit too high otherwise.
-You may need to drill the second set of crossmember mounting holes, or you might get lucky and they're already there. My 84 had both.
 
Oh yeah, i thought it was strange the driveshaft was such a small diameter, so the aw71 uses the larger driveshaft, does that mean it won't mate with the differential? If that's the case I probably would swap the transmission and rear end all at once, as I do have a spare axle ready to be set up with a G80, then +T and GO!
 
If you have a 1030 rear axle in there now, then there is a high likelyhood of it having the small pinion flange. IIRC I was able to make the "big" driveshaft work by drilling out the holes in the rear flange on the diff. I swapped in a 1031 rear axle with a G80 shortly after though, and that was a straight bolt up.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top