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240 Transmission options for reliability and longevity

IansPlatinum

IansPlatinum

Active member
Joined
Jul 23, 2018
Location
Texas
Planning a ~5000 mile road trip for June, and my AW70 is showing signs of giving up after 250K- reverse gear slips on occasional and slams into gear when giving throttle. Also an audible whine is heard in 1st.

Every thread I read on here is about trans options for boosted high power builds. My car is NA, and will probably stay that way.

I'd like to know if the AW71 is my best bet for reliability and cost effectiveness.

With the rwd volvos rapidly becoming antiques, finding any OEM volvo transmission available anywhere local is really proving to be a challenge.

So, here are my options:

1. Junkyard AW71
Price: $200-300
Reliability: toss up, I'd prefer not to gamble on one

2. Online Pre-rebuilt AW71
Price: ~$1500-2500
Reliability: Good?
(any recommendations?)

3. Locally rebuild AW71
Price: ~$2000
Reliability: Good?

4. T5 swap
Price: ~$1500
Reliability: ??? I feel like the nature of a retrofitted transmission brings reliability into question here for my application

5. m46/m47
Price: ???
Reliability: Same thing here... weak trans to begin with, now add 200K miles...

6. Others?


I'm hesitant to spend upwards of $2000 on an AW71, but if that's my best bet, and if that will bring me trouble-free-trans cruising in my 240 for years to come, then so be it. I don't want to rebuild the AW71 myself. I've never rebuilt a trans, and there's plenty of room for 'learning curve errors' that I'd like to avoid entirely.

For those with the T5, does anyone ever experience any problems related to the retrofitted nature of the transmission? Or any problems at all, for that matter?
 
When was the last oil change in the trans? A friend who uses his car for delivery six days a week was having some issues especially with the overdrive not working. We determined it was inside the trans either the solenoid or the path the oil takes. He did a synthetic trans fluid oil change using the method that lets it pump the oil out while you fill with the dipstick tube and it solved his issues. His car has about 200k on it.
 
dl242gt said:
When was the last oil change in the trans? A friend who uses his car for delivery six days a week was having some issues especially with the overdrive not working. We determined it was inside the trans either the solenoid or the path the oil takes. He did a synthetic trans fluid oil change using the method that lets it pump the oil out while you fill with the dipstick tube and it solved his issues. His car has about 200k on it.
Click to expand...

Just did one about 5-7K miles ago, maybe 6 months ago?
Fluid that came out was pretty clean, maybe 20% darkened, no burnt smell. Car was also religiously dealer serviced (windshield wipers, oil filter, even V-belts all Volvo brand).

Fluid that went in was 12L of volvo oem ATF DexIII

From everything I've read, a 250K mile lifespan for an AW70 seems normal.
 
My T5 was always noisy, got noisier. After plenty of abuse behind 300 - 350 whp. But it never broke. One would probably last forever behind a stock non-boosted Volvo motor.

M47 should last about forever as well, only shift a little better (maybe) than a T5. Maybe try to find one with less than 200K on it? And teamed with a typical automatic-car rear axle ratio - the gearing is a bit short.

Swapping to a manual is more of an issue of personal preference though.
 
If you're concerned about a retrofitted transmission (and I don't blame you), you could rebuild an M47 or have one rebuilt. Be prepared to buy some tools. I also wouldn't question the durability of an AW71 with frequently changed fluid in this application. If you're going to a manual gearbox I would highly recommend Redline MTL. It resolved our race car's appetite for M47s at ~140whp N/A.
 
JohnMc said:
My T5 was always noisy, got noisier. After plenty of abuse behind 300 - 350 whp. But it never broke. One would probably last forever behind a stock non-boosted Volvo motor.

M47 should last about forever as well, only shift a little better (maybe) than a T5. Maybe try to find one with less than 200K on it? And teamed with a typical automatic-car rear axle ratio - the gearing is a bit short.

Swapping to a manual is more of an issue of personal preference though.
Click to expand...

Did you ever have retrofit-related issues? I know the transmission unit itself is well-built, but it's the nature of the retrofit that scares me, since we'll be halfway across the US this June
 
Personally, you worry too much.
Find the lowest mile volvo auto you can and send it.
No rebuilt auto transmission will ever go a quarter million miles.
Used OEM > rebuild of questionable quality, all. day. long.
 
For long trips, nothing beats an auto. Unless you drive a manual on a daily basis and are use to that driving experience, it's not worth doing it for a car that you will take on long distance trips. Makes more sense to rent a car or stay auto.
 
I rebuilt the AW70 in the 93 Classic sedan after the pump seal blew. The shop that messed up the pump seal replacement paid for the rebuild.

The complete rebuild cost $2,200, including a Precision of New Hampton torque converter. I had already installed a remote spin-on AT filter. This spring I’m installing a 240 OE AT cooler. I do a cooler line exchange and filter change every 30,000 with a drain and fill at 10k and 20k. I use a full synthetic DEX VI or MV with DEX VI approval.

I don’t think the AW70 is a weak unit. I contend that clean fluid, changed frequently and a cooler are key to long life.
 
Last edited:
white855T said:
For long trips, nothing beats an auto. Unless you drive a manual on a daily basis and are use to that driving experience, it's not worth doing it for a car that you will take on long distance trips. Makes more sense to rent a car or stay auto.
Click to expand...

Totally agree. I have had both automatics and manuals. I prefer the automatic for its linear power and ease in stop and go traffic.
 
Actually, upon further thought, if I were you, I would swap on a GM 4l60e with microsquirt controlling transmission. Good used low miles oem units aplenty, locking torque converter for your mpg maximization pursuits, full programmability, and cheaper than rebuilding an AW70.
 
IansPlatinum said:
Did you ever have retrofit-related issues? I know the transmission unit itself is well-built, but it's the nature of the retrofit that scares me, since we'll be halfway across the US this June
Click to expand...

Nope, just a bit of NVH. I tried poly bushings on the rear torque rods and it vibrated pretty fiercely in high gears at low rpms. Switched back to rubber and it was gone.

Pretty much all the parts are stock parts of one sort of another.
 
kyote said:
Actually, upon further thought, if I were you, I would swap on a GM 4l60e with microsquirt controlling transmission. Good used low miles oem units aplenty, locking torque converter for your mpg maximization pursuits, full programmability, and cheaper than rebuilding an AW70.
Click to expand...

Don't confuse the guy

His car is standard, so the transmission should be too
 
If long distance travel is your plan I would look for a lockup trans above all else. Nice upgrade in a 240 that never had them from the factory.

AW70 and AW71 are both long-lasting units, with stock NA motor durability should be good either way, you won't be pushing the limits of the AW70 by any stretch. If it were me I would look for an AW70L out of a 740 or 940. Bolt right in, cheap, easy to find, probably run fine for many years. If you're concerned you could get it rebuilt later on. But chances are decent you wouldn't need to anytime soon. Get one with a 30-day warranty from a junkyard, if it doesn't have any issues right off the bat then it probably won't for a while.

If you run one of those then your effort will not just replace the trans same for same, but instead will add an upgrade that will really make a difference for noise level and MPG on the highway, you'll be amazed how much nicer it is at cruising speed with a lockup TC. And if you have to rebuild it later on then at least you're putting your money towards a real improvement to the car.

My $0.02 anyway.
 
v8volvo said:
If long distance travel is your plan I would look for a lockup trans above all else. Nice upgrade in a 240 that never had them from the factory.

AW70 and AW71 are both long-lasting units, with stock NA motor durability should be good either way, you won't be pushing the limits of the AW70 by any stretch. If it were me I would look for an AW70L out of a 740 or 940. Bolt right in, cheap, easy to find, probably run fine for many years. If you're concerned you could get it rebuilt later on. But chances are decent you wouldn't need to anytime soon. Get one with a 30-day warranty from a junkyard, if it doesn't have any issues right off the bat then it probably won't for a while.

If you run one of those then your effort will not just replace the trans same for same, but instead will add an upgrade that will really make a difference for noise level and MPG on the highway, you'll be amazed how much nicer it is at cruising speed with a lockup TC. And if you have to rebuild it later on then at least you're putting your money towards a real improvement to the car.

My $0.02 anyway.
Click to expand...

Aw71L would be ideal... I'm having trouble even sourcing a core. Everybody near me on car-part said they didn't have the one they listed
 
sjulier said:
I rebuilt the AW70 in the 93 Classic sedan after the pump seal blew. The shop that messed up the pump seal replacement paid for the rebuild.

The complete rebuild cost $2,200, including a Precision of New Hampton torque converter. I had already installed a remote spin-on AT filter. This spring I?m installing a 240 OE AT cooler. I do a cooler line exchange and filter change every 30,000 with a drain and fill at 10k and 20k. I use a full synthetic DEX VI or MV with DEX VI approval.

I don?t think the AW70 is a weak unit. I contend that clean fluid, changed frequently and a cooler are key to long life.
Click to expand...

When you say cooler line exchange, do you mean you replace the hoses?

Once I get the unit I choose, if it's automatic, a cooler will definitely be installed.

Wish I had a shop that would pay for my rebuild!
 
kyote said:
Personally, you worry too much.
Click to expand...

Gonna be spending a week or so in BLM 1000 miles from home. If we get stranded or have a breakdown, we'd probably be alright, but I'll have a very upset fiancee who will never let me forget how I messed up our honeymoon because I picked a beater transmission to put in my car
 
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