The Safrane.Info Forum!

My gearchanges have become less 'smooth'.
As a 1st check, I wanted to see the level of the auto gearbox oil and, if needed, top it up.

Is there a how to on this (including details of the correct oil to use)? If I decided to replace the gearbox oil, is that something that can be done at home? Is there a filter?

The car is a phase 2 (1997) 2.5 so I assume the gearbox is basically from Volvo.

Michael

its the aisin warner 42le box.

I'll do a post on this later its an easy job and has a lot of benefits.

If you look online the 850 volvo procedure is the same. The oil lines are just joined the procedure is the same if you want to do it that way.

Chris is right.. they're the same box but the oil cooler pipes are joined which makes it a tad more difficult. With the volvo you're supposed to disconnect them and with the engine running, let one pour out while pouring fresh into the other one. I've never liked this method because you have to get the flow rates the same - the same rate of ATF going in as there is coming out. No-one can get that exactly right and you may risk damaging the box like that. Additionally you'll need someone else with you to turn off the ignition or you'll let the box empty itself while running round to do it yourself.

I personally prefer to follow Renaults method - Empty via the sump (this only drains about 1/2 though) and then refill with exactly the same amount of clean ATF via the gearbox dipstick. This is literally Renaults instructions - refill with the same amount that came out.

The way I do it is to use two empty 5L water bottles. Pull the sump plug and let it empty into one bottle. Let it drip until the drips almost stop. Dry the area out with a rag (including the threads) and re-apply the plug using a new washer if you have one - I've never bothered. Stand the other empty water bottle next to the one with the used ATF and fill to the same level. Then add a little bit more (say 1 or 2 mm) above the old bottle to account for any you lost when pulling the plug. Take the bottle of new ATF and using a funnel slowly pour it into the gearbox dipstick tube.

This will not completely clean out the box (which the volvo method does do) but it will dilute the remaining ATF so that its only half as dirty. Bare in mind though that you'll want to let the ATF circulate around the box for a week before you really notice the difference. At that point you can repeat the procedure again diluting the ATF further (though you'll obviously loose some of the clean stuff you recenly put in too). Even though you're only diluting the ATF it does make a HUGE difference. Mine was thumping in reverse and often going into D and after doing the ATF it became very smooth. I still got a mild thump in D but the R thump pretty much vanished and that was with just one ATF dilution.

As long as you have the same amount of fluid in the box AFTER changing it as you had BEFORE then you'll have no issues.

Thanks all, so no filter to replace?
What spec oil should I use?

Michael

I think there is a filter hidden somewhere but it's not the same setup as the volvo so you can't get to it easily. If you can wait a week or two I can have a proper look as I have one of these gearboxes sat in the garden under a tarp seperated from it's former engine (a proper safrane-volvo one not a volvo-volvo one). It's a bit complex to look at under the car as the 2.5 and 2L versions are different from memory. I can't really do it this week as my wound / stitches are still restricting me.

As for the oil, Dexron IIE if you can get it (rare find) or Dexron III. Do yourself a favour though, don't bother with halfords as they only sell D3 in 1L bottles and it cost me £100 for 10 of them lol. I only really needed about 5 but didn't know at the time lol.

Also I forgot to say in my previous post.. if you want to avoid spilling the ATF when you're unscrewing the sump plug on the box, hold the bottle right up to it and when the plug is loose, just let it pop out into the bottle along with the oil (it spurts out so this is the better method as you can completely cover the drain hole with the bottle opening). Then when its finished draining use a telescopic magnetic tool to get the plug and washer out of the bottle of used ATF.

Thanks for that, I can wait but don't do yourself any injuries.

Hi mmarks

Sorry for the delay..

Right I've had a peep at the spare box. Now it does have this black thing on the front but thats the only panel I've ever seen that is removable.

There are two photos of it on my 'breaking' box and one of another box on a spare engine / box combi I have.


It's a cover for the solenoids and hydraullic stuff according to the manual. I've looked through the pdf for the auto trans and nothing is said anywhere about a filter of any sort.

I personally was under the impression that there was one but I'm sure there is nothing else that looks removable on this gearbox. I know underneath is all one casing and in the area where the black panel is it starts looking complex as if it's not supposed to be removed easily so I don't think there is a filter.