No gears after AW71 swap and accumulator mod.

WizardOverYonder · 02-05-2021, 04:23 PM

Hey all,

I have a 240 LH2.4 B230F+T and my AW70 recently died. It was slipping, shuddering, and eventually lost all drive. We topped up the trans fluid as it wasn't reading on the dipstick any more after its final drive, allowing it to idle as we filled it and checked the level. When it got to the right level on the dipstick, still no drive, wouldn't 'clunk' into gear at all. Oh well.

A few days later I went back to pick up my 240 as I left it at my mates place and when I started her up, it dropped into gear and we had drive! Drive around town for a bit, still very slippy and shuddering, but we made it home and lost drive AS we pulled into the driveway.

Sourced an AW71 that appears to be healthy, and I believe that it was fine when it was removed from its old home. Did the accumulator mod, made sure the pistons sat flush, all the bolts back in, the tubes in all the way, the shifting arm was in the same way, everything seemed fine.

Put the transmission in with a healthy AW70 torque converter, making sure it aligned with the oil pump correctly. Started her up, filled the fluid and took about 5 liters, had already filled the torque converter. After a while, the dipstick was reading between min and max, yet wouldn't drop into gear. Checked the selector linkage, that's all OK and in the right spot. Visually checked to see the torque converter spinning freely.

The only thing I didn't hook up is the kickdown cable. It's hanging freely in the engine bay at the moment, and the old one that we cut off is sitting in the holder.

Any thoughts on what the issue could be? I'm going to hook up the kickdown cable next time I'm at my mates place, but can't see why that'd cause the issue.

Cheers,
Sam.

Jack · 02-05-2021, 04:25 PM

it's not the kickdown cable

did you replace the valve body gaskets?

WizardOverYonder · 02-05-2021, 04:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jack

it's not the kickdown cable

did you replace the valve body gaskets?

No, but it was perfect and didn't tear at all.

Jack · 02-05-2021, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WizardOverYonder

No, but it was perfect and didn't tear at all.

there's like 3

linuxman51 · 02-05-2021, 04:29 PM

gotta leak in there or it's not sucking fluid. make sure you didn't shim the accumulators too proud and push the vb off the case.

WizardOverYonder · 02-05-2021, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jack

there's like 3

There were 3 stacked on top of each other.. no others though.

WizardOverYonder · 02-05-2021, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by linuxman51

gotta leak in there or it's not sucking fluid. make sure you didn't shim the accumulators too proud and push the vb off the case.

The pistons sit just below their housing so they had a tiny bit of wiggle room.

Jack · 02-05-2021, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WizardOverYonder

The pistons sit just below there housing so they had a tiny bit of wiggle room.

something is fuked and you need to open up that trans again

unless you forgot to attach the gear selector at the trans

WizardOverYonder · 02-05-2021, 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jack

something is fuked and you need to open up that trans again

*Facepalm* *Facepalm* *Facepalm*

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jack

unless you forgot to attach the gear selector at the trans

Nope, verified that is correct.

gsellstr · 02-05-2021, 04:47 PM

Uh...3 gaskets stacked on each other? That ain't right....

Filter screen to spacer, spacer to VB, VB to trans.

WizardOverYonder · 02-05-2021, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gsellstr

Filter screen to spacer, spacer to VB, VB to trans.

There was a gasket between the filter and the VB, Removed VB, there was a gasket, a spacer and a gasket between the VB and trans. The gasket between the filter and the VB wasn't great but I doubt that'd be the problem.

No filter screen between the VB and trans though..

Jack · 02-05-2021, 05:00 PM

I used volvo and toyota manuals ... where one was confusing the other made sense

if you search for aw70 gaskets I posted toyota part numbers there

hiperfauto · 02-05-2021, 05:04 PM

Are you sure that the gear selector is aligned with the lever inside the trans?

WizardOverYonder · 02-05-2021, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jack

I used volvo and toyota manuals ... where one was confusing the other made sense

if you search for aw70 gaskets I posted toyota part numbers there

I'm confused now too. :'(

WizardOverYonder · 02-05-2021, 05:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hiperfauto

Are you sure that the gear selector is aligned with the lever inside the trans?

I was just reading through this post. I'm pretty certain it was all correct. The selector rod on the side of the trans still clicks into the 6 selections, and on the inside we put the gear selector in the same spot.

What I'm not sure about is the 'gear jammer' that sits under the valve body, but I would think the selector on the side of the box wouldn't shift at all if that were the case?

740atl · 02-05-2021, 05:30 PM

Is the rooster in the wrong location?

WizardOverYonder · 02-05-2021, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 740atl

Is the rooster in the wrong location?

I don't believe it is, it's in the same spot as it was before removing the VB.

linuxman51 · 02-05-2021, 06:36 PM

you will have the rooster combs even if the selector rod isn't in the detent. that's an easy one and it will do exactly what you're describing.

WizardOverYonder · 02-05-2021, 06:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by linuxman51

you will have the rooster combs even if the selector rod isn't in the detent. that's an easy one and it will do exactly what you're describing.

Come again? You're suggesting the gear selector pieces aren't aligned in the comb correctly?

will740turbo · 02-05-2021, 11:59 PM

There are 2 separate gaskets that I had to replace when I did mine. I only did one because the other was "perfect". I had to replace it a few weeks later because one section about 1mm long had torn on one side but was still attached on the other.

It's been a while, so I am probably missing some details, but Volvo AW-70/71 are both Toyota A43D transmissions with a new label and maybe different bellhousing. I did find a guide for Volvos that shows an arrow for a shift ball in the *wrong* place. It's off by 1 divider. Match it to where it was when you disassembled it. If I remember right, there are 3 balls and the one that's lowest and most to the right has an arrow in the wrong place.

When the gasket was torn on mine, it went into gear, but felt wrong. It didn't slip, but felt like it was binding - probably engaging multiple clutches at a time or some other Bad Thing.

If it's just the gear selection, try the other 2 forward gears (and keep in mind that Park may not be Park). If D doesn't engage, but 2 does, ok. I think that 2 uses most of the circuits for D and 1 uses its own special circuit.

Out of curiousity, what fluids are you using? Any sign of coolant leaking into the transmission fluid?

linuxman51 · 02-06-2021, 12:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WizardOverYonder

Come again? You're suggesting the gear selector pieces aren't aligned in the comb correctly?

there's only one piece. the rooster comb is in the case, you can't really get it out of alignment, but if you don't have the selector valve engaged on the pin in the rooster comb, it'll get pushed in out of alignment, and just stay there. the fact that it goes clicky clicky just means you remembered to put the spring tab back on at the end (held down by valve body bolt(s))

WizardOverYonder · 02-06-2021, 04:33 AM

To clarify, park works and locks everything in place, any other selection I can roll the car back and forth by pushing it. When I select a gear while the car is running, I have no drive at all in 1, 2, D or R. It just revs freely any gear. It is also not an AW71L, just and AW70.

I removed the oil pan and verified that the rooster comb thing is in place correctly, by comparing it to the old transmission I just removed. There is no way I could use the selector to shift into any gear if that was wrong from what I can tell.

The new theory is this:

When I first did the +t and I was mating the original AW70 with the engine and did not align the torque converter correctly, having to rattle the two together, violently. *Cringe* As a result, I found that I had completely cracked the trans oil pump, destroyed the spline on the input shaft on the transmission, and couldn't turn the engine oflver as the flywheel was essentially locked in place.

I then replaced the AW70 and torque converter with an AW70 given to me, and all was great until that trans died after 6 months or so.

I then obtain the AW71 (no torque converter came with it) and think "hey, I'll use the original torque converter that used to be in it, as I know it was all good and must be better than the converter currently in the car," I didn't even THINK to check the spline inside the converter, I forgot all about that bit. Fast forward 3 hours the replacement AW71 and original torque converter is in the car, filled her up, no drive at all.

This didn't occur to me until I had a moment of clarity, ice cold beer in hand, covered with trans oil after fishing around under the car for another 4 hours.

This is only a theory, but it makes sense. If the spline is stripped on the input shaft on the AW70 with the cracked oil pump, it'd be the same on that torque converter that's now in the car. It spins freely, but won't pump oil into the converter.

TLDR; it's possible that the torque converter I decided to use instead of the one with trans I just pulled has stripped splines after incorrect installation that I had forgotten about.

WizardOverYonder · 02-06-2021, 04:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by linuxman51

The pin in the rooster comb, it'll get pushed in out of alignment, and just stay there.

That could have easily happened, I dropped the pan and checked it comparing to the transmission that I just removed and it is correct.

Wish it was wrong, could have fixed it then and there.

WizardOverYonder · 02-06-2021, 04:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by will740turbo

If I remember right, there are 3 balls and the one that's lowest and most to the right has an arrow in the wrong place.

If it's just the gear selection, try the other 2 forward gears

Out of curiousity, what fluids are you using? Any sign of coolant leaking into the transmission fluid?

Didn't check the balls, I hope that's not it! Hadn't heard they can be in the wrong spot, definitely weren't removed.

No drive in P, R, D, 2 or 1.

I'm using DEX 3 and haven't had any issues in the past.

Turboschnauzer · 02-06-2021, 01:05 PM

Check line psi of transmission. If no psi or low psi, you need to inspect the convertor/pump drive given your story above.

02-05-2021, 04:23 PM	#1
WizardOverYonder Board Member Join Date: Apr 2020 Location: Australia	No gears after AW71 swap and accumulator mod. Hey all, I have a 240 LH2.4 B230F+T and my AW70 recently died. It was slipping, shuddering, and eventually lost all drive. We topped up the trans fluid as it wasn't reading on the dipstick any more after its final drive, allowing it to idle as we filled it and checked the level. When it got to the right level on the dipstick, still no drive, wouldn't 'clunk' into gear at all. Oh well. A few days later I went back to pick up my 240 as I left it at my mates place and when I started her up, it dropped into gear and we had drive! Drive around town for a bit, still very slippy and shuddering, but we made it home and lost drive AS we pulled into the driveway. Sourced an AW71 that appears to be healthy, and I believe that it was fine when it was removed from its old home. Did the accumulator mod, made sure the pistons sat flush, all the bolts back in, the tubes in all the way, the shifting arm was in the same way, everything seemed fine. Put the transmission in with a healthy AW70 torque converter, making sure it aligned with the oil pump correctly. Started her up, filled the fluid and took about 5 liters, had already filled the torque converter. After a while, the dipstick was reading between min and max, yet wouldn't drop into gear. Checked the selector linkage, that's all OK and in the right spot. Visually checked to see the torque converter spinning freely. The only thing I didn't hook up is the kickdown cable. It's hanging freely in the engine bay at the moment, and the old one that we cut off is sitting in the holder. Any thoughts on what the issue could be? I'm going to hook up the kickdown cable next time I'm at my mates place, but can't see why that'd cause the issue. Cheers, Sam.

02-05-2021, 04:29 PM	#5
linuxman51 BRANDSCHUTZVORSCHRIFTEN! Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: mont, AL	gotta leak in there or it's not sucking fluid. make sure you didn't shim the accumulators too proud and push the vb off the case. __________________ "They bum rushed them in their own crib, they drank all their beer, they partied with their ladies and they left with the trophy" Now with in-house Dyno tuning! Megasquirt Tuning! Plug and play LH 2.4 Megasquirt, now with stealth mode!

02-05-2021, 04:47 PM	#10
gsellstr Vintage anti-ricer Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Somewhere in a northern California smog bank	Uh...3 gaskets stacked on each other? That ain't right.... Filter screen to spacer, spacer to VB, VB to trans. __________________ RIP Doug Williams "Mr. Doug" 4/15/2009 Pete Fluitman "fivehundred" 7/14/2013 Mick Starkey "TrickMick" 1/10/14 Mark Baldwin "blue850t5" 7/19/18 Nick Fengler "fengler" 8/6/18 Thomas Fritz "stealthfti" 10/11/18 74 144 B20 http://forums.turbobricks.com/showthread.php?t=224983 90 745Ti http://forums.turbobricks.com/showthread.php?t=334698 If you need Superpro bushings PM me for price and availability!

02-05-2021, 05:04 PM	#13
hiperfauto The Librarian Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: So Cal	Are you sure that the gear selector is aligned with the lever inside the trans? __________________ 240 Alcantara Shift Boot Cover (164 & 72- 140 too) Rare, Race & R-Sports Parts Colored B/S Brake Hoses 140/160 and more Volvo Advertising Stuff -

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02-05-2021, 05:00 PM	#12
Jack junkman Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: The Ass Cheek Of History	I used volvo and toyota manuals ... where one was confusing the other made sense if you search for aw70 gaskets I posted toyota part numbers there

02-05-2021, 05:30 PM	#16
740atl educator monkey Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: USA	Is the rooster in the wrong location?

02-05-2021, 06:36 PM	#18
linuxman51 BRANDSCHUTZVORSCHRIFTEN! Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: mont, AL	you will have the rooster combs even if the selector rod isn't in the detent. that's an easy one and it will do exactly what you're describing.

02-05-2021, 11:59 PM	#20
will740turbo Board Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Portland, OR	There are 2 separate gaskets that I had to replace when I did mine. I only did one because the other was "perfect". I had to replace it a few weeks later because one section about 1mm long had torn on one side but was still attached on the other. It's been a while, so I am probably missing some details, but Volvo AW-70/71 are both Toyota A43D transmissions with a new label and maybe different bellhousing. I did find a guide for Volvos that shows an arrow for a shift ball in the wrong place. It's off by 1 divider. Match it to where it was when you disassembled it. If I remember right, there are 3 balls and the one that's lowest and most to the right has an arrow in the wrong place. When the gasket was torn on mine, it went into gear, but felt wrong. It didn't slip, but felt like it was binding - probably engaging multiple clutches at a time or some other Bad Thing. If it's just the gear selection, try the other 2 forward gears (and keep in mind that Park may not be Park). If D doesn't engage, but 2 does, ok. I think that 2 uses most of the circuits for D and 1 uses its own special circuit. Out of curiousity, what fluids are you using? Any sign of coolant leaking into the transmission fluid?

02-06-2021, 04:33 AM	#22
WizardOverYonder Board Member Join Date: Apr 2020 Location: Australia	To clarify, park works and locks everything in place, any other selection I can roll the car back and forth by pushing it. When I select a gear while the car is running, I have no drive at all in 1, 2, D or R. It just revs freely any gear. It is also not an AW71L, just and AW70. I removed the oil pan and verified that the rooster comb thing is in place correctly, by comparing it to the old transmission I just removed. There is no way I could use the selector to shift into any gear if that was wrong from what I can tell. The new theory is this: When I first did the +t and I was mating the original AW70 with the engine and did not align the torque converter correctly, having to rattle the two together, violently. Cringe As a result, I found that I had completely cracked the trans oil pump, destroyed the spline on the input shaft on the transmission, and couldn't turn the engine oflver as the flywheel was essentially locked in place. I then replaced the AW70 and torque converter with an AW70 given to me, and all was great until that trans died after 6 months or so. I then obtain the AW71 (no torque converter came with it) and think "hey, I'll use the original torque converter that used to be in it, as I know it was all good and must be better than the converter currently in the car," I didn't even THINK to check the spline inside the converter, I forgot all about that bit. Fast forward 3 hours the replacement AW71 and original torque converter is in the car, filled her up, no drive at all. This didn't occur to me until I had a moment of clarity, ice cold beer in hand, covered with trans oil after fishing around under the car for another 4 hours. This is only a theory, but it makes sense. If the spline is stripped on the input shaft on the AW70 with the cracked oil pump, it'd be the same on that torque converter that's now in the car. It spins freely, but won't pump oil into the converter. TLDR; it's possible that the torque converter I decided to use instead of the one with trans I just pulled has stripped splines after incorrect installation that I had forgotten about.

02-06-2021, 01:05 PM	#25
Turboschnauzer Board Member Join Date: Jan 2019 Location: Sandy, OR	Check line psi of transmission. If no psi or low psi, you need to inspect the convertor/pump drive given your story above.