Hello Everyone
I have an Amazon with a BW35 auto box - keeps slipping out of 1st when
i try to pull away. If i pull away really slowly on level ground it is
ok (usually) but sometimes i can't even engage 1st without engageing
reverse a few times.

The oil is murky and has never been changed. I've had the car twenty
years and this has been getting worse over the last 1000 miles. I'm not
sure if i adjusted the bands (which apparently can be done from
outside) i could save it.

Also, I have the chance to get a BW box from a pall who has a new (old
stock) one for a granada mk 1. I was wondering if it would fit? I
should think it probably would if i retained my volvo housing - any
ideas? If not any ideas where I could find out?

Thanks In avance if anyone can help!
Ian

just a long shot but..... Change the oil?

IanHurrell (AT) Talk21 (DOT) com wrote:

In article <1150379260.120470.17350 (AT) h76g2000cwa (DOT) googlegroups.com>,
<IanHurrell (AT) Talk21 (DOT) com> wrote:
From memory only one band is adjustable - and usually by the time they
start slipping adjustment is too late. The dirty ATF suggests things are
not well as this indicates much wear on the friction material.

But it's a very easy box to overhaul - no special tools needed. Any period
Jaguar, Rover, or Triumph factory workshop manual gives full details if
the Volvo one doesn't. All you need to be careful of is cleaning
everything properly. I'd also change the torque convertor for a new one -
or one from a car where the fluid was clean as they can't be cleaned out
easily.

One for a different car will physically fit if you swap the bellhousing,
but may not have exactly the same internals or power handling capabilities.

--
*Why doesn't glue stick to the inside of the bottle?

Dave Plowman dave (AT) davenoise (DOT) co.uk London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Thanks Mike,
A few people have mentioned this - Today I plan to drop the sump, clean
where I can, refill and prey.
Ian
mike whiskey wrote:

Thanks Dave,
I'n my simple way of looking at this i am suffering from one of two
things:

1. Some sort of dirt sticking some sort of valve. In which case droping
the sump, cleaning and changing the oil could help. I think i will try
this over the weekend.

2. No meat left on the clutchy type bits.

I think your guess would be the latter.

In which case I reckon I could buy the NOS one for the granada and put
that in. I'm not too concerned about the fact that the internals may
offer different performance characteristics (unless you think I'm
being foolish in the regard)

Some questions to do with compatibility between the two boxes:

Where the box joins the engine:
I would use the Volvo bell housing but there must be a spline or
something to provide the power transfer. Could this be different
diameter? Could I swap it over?

Similar question where the box meets the prop shaft.

Gear change linkage, kickdown cable and dipstick may cause problems but
again I'm presuming I can use the original parts?

I like the idea of getting down and dirty and overhauling the internals
but reckon if I can get a NOS box for £200 I'd be best to go this
route. I would imagine the parts would exceed £200 - are they
readily available.


Thanks Dave, I really appreciate any help you can give me, I've had
the car for 20 years and keen to keep the old girl on the road!
Ian



Ian
Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

In article <1150444722.588281.250990 (AT) p79g2000cwp (DOT) googlegroups.com>,
<IanHurrell (AT) Talk21 (DOT) com> wrote:
Trouble is this won't remove the dirt from the valve assembly - or more
important from the TC which can't be drained and contains somewhat around
half the total capacity.

It's usually the brake bands that wear first - the clutches are multi
plate types. The diaphragm spring on the clutches can break resulting in
them not disengaging - but not in your case.

I was basing it on the fact that some earlier boxes were designed for
small cars only - but later beefed up internally to be used with more
powerful ones.

I think they are all the same. There are two concentric power transfer
paths - a spline and a tang - for the TC. The correct way is to remove the
TC and box together, and replace in the same way. This avoids the
possibility of damage to the seals when trying to replace the box only to
the engine with the TC in place. However, some manage it ok. You have to
make sure the tang is lined up if doing this.

Again, I think they're all standard - or at least the drive flange could
be changed.

Yup. And don't forget to check the speedo drive. Although if different
might need the internal gear changed too - but this is a guess. Other
boxes do have differently geared drives.

There's probably an overhaul kit available with all the likely needed
parts. Dunno the cost these days though - it's many a year since I fixed
one of these.


My main worry would be the dirty ATF and bits of friction material left in
the TC which will contaminate the new box. It's common practice to fit a
new or reconditioned one at overhaul time where a box is contaminated.

--
*I was once a millionaire but my mom gave away my baseball cards

Dave Plowman dave (AT) davenoise (DOT) co.uk London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Thanks ever so much for your detailed reply Dave,

Forgot to say that the granada box comes with a new TC. So my question
really was would there be compatability problems where the TC joins the
bell housing?

I believe the TCs are either 9.5 or 11 inch so I need to find out the
size for the volvo and the granada and see if it will fit. Any ideas?

Also, i think there are two band adjustment screws accessible from the
outside of the box, do you think there is any chance that adjustment
could help in the short term?

One more question, do you think I'd be mad to spend £200 for the
granada box and TC?
I'm pretty handy with mechanics and i would be confident pulling both
boxes apart.

Thanks again,
Any chance I can give you a bell? my number is 079391149six9 - i'd be
appy to call you back
Ian

Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

UPDATE - I now think the problem is due to the gear change linkage.

The gearbox mounting has perished and the box has moved about an inch
from where it should be. So this means the linkage was out of
adjustment and could not move the gear selector enough to engage drive
properly.

I'm in the mids of renewing the mounting but i did a road test in which
i removed the linkage and engaged drive myself on the box with my hand.
Ran around the block perfectly. FANTASTIC - was over the moon
especially when I had spoken to someone who could get me out my problem
for £1200!

I'm still stuck with murkey oil so i plan to drop the sump, clean and
refill.

THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO REPLIED.

Information on a 40 year old box that wasn't installed on many amazons
is hard to come by.

IanHurrell (AT) Talk21 (DOT) com wrote:

On 16 Jun 2006 22:42:20 -0700, IanHurrell (AT) Talk21 (DOT) com wrote:

Don't know how I missed this the first time 'round, but.......

Yes, the trans mount is often a problem on these cars. I'm trying to
recall if the auto used the same configuration as the standard, but
that escapes me right now. Too many years away from those cars.

If it *does* use the same configuration, replace it with an engine
mount. They're a tougher component, and tend to last longer. As well,
the linkage on those autos can wear, causing similar issues. With the
stiffer mount, there is less movement, helping keep the linkage where
it belongs.

As for your fluid change, I'd suggest finding a flush service. Not
just where they drop the pan, but a system where the fluid is allowed
to be drained out through the cooler output, and fresh fluid
drawn/pumped in through the cooler line input.

Again, going from memory here, the 121/122 didn't utilize the trans
cooler. But all the ones I worked on had either plugs or a bypass tube
installed. Simple enough matter to make up a couple of tubes to do the
work. On the two that I owned, I installed na aftermarket trans
cooler. I had a couple of early 140 series that were the same, on
those I installed a newer rad with trans cooler, and utilized that....

Hello Raymond,
Thanks for the reply!

I have already put the gearbox mounting in (well almost, started
getting dark last night). Actually, it seemed beefier than an engine
mount.

I need to make up a nylon bush for part of the linkage as one is
missing causing about 5mm play.

Was funny how i found the issue. I took the top part of the linkage
away and pulled and pushed the down rod to see how the gear engagement.
1 click at a time caused P R N and R! again. Must have got this wrong I
though, tried 3 more times, then I watched what was happening to the
final part of the linkage and could see what was happening - the angles
were all wrong and a move that should have pushed further into D was
actually pulling back to R.

Good job I had that mousetrap game as a child otherwise I'd never have
worked it out!

So, now i have to think about the blood transfusion.

I appreciate the advice you gave 'cos someone else told me that at
lease 50% of the fluid would be in the torque converter and that
wouldn't get drained by a sump off job.

Seems, like the method you're describing would be a "keep on
replenishing 'till the fluid goes red" approach. - much better.
Actually, I'm told there is a filter that could be cleaned when the
sump is removed - so I better do a combination of both methods.

I think there is a cooler on my 121. Or am i getting confused with a
cooling line coming from the rad? Anyway i imagine the approach is to
tap in to the circuit - I'll have a good look for plugs etc when I'm
finishing off the linkage work.

Raymond - thanks one again for your help

Ian



Raymond J. Henry wrote: