Can anyone clear up the record for good on the history of the transmissions that were put into the 850.
                      Volvo tells me one thing, and an independent specialist another.
                      Is it true that an Aisin-Warner box went into the earliest models, and that it was replaced by a
                      Borg-Warner?
                      (If it is true...)
                      What were the reasons for change/failures? What are the model designations of the two different
                      trannies? Can a later model tranny be put into the earlier model-year cars?

                      Answers to any of these questions would be appreciated, as I am currently email corresponding with
                      someone looking at big tranny costs who needs the issue clarified.

                      --
                      Michael from Sydney

                      It's Asian Warner (NOT Borg Warner, never although I believe the companies are "related"). Volvo has
                      used AW trannies since (at least) the 70s in their RWD auto trans cars and ALL FWDs still use AWs
                      with the exception of the S80 (GM).
                      If your going to replace your trans with a reman, not used, I'd suggest buying it from a Volvo dealer and
                      using the same year trans as they list it for, NOT trying to put a newer type trans in an older 850. It's
                      alot of work and you (or whoever) won't want to do it twice. All Volvo parts have a 1 year/unlimited
                      mileage warranty in the US, don't know about elsewhere but you should ask.

                      thanks John,

                      I presume that the guy in question would get the same work/parts guarantee in Hawaii. I'll pass on the
                      info on the AW.

                      thanks/regards
                      --
                      Michael

                      Michael:

                      The l850 uses an Aisin Warner AW 50-42 transmission. There are differences between early and late
                      models in that the sensors which supply ground speed signals for the speedometer are different. The
                      transmissions will interchange but the speedometer,odometer, cruise and fuel consumption monitor will
                      not work without some modifications. If you require more detail, I can supply it.

                      --
                      Ken

                      Thanks Ken,

                      I have some information from Volvo which was written around (my guess) 1992-93, which states that
                      the tranny on the original GLT is the AW-42. (Of course, that didn't tell me if the tranny was to change
                      in later years, hence the original question. You & John have sorted me out there, ta.)

                      I guess the AW-42 that they (volvo) talk about and your AW 50-42 are the same thing. What's the '50'
                      nomenclature?.

                      Any further info on the trannies and year variations is appreciated, I will put it up at my site for anyone
                      who is interested, and it will certainly help this guy in Hawaii to get his bearings.

                      Now that I know that the 850 tranny was always Aisin - Warner, the thing that I want to know is why
                      the apparent variation in reliability between earlier and later models?
                      Kino's survey reports 1993, 74%, with 50 people responding; 1994, 21%, 113 people; 1995, 33%,
                      101; 1996, 12%, 76; 1997, 17%, 28 and 1998 13%, 66. The 1993 result is particularly unnerving.
                      (though it depends on how you see the numbers: 37, 23, 33, 9, 4 and 9 are the roughly raw numbers of
                      respondents saying they had tranny failure, making all three first years look pretty bad...)

                      Just my 2c worth, but there may be a lot of factors causing the unreliability (seen in Kino's survey) for
                      the AW-42. A few possible causes:
                      * Difference in time elapsed between years surveyed;
                      * individual variation in the way the transmission is used/car driven;
                      * Variations in maintenance. (As more people/dealerships/whatever became/become aware that it is
                      important to change ATF, boxes are less prone to failure? Anyone know about TSB's on ATF
                      changes/when they were released?)
                      * might the probs have anything to do with the mods that you speak of? On the surface the mods, being
                      just sensors, sound too trivial to do that, but the fact that they were done might imply some more
                      significant modifications to the AW-42 during its' life on the 850? Or am I totally up the wrong tree and
                      was it pretty much the same box all the time???

                      And (sorry for the 61 questions) I wonder whether the 960's AW-30's were prone to such failure as
                      well? (or was that RWD?)

                      I'll kill this rant before it goes on any longer! Thanks for your help

                      --
                      Michael from Sydney

                      Michael;

                      I can't tell you what the 50 represents on the model no. As to what changes might have been made
                      internally between early and late models, I can"t say. The only obvious change that I am aware of is the
                      change in location of the ground speed sensor, from near the drive axle to much higher on the housing.
                      The casting on the later models changed to accomodate this. As to the survey results; perhaps the higher
                      rate of failure for the early 850 can be attributed to the fact that they are older and likely to have more
                      use and mileage. How many of the failures were actually PNP switch failures? I installed motor and trans.
                      from a 1998 into my 1994 850 without any problems other than the speedo. I am currently working on
                      an adaptor to solve that problem.hope this is of some help.

                      --
                     ken

                       Hi, can anyone out there answer the following: it is my understanding that the early 850's ('93, '94) had
                       some tranny issues, are the transmissions that were installed in the '93/'94 models also found in the '95
                       and up models? it has been said that the automatic trans. found in the earlier models were manufactured
                       by Asian-Warner (or something sounding like that), and that these transmissions were not as good as the
                       ones found in the '95s and later which I believe the the person who wrote the comment said were
                       manufactured by GM. I could have mis-read what was written so if anyone can help me out, it would be
                       greatly appreciated.

                       All 850 and 70 series automatics use Asian Warner transmissions.
                       There would be differences in the Asian Warner transmissions
                       year-to-year. So, a 95 model may have improvements in the
                       transmission that a 93 does not have; some newer ones are
                       5 speed automatics, etc. I would not assume they are
                       interchangeable without checking with someone who has replaced
                       one year with another.

                       The newer S80 T6 uses a GM supplied transmission (as do some BMWs,
                       Rolls, and many other makes -- GM makes very good transmissions).
                       I'm not sure if the normally aspirated S80 also uses a GM or an
                       Asian Warner.

                       --
                       Ray Niblett 95 855 GLT / 98 S70 T5M

                       --
                       Wayne '94 854GTAS 94K