I just got a 93 240 with 4 speed automatic transmission. Does this transmission go into lockup once hitting 4th gear? Or doesn't it have a lockup feature at all? If it does, why does it "slip" when stepping on the accelerator pedal in 4th? RPM goes up instantly but car takes time to catch up in road speed? Just like a non-lockup tranny. Just curious as to whether or not the thing is OK or not. Thanks.

I don't know exactly what the valves were set to, but on the same transmission installed in a '94 940, the lockup engages at 45 mph cruising speed. If you're accelerating hard when you reach 45 mph, or you're still in 3rd gear, the tranny will wait until these conditions are rectified before engaging the lockup torque converter. You should observe a drop of about 150 to 200 rpms when the TC locks up.

If you're driving along at 50 mph, you should be able to apply some moderate pedal pressure without the lockup disengaging. If you put too much torque into it (floor the gas), it should unlock and go back into "slushbox" mode (but by this time, you're probably forcing it to drop to 3rd gear anyways).

If you are noticing some definate slippage of the TC when it's locked up, I would perform a fluid and filter change without delay. Don't just change the fluid, you will want to pull the pan and clean out the sediment that accumulates there as the clutches wear down. You may have low pressure to the actuacting valve as a result of a partial clog from sediment, etc.

God bless,
Fitz Fitzgerald.
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'87 Blue 240 Wagon, and my 240 has 240K miles.

Check the lable on the trans to see if it is a AW70 or AW70L model.

Jared,

My 93, 245 has an auto with a button, forward of the shift lever, which is labled, lock out shift over ride. I haven't had this on the road due to a growling rear end. So I'm not too sure how it works. Seems to me that the tranny will lock (fuel economy ??) in top gear. I would guess if you need the tranny to be more responsive (hills, towing, performance driving) you would press the button to eliminate the lock up.

Hope this helps....

Al
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84, 242GLTi, 167K, 4+OD, in rehab; 89, 245 DL, 250K, M 47, daily driver; 93, 245, auto, 167K ; and other toys.

The "Lockup" torque converter in the AW-70L is hydraulicly controlled from inside the transmission and no external input is needed, aside from the torque loads on the input and output shafts. The button that you are speaking of on your center console is a device to disable the shifter from being moved unless the ignition key is in position 2.
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'87 Blue 240 Wagon, and my 240 has 240K miles.

Your 240 tranny does not have the lock up feature. The 740/940 transmisssions have same tranny, same engine with lock up. Not sure why Volvo did that.
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David Hunter

The 240 received Lockup Torque converters and trannys for the final 1993 model year. -otherwise you are correct. The 700 series received Lockup in the non-turbo vehicles starting sometime at the end of '88 or early '89. The turbo vehicles didn't get it until '90 or '91. There's a table in the FAQ that I've found to be mostly accurate (a few discrepancies here and there).

God bless,
Fitz Fitzgerald.