I have a 740 turbo. 1990 with 100,000 miles on it. When I floor the gas there is a bottoming out grinding noise. After that happens the car won't shift out of first gear. It will accelerate a little, but refuses to go more that 20 mph. When I let off the gas after getting up to 20 mph I hear that grinding noise again. This has happened three times (I have only had the car for 2 weeks). The first time the transmission kicked back in after driving about a mile. The second time it kicked back in after sitting in a parking lot for a half mile. This third time it is not kicking back in.
There don't seem to be any other transmission problems.
Has anyone had a similar experience? Are there any good transmission people fro volvos in the Western PA area?

"after sitting in a parking lot for a half mile."

Putting aside the really interesting question of how you did that. Have you checked the kick down cable around the throttle linkage and the fluid level?

I have checked the fluid and it seems to be ok. I have not checked the kick down cable yet, could it cause something like this to happen? I will check that tonight...also, could it be possible that my tranny oil filter could be clogged causing a lack of fluid flow? I read something about that in the faq..Also, my local mechanic (not a specialist in volvos) claims that anything, including ac "sensors" could be affecting my transmission, basically insinuating that theres no way to find out..I thought this transmission was much more mechanical in function, is it true that sensors control everything on this tranny? Thanks alot for the help!

Look for the cable hanging up on some projection at or around the throttle pulley, it happens a lot and you have to rule it out. I am sure there are no sensors that would be factors, he is obviously not a member or Mechanical Mensa.

Look for the cable hanging up on some projection at or around the throttle pulley, it happens a lot and you have to rule it out. I am sure there are no sensors that would be factors, he is obviously not a member or Mechanical Mensa.

Electronic sensors don't control anything on this tranny, and it's generally considered a bombproof unit. Its only inputs are a) the shift lever, b) the kickdown cable (but even that won't leave you stuck in first, it'll just shift quite high) and c) the input shaft, connected to the motor. There's one electrical connection, for the overdrive solenoid. If that solenoid fails you'll lose overdrive, but it'll run through the first 3 gears fine. If the filter screen is actually plugged there's already been a fair bit of damage done. Volvo doesn't even recommend cleaning it any more because it doesn't get dirty - unless really bad things have happened to your tranny and clutch material is breaking loose. Try flushing the fluid (see the FAQs) and if that doesn't cure it, get a good used tranny. A fluid flush can work miracles on these, but if not a used one is way cheaper and more reliable than a rebuild, and readily available because it's not uncommon for them to run 300k+ miles.
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Chris, Dartmouth NS Canada 70 M-B 280SE, 83 245DL, 84 244 turbo, 90 780 turbo, 92 VW Golf, 90 740 Rex/Regina

ok guys, thanks alot for the advice. I will read the faq's again and do the flush..hopefully that will cure it..it has since started working again, but I would rather this not be a regular thing.
Thanks again!