Hi all,

New to the board and new to Volvos. We just bought a 91 745T (automatic transmission) with 166K, and due to lack of knowledge/foresight, ended up with a car that has a DEAD overdrive. Relay, connections, and solenoid have all been checked, but still no 4th gear. Turns out the solenoid is also dead, but the mechanic said when he swapped in a new one, nothing changed.

So, here are my questions.
1) Other than the dead O/D, everything else on the car is mechanically sound/strong. Even the transmission is smooth through the other 3 gears. How reasonable is it to drive this car as a 3-speed, especially since we do not need it for highway commuting or long trips?

2) What options are there for rebuilding the transmission, and what is a ballpark figure in terms of cost?

3) If we choose to swap out the transmission for another unit, what should I look for in a used or remanufactured transmission? Cost? One quick e-mail to a local dismantler got me a quote of $450.

4) Is the AW71L in a 91-97 940T the same as the one in the 740? Does it bolt right on, or does it need modification? I ask because it seems that there's a better chance to get a low mileage unit that way.

Thanks in advance for reading through to the end and for any answers that are out there. Wish I'd found you 2 weeks ago!

Edd