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OK, here's my advice, which was also given to me by three Volvo dealers, and not after two M47's that I insisted on changing the transmission oil on both M47's after 'only' 200k miles did I agree with the advice:
I skinned my knuckle and broke a thumbnail which took almost a year to grow back, very painful, removing the hex drain plug with said 12 point socket. It was knurled so badly, vicegrips couldn't budge it. I took it to the dealer who insisted I should not change the oil, it is there for the lifetime of the vehicle. He did as I asked, removed the plug with a torch, and drained the $29 quart of Volvo high grade Mil-Spec synthetic oil, and I had him put in $10 Redline MTL (which darkened, showed particles in the oil in 50k mi and needed changing again) The oil that came out was clear as water, and there wasn't a hint of breakdown or wear in the original oil at 230k miles. He said, "I'm warnin' ya, don't do it!"
Those drain plugs are glued in at the factory so nobody should ever remove them!!
So, I moved onto another 245 M47 a few years later and you'd think I had remembered and learned my lesson. I skinned my knuckles again, and the old broken thumbnail injury was still visible, and I screamed at myself as I looked at it and remembered the last time I did something this foolish. This time I used a six point socket w/breaker bar and got the plug off. Again, the oil came out as clear as water, clean and particle free. I decided that I should put in the Volvo oil and pay the price of the $30/qt. Went to the dealer and after looking long and hard, found the p/n for the oil, but now it was $118/qt! The dealer's comment was "Oh, we never remove those plugs and never have changed the oil on a 5 speed, ever. It's there for the life of the car." Yeah, I know.
Well anyway, I put the $10 cheap MTL in there, and again with obviously poorer lubrication than the Volvo oil, darkened after 50k miles and showed particles in the oil.
So if ever I come across another M47 with an impossible to remove drain plug, I will never try and remove it again, and leave that really great Volvo synthetic oil in there.
If your car has the M46, this may not apply, as it takes ATF, which should be replaced every 30k mi.
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