Hi Eric,

I have been thinking like the poster about the M-46 and the M-47 having the same front end gear box bearings. The M-47 has its own rear true fifth gear box for those not knowing.
I have read that changes were made with bearings, around the countershaft area.
This happened within the ONE over to the Two series on the M-47s.
I haven’t figure out if it was from tapered to straight rolling elements or what?

My transmissions are a 1990 and a 1993 model years. I surmise that both have only 200K with separate stories to explain causes. Amazingly close stories though, with symptoms coming in the same way.
Both newer M-47s seem to suffer the bearing noise.

I have a 1991 with close to 300K on it and it hasn’t suffered any of the ill’s of the later transmissions. Always have used regularly changed ATF until recently.
I got scared away from reading about the experiences of the others here on the BB.
I have gone to a Fuchs Synthetic Oil on all of them. Several thousand miles, So far so good.
The stuff probably has prolonged the life of my noisy bearings, but it’s not a fix, once a bearing goes noisy, it doesn’t get better.
There is one on a bench until I can comb through it to get an exchange going around.
What I do for one, I plan to do to both. I Might as well double down!

Ever-how they set them up the information during the production run of bearings or the transmission assembly labor, stayed to form for a very long time.
How my, used to me, 1991 ever got done right or driven over it lifetime correctly must be noteworthy.
It tells me it must be correctable.
I’m not tearing it down to find that out. Im not that fanatical! (:)

I want to go through the two M-47 II transmissions but I have very little information on them. I have one service manual and a rebuilding manual I found on the Internet.
I do not have part number information but plane on measuring out all the bearings and shop for them by sizes, if I have too.

In reading, I’m finding one end play allowance setting a little bit concerning. A miss print or conversion discrepancy possible.
It Could be a heritage failure in vendor manufacturing or with assembling skills too!
In these last years, I feel that, some other writing was available but on a production lines bathroom walls, Someplace (:)


Do you offer these bearings and/or information for sale?
I recognize your effort to provide services and your staying in business is very much appreciated by all!
I have paid attention to your expertise, here on the board. It’s in the much older Volvos before my time.
Since you know about the Overdrives and the M-46s how much are you really into the 200 series?
The Wagonmeister, in the near proximity, has help keep our cars going.
I bought an automatic car from him seven years ago and added 30k to it. COVID curbed that some as it has done very well even with having to sit it out.

I also have a 1986 M-46 with the J-Type Overdrive.
I feel it needs at least new O rings as the car has about 350 K on it. It still works fine but at times it’s hesitant to shift up.
It does this when the ambient temperature above 75 degrees. I think the O rings are just old and hardened.
The oil changes and a 20% Lucas friction modification have just about ran their game as far as I can ask them to.

What would you recommend I do for both of my situations?
I’m sure you must have connections in your circles.

Phil