Volvo 480 Club Europe

My gearbox has been a little shuddery for a while now - vibrating under heavy acceleration and a vibrating shifter. Obviously this points to the gearbox mounts – I’m really looking for some information on them – is there three mounts? Are they all the same? Anything to watch for if going for second hand ones? And off course, would second hand mounts be pricey?

My 1st and 2nd gears are also stiff when the car is cold or after it has been sitting for a while. Driving is quite hard as you just can’t seem to push the shifter into place. This only lasts for a few minutes until the car has warmed up though. Could it be the oil I’m using? I’m running GTX Magnetic 10w/40. I doubt the problem would be anything to do with the loose mounts as it was happening for a while before they went.

Any help much appreciated!

Darren wrote:
My 1st and 2nd gears are also stiff when the car is cold or after it has been sitting for a while. Driving is quite hard as you just can’t seem to push the shifter into place. This only lasts for a few minutes until the car has warmed up though. Could it be the oil I’m using? I’m running GTX Magnetic 10w/40.

In your gearbox??

gear box oil and engine oil are seperate things the engine does not supply the gear box with oil

Looks like I've made a fool of myself!! I was thinking of Minis; the gearbox and engine share the same oil! My mistake. Lets try that again, shall we;

My 1st and 2nd gears are also stiff when the car is cold or after it has been sitting for a while. Driving is quite hard as you just can’t seem to push the shifter into place. This only lasts for a few minutes until the car has warmed up though. What is the problem likely to be? I doubt the problem would be anything to do with the loose mounts as it was happening for a while before they went.

My gearbox was like that when i put cheap generic oil in it in the cold.

With the proper stuff shes fine. Do you know the history of your gearbox oil?

JohnTurbo wrote:With the proper stuff shes fine. Do you know the history of your gearbox oil?

I don't think I do. It was fine for about 9/10 months after I bought the car.

Any recommendations for a good (or proper?) type of oil?

Last count there was three suitable oils. Its been discussed recently. Do a forum search for Millers TRX, and it should find all the threads.

In short theres

volvo special oil @ 44quid (3.4L)
millers TRX @ ~ £30 for 5L
Another brand, similar to above. Do search.

I think the box has a bad mineral oil in it, that gets to thich when cold. But in a proper synthetic one and your good.