Discussion
Any love for a 14 year old Volvo? No? Oh well, I’ll carry on anyway 
For the last year or so I’ve owned an Impreza WRX wagon. It’s been a decent enough car but I’ve struggled to really bond with it. It was amazing in the snow earlier this year, but on normal everyday duties I was getting bored with the lack of low down grunt. I toyed with upgrades, remaps etc but decided that was a slippery slope for a daily driver so it was sold, and for pretty much the same money I gained an extra cylinder and 500cc… enter the Volvo V50 T5:
20180811_095207_001 by CarlosV8, on Flickr
I like to think of it as a more-subtle Focus ST Estate. A lot more subtle!
With 220bhp it’s only slightly down on power against the WRX, but with boost available much earlier it gains the low down grunt that the Scooby lacked making it much nicer to drive at lower speeds. Plus, the 5 cylinder noise is much better too, IMHO of course.
The seats are as comfy as a I remember from my old 360 GLT – I’m glad this is something Volvo haven’t lost. It also gets the slightly funky floating dash, with the less-than-funky wood trim:
20180811_102032 by CarlosV8, on Flickr
And being a Volvo it was going to be nice and reliable, right? Wrong! 2 weeks in:
20180713_205606 by CarlosV8, on Flickr
This was the result of the oil pressure light coming on. It would flicker on and off for a bit then stay on. Initially I feared the worse, but the car drove fine and the engine still sounded healthy. Some research suggested that the PCV valve was an inherent weakness and could get clogged up which caused the light to come on. It’s a sealed unit and part of the oil filter housing so I ordered a new Volvo item. The photo above is mid-replacement – a bit fiddly but not too bad. This was the offending part:
2018-08-11_02-29-34 by CarlosV8, on Flickr
With everything bolted back together and new oil the light initially stayed off. Happy days. Until it came back on. Bugger. Thought it was probably wise to change the oil pressure sensor too, and with that done the light has since stayed off. Phew!
The other thing that had subsequently gone wrong was the air con. It worked for the first 10-15 minutes of a drive but then gave up. So, it appeared fine on the test drive! Once again, Google to the rescue – a common fault is the clutch gap on the air con compressor gets too large and therefore disengages when it gets hot. A quick check showed that the gap was around 0.9mm, whereas it should be 0.4-0.6mm. In theory the clutch pack needed to be removed and some shims adjusted to get the gap right, but I was headed on a long trip and didn’t have the time to do this. So a bit of improvisation… firstly take some old twin & earth I found in the loft and extract the earth wire. Next, hammer it flat:
20180730_182609 by CarlosV8, on Flickr
And keep going until you get to the desired thickness:
20180730_182533 by CarlosV8, on Flickr
Finally, cut to size and then fit to the spring of the clutch pack:
20180730_184458 by CarlosV8, on Flickr
The result is that the gap is now within tolerance and the aircon works perfectly. Not bad for 30 minutes work! At some point I will do it properly but for now it’s sorted.
With the essentials done it was time to start modding!! This is where it gets exciting… I’ve added a sunglasses holder:
2018-08-06_11-22-04 by CarlosV8, on Flickr
An old mk2 Focus of mine had this and I thought it was a really neat idea as I don’t really need a grab handle and it’s much better than leaving your glasses in the cup holder! Volvo wanted £60 for a new part, and no 2nd hand ones were available. I wasn’t prepared to pay that so bought a Focus version for £10 off Ebay in the hope that it was taken from the Ford parts bin. I wasn’t, but with a couple of tweaks it fitted nicely.
Since this initial flurry of activity last month the V50 has been performing daily tasks well – commuting, school runs, tip runs and generally load lugging:
20180806_193706 by CarlosV8, on Flickr
The only slight issue is a squeak from the engine bay when cold, which appears to be the alternator clutch pulley. I didn’t even bother checking the Volvo price, but the OEM part number revealed it was an INA part and, by luck, I managed to pick one up off a special offer on Amazon for £15. Another £20 on the special tool to remove the pulley means I should be able to do that myself once it turns up. After that I probably need to get the cambelt done too for peace of mind.
If you got this far, well done! If there’s any interest I’ll keep the thread updated as I carry on with my tinkerings.
For the last year or so I’ve owned an Impreza WRX wagon. It’s been a decent enough car but I’ve struggled to really bond with it. It was amazing in the snow earlier this year, but on normal everyday duties I was getting bored with the lack of low down grunt. I toyed with upgrades, remaps etc but decided that was a slippery slope for a daily driver so it was sold, and for pretty much the same money I gained an extra cylinder and 500cc… enter the Volvo V50 T5:
20180811_095207_001 by CarlosV8, on FlickrI like to think of it as a more-subtle Focus ST Estate. A lot more subtle!
With 220bhp it’s only slightly down on power against the WRX, but with boost available much earlier it gains the low down grunt that the Scooby lacked making it much nicer to drive at lower speeds. Plus, the 5 cylinder noise is much better too, IMHO of course.
The seats are as comfy as a I remember from my old 360 GLT – I’m glad this is something Volvo haven’t lost. It also gets the slightly funky floating dash, with the less-than-funky wood trim:
20180811_102032 by CarlosV8, on FlickrAnd being a Volvo it was going to be nice and reliable, right? Wrong! 2 weeks in:
20180713_205606 by CarlosV8, on FlickrThis was the result of the oil pressure light coming on. It would flicker on and off for a bit then stay on. Initially I feared the worse, but the car drove fine and the engine still sounded healthy. Some research suggested that the PCV valve was an inherent weakness and could get clogged up which caused the light to come on. It’s a sealed unit and part of the oil filter housing so I ordered a new Volvo item. The photo above is mid-replacement – a bit fiddly but not too bad. This was the offending part:
2018-08-11_02-29-34 by CarlosV8, on FlickrWith everything bolted back together and new oil the light initially stayed off. Happy days. Until it came back on. Bugger. Thought it was probably wise to change the oil pressure sensor too, and with that done the light has since stayed off. Phew!
The other thing that had subsequently gone wrong was the air con. It worked for the first 10-15 minutes of a drive but then gave up. So, it appeared fine on the test drive! Once again, Google to the rescue – a common fault is the clutch gap on the air con compressor gets too large and therefore disengages when it gets hot. A quick check showed that the gap was around 0.9mm, whereas it should be 0.4-0.6mm. In theory the clutch pack needed to be removed and some shims adjusted to get the gap right, but I was headed on a long trip and didn’t have the time to do this. So a bit of improvisation… firstly take some old twin & earth I found in the loft and extract the earth wire. Next, hammer it flat:
20180730_182609 by CarlosV8, on FlickrAnd keep going until you get to the desired thickness:
20180730_182533 by CarlosV8, on FlickrFinally, cut to size and then fit to the spring of the clutch pack:
20180730_184458 by CarlosV8, on FlickrThe result is that the gap is now within tolerance and the aircon works perfectly. Not bad for 30 minutes work! At some point I will do it properly but for now it’s sorted.
With the essentials done it was time to start modding!! This is where it gets exciting… I’ve added a sunglasses holder:
2018-08-06_11-22-04 by CarlosV8, on FlickrAn old mk2 Focus of mine had this and I thought it was a really neat idea as I don’t really need a grab handle and it’s much better than leaving your glasses in the cup holder! Volvo wanted £60 for a new part, and no 2nd hand ones were available. I wasn’t prepared to pay that so bought a Focus version for £10 off Ebay in the hope that it was taken from the Ford parts bin. I wasn’t, but with a couple of tweaks it fitted nicely.
Since this initial flurry of activity last month the V50 has been performing daily tasks well – commuting, school runs, tip runs and generally load lugging:
20180806_193706 by CarlosV8, on FlickrThe only slight issue is a squeak from the engine bay when cold, which appears to be the alternator clutch pulley. I didn’t even bother checking the Volvo price, but the OEM part number revealed it was an INA part and, by luck, I managed to pick one up off a special offer on Amazon for £15. Another £20 on the special tool to remove the pulley means I should be able to do that myself once it turns up. After that I probably need to get the cambelt done too for peace of mind.
If you got this far, well done! If there’s any interest I’ll keep the thread updated as I carry on with my tinkerings.
zedx19 said:
Like these, bit of a sleeper, fair bit slower then a Focus ST due to gearing, weight and slight power drop but make a great noise and will surprise a lot of people still.
I didn't think the performance difference was that great - both under 7s to 60 and around 150mph top speed. Not that I really mind, as I wanted a quick estate so the Focus wasn't ever an option anyway.zedx19 said:
Presumably you know about cracked liners? People blame Ford about it but forget the ST engine is entirely Volvo design used in many Volvo's that predate the Focus. The "block mod" being developed for Volvo's by Tim Williams before the ST was even a twinkle in Mr Ford's eye
TheVole said:
As the previous poster mentioned, get the block mod done - £550 (inc cambelt) to Tim Williams now will save you a new engine later...
Yeah, I've been considering that. My engine is standard and will remain so for the time being so that lessens the chance of any problems. But if I can work out a way of getting the car to Tim I may get it done with the cambelt later in the year.It may have been more of an indirect issue caused by the gunk accumulating in/around the breather. I cleaned the oil galleries best I could when I changed the oil filter housing. But it wasn't until the oil pressure sensor was changed and the gallery cleaned that the light finally went out. So possibly not a risk of oil starvation for the engine but a sign of too long between oil changes?
The other issue I didn't mention was the engine note changed when pulling out the dipstick - a sign of the crankcase pressure problems you mentioned. Swapping the oil filter housing sorted this.
The other possibility with the oil light was a bunch of oil seals in the sump that can fail but the symptoms weren't quite right for that (oil light at idle, bubbles in oil). Over winter I might try and change these as a preventative measure, whilst also checking the state of the oil to ensure all is now gunk free.
The engine is certainly flexible - no real hint of turbo lag and a linear power delivery, much more like a bigger displacement NA lump.
The other issue I didn't mention was the engine note changed when pulling out the dipstick - a sign of the crankcase pressure problems you mentioned. Swapping the oil filter housing sorted this.
The other possibility with the oil light was a bunch of oil seals in the sump that can fail but the symptoms weren't quite right for that (oil light at idle, bubbles in oil). Over winter I might try and change these as a preventative measure, whilst also checking the state of the oil to ensure all is now gunk free.
The engine is certainly flexible - no real hint of turbo lag and a linear power delivery, much more like a bigger displacement NA lump.
I can't take the credit for the air con fix - I adapted something I read on one of the Volvo forums. Pleased with how well it worked though!
Looks like a remap will get c.260bhp without any supporting mods which isn't too bad. I'd want to get the block mod done before going down this route though. We'll see!
Looks like a remap will get c.260bhp without any supporting mods which isn't too bad. I'd want to get the block mod done before going down this route though. We'll see!
I'll research the block mod options before doing anything, but looks like Tim Williams is the place to go. Just gotta find a time to get the car to the Midlands.
The door pockets are indeed useless:
2018-08-28_07-14-13 by CarlosV8, on Flickr
Glovebox is pretty pokey too - not ideal when you have a 6CD changer and no-where to put CD cases! I can overlook these little flaws for now though
The door pockets are indeed useless:
2018-08-28_07-14-13 by CarlosV8, on FlickrGlovebox is pretty pokey too - not ideal when you have a 6CD changer and no-where to put CD cases! I can overlook these little flaws for now though
TheRainMaker said:
You must have an upgraded stereo or something, my door pockets are much bigger than those.
Apparently so:
2018-08-30_08-24-03 by CarlosV8, on FlickrWondered what "High Performance Sound" meant. I know I have an amp in the boot, but I guess you get uprated speakers too.
In other news, I finally picked the following up from the Post Office:
2018-08-30_08-24-53 by CarlosV8, on FlickrSo, I should now be able to removal the pulley off the alternator. Watch this space!
Jobs on the V50 have progressed a bit quicker than originally expected! A couple of weeks ago I set out to fix the annoying squeak on start up, which I originally thought to be the alternator pulley. Upon checking things a bit more carefully using a stethoscope I decided it wasn't actually the pulley, but still couldn't pinpoint the noise. But more worryingly, when I removed the cambelt cover I discovered the belt was looking a bit worse for wear. As mentioned previously I planned to get this changed later in the year but based on the condition of the belt I wanted it done straightaway.
So this week it went into a local garage to have the cambelt, tensioners, water pump and auxillary belts done, which came in at just under £400, not too bad! I was secretly hoping this would cure the annoying squeak, but it didn't. The squeak now didn't last as long, but was still just as loud on a cold startup for about 20-30s.
Today I attacked the car again and finally discovered the problem:
20180929_114312 by CarlosV8, on Flickr
The 4 left hand exhaust manifold nuts were loose. Loose enough to move a couple of them with my finger! Bit of a faff to get to them, but now all torqued up properly and the noise has gone. Finally!
Apparently this is a common problem with the T5, so something to keep an eye (or ear!) on.
Happy now all the major jobs are sorted, and in fact I'm really enjoying the Ovlov as a daily driver. No one gives it a second look, and most people wouldn't know it's got a howling 5 cylinder turbo under the bonnet, and I love that. I think it actually sounds better at lower revs, so it makes me smile every day on the way to work. And I'm averaging over 25mpg on normal unleaded, so it probably saving me £20 a month in fuel over the WRX. Not too shabby!
I'll leave you a very exciting car park shot:
2018-09-24_07-48-20 by CarlosV8, on Flickr
So this week it went into a local garage to have the cambelt, tensioners, water pump and auxillary belts done, which came in at just under £400, not too bad! I was secretly hoping this would cure the annoying squeak, but it didn't. The squeak now didn't last as long, but was still just as loud on a cold startup for about 20-30s.
Today I attacked the car again and finally discovered the problem:
20180929_114312 by CarlosV8, on FlickrThe 4 left hand exhaust manifold nuts were loose. Loose enough to move a couple of them with my finger! Bit of a faff to get to them, but now all torqued up properly and the noise has gone. Finally!
Apparently this is a common problem with the T5, so something to keep an eye (or ear!) on. Happy now all the major jobs are sorted, and in fact I'm really enjoying the Ovlov as a daily driver. No one gives it a second look, and most people wouldn't know it's got a howling 5 cylinder turbo under the bonnet, and I love that. I think it actually sounds better at lower revs, so it makes me smile every day on the way to work. And I'm averaging over 25mpg on normal unleaded, so it probably saving me £20 a month in fuel over the WRX. Not too shabby!
I'll leave you a very exciting car park shot:
2018-09-24_07-48-20 by CarlosV8, on FlickrI wouldn't have been able to get the block mod done until after Christmas due to time constraints. Based on the condition of the cambelt I wasnt happy waiting that long so elected to get it done at a trusted local garage.
Will look into getting it done later next year if I decide to keep the car longer term (daily drivers normally last about a year before I get bored!).
Will look into getting it done later next year if I decide to keep the car longer term (daily drivers normally last about a year before I get bored!).
The V50 is still going strong and still putting a smile on my face! Gave the old girl a facelift today... before:
20181118_154422 by CarlosV8, on Flickr
After:
20181118_154631 by CarlosV8, on Flickr
Never really liked the plastic 'chrome' grille so when I spotted this version for sale I snapped it up. Much better in my eyes!
Something else that's been annoying me is the lack of phone connectivity. Not quite as easy as chucking in a new head unit these days, but I think I've decided on a Parrot mki9200 kit to solve the problem. This will give me bluetooth streaming and handsfree. So, I'm on the lookout for the kit, with the aim to fit it over Christmas.
20181118_154422 by CarlosV8, on FlickrAfter:
20181118_154631 by CarlosV8, on FlickrNever really liked the plastic 'chrome' grille so when I spotted this version for sale I snapped it up. Much better in my eyes!
Something else that's been annoying me is the lack of phone connectivity. Not quite as easy as chucking in a new head unit these days, but I think I've decided on a Parrot mki9200 kit to solve the problem. This will give me bluetooth streaming and handsfree. So, I'm on the lookout for the kit, with the aim to fit it over Christmas.
Haven't got round to sorting bluetooth connectivity out yet, but it's still on the list!
The V50 spends most of it's life doing my 9 mile journey to work, but after the wife's economical car got a puncture the Volvo was pulled into service for a longer trip over Christmas. Quite impressed with the MPG:
2018-12-16_10-17-06 by CarlosV8, on Flickr
It was well into the 36's on the way home. Saying that, the trip computer is a bit optimistic, so probably around 34mpg in reality, but still not too bad. Best of all though it was lovely and comfy - the seats really are great!
Also over Christmas I had my 205 GTi out, and I was fairly shocked to discover that dip beam on the 205 is as good, if not slightly better than dip beam on the V50
I knew it was bad, but didn't realise it was 30-year-old-Peugeot bad! I picked up some Osram Nightbreakers in a January sale and fitted them today. A before and after garage door test seems to show them being a bit better, but I guess all will be revealed (or not) on the commute tomorrow:
IMG_20190113_180114 by CarlosV8, on Flickr
The V50 spends most of it's life doing my 9 mile journey to work, but after the wife's economical car got a puncture the Volvo was pulled into service for a longer trip over Christmas. Quite impressed with the MPG:
2018-12-16_10-17-06 by CarlosV8, on FlickrIt was well into the 36's on the way home. Saying that, the trip computer is a bit optimistic, so probably around 34mpg in reality, but still not too bad. Best of all though it was lovely and comfy - the seats really are great!
Also over Christmas I had my 205 GTi out, and I was fairly shocked to discover that dip beam on the 205 is as good, if not slightly better than dip beam on the V50
I knew it was bad, but didn't realise it was 30-year-old-Peugeot bad! I picked up some Osram Nightbreakers in a January sale and fitted them today. A before and after garage door test seems to show them being a bit better, but I guess all will be revealed (or not) on the commute tomorrow:IMG_20190113_180114 by CarlosV8, on FlickrThe Volvo developed a bit of a leak over the last few months resulting in the passenger footwell turning into a swimming pool:
2019-01-24_01-35-45 by CarlosV8, on Flickr
I was using the blue roll to identify where the leak was coming from - was pretty obvious on this occasion as you can see where it's dripped down the sill anyway. Following the drips revealed that they were coming from the a-pillar area and it seemed to be the windscreen seal. Not what I would expect from a Volvo, even if it is 15 years old! The windscreen had a crack and needed replacing anyway, so that's now been sorted. It's been glorious sunshine since it was done, but hopefully the water ingress has been cured.
I've also finally sorted out connecting my phone to the car. I had intended to go for a Parrot kit, but with the amp in the boot it becomes a bit of a faff to fit. So, when I came across this for under £100 on EBay I though I'd give it a go:
2019-02-21_08-18-20 by CarlosV8, on Flickr
This gives me DAB and bluetooth, which is transmitted via an FM frequency to the standard stereo. You can also connect via an Aux input, but unfortunately my car doesn't have that. Pretty simple to fit... you have a DAB aerial and box of tricks which attaches to the windscreen. The microphone also connects to this box:
20190221_135125 by CarlosV8, on Flickr
The windscreen unit attaches to a USB socket for power, and then a battery powered wireless control unit can be placed wherever is convenient. For some reason the mount refused to stick to the Volvo's dash, so for now I've got it sat in the cupholder:
20190221_135040 by CarlosV8, on Flickr
Got it all setup and it seemed to work quite well on the driveway. The first drive out revealed some static when trying to stream music, which was annoying. I haven't had chance to have another play with it yet, but I'm hoping some fine tuning of the FM signal will give me a cleaner sound. I'll be slightly annoyed if not!!
2019-01-24_01-35-45 by CarlosV8, on FlickrI was using the blue roll to identify where the leak was coming from - was pretty obvious on this occasion as you can see where it's dripped down the sill anyway. Following the drips revealed that they were coming from the a-pillar area and it seemed to be the windscreen seal. Not what I would expect from a Volvo, even if it is 15 years old! The windscreen had a crack and needed replacing anyway, so that's now been sorted. It's been glorious sunshine since it was done, but hopefully the water ingress has been cured.
I've also finally sorted out connecting my phone to the car. I had intended to go for a Parrot kit, but with the amp in the boot it becomes a bit of a faff to fit. So, when I came across this for under £100 on EBay I though I'd give it a go:
2019-02-21_08-18-20 by CarlosV8, on FlickrThis gives me DAB and bluetooth, which is transmitted via an FM frequency to the standard stereo. You can also connect via an Aux input, but unfortunately my car doesn't have that. Pretty simple to fit... you have a DAB aerial and box of tricks which attaches to the windscreen. The microphone also connects to this box:
20190221_135125 by CarlosV8, on FlickrThe windscreen unit attaches to a USB socket for power, and then a battery powered wireless control unit can be placed wherever is convenient. For some reason the mount refused to stick to the Volvo's dash, so for now I've got it sat in the cupholder:
20190221_135040 by CarlosV8, on FlickrGot it all setup and it seemed to work quite well on the driveway. The first drive out revealed some static when trying to stream music, which was annoying. I haven't had chance to have another play with it yet, but I'm hoping some fine tuning of the FM signal will give me a cleaner sound. I'll be slightly annoyed if not!!
Davie said:
If it's leaked, you may want to check the CEM above the passengers footwell
Thanks for the tip, I'll check it out when I get chance.S100HP said:
Just saw these. Thought of you
Interesting... but this daily driver needs to remain sensible. I have about 20 speed humps on the way to work and I don't think the underside would appreciate a 25mm drop!May as well update the thread whilst I'm here.... I've gotten use to the Highway 600 in the car now. After having a bit of play with FM frequencies the sound quality is acceptable. It gives me DAB to listen to on the commute (signal for this is excellent), plus bluetooth calling, which is one thing I missed from the Scooby. The static is still noticeable when trying to stream music, but I don't use that too much so not the end of the world. If you had an aux input to use instead of the FM transmitter I think the sound quality would be much better, but for a relatively cheap and simple unit I'm quite happy for now.
I previously mentioned a leak in the passenger footwell - I thought the new windscreen had fixed it, but apparently not. So this time I pulled the a pillar trim off and got a helper with a hosepipe to spray the outside in order to pinpoint the issue. Eventually found it:
2019-03-29_11-20-29 by CarlosV8, on FlickrIt was seeping through the join with the roof skin. The only obvious place I could think of water getting in here was the roof rails mounts. So I unbolted the rail, smothered everything in silicone sealant and hoped for the best. For the next few weeks I drove around like this:
2019-04-03_08-27-48 by CarlosV8, on FlickrFortunately, everything remained dry this time, so now it's all back together and doesn't smell quite so damp!
And lets finish with a shot in it's natural environment - dirty and filled with stuff carting the family round:
20190220_113015 by CarlosV8, on Flickrsmiley_boy2501 said:
Carlos,
I'm the chap with the other T5. I know you've sorted you're bluetooth requirements but if you want it I have a parrot ck3100 I've taken off my car (it was plugged into the amp). There's no actually Parrot 'headunit' thing but there's all the automute/autoleads connectors etc.
Yours if you want it. Just sitting on my garage floor currently.
Have you thought more about maps yet? I feel it could do with a bit more particularly in 3rd when overtaking.
Good to see your V50 on here too! Adds to the various T5s popping up in these threads, all of which I enjoy reading!I'm the chap with the other T5. I know you've sorted you're bluetooth requirements but if you want it I have a parrot ck3100 I've taken off my car (it was plugged into the amp). There's no actually Parrot 'headunit' thing but there's all the automute/autoleads connectors etc.
Yours if you want it. Just sitting on my garage floor currently.
Have you thought more about maps yet? I feel it could do with a bit more particularly in 3rd when overtaking.
A bit more poke in the top end would be nice, but then I have some work to do on the actual project car so I'm resisting for now.
Having done a long journey with the Highway unit now, its raised some doubts again, so I'd happily take the parrot unit off your hands. Many thanks for the offer!
For the last few months it's been pot luck whether the reverse lights and sensors would work on the V50, so the long weekend seemed like the ideal opportunity to get them sorted. I ordered a genuine Volvo reverse light sensor and set about swapping it over today. Only problem is that it's buried under here:
20190422_105229 by CarlosV8, on Flickr
I wasn't particularly looking forward to it, but after about an hour or so this lot was removed:
20190422_123143 by CarlosV8, on Flickr
Which gave me access to the sensor - you can see it in the middle of the following photo (look for the 2 silver pins sticking out of the gearbox):
20190422_122013 by CarlosV8, on Flickr
With the gearbox mount out of the way I could get a 22mm spanner in there to remove it. Some online guides suggested removing the gearchange cables too, but I didn't find that it was necessary. The new sensor came with a completely different connector:
20190422_122142 by CarlosV8, on Flickr
Slightly concerned at first, but it also included a spare bit of wiring to allow you to splice it in. With that done refitting was the reversal of removal and viola - we seem to have reliable reverse lights. Should help getting on to the driveway at night without hitting the gatepost!
As I mentioned in a previous post I've done a few miles in the Volvo recently, and the car itself has performed admirably. But one thing I have noticed is that with the car fully laden there's sometimes a slight hesitation around 3krpm when you floor it. I can't see any evidence of spark plugs being changed recently, so I've ordered a set to see if it helps. Will also get a fuel filter sorted out for the next service too.
20190422_105229 by CarlosV8, on FlickrI wasn't particularly looking forward to it, but after about an hour or so this lot was removed:
20190422_123143 by CarlosV8, on FlickrWhich gave me access to the sensor - you can see it in the middle of the following photo (look for the 2 silver pins sticking out of the gearbox):
20190422_122013 by CarlosV8, on FlickrWith the gearbox mount out of the way I could get a 22mm spanner in there to remove it. Some online guides suggested removing the gearchange cables too, but I didn't find that it was necessary. The new sensor came with a completely different connector:
20190422_122142 by CarlosV8, on FlickrSlightly concerned at first, but it also included a spare bit of wiring to allow you to splice it in. With that done refitting was the reversal of removal and viola - we seem to have reliable reverse lights. Should help getting on to the driveway at night without hitting the gatepost!
As I mentioned in a previous post I've done a few miles in the Volvo recently, and the car itself has performed admirably. But one thing I have noticed is that with the car fully laden there's sometimes a slight hesitation around 3krpm when you floor it. I can't see any evidence of spark plugs being changed recently, so I've ordered a set to see if it helps. Will also get a fuel filter sorted out for the next service too.
A couple of weeks ago it was MoT time, my first one with the V50. I had concerns about a couple of items, namely the exhaust and the occasional knock from the front suspension, but was hoping they were minor enough to still pass. So the evening before I did the obligatory light check and discovered a slightly unreliable upper brake light. Great. So some last minute stripping of the boot ensued:
20190524_141027 by CarlosV8, on Flickr
Discovered a slightly dodgy connection to the brake light unit. A very technical adjustment to the connector (i.e. bending the pins) and all seemed to be well. Phew! The next day I was given one of these:
20190525_115951 by CarlosV8, on Flickr
Result! Nothing too major on the advisories - just the shock and drop links I had noticed myself. So, with a (relatively) clean bill of health the Volvo will stay with me for a while longer. Which means it's time for some TLC! First of all, a very exciting addition to the inside:
20190601_190458 by CarlosV8, on Flickr
I finally have a boot cover! And on the outside it was time to ditch the ditchfinders:
20190615_093704 by CarlosV8, on Flickr
Excuse the state of the wheels... but I now have a set of 4 new Avon ZV7s to try out. I know they're not exactly a premium tyre, but they're a step up from the old ones and for a car that spends 90% of time on the commute I think they will be fine.
Next on the list is a service, which will include the set of plugs I mentioned in the last post,along with a pair of rear ARB drop links. All currently in the garage waiting for me to find some time to fit!
20190524_141027 by CarlosV8, on FlickrDiscovered a slightly dodgy connection to the brake light unit. A very technical adjustment to the connector (i.e. bending the pins) and all seemed to be well. Phew! The next day I was given one of these:
20190525_115951 by CarlosV8, on FlickrResult! Nothing too major on the advisories - just the shock and drop links I had noticed myself. So, with a (relatively) clean bill of health the Volvo will stay with me for a while longer. Which means it's time for some TLC! First of all, a very exciting addition to the inside:
20190601_190458 by CarlosV8, on FlickrI finally have a boot cover! And on the outside it was time to ditch the ditchfinders:
20190615_093704 by CarlosV8, on FlickrExcuse the state of the wheels... but I now have a set of 4 new Avon ZV7s to try out. I know they're not exactly a premium tyre, but they're a step up from the old ones and for a car that spends 90% of time on the commute I think they will be fine.
Next on the list is a service, which will include the set of plugs I mentioned in the last post,along with a pair of rear ARB drop links. All currently in the garage waiting for me to find some time to fit!
I'm 18 months into ownership of the T5, and I'm still enjoying the car. Definitely one of my better choices for a daily driver - they only normally last a year before I fancy a change!
Over the summer I did my second service on the car:
20190707_095545 by CarlosV8, on Flickr
As mentioned previously the plugs were also changed which seems to have solved the very minor hesitation I experienced a few times when fully loaded.
I also decided to do something about the horrible 'wood' trim - I'd disliked it since getting the car. First I tried spraying the trim with plasticote - the result looked pretty good but unfortunately it wasn't very hard wearing. So I decided a set of aluminium trim from another V50 was the best option. Full sets tended to be a bit too expensive for me to justify (not *that* expensive, I'm just tight!), so I brought the parts via 4 separate Ebay auctions, carefully checking part numbers where I could to ensure they matched.
The door trims were relatively easy to change as they just needed prying out and window switches swapped over where necessary, so that was done late in the summer. I've only just had chance to swap over the floating centre console as it needed a bit more time:
20191116_114059 by CarlosV8, on Flickr
Looks a mess, but actually there was only 4 screws to take out, the rest being held in by trim clips. All very well designed, I thought.
The centre console buttons and knobs were in slightly better condition on my original panel, so I swapped these over to the replacement:
20191116_115357 by CarlosV8, on Flickr
And the end result:
20191116_123209 by CarlosV8, on Flickr
I feel like it's lifted the whole interior, which I mentioned to my wife and she laughed at me. And she still hasn't seen it. Oh well, at least I'm happy
I've slowly been gathering parts for a suspension refresh, which I hope to do over Christmas. Stage 1 will be front wishbones and drop links all round. I'm hoping this will resolve the clunk coming from the front end, as well as ticking off a couple of the MOT advisories. After that I'll consider stage 2, which will be new dampers all round.
Over the summer I did my second service on the car:
20190707_095545 by CarlosV8, on FlickrAs mentioned previously the plugs were also changed which seems to have solved the very minor hesitation I experienced a few times when fully loaded.
I also decided to do something about the horrible 'wood' trim - I'd disliked it since getting the car. First I tried spraying the trim with plasticote - the result looked pretty good but unfortunately it wasn't very hard wearing. So I decided a set of aluminium trim from another V50 was the best option. Full sets tended to be a bit too expensive for me to justify (not *that* expensive, I'm just tight!), so I brought the parts via 4 separate Ebay auctions, carefully checking part numbers where I could to ensure they matched.
The door trims were relatively easy to change as they just needed prying out and window switches swapped over where necessary, so that was done late in the summer. I've only just had chance to swap over the floating centre console as it needed a bit more time:
20191116_114059 by CarlosV8, on FlickrLooks a mess, but actually there was only 4 screws to take out, the rest being held in by trim clips. All very well designed, I thought.
The centre console buttons and knobs were in slightly better condition on my original panel, so I swapped these over to the replacement:
20191116_115357 by CarlosV8, on FlickrAnd the end result:
20191116_123209 by CarlosV8, on FlickrI feel like it's lifted the whole interior, which I mentioned to my wife and she laughed at me. And she still hasn't seen it. Oh well, at least I'm happy
I've slowly been gathering parts for a suspension refresh, which I hope to do over Christmas. Stage 1 will be front wishbones and drop links all round. I'm hoping this will resolve the clunk coming from the front end, as well as ticking off a couple of the MOT advisories. After that I'll consider stage 2, which will be new dampers all round.
Edited by CarlosV8 on Monday 18th November 22:31
Paul S4 said:
Good read...
Just a word re the 'new' trim: I have a C30 R design with similar ( not sure if it's exactly the same as mine is a facelift 2010 model ), and if it is metal/alloy they seem to be prone to getting dings !
Thanks! I do love the sleeper aspect of the car. It's surprised a few people who have tried it on Just a word re the 'new' trim: I have a C30 R design with similar ( not sure if it's exactly the same as mine is a facelift 2010 model ), and if it is metal/alloy they seem to be prone to getting dings !
There are a few dings in the trim already, but I can live with them... it's never going to be a show car.
I've always liked the C30, I think they're a great looking car. Definite hints of the old 480, which is another favourite of mine. We're actually considering a C30 for the wife in the new year, not the T5, probably a diesel version so it's a bit cheaper to run.
ChampionRabbit said:
Very close to buying an old one of these.
Anything in particular you think I should be looking out for? Also, What sort of money do you reckon is fair for an OK 2006ish model with 100k plus on the clock?
Any pointers would be fabulous!
Good man. As smiley_boy mentions they make a decent daily driver if you can live with the economy. I'm averaging just over 25mpg over 9k miles with a lot of town driving, but I'm pretty happy with that for a 5 cylinder turbocharged estate!Anything in particular you think I should be looking out for? Also, What sort of money do you reckon is fair for an OK 2006ish model with 100k plus on the clock?
Any pointers would be fabulous!
Can't say I follow the values too much, but I'd guess between £1500 and £2500 depending on spec and condition - prices seem to vary quite a lot when I've looked previously.
Based on my experience I'd be checking for water ingress in the footwells (more so if it has a sunroof) and any evidence of work on the PCV system (a shiney new PCV valve in the recent history would be nice!). Then all the usual stuff - smoke, suspension knocks, wheel bearing noise, brakes, history of cambelt change(s) etc - it's the sort of age where things start wearing out on any car!
smiley_boy2501 said:
Anywho I'm just going through a suspension refresh on mine. Started with the front LCAs and kind of snowballed. I went with Meyle HD for the front components. Excellent quality and improved ride quality. The only thing to mention there is the Meyle HD front drop links are significantly uprated by comparison and although improved turn in, they did increase transmitted road noise.
I've gone for OEM Volvo wishbones. Still need to order front drop links and new bolts, which I must do this week. I was going for Lemforder, but will check out the Meyle HD items. Will be interested to hear how you get on with the Bilsteins, as I'm thinking about new dampers next year so need to start looking at options and prices.In other news...
2019-11-19_12-29-16 by CarlosV8, on FlickrWithin a week the other one had blown too. So the Nightbreakers have lasted less than a year. Admittedly they're on all the time, but that's still only about 6k miles, which is pretty poor. Now replaced with some Bosch bulbs, lets see how long they last....
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