With the daily Sydney snail traffic commute wearing thin in the C70 manual, i decided an auto Volvo was in order.
Loving the boxy sedan Volvo's i came across a 99' S70 T that was out of rego and "manifold problem" engine not running properly was his words. He was a student with his studies coming to an end and was going to fly back OS in a matter of weeks so needed to get rid of it ASAP
With that in mind i was able to snag a good price i thought.
Being green to Volvo's i quickly learnt of the very common ETM failures on the early P80's especially like the white label ones that came with the car.
Car had 142K on clock when i got it, with full log books. I'm quickly learning with the Volvo's that don't mean jack $hit.
Looks like some backyard mechanics did some dodgy band aid fixes in the attempt to pass rego.
Check engine light bulb was pulled, to mask:
- Faulty coolant temp sensor causing pig rich condition and
- Fouling front back 02 sensor
- ETM faulty
Other items that needed attention was suspension both front and rear, so fronts are Koni STR.T street and rears are KYB Gas A shock.
Replaced new coolant temp sensor and Bosch front 02 sensor. Found a 2006 build yellow label ETM.
Timing belt service was just done at 140K was well so that was a bonus.
Overall condition both externally and internally is very good for the age. The strange exception is some paint fade on the rear passenger door, paint externally is very good everywhere else. I'll live with the minor blemish for now.
Since i picked it up in April last year, i have been slowly replacing all the maintenance items (stage 0) in addition to some sleeper performance mods.
They include in no order:
- new PCV system will revise the box to intake hose to 3/8" oil grade hose (mod i did with the C70 and no more smoking dipstick!) as it still has smoking dipstick but not enough pressure to inflate a the disposable glove test.
- White injectors from the C70 (350cc?) with new orings
- Walbro 255LPH fuel pump
- Snabb CAI
- AC Delco TCV
- oem coolant expansion tank hose
- Snabb intake spacer
- OBX angle DP
- 200 cells cat
- IPD HD ignition coil X 5
- platnium plugs NGK
- VDO 30 psi guage
- new battery
- 4200K 35W HID's
- Eggcrate grille
- LED interior
- BEHR oem heater core and oem orings (another dodge mechanic job i found they siliconed the heck of the orings but the heator was leaking bad due separation from the plastic ends.)
- 15% all round tints
- silicone hoses
- Billet 19T
- 11 blade turbine
- Turbo rebuild
- 4.4 psi kinguawa wastegate
- Red IPD spring
- drop in K&N filter
- Poly upper engine mount Super pro
- IPD subframe poly insert
- new thermostat
- cabin filter
- X 4 Pirelli Cintutaro P1s (215/15/17)
- Vendetta V10 racing black 17 X 17.5, vibrates above 100 kph, 69.6mm to 65.1mm hub rings in the mail to fix
- RDA slotted and dimpled rotors, DBA rears, QFM HPX brake pads all round, much improved over stock although braking performance not to my satisfaction, have the 302mm brackets (Volvo oem) but may skip them for Porsche 993TT calipers.
- ARD Blue 19 PSI tune, 10-12 psi in the low gears, hits 19PSI in the higher gears under load.
Next plans:
- Needs lowered springs
- pcv large hose mod
- stereo upgrade, have a spare SC900 but looking at another Alpine Double din
- passenger door actuator needs fixing
- Silicone turbo/intercooler hoses
