What did you do on your P1 Volvo today? Topic is solved

[smacknab]

The car is reassembled but I'll have to start a thread for the puddle lights, maybe it is something fob related.

I put some rust converter primer over the affected areas and a couple of patches of kilmat style sound deadening on the floor where the factory extruded rubber had delaminated. Carpet foam was dry after about 36-40 hours with the dehumidifier.

[scot850]

Looking great! Hopefully the finish is getting in sight.

Neil.

[scot850]

Went with my ex-Volvo mechanic to look at a cheap 2012 C30 T5 for sale one town over. Apparently the car had started to judder and then stopped moving on the lady owner. It was towed to a local Mom and Pop repair shop and diagnosed with a terminal transmission.

First thing on arrival was we found a couple of 'slight' omissions from the description and that could not be seen from the limited photos. The car had been hit hard by hail all over and the windshield had a crack in it. OH well I thought that was a waste of time. However my mechanic buddy took a look and was not put off. He opened the car and it started up straight away and tan smoothly. However when it was put into any gear in the auto trans, nothing but a strange noise. We looked at each other. Either a broken or dislodged axle or no/low trans oil.

Looking under it we could see oil dripping and when the dipstick for the trans was pulled it was bone dry!! After a quick poke around my buddy found the issue. One of the trans cooler lines had split!!

It is a risk but he bought it for $1000 CDN ($700 US) anyway and we will return with a hose and oil and see if it will move or not. Just in case I have found a trans for $500 shipped to Calgary with a 90 day warranty for a same year car. My buddy is not worried about the looks as his wife is a new driver and so is driving on liability only insurance due to the cost, so no real loss if if gets further damage. He can part it out for more.

Neil.

[scot850]

Well, about a week ago I went back to this car as I found a car in the junkyard last week with a suitable older style (it was an 06 S40 auto) oil cooler hose. It is the rubber version with the fiber covering. It looks so much more substantial than the plastic crap they use these days.

Anyway, I went back last week and after several hours fighting the lack of access, as well as working at the side of a busy road, I got the old broken hose off and the 'new' one fitted. I added 4 liters of new trans fluid. Not knowing how much of the approx. 8 liters capacity was lost, I did not want to overfill the trans. I tried to dip the oil, but the combination of the cheap plastic dipstick and the amount you have to bend it was too much for it now it has been heat cycled so much it snapped. So I decided to try to move the car to see if it would even try now with some oil. It moved in reverse, and when trying forwards it did move, but was not happy. At this point it had been about 3 hours on the asphalt on my back at 3C with a windchill and my hands and feet were frozen so I called it. I also did no want to push the broken portion of the dipstick further in in the hope in a return visit we might be able to recover the broken part rather than push it further in.

Today was the return visit and my buddy as able to make it in the hope if adding more oil worked we would try to limp it home.

He managed to loosen the wiring harness from the front of the engine giving a sight line into the dipstick tube. We could see the broken section about 1" below the top. He tried fishing it out and nearly had it and then it slipped back and disappeared. He decided to risk it and we added 2 more liters of trans fluid and then started and tried to move the car and it did! He then took it for a run around the neighborhood and it seemed to run well except with a little slipping in 4th gear. So we decided to try the trip home. The biggest worry was the long steep climb out the town. However, the car ran fine, and he found if he used the manual changes, the car did not slip in 4th.

So we made it home to his where he works and all was good! The car is not out of the woods yet, but at least he has it safe now.

Neil.

[scot850]

Got a some texted pictures from my mechanic buddy showing that he had managed to recover the broken section of the dipstick using one of those long bendy claws slid down the dipstick hole. A much easier job when it is not below 0C and dark and you have a workshop and the right tools.

Turns out we had actually overfilled the trans by about the last 2 liters we added. So he has drained that off and fitted a good used dipstick. He then took the car for a good run and it is now working perfectly in all gears. I think seeing it in the cold light of day (well in artificial lights and in a warm workshop) my buddy has had a change of heart. He is planning to call the lady who owned the car to see if she wants to buy it back as she really loved the car. I know money was tight so it may be going back for a couple over hours of his time over the buying price assuming she wants it back. That is a lot better than the $4500 CDN she was quoted for a trans rebuilt in a local shop!

That will be lots of good karma if it works out!

Neil.

[scot850]

My buddy texted me earlier to say he has spoken to the previous owner and she is over the moon happy that the car is fixed and she has been offered it back. It will be returned with the brakes fixed as well as the trans flush and pipe. The alignment will also be checked to ensure the bald areas on the front tires on the outer and inner edges are down to low pressure running and not a steering issue.

That is great news.

Neil.

[MoVolvos]

My buddy texted me earlier to say he has spoken to the previous owner and she is over the moon happy that the car is fixed and she has been offered it back. It will be returned with the brakes fixed as well as the trans flush and pipe. The alignment will also be checked to ensure the bald areas on the front tires on the outer and inner edges are down to low pressure running and not a steering issue.

That is great news.

Neil.

.
God bless you both for being thoughtful, kind and considerate. The lady will be happy for a long time and each time she see her car.
.

[smacknab]

My buddy texted me earlier to say he has spoken to the previous owner and she is over the moon happy that the car is fixed and she has been offered it back. It will be returned with the brakes fixed as well as the trans flush and pipe. The alignment will also be checked to ensure the bald areas on the front tires on the outer and inner edges are down to low pressure running and not a steering issue.

That is great news.

Neil.

This is exactly why I like this forum and the community of Volvo owners. All the early support I was given on my old s70 here (especially from Abscate) had inspired me to continue to pass on my tools knowledge and space to friends, and friends of friends.

You likely saved her several thousands at a time when many are struggling. I'll add you've also likely saved the car from an early trip to the scrap yard due to the economics of older vehicles, which I think is a worthy pursuit on its own.

[scot850]

I have a good relationship with one of our local dealers and she was having the car serviced there every 6 weeks!! Car is badly hail damaged, but mechanically strong. Putting that mileage on a car ruins its value quickly, but all the more reason to run a well maintained older car where depreciation is much lower. She has been happy with the help they have given.

Some know that like Abscate, Robert and I'm sure there are others, I help several youngsters and others who are financially challenged both in parts finding (some cost support when I can), helping them to understand their cars and learn to repair them. I do help others when the hit a blank wall in terms of cost v's car value not making it viable to take to the dealer. Where necessary I call in my ex-Volvo mechanic buddy. I do not expect him to do this for free, but the owners do get a real deal on his time/rate. They are advised beforehand so there is no surprises.

This help and support has helped out many local owners of older Volvos which I do for free now that I am retired as my way for giving back.

It also keeps what I see are sometimes mechanically totally but otherwise good cars to stay on the road where parts cost and labor would normally make it financially nuts. My favorite hate is when repair shops take advantage of owners who do not have the knowledge to know when they are being ripped off, or get bad quotes for bad diagnostics or imaginary issues.

One car at a time!!

Neil.

[scot850]

We ran the C30 T5 back to the previous owner today who was clearly delighted to have the car back. The car still has issues.

An engine light came on again which had gone away. It is the Emissions vapor pump is not running. It is I believe a Bosch part that Volvo use and they want nearly $500 CDN for it. That is nuts! I ordered the Bosch pump from Rock Auto delivered for $111.

The car will also need 2 tires as 2 are bad. The alignment is out with both sides toe out which explains the tire wear on the inside and outside of the front tires as well as being run low on tire pressure. I should have added my buddy did a full 4 wheel alignment before returning the car.

Finally it will need a replacement key fob as the one the owner has is temperamental at best and seldom works. She was quoted $600 from Volvo for a replacement fob!

Otherwise the car runs really well and my buddy was really impressed with it. So much so that on the way back he ordered the engine gasket set he needs for his C30 to replace the broken head (bought with a broken timing belt).

Neil.