First Volvo just purchased!

Marcobrick · Post by **Marcobrick** » 28 Sep 2010, 22:19

Hello everyone. What a great site you have here. I know first hand how valuable input from other owners can be when owning a non mainstream car! I have joined a forum for every vehicle I own and this looks like a very good community and look forward to your input.

I have just become the third owner of a 1994 850T5 in metallic red with butter leather upholstery. It's an auto which isn't my favourite but manual ones just don't exist here in NZ.
I am hoping she's a goodie and it certainly seems like it has been well looked after. Some of the more common problems have been dealt with like the air conditioning evaporator and PNP switch (although the arrow light is still on-requires further investigation) It has had both CV joints replaced and one inner CV rebuilt, always serviced with 10w40 semi synthetic oil and transmission serviced every 30-40,000km. The car has 166,000km on the clock and apart from some clear coat deterioration on the spoiler and roof is in pretty good shape. Probably due its second timing belt soon.
I'll post a photo or 2 when I get around to it in a couple of days.
Please reassure me, I have always been leery of high horsepower front wheel drive automatic transmissions. Are these AW boxes any good??
Mechanically I am quite competent so I am not too worried about performing repairs but I am a little concerned about parts prices. Thank goodness for the www.

Look forward to contributing to this site where I can.!

Post by **IVIUSTANG** » 28 Sep 2010, 22:41

The AW50 transmissions are just dandy as long as you keep your fluid nice and clean. There is no internal filtering on these transmissions however which is why fresh fluid is a must.

Your 1994 has fewer miles than my 1998! My experience is that you'll love it. Every single person I have known who bought an 850 or S70 bought another one and loved them.

- Jesse

prienzo · Post by **prienzo** » 28 Sep 2010, 22:54

Marcobrick wrote:although the arrow light is still on-requires further investigation

Do you have a Check Engine Light on as well?

Marcobrick · Post by **Marcobrick** » 29 Sep 2010, 13:18

No check engine light. Looking into it after the weekend, just too busy at work...

Marcobrick · Post by **Marcobrick** » 03 Oct 2010, 13:22

Ok I found some time to go and pick up the car and drive it home! 5 hours behind the wheel and some impressions:
It's not quick off the mark but like a guided missile once you're rolling. It has more creaks than my 94 Alfa 155 did which surprises me. My Camry is a bit more agile (never thought I'd use those words but our domestic Camrys of that era had suspension tuned by Chris Amon the F1 driver)
You don't just get in these things and drive do you? They have a few quirks esp. the air con system etc that need you to read the manual a bit.
The arrow light is out but in fact I do have a check engine light, just didn't recognise it because it looks like no other check engine light. I'll need to try and get the code out. The turbo whistles a bit too.
The biggest bummer which the vendor didn't mention and I didn't notice on the test drive, the Odometer doesn't work! I have emailed him to get an explanation and if he has any idea how long its been out of order.
So the list of jobs,
obtain workshop manual
fix odometer
check engine codes
change the oil!!!
oh, and restore the peeling roof trims.

Other than that, love it. Quite different to anything I've owned but a bit cool...

Marcobrick · Post by **Marcobrick** » 07 Oct 2010, 01:04

Update. Changed the oil, it was very black and I had to punch a screwdriver through the filter to undo it as it was waaaay over tightened! I will change it again in a week.
I have checked the engine code, in A2 it flashed code 232, Long term fuel trim, idling. Just the one code in A2 and I reset it and took it for a drive. As soon as I started the car, I noticed it idled like crap! (It was idling fine before with the check engine light on if a little high at 1000rpm) The light hasn't come back on yet but it is probably a matter of time, I only drove it a mile so far. What actual malfunction causes this code?

I also got the actual Kilometres off the ECU as my odo is broken. It has done 176491km which is 13000 more than on the odo. Thanks to the great write up on how to do it! worked first time.

Post by **jblackburn** » 07 Oct 2010, 07:10

Usually that code is caused by a vacuum leak of some sort. Not tremendously helpful I know, but inspect any vacuum lines you can find. Carb cleaner will help you out with that - a shot of it will cause the engine to rev if it's sucked into a broken vacuum line.

If you find broken lines, once you replace them, reset the computer by taking off the negative battery cable and draining the charge (brake pedal works well for that). If you don't, it may be either a mass airflow sensor or oxygen sensor causing the code.

Most European cars are a bit quirky - my family owned a Saab and BMw for 20+ years, and they've all got their oddities

By the turbo "whistling" do you mean you hear air escaping when it boosts up? A leak in your intercooler hoses could also cause that fuel trim code, and suck away your power.

Oh by the way, welcome to the site!

Marcobrick · Post by **Marcobrick** » 07 Oct 2010, 19:56

f you find broken lines, once you replace them, reset the computer by taking off the negative battery cable and draining the charge

Will the computer reset process not acheive the same thing? I have cleared the code and it hasn't come back yet. The rough idle seems to be getting better but may be a precursor to the code reappearing as the ecu attempts to trim the idle mixture.

By the turbo "whistling" do you mean you hear air escaping when it boosts up?

Nope, just good old fashioned whine/whistle as it spools up. Worse when cold. It does not seem to lack power...

Marcobrick · Post by **Marcobrick** » 09 Oct 2010, 19:32

Here she is.

karibakid · Post by **karibakid** » 12 Oct 2010, 23:41

parts ipd usa contact cameron daline 4-5 days ex their store cheers jack m napier