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Gotta replace the secondary air pump on my 96'850 GLT

Help, Advice and DIY Tutorials on Volvo's P80 platform cars -- Volvo's 1990s "bread and butter" cars -- powered by the ubiquitous and durable Volvo inline 5-cylinder engine.

1992 - 1997 850, including 850 R, 850 T-5R, 850 T-5, 850 GLT
1997 - 2000 S70, S70 AWD
1997 - 2000 V70, V70 AWD
1997 - 2000 V70-XC
1997 - 2004 C70

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vjaneczko
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Re: Gotta replace the secondary air pump on my 96'850 GLT

Post by vjaneczko »

Not sure about VA, but the bypass simply prevents the system from throwing a code which would be picked-up by an ODB scanner. In IL the inspectors only connect to the ODB if you car has one, if it's older they "sniff the tail". The SAS simply pushes fresh air through the exhaust on cold days to warmup the cat faster, which has to be hot to do its job. So as long as you go to the inspector with a warm car, which I believe they ask you to do, no one would know it's been bypassed unless they knew the layout of the SAS in Volvos and did a visual & auditory inspection.

There isn't an easy way to tell if the work has been done, unless you start the car on a cold day and hear the air pump kick in. It's mounted under the battery and sounds like a small siren unable to work properly - not sure that's the best description . . . IF the system is bad, it'll throw a code and light up the CEL, so you may be OK - unless your CEL bulb is burnt out. You might stick your head under the drivers front bumper to look at the pump and see if it looks fairly clean, but there isn't an easy way to see how new it is.

Just before I got my code, I noticed the pump was running when I turned the car off. It might have been the relay going bad.

I just swapped my pump for the second time, costing a few hundred bucks, before I learned of the bypass. Guess what I'll be doing in 7 or 8 years :)
"He attacked everything in life with a mix of extraordinary genius and naive incompetence, and it was often difficult to tell which was which." - Douglas Adams

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chris k
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Year and Model: 850, 1996
Location: Alexandria, Va

Post by chris k »

Thanks for all the help you guys. I just found the paperwork from after they failed the MD Emissions test with the P0410 code, and the repair notes on the back said he replaced the fuel management system and put in two new O2 sensors. Would this is any way have affected the code? I know he got a waiver after this, so I feel like it didn't solve the problem and I'm going to have to pay money.
1996 850 - 138,xxx

jblackburn
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Post by jblackburn »

replaced the fuel management system
Um...

The O2 sensors shouldn't have anything to do with the SAS system, but they could have been replaced because of a recurring vacuum leak or something.

How long have have you driven this car/how many miles have you put on it? If in doubt, go by an auto parts store and have them scan it for any pending codes stored in the computer.
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chris k
Posts: 13
Joined: 23 January 2011
Year and Model: 850, 1996
Location: Alexandria, Va

Post by chris k »

I just bought the car this past weekend, and I haven't driven it much at all because I don't have it registered yet. I said replaced fuel management system because on the back of the form were a list of items with three boxes to check for either repaired, replaced, or recommended. He checked off replaced for fuel management system, although air pump system is the next one down, so he could have checked that by mistake, now that I look at it.

I think I will just take the car by a parts store and have them scan it. I didn't even think about that one. Thanks!
1996 850 - 138,xxx

vjaneczko
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Post by vjaneczko »

Is there a list of replacement parts in your paperwork?

It's also possible that the codes were reset before you bought it and because you haven't driven it much, it hasn't been tripped yet. When you head to the store to read your codes, ask them if anything is "not ready" (think that's the phrase), which means the system hasn't been run long enough to determine what is in/out of spec. Some people report having to drive several hundred miles before the system is "ready" to report on certain codes.
"He attacked everything in life with a mix of extraordinary genius and naive incompetence, and it was often difficult to tell which was which." - Douglas Adams

1997 855 GLT - R.I.P.
2006 S60R - For ME!

chris k
Posts: 13
Joined: 23 January 2011
Year and Model: 850, 1996
Location: Alexandria, Va

Post by chris k »

Thanks for the info! I'm pretty new to Volvo ownership, and this is actually the first car I've ever bought for myself. Our other car was a gift from when my great-grandma went to the nursing home and couldn't drive anymore.

Also, having grown up in the South (TN and AL), I never had safety or emissions inspections. I like it better when if it runs, it drives.
1996 850 - 138,xxx

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shiloh51933
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Post by shiloh51933 »

jablackburn wrote:As long as the check engine light stays off, yes, it should pass.

If your pump is still running (I can usually hear mine on cold days), replace the relay and/or SAS valve and you may still have a working system.

My pump still works, I'm replacing check valve and already have spare relay. The code came up as a pending code...no CEL.
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Present Volvo Ownership:
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Previously Owned Volvo:
1996 Volvo 850 GLT Silver
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shiloh51933
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Post by shiloh51933 »

I replaced my air pump check valve and I switched the relay with the spare that I have. I believe everything is all good as far as that system is concerned and to top it off the problem I had with white smoke disappeared immediately after first start. When I started it a nice cloud came out the tail pipe and stunk a bit about a mile down the road, by the time I got back to house after driving for like 5-10 minutes there was no more smoke at all. I even raced the throttle in neutral in my driveway and still no white smoke to my surprise. We'll see what happens tomorrow when I start her up and run her around...I erased the SAS code after all was done and said. Keep your fingers crossed for me...I'd like to thank the members that laid the track ahead of me in helping make it easier to repair, thanks.
If U Wanna Play U Gotta Pay!!
Present Volvo Ownership:
2008 Volvo XC90 V8 Black
2004 Volvo XC70 OEM-HID model Silver
Previously Owned Volvo:
1996 Volvo 850 GLT Silver
1998 Volvo V70XC Dark Blue
1998 Volvo V70XC Dark Blue
2000 Volvo V70XC/SE Dark Blue
2004 Volvo XC90 T6 Gold

vjaneczko
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Post by vjaneczko »

I'd be surprised if the SAS got rid of the smoke. Did you do any other maintenance to the car?
"He attacked everything in life with a mix of extraordinary genius and naive incompetence, and it was often difficult to tell which was which." - Douglas Adams

1997 855 GLT - R.I.P.
2006 S60R - For ME!

cn90
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Post by cn90 »

I wrote a very detail motor replacement for the Pierburg Air Pump in the BMW E39 forum.

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showth ... p?t=402816

Also pay attention to threads #21 and #35.

Thread #35 discussed using Graupner 900BB German motor as the Johnson HC971(2)LG-101 is not available online.
2004 V70 2.5T 100K+
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