)(I'm Dutch and my English should be sufficient but when it comes to cars & technical info, my skills are a bit unproven so please forgive any mistakes or unnecessarily long sentences
)I owned a 2000 S60 (manual) for a year before upgrading to my current 2001 S60 (170BHP, automatic, 375.000 KM or 235.000 miles). I love this car a lot, besides having the Volvo virus since I was a boy, the car just fits my needs and budget perfectly. To me, it's something of a project, intending to upgrade and modernise it in many ways. LED-conversion, full touch 2DIN HU integration (done), speaker upgrade, exterior detailing, you name it - but tempting as all that is, the car has some mechanical issues I need to fix first.
Now, many smaller gripes are on my to do list but my main issue is, surprise surprise, the automatic gearbox.
Many problems are also possibly, somehow, connected to each other, for example the TCU uses information from the engine(-sensors) to determine when to shift, and if that information is bad I imagine shifting becomes erratic.
I am a bit lost in where I should start and where to end. So i'll try and list all issues and hope you guys can tell me which should be addressed first so I can avoid a trial & error approach as much as possible.
From what I've read, there's dozens of approaches & solutions, including tranny replacement (not going to happen), rebuild (not happening), solenoid replacement/upgrade, magnefine filters, oil flushes... so here's my list:
The symptoms:
- The automatic transmission sometimes works well, sometimes it doesn't. Hesitation between shifts, slight vabrations in shift 2-3, sloppy downshifts, hard shifting (clunks) after taking tight turns or roundabouts and when accelerating quickly after cruising at low speeds. It all comes and passes, sometimes the car drives relatively well for 5-10-15 miles on end and the next day the issues come back, some or all, sometimes cold, sometimes only when warmed up.
- A lot of times it feels like i'm missing a lot of power, like driving with 100-120 BHP instead of 170. At times the car accellerates like it should, many times it feels 'castrated' somehow.
- General driveability is acceptable, as in: it always takes me where I need to go. I never experienced limp mode or errors in the display. When driving normally, the symptoms are there but I drive it daily for at least 40-50 miles.
Work done so far:
- Removed the neutral engage clunking by updating the transmission software (the dealer ofc. didn't know what I was talking about
)- Previous owner did a drain & fill at 185k miles, I did a Powerflush by a specialist at 225k miles (+ adding conditioner and resetting oil degradation counter). 5k miles later, I added Dr. Tranny Shudder-fix.
- About 5k miles after the flush, I had the B4 Server Cover replaced but the old one was still intact (although some silver-colored oil came out of the opening, it was contaminated by metal even though the ATF on the dipstick looks red and smells normal)
- Replaced three main engine mounts(?) for new OEMs.
Current mechanical issues I know of:
- My car runs on LPG (similar to the Bi-Fuel edition, only with an after-market installation). The injectors are placed on top of the inlet manifold and one has a small vacuum leak (the O-ring doesn't seal properly anymore). Spraying brake cleaner on that injector stalls the engine, the other 4 are fine. I already bought a special sealant, hope to fix it soon. Click for image from the web of a leaking injector, for those who never heard of LPG
- When starting the engine (cold), the cabin often reeks of (petrol) exhaust fumes. When the car switches to LPG more quickly, like when the weather is hot, there can also be a gas-smell. It disappears after a minute or two, but comes back when the car has to struggle (Italian small & steep alpine roads) or when accelerating fast at traffic lights.
- The above is probably related to the ECM 4201 error code in VIDA and the 'emission' orange light in my dash. Erasing the code helps for 20 minutes before it comes back. Something in the exhaust manifold and/or catalystic converter?
- There's too much leeway(?) in both front driving axles, according to the mechanic.
- CV joints need replacing (noisy in tight turns, some clunking)
- Wishbones/struts/strut-bearings/bars etc. all need replacing
- Car battery is only so-so
Now I am also an active member of the Dutch Volvo community but I get the feeling they got a little stuck in the 'powerflush will fix everything', two flushers actively sponsoring that forum probably contributes to that) so after reading loads of useful tips on this site, I thought I'd ask you guys for help
Hope you are willing to assist, share your thoughts and/or ask your questions below. Much appreciated!
Cheers,
Marius
