2008 xc90 V8 - slow start

[gntl2000]

I had the same kind of condition and sound with my '09 XC90 V8 where it would have this same prolonged cranking condition like you had a weak battery. My local dealer went through the whole starting system and replaced the starter under the CPO warranty. It cranks like a new car now!

[Fluffy]

Hi, I'm new to this site and I've recently bought (my 2nd) S80 V8 but this one seems to have starting problems as described above. Previous owner (after purchased through a garage) said no faults on the car but he had put 2 batteries on it in last 2 years... Battery has been tested ok so am I looking at starter motor? Starting does sound sometimes like battery failure and other times just a token "clunk" yet ok on second push but on the whole starts (best description) lazily. Trips are generally minimum of 90 miles each day, mainly motorway as he's used for airport transfers. I am at the point of not stopping him from start to finish of journey - just in case! Any help would be appreciated

[Turbo_Boss]

Having some fun with this. Looked at replacement sleeve bearings. I don't like sleeve bearings, cheap for a reason, and if there's a needle bearing option available, its the one for me. Turns out there is. The measurements for the bearing are 8mm ID, 11mm OD and 10mm long. One end also needs a small washer to keep the rotor from rubbing against the bearing.
Purchase the following from amazon
needle bearing .
Will be interesting to see if it works. The bearing is rated for 120 degrees celsius, 32000 rpm, and for harsh environments like small engines, transmission etc, so it should stand up to a starter motor environment with any luck.

Hello Ken

I was reading about your slow start starter.

I have a 2008 XC90 3.2L with only 75,000kms. With the same issue as yours it has this problem for around 2 years. I hear your audio and my starter sound the same.

So, let see if I undertand correctly. Changing the bearings in the starter cure the problem? I asume if the bearings have some play maybe the rotor shaft is touching the magnet/stator making it slow to turn.

Please confirm me if changing the bearings will cure this problem.

THX for your time and help

Isaac

[T5AUS]

I see this post is almost a year ago now but thought someone might still be linked.......I have the same problem with my XC90 2008 V8 but I only get an intermitant clicking noise when starter motor is turning, a bit like the failings of solenoids or electrical connections to battery's in simpler cars of a bygone age.
So firstly, before I shell out $600 bucks on a new SM, does anyone have any photo's/pdf's of the SM in location showing connecting cables etc so that I can check connections, I did take a look under the bonnet but things are so crammed in I don't want to start pulling things out until I know the area to start in. It would be nice to find a frayed or corroded lead, fix it and solve my problem
Thanks guys

[T5AUS]

bump

[Who$Galt]

I have the same problem as well on my 2008 XC90 V8 with 58K miles. I have purchased the fuel pressure sensor and I will replace it but I'm not sure if it's that it the stater. The engine turns slow and takes long to start but always starts.
I also own a 2007 V8 that starts fine. The fuel pressure reading in the 2007 is about 100 kpa more than on the 2008, (480 vs 580 measured by OBD II) at idle on startup. Can you guys report your fuel pressure readings?

[beckzach05]

Have the same problem now with my '07 V8 Sport. Looks like I'll be replacing the starter. I'll take pictures and notes of the process. Can't find any solid information anywhere online about a how-to.

[T5AUS]

This might not be relevant to all but before you accept it might be the starter motor, just make sure you have the correct battery, as my situation turned out to be, just the wrong battery !!.
The trouble all started back in 2014 before I owned the car. The "from new" lady owner had it on lease from a Sydney Volvo dealership. From the Volvo service records in 2014 it appears that during a routine service the battery was changed. The first photo below shows this replacement batteries spec label. The second photo show my new one. I purchased the car in late 2015 and only after a few months noticed the poor starter response as previously talked about. I put it on overnight charge and it would work OK for a few more weeks then repeat the sluggish starting. This went on for a few more months of the same and so in frustration I finally replaced it with a new Bosh equivalent but it wasn't long before it started doing the same. During all this time I had taken it into my local indie but they drew a blank, my local Volvo dealership service centre who said it might be the starter motor but they would need it in for a day to really go through it (no thanks said I, it had already cost me $350 for a couple of hours just getting that opinion) and finally the local Bosh supplier who said that was the correct battery for that model so check connections and starter. At this point I had resigned myself to the fact it must be the SM and was just about to order a new one but decided to give it one more shot and try a local auto electrical mechanic from the phone book. Bingo, I hit the Jackpot, John was old school, a lateral thinker and within half an hour he had solved it. What no one had considered, with all their hi tech wizardry was the battery, it just wasn't powerful enough for a V8. So few XC 90's with V8 engines were imported into Aus that a major battery company had not even listed it, plenty of the smaller engine XC 90's, which my battery was for.
After a lot of communications between John and Bosh, they finally accepted their oversight and did a straight exchange at no extra charge, the second photo below shows the specs for the correct battery now fitted
I am assuming the new Volvo battery fitted in 2014 was just another blunder by a Volvo mechanic. I wonder what size was in it when first purchased in 2008, were batteries fitted at factory before shipping or was it up to the destination country to organise this.
Anyway, I am now very happy with a perfectly starting V8

[jomual0]

Hello,

I have bought needle bearing 8x11x10 from INA, it had a lot of play, it was nearly destroyed. Car started with same symptoms of all. it will arrive in one/two weeks.

Regards,

[kiwiV8]

have your bearing arrived? I am thinking about doing the same...