$10,000 S80 Challenge Topic is solved

[pgill]

MVS Readers,

It's been a couple months since I posted about my S80.

First the important thing: Nothing has broken, if fact almost every repair (and I've I documented them all in this thread) were expected at the time of purchase. Its a really nice car and its holding up well. For the obvious reason it isn't being driven many miles so it may get to 10 years of ownership before 100,000 miles (since the day I purchased it). This is the nicest sub $10,000 I have ever bought.

January 2021 update

Happy New Year

Rear Brake rotor and pad replacement. (with Electric Parking Brake)

The motor for the Electric Parking Brake must be retracted before the piston can be pushed in. To retract the motor I used an old battery charger and the leads from my volt meter. I unplugged the electrical connector from the caliper and I used the end of the leads that normally connect to the meter to connect to the spade lugs on the caliper. And the pointed end of the leads I connected to the battery charger clamps. I have a switch on my drop lamp that I used to turn the batter charger on (this allow me to turn off the power very quickly if the connection was backwards). Note: If the leads are connected backwards then the motor in the caliper will clamp not release, I got lucky and I connected it correctly. The motor spun for about 5 seconds and as soon as it stopped I turned off the power.

Everything else was typical brake R and R. I did leverage against the old pads to compress the piston.

Note: because of the electric motor on the caliper a large C clamp (or G clamp depending on where you live) can't be used.

I do have a special tool that pushes against the caliper and piston and it would work fine for this job but I just used a pry bar.

While I was in there I also replaced the brake fluid (a complete flush, I have a motive brake bleeder which work really well for this)

And because I was working on the brakes I noticed a week ago that the front caliper weren't providing equal pressure (confirmed when I drove the car around the block and then I washed my S80 and one side was very warm and the other side was hot, the steam from the boiling water confirmed my diagnosis). To fix the uneven braking (Note: if I let you test drive my S80 its very unlikely you would notice the uneven braking it was very minor) I removed the front calipers and used compressed air and new brake fluid to work the piston back and fourth until it could be easily compressed by hand. I did this on my LR2 with very similar brakes about 3 years ago and the braking on my LR2 is amazingly even.

Electric Parking Brake - some things I've learned

1. Put your seatbelt on, select drive and press the gas the brake will release automatically (you tube is great)

2. The EPB can be used to stop the car while driving. (Make sure no one is behind you as I am not sure about the brake lights) The ABS seems to pulse the brakes. I really like that its so easy to exercise the ABS, I will be doing this every 6 months when I change the oil. I recommend that everyone that has the EPB try this out to understand how it works, its very impressive.

Take care

Paul

[pbierre]

P - We keep a spreadsheet on all our used Volvos to evaluate maintenance expense.

We bought a CPO 2007 S60 2.5T (Arizona car) in 2010, with 38K miles. We got 8 years out of it. The yearly maintenance average was $750. I saved big by replacing the disintegrating PCV upper "J hose" ($1700 dealer estimate) -- I figured out how to do it without removing the intake manifold.

Yearly depreciation was about $2K/year. Sold it with 99K miles for $5K.

------------------
As far as your $10K- 10 year 2010 S80 challenge, I'd give it 50-50 odds (with someone like you doing most of the maintenance), and assuming CA-level smog inspections every 2 years.

It's not about you. A lot can happen to a car in the 2nd 10 years. Somewhere around the 15-year-old mark, vacuum hoses are getting leaky. Also, the plastic-welded fuel tank -- plastic fatigue in the pipe bibs can turn into micro-cracks EVAP leak. If you have AWD, very expensive to drop tank to repair. Front spring plates go. PCV clogged. Windshield gets pretty pitted. Drivers seat tears open. Security alarm battery fails, interfering with moonroof. Rodents chew through wiring.

I took care of 3 of these P2 Volvos (18-car-years), and faced all these problems. I'm not complaining. But we're now in P3s, and enjoying doing routine maintenance on 8 and 6-year-old cars.

[pgill]

Pbierre,

I appreciate your comments and insight.

You are in a unique position because you own two P3 3.0Ts and your input would be very helpful for this thread.


If you get a chance post here the failure time and mileage for the things I needed to fix on my S80

- Anti Drain valve in oil filter housing (I know that you have already looked into this one and that you haven't seen a failure)

- Alternator (replaced before I bought my S80)

- Motor mount (I would expect the T6 to wear these out faster)

- Over drive pulley AUX belt (to test just push on the belt, it will move in one direction and not the other)

- Thermostat and small coolant hose with the O-ring

- Cooling Fan

- Radiator

- Brake booster O-rings

- AC compressor

- Coil packs (I haven't had any fail but I do own a spare coil "For that day")

- Catalytic converter or Oxygen sensors (I don't have this failure yet)

- Evaporative emissions pump (I don't have this failure yet)


AWD items (my LR2 is AWD but my S80 is FWD)

- PTU (for my LR2 I drilled a drain hole and installed a magnetic drain plug)

- Haldex (I don't have this failure yet)

- Rear Differential


Thanks

Paul

[matthew1]

Finally got this in the Repair Database.

Paul, you're an unsung hero.

[pgill]

Matt,

I looked at what you put in the repair database, its perfect!!!

You summarized my S80 adventure really well and you linked to this thread for anyone that wants to know more.

I really appreciate you doing that.

And I want to say that this thread is my way of giving back to MVS, I've learned a lot here. (before I even bought my S80)

This is an amazing site, you should be proud of what you've created, keep up the great work.

Paul

PS Now that my S80 is current with its maintenance I will be posting the small things that I do to make it more enjoyable and to keep it functioning as new longer.

[pgill]

.........................As far as your $10K- 10 year 2010 S80 challenge, I'd give it 50-50 odds (with someone like you doing most of the maintenance), and assuming CA-level smog inspections every 2 years...........................................

MVS Readers,

This quote from PBIERRE is very relevant and insightful.

Catalyst monitor is incomplete (not ready)

If I have to replace the Catalytic converters there is no way that I will get 10 years of service for under $10K

Note: if the state (or country) that you live in isn't strict with emission testing then this won't be a factor for you.


I did remove the battery lead when I replaced the rear brakes, doing this will cause the OBDII emissions monitors to be set to incomplete (i.e. not ready)

For California the vehicle will fail the emissions test (Smog Test) if the monitors are incomplete (not ready)

A capable code reader is needed to know if the monitors are ready.

After driving 8 trips and 200 mile the catalyst monitor was still incomplete (all of the other monitors are set to ready)

I asked my son to do the following

1. Let the S80 idle for 2 minutes

2. drive with fuel economy in mind (gentle acceleration and minimal braking)


Result --> Catalyst Monitor is Complete (ready)


If this doesn't work for you (it didn't for my Audi) then you need to do this

1. Start the vehicle and idle for 2 minutes
2. Gently accelerate to 55 MPH and drive for 5 minutes
3. Slow to 20 MPH but don't brake
4. Gently accelerate to 55 MPH and drive for 5 minutes
5. Slow and come to a stop without touching the brake (if possible)
6. idle for 2 minutes
7. repeat steps as many times as needed

The good news is that the Volvo doesn't require that you do exactly this to set the Catalyst monitor (I wish I could say the same for my Audi)

For reference I drove the Audi more than a year (10,000 miles) after changing the battery and the catalyst monitor never set.

For my LR2 it reset without any special driving in less than a month (The Volvo may have done this as well if we were driving at pre COVID distances)

Thanks

Paul

[Steve H]

I had a SAAB 9-5 about kick my butt regarding this topic of setting the emissions code. Turned out you had to run the A/C and the rear defogger at the same time for a period of time to get them to set. Strange but that is what it took per a Mechanic that I consulted that told me this trick. I am not sure of the specifics for the Volvo but that is what it took for the SAAB. I also found this regarding Volvos. 1.) Accelerate 0-50 MPH within 30 seconds
2.) Maintain 45-50 MPH for 20 minutes without using cruise control
3.) Park car turn of A/C idle for 5 minutes
4.) Accelerate 0-50 MPH within 30 seconds
5.) Maintain 45-50 MPH for 20 minutes without using cruise control
6.) Shut off car and allow to cool for 30 minutes before repeating cycle ( in some cases the car requires two cycles)

[abscate]

EVAP monitor going ready is the one most have trouble with on Volvo, but P2 is much better than P80 in that regard.

[pgill]

ABSCATE,

Thanks for sharing this perspective, as the P3 Volvo's get older it will become more common to have problems like this.


For the P3 the leak detection is explained well in this guide

Go to page 12

MY07B6324S-S80XC90AWD (1).pdf

(603.47 KiB) Downloaded 239 times

Note: the system compares the sealed fuel system to a reference orifice that simulates a leak.

For the reference measurement if the air filter on the leak pump is clogged then this measurement will be wrong and you can expect a check engine light.

For my S80 the part number for this air filter is

Filter part number 30750672

I haven't changed this filter yet but I will likely change it in the next year or two.

Take care

Paul

[pbierre]

Re: Passing CA Smog Test with an EVAP leak

If you're coming due for Smog, and are dealing with an EVAP leak code, just knowing that the Volvo engine software only runs the
EVAP System Test when the fuel tank is >15% and <85% full offers you an easy "PASS". You need an OBD-II scanner that can clear EVAP codes.

Just before going in for the test:
- Fill the fuel tank 100%
- Clear the EVAP codes
- Unless there is a visual problem with pipes and hoses the test tech can see, you're likely good to go.

I've been successful twice with this tactic.

As far as ethics go, I'd only have qualms about deceiving a private-sale Volvo buyer this way. The State is something else.