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V70 tdi. Complete*. Smug smog.


scdan4

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  • 4 weeks later...

Update: It's competently managed everything thrown at it so far.

 

We're in busy season, so it's been towing a lot, which it does well. It's tow hook is a couple of inches lower than the others we've used, which makes a difference to the way the trailer tows - it jumps about a bit more with this one. Much better on juice than the others though, but still think it's about 30 mpg, (which is much better than the sub 20 mpg of the saab)

 

It's not quite long enough for a 6ft upright freezer to fit in with the tailgate shut, but provides a handy strap loop to tie them in with and a near perect flat floor to slide it in over. The rear headrest drop is very neat as well and makes putting the back seats down far, far easier than the fight with the saab. If you want an estate, buy a volvo.

 

Handbrake cable snapped at the most convienient time (head to head meeting going up a steep narrow hill, whilst towing, with someone up me chuff.) We're lucky in this world, and get so used to the creature comforts that we take them for granted, just assume that they're there. You really miss them when they're cruelly taken. Handbrakes are ace and I really missed it whilst it wasn't there. Luckily, a cable was 25 quid, and a couple of hours spent wrestling, sweating and swearing on the floor of the back alley saw it not only repaired, but *gasp* way better than it had been before. Every time I pull it up over the deliciously short but oh just right travel, I grin. Rear discs, pads and handbrake shoes all look recent, which is nice and underside looks very solid with no rot visible anywhere, which is also nice.

 

Things we don't like: Glare from the dash on the windscreen. Black interior. It's slow. It rattles like a bastard - the number of interior rattles are hilarious - Lots from the tailgate (the inside cover of which is hanging off) and the dash (which rattles, creaks and does a very impressive jump and shake when the engine stops). Sounds like a tank. Centrol locking is screwy - have to lock with the key and unlock with the fob. Power button on the radio is screwy and turns off, but not on. (Fine when you know about it, annoying when you have to find it out).ear selector release button knackered. So nothing major. 

 

Things we do like. Economy. Capability and worthyness. Size. Sturdyness (I drove it quite hard into a neighbours wall as the turning circle was a bit bigger than expected, and although it gained another battle scar, it was but a small one. I was seriously worried about the wall for a bit - it wobbled all along its length quite a lot, but luckily held it together.), bluetooth phone kit. It's comfy (not a surprise but a deal breaker in this house). Seems reliable.

 

(this was posted a while ago but then lost in all the webshite excitement. It's since been camping with the family for a week, which it managed very competently as well. Shep - thanks for the link, have purchased said tailgate repair kit.)

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  • 2 weeks later...

I may have to replace the nearside handbrake cable on my V70 soon.

Any chance of a write up how to do it chap?

Do the seats have to come out?

 

Sorry, missed this.

 

Was easy enough, i followed this (pretty good) guide. http://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showthread.php?t=166900

 

Tie a string to the old cable to use to pull the new cable in. The cable fit to the wheel hub was bastard snug, so make sure the metal socket is clean and greasy.

 

A bright, focusable, little torch is very useful for finding and eyeing up the adjusters.

 

Other than that not to bad a job at all.

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Volvo does not like devon. It's been to exeter twice in the past week and both times on the return trip the abs light and brake warning light came on then the speedo, and annoyingly the cruise control stopped working. 

 

Is there a speed sensor, or is it likely an abs wheel sensor (may have knocked something when doing the handbrake) or is it more likely that box of tricks that richard hacked into on his thread?  Any easy tests to eliminate any of these?

 

Plodded down and back again frugually though. About 50mpg I think.

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The easiest test is to use VOL-FCR to read the codes. The older version, which doesn't do fuel pump timing, is quite easy to find as a free download. The latest version is too, but requires a bit more jiggery pokery to make it work. I bought an FTDI cable from eBay to use with it.

 

I think there's a strong chance that it's the pump power connection in the ECU though, it does seem to be the common failure point. The ECU is pretty easy to remove, a 4mm socket works perfectly well so there's no need to order an E5 socket, do the job before it arrives, then realise you had an E5 socket all the time.

 

If you remove the ECU and it looks like the one with the blue bits here I'll be happy to send you the one I have.

 

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If not it's pretty easy to open up the box. Remove the retainers from around the bolt sleeves, break off the flange around the lid, then use a Stanley knife to cut through the mastic that holds it together. Once you've cut through enough mastic you should be able to lever the lid off. I don't think there was any need to reflow all the joints like I did, I think the problem was with the two pins at the bottom left in the picture above.

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I may be able to help with this one, there is a wiring multi plug under the bonnet for the abs, the previous owner to sutty bought it with problems concerning abs fault showing and the sensors had been replaced, he found this multi plug was loose and causing the fault so put a wedge in it to hold it secure, I'd say fiddle with the multi plug before doing anything drastic

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I love this place. Gentlemen, thank you to you all.

 

I will investigate. When I get a chance. Flat out busy with work at the moment, and the to do list is getting longer, will have to spend a day on it soon at some point. But for now I've every confidence that it soldier on.

 

Sutty, over 202k now. When's it due an oil service can you remember? (i can't be arsed to look!)

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How did anyone ever know anything before the internet.

 

No brakes when cold:  http://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=43817

 

 

Sounds exactly like it. Richard - have a look if yours are too.

I just read an entire how-to guide for a problem I don't have on a car I've never owned and still enjoyed myself.

 

Thanks Autoshite.

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  • 8 months later...

Bloody hell, we've had it a year. I know this because not only does the sorn drop on the doormat, but sutty, who i bought it off, sends me a mail saying "you've had it a year is it still all good?". I love this place sometimes.

 

And yes, it is all good. It has managed to assume the "totally taken for granted" status that this household rewards useful reliable cars with.

 

Of course it will start. Of course it will fit. Of course it will pull it. 

 

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It's done a lot of that. It will fit 7dogs, or 4 children with associated accountraments, or everything for a family camping trip, or a 6ft freezer, or a load of studwork timber, or a 1/2ton of firewood, or a cast iron bath. You get the idea. It just fits.

 

I reset the mpgometer when I got it, and over the year got

 

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which, even allowing for optimism, i'm very happy with. On the motorway it's (well) over 50mpg at 60mph, 45ish at 70ish and the wife gets mid 30's at about 90. (It's not so happy there to be fair to it - running out of revs). So not only does it fits, it sips too.

 

Other than that it's had an oil change, some pads on the front, tyres on the back, handbrake cable and the bumper mounts. Intermittant abs light seems to have fixed itself, which is nice. Good intentions to derattleify the interior have utterly vanished. 

 

So to celebrate our first anniversary together, I managed to reverse it firmly into my mates wall adding more 'love marks' onto the bumper. This made me feel guilty, so took it on an anniversary treat to the aircon fixing shop for a diagnosis as to what was fucked.

 

Bloke comes out after half an hour of prodding. "you know what, everyone comes in here saying it just needs a regas and their systems are fucked. You're the first this year to come in saying it's probably fucked and you just need a regas. "

Icy cold aircon for the win. 

 

Happy anniversary you old purple throbber you.

post-19553-0-34123100-1493146700_thumb.jpg

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It's like a really happily sad movie ending. I've got a tear in my eye! Really do regret selling it but I should be celebrating 12 months of not working for that plonker in motorsport, and subsequently didn't need it anymore. Would love another! Glad it's serving you well, Dan. :)

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  • 2 months later...

not much, but a couple of things to report. Both osram nightbreaker bulbs failed within 2 days of each other - which is impressively consistant manufacturing. Changed both out in under 5 minutes. Open bonnet, remove rubber boot, remove clip, replace bulb and clip and boot back on. It should be legislated to be this easy.

 

Had got to wondering whether it was time for a shiny car upgrade, but then this happened this morning

 

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I'm useless in accidents. Picture shows how much I was shaking.

 

which reminds me why i drive a shitter. fecking arse then fucked off (after giving me a heafty load of abuse. Apparently staying in lane is worthy of "whats your fucking problem" etc.

 

Rang budget - that van is not out on hire. Hmmm, and the bloke was in a suit. That'll be the branch manager i guess... wanker. Not sure what happens now, waiting for them to get back to me.

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Hope the damage isn't too serious.

If he just fucked off id be going to the police station to make it official. And then I'd let them deal with the fact he left the scene.

Also get hold of your insurance company. You've got a pretty damning photo of him over the white line so it's crystal clear he is to blame. Let them chase up the vans owners and insurance company. It's what you pay them for!

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not much, but a couple of things to report. Both osram nightbreaker bulbs failed within 2 days of each other - which is impressively consistant manufacturing. Changed both out in under 5 minutes. Open bonnet, remove rubber boot, remove clip, replace bulb and clip and boot back on. It should be legislated to be this easy.

 

Had got to wondering whether it was time for a shiny car upgrade, but then this happened this morning

 

attachicon.gifDSC_0179.JPG

 

..... Not sure what happens now, waiting for them to get back to me.

 

 

.... going to the police station to make it official. ....

Just do this.

 

Contact your insurance company too but please get the police involved as the other driver is just dangerous.

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Someone once did something very similar to me on a busy roundabout. The woman was trying to use the wrong lane to overtake as many other cars as she could then cut back across last minute into the lane I'd been patiently waiting in. She failed of course and smashed the side of her 3 series BMW down the side of my Sprinter van. There was a few scuffs on my van but it caved the side of the BMW in pretty bad. She knew she'd hit me too as she turned around between the front seats and looked directly at me. She then didn't stop and just fucked off.

 

I went round the corner to the local police station and had to make a statement. Luckily I had a reg number for her car, description of her car and description of her since she looked at me before leaving the scene.

 

The good thing for your situation is that the van that's hit you is a branded vehicle. If you get shit from them then you could do them some 'bad press' type of damage via places like Facebook etc etc... just a suggestion as backup!

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I'm useless in accidents. Picture shows how much I was shaking.

 

At least you had the presence of mind to take a photo! I had a similar situation in the van a few years ago - bloke was furious when he pulled into the side of me as his lane ended. He was so angry, shouting that had called the police so I never got his details (thinking the police would deal with everything calmly when they arrived), or took a photo. And while we were waiting he buggered off, then claimed (when I informed the insurers) that he was never involved in any accident and the damage to his car was already existing!

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The fuck was the guy doing? Trying to get a Transit Custom between you and a Luton, in a space that wasn't there?

 

That's a pretty good executive summary, yes. Don't know if he didn't know I was there or if he thought i'd move or something. His first words to me were "what the fuck is your problem?", which seemed a bit of an odd question given the circumstances.

 

Hope the damage isn't too serious.

If he just fucked off id be going to the police station to make it official. And then I'd let them deal with the fact he left the scene.

Also get hold of your insurance company. You've got a pretty damning photo of him over the white line so it's crystal clear he is to blame. Let them chase up the vans owners and insurance company. It's what you pay them for!

 

Damage is light, some scuffing, mainly on front wheelarch and rear bumper, but with some bits inbetween. Was relatively slow speed (that roads a 20 limit).

 

He did fuck off, but I rang the big number written on his van. They confirmed it was their van (well, dur) then went, oh, ah, hang on. Thats not out on hire. He then asked me how close it was to their depot (it's not) and then said it needed to be passed onto "special investigations" and they would get back to me. I suspect that's enough to cover his arse for leaving the scene without details - I have them, the police have better things to do.

 

I don't really want to get involved with insurance. It's all a ballache, I'll have to declare a non fault for years, they'll just write it off as even pdr would cost too much. Lifes too short. Were it new and shiny I would, certainly. But not worrying unduly is part of the freedom of driving a shitter. Nothings broke, just a bit more characterful. A goodwill gesture would be nice though, and what I'll be angling for. Hopefully the company bollocking will be hefty, and there was a good bit of damage to the trim on his shiny new van, which I hope he'll now be forking out for. 

 

Oh dear what a nugget, at least your ok, I hope your neck isn't too sore from turning around quickly when it hit you, did it do much damage to the old girl

 

No. I don't do the neck thing. 

 

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At least you had the presence of mind to take a photo! I had a similar situation in the van a few years ago - bloke was furious when he pulled into the side of me as his lane ended. He was so angry, shouting that had called the police so I never got his details (thinking the police would deal with everything calmly when they arrived), or took a photo. And while we were waiting he buggered off, then claimed (when I informed the insurers) that he was never involved in any accident and the damage to his car was already existing!

 

I've been stung before, so know the value of pics. As I've just acquired a shiny new smartphone (up from a (very) old nokia) I put it to good use. With a finger held over the lens on half the pics.

 

Got to work - went "hey, you'll never guess what just happened, take a look at this" and due to not being able to competantly use a smartphone yet nearly, so nearly showed them a pic of the wife in the alltogether.

 

Must learn to store them safe somehow. Otherwise it's only a matter of time and a scraped car will be the least of my worries,

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