Project Shirley Knott's Evil Web Of Shite - Volvo gets a clean sheet MOT, now on to wheel trims, thermostat and brakes revisited

[Lacquer Peel]

If it's working correctly it should spin quite easily with the engine off.

[Shirley Knott]

Off to the paint shop to have the love taps on the rear hatch sorted out...

 

 

 

 

 

I'd told myself when I bought the car that I'd live with these, but given the it's pretty much immaculate and completely blemish/rust free everywhere else I decided to bite the bullet and get them repaired as they bring the whole car down really.

 

It appears I've fallen into my usual pattern of behaviour,, ie buy  cheap car to run on bangernomics principles ergo 'beating the system', then lavishing time, care, attention and money on said cheap car thus defeating the whole object of the exercise.  Le sigh

[Shirley Knott]

And wait for it.... Yesterday afternoon the 940 passed it's first MOT under my care!

 

Test time is always a nervous event with a car that's new to the fleet, particularly when they get to 25+ years old.

 

I needn't have worried on this occasion, not a single advisory   When the ticket was handed over I felt like I should be giving an acceptance speech

[danthecapriman]

A well deserved result.

It’s an old Volvo. You’ve nothing to worry about!

[Shirley Knott]

Also worth mentioning the car has now returned from the paint shop having had the ugly dent removed from the rear hatch...

 

 

 

 

As usual they've done a cracking job, this was one of those little niggles that brought the whole appearance down so on the whole I'm pleased to have knocked another rough edge off.

 

Another step towards waxy garage queen status.

[Shirley Knott]

Another couple of hours spare this afternoon so more tinkering undertaken, this time vacuum hoses.

 

I had several meters of 4mm id silicone hose leftover from previous projects, yup, I got hose in different area codes. Boredom, as is so often the case led to fiddling.

 

Worryingly despite finding various historic posts from Volvo Lords of the interwebz suggesting that 4mm id was the correct size for virtually all of the vacuum lines pretty much everything that came off the car looked to have a slightly larger bore...

 

 

 

 

Ah well, onwards and upwards, first vac line replaced was from the fuel regulator to inlet manifold...

 

 

Followed by the turbo bypass valve to inlet manifold...

 

 

 

And finally the line from the inlet manifold to the oil separator box...

 

 

 

Will the slightly smaller diameter lines have any negative effect on the turbo bypass valve's operation? I'm not sure. TBH I'm not actually certain how much pressure that line takes... Will the silicone stand up to the potential oil and fuel vapours from the separator box long term? IDK either... Will the hoses stay put? Again IDK, they had spring clamps on them originally but these don't work with the newer silicone hoses, that being said the silicone was a tight fit on all of the points it was fitted to and I'd imagine quite a lot of pressure would be required to blow them off?

 

Seriously, any advice on the above quandaries would be gratefully received

 

One thing's for sure, the car seems to run much more smoothly and a 10 mile test run using as much boost as possible produced no issues, only time will tell....

[danthecapriman]

Should be fine. I bet the older pipes look bigger just where they’re old and worn. I’ve had success using small cable ties to hold them onto the unions instead of the old spring clamps.

 

Mind you I’ve never had a turbo... pressures are higher than the standard versions I’ve had.

[Shirley Knott]

Thanks, yes the turbo was the main concern really but I'd imagine she'll be right.

 

Top tip on the cable ties too, why didn't I think of that?

[Shirley Knott]

Right, I've got a weeks holiday from work so over the next few days I'm going to be continuing to knock rough edges off the Volvo, this morning I eased myself in gently by performing an engine bay clean.

 

It was properly filthy....

 

 

I'd planned to spend more time on this but TBH after an hour or so I'd got pretty fed up with it Still a decent improvement and whilst not quite 'Eat your dinner off it' levels of clean, it now looks tidier.

 

Before....

 

 

After...

 

[danthecapriman]

Looks brilliant. Well worth the effort.

[Shirley Knott]

Thanks fella.

 

Tomorrows task is to wash off the underside/arches etc in preparation for a spot of rust proofing.

[DVee8]

Which paint shop did you use? Looks a great job.

[Shirley Knott]

Which paint shop did you use? Looks a great job.

 

'Sprayfast' in Sunderland.

 

It's just a little backstreet place/one man show but I've used him for years. IIRC this is the fifth job he's done for me. Results are always good and prices are reasonable too.

[DVee8]

I have used Owlet a couple of times,I took the Daimler up for a quote and he didn't want to know.

[Shirley Knott]

I have used Owlet a couple of times,I took the Daimler up for a quote and he didn't want to know.

 

I bought a Mk2 MX5 from Owlet many moons ago, never tried them for bodywork.... Mick (Sprayfast) is well accustomed to work on older cars but doesn't offer welding so depending on what you want doing it might well be worth giving him a shout. If you do tell him Joe sent you

[DVee8]

I bought a Mk2 MX5 from Owlet many moons ago, never tried them for bodywork.... Mick (Sprayfast) is well accustomed to work on older cars but doesn't offer welding so depending on what you want doing it might well be worth giving him a shout. If you do tell him Joe sent you

No welding just some paint.

[Shep Shepherd]

Spray the whole engine bay with a couple of cans of pound shop tyre shine and it will look even better 

 

 

[Shirley Knott]

Spray the whole engine bay with a couple of cans of pound shop tyre shine and it will look even better

Sounds like a plan, will give that a try!

 

Very rewarding engine bay to clean tbh, masses of room even with the turbo and associated pipework it was a walk in the park compared to modern transverse stuff.

[danthecapriman]

Sounds like a plan, will give that a try!

Very rewarding engine bay to clean tbh, masses of room even with the turbo and associated pipework it was a walk in the park compared to modern transverse stuff.

I’ve done a bit of my 740 engine bay, it was covered in grime and a thin oily film. Just from 30 years of use and not getting cleaned I suppose but I went over everything with some spirit wipes I got from work. They cut right through the grease and crud but leave a white residue behind them so I’ve washed it afterwards with hot water and car shampoo. It’s come up better but still needs another going over really.

It doesn’t look half as good as yours though!

[Shirley Knott]

I’ve done a bit of my 740 engine bay, it was covered in grime and a thin oily film. Just from 30 years of use and not getting cleaned I suppose but I went over everything with some spirit wipes I got from work. They cut right through the grease and crud but leave a white residue behind them so I’ve washed it afterwards with hot water and car shampoo. It’s come up better but still needs another going over really.

It doesn’t look half as good as yours though!

 

Thanks Dan, I honestly don't think mine had ever been cleaned either. 26 years of crud

 

 I basically made a super strong 30/70 mix of cheap car shampoo and worked it into everywhere I could reach with a 2" paint brush then covered the dizzy/leads/plugs/alternator with bin bags and gently hosed it all off. To finish I gave the whole lot a rub over with a rag soaked in WD40. People say you should avoid WD in engine bays as it attracts dirt etc but TBH that's not been my experience. It deters rust, repels water and gives all of the paintwork in the bay a glossy sheen, just about every car I've owned over the last decade has received this treatment with no ill effects.

 

I also took Shep's advice and had a squirt about with some tyre foam, all hoses/rubber now look good too. No pics as I don't think anyone really wants to see more snaps of my engine bay TBH.

 

In other news, today I rented an industrial pressure washer, put the car up on stands and soaked the underside with 5l of detergent before thoroughly blasting it all off (again no pics as I was up to the tits in grime and didn't have the heart) 

 

I was properly taken aback by the amount of muck left on my drive after I'd finished... It's squeaky clean under there now. Meanwhile various Bilt Hamber products are en route

[Shirley Knott]

It's pretty clear that I've now fallen head over heals in love with my 940 and on that basis I've spent this week making it future proof. It's a good while since I've rust proofed a car, things I've learned are...

 

Rubbing back bits of surface corrosion, applying Hydrate 80 and waiting for it to turn black = very dull.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Borrowing a friends pit, lift and compressor for an afternoon and letting fly with 5l of Dynax S50 in all cavities followed by Dynax UB gloop for the underbody= Lots of fun.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Standing back in the pit and looking at the jet black underbody basking in the glow of the orange pit lights was deeply pleasing.

 

And another shot after returning home showing the finish under natural light.

 

 

Apologies for the potato cam quality pics, by the time I was ready to take them I was up to the eyeballs in underseal and my hads by this point were trembling and mostly being used to mop my fevered brow.

 

Either way, Job jobbed

[danthecapriman]

That looks spot on. I need to do mine like that still.

I see your battery tray is still in one piece too. Looks like you caught it with the rust converter just in time. Mines rotted through all the way along the corner with the front wheel arch... it’s not welding weather though!

 

Your inspiring me to get outside and do mine! Need to get the Capri done first though.

[Shirley Knott]

I'm assuming when you say getting the Capri done you don't mean undersealing!? Far too clean for that....

 

Yes, battery tray was touch and go. Initially I thought it was too far gone but after some vigorous sanding/wire brushing it was solid enough, phew!

 

Really pleased with the job although as mentioned it's a while since I've used BH products. I'm actually slightly taken aback by the smell, I don't remember it being too bad last time but for whatever reason this time around it properly whiffs. I could smell it from inside the house last night even with all the windows closed (My neighbours must love me) 

[oldcars]

Super job, looks great. 

[danthecapriman]

I'm assuming when you say getting the Capri done you don't mean undersealing!? Far too clean for that....

 

Yes, battery tray was touch and go. Initially I thought it was too far gone but after some vigorous sanding/wire brushing it was solid enough, phew!

 

Really pleased with the job although as mentioned it's a while since I've used BH products. I'm actually slightly taken aback by the smell, I don't remember it being too bad last time but for whatever reason this time around it properly whiffs. I could smell it from inside the house last night even with all the windows closed (My neighbours must love me) 

Oh god no! No undersealing on the Capri!

 

The last two 740’s I’ve had the battery tray has been rusted through. Must be a common rot spot on them, battery acid wont help either. I’ve got an acid neutralising pad to go under my battery after I fix the rust. They do help tbh.

 

The smell of BH stuff is quite strong, maybe they use something different in it now? It stunk the whole driveway and house out when I did my Transit with it. Also when it vaporises you end up with a film of it in your hair and on your skin so I’m going to use some disposable paper overalls when I do the ovloV.

[Shirley Knott]

Good, it would be a travesty to cover the Capri in slub given it's condition!

 

Yup, BH stuff isn't as intense with aerosols but with a compressor it kind of atomises. Removing the rubber bungs at the end of the sills, poking a shutz gun in and then watching clouds of S50 pouring out of the opposite side of the car is a wonderful experience.

 

As you say though you do end up with a film of the stuff over skin, eyes and probably lungs too. It's not something I'd like to be doing on a regular basis.

[Shirley Knott]

Right, my idle still isn't 100%. Don't get me wrong, it's lightyears ahead after my various interventions and now seems to sit happily at 900rpm, occasionally however the car seems to miss ever so slightly and the needle will waver between 800-900rpm. Coupled with this occasionally when pulling up to junctions or roundabouts and coming off the throttle the revs will drop to 600rpm or so briefly before the car seems to catch itself and bring things quickly back up to 900rpm again.

 

At this point I've checked for vac leaks, replaced many vac lines, new CTS thermostat and coolant flush, full service, reset ECU, checked plugs/rotor/cap, cleaned the breather system, removed and cleaned the throttle body/ICV etc.

 

As mentioned the car's vastly improved from the hunting nightmare that it used to be but I think it still could be better... I am asking too much of a 22 year old car with an engine that has it's origins in the early 70's, does it even have the potential to run better or were they like this when new? IDK....

 

Either way, I've been doing a bit more digging and found the protective screen on my original MAF was borked, weird to think that the car was looked after by a Volvo specialist before I bought it   It just goes to show that even the so called experts are often no better than most backstreet mechanics, charging £50 an hour to speak to you like you're an idiot and break bits on your car. See bellow...

 

 

 

 

I suspect this was broken whilst an air filter was being changed but who knows?

 

I grabbed another MAF from the low mileage 1990 940 breaker as well as a host of other parts so luckily had one in stock  That car was a normally aspirated and 2.0 where as my car is a 1996 2.3 LPT. The actual part numbers matched up beautifully, the small code beneath the 'Bosch' branding differs slightly, see below...

 

My MAF...

 

 

 

 

And the donor MAF...

 

 

 

 

Either way, new MAF has been cleaned with this...

 

 

 

And then fitted. After a test drive I can only assume the MAFS are compatible/interchangeable as the car seems to be running well, in fact it seems far more perky and feels to have gained about 20 BHP, happy days!

 

Unfortunately my idle still droops occasionally when pulling up to junctions

[sierraman]

Have you tried cleaning the throttle butterfly. Worked for me

[danthecapriman]

Nice job. That different code is probably just a batch number or something. Either way it’s clearly not important!

 

They can idle well. Mine does and doesn’t miss or drop in revs like you describe so there must be something causing it. Mines a Kjet mechanical injection car though so has less electrical stuff etc.

Are all the basics ok? HT leads, coil, plugs, ignition connections all clean and tight? I had Something similar that I couldn’t trace on a 340 ages ago. It’d be fine while driving but if you slow for a junction or similar it’d splutter and struggle sometimes. In the end it was a green and corroded HT lead terminal! The leads looked fine unless you looked hard down the end.

[Shirley Knott]

Thanks chaps.

 

Yup, throttle body/butterfly all cleaned extensively. Rotor/cap/plugs/leads are all new but double checked anyway. The mystery is mysterious.

 

My thoughts had turned to VAC leaks but again despite extensive testing I can't find any.

 

Next steps will be to check fuel pressure, see what's happening there, then on to ignition coil perhaps. Failing all of that I suppose I'll pretty much just have to live with the occasional stumble at junctions etc and put it down to old car quirks until it either gets worse etc