Tim's Fleet - new V70

[Shirley Knott]

On 1/8/2021 at 12:46 AM, captain_70s said:

One thing to bear in mind with a lot of the more expensive examples listed is that they've been for sale for months if not years.

A nice 700/900 estate is probably around £900-1500 with the best in the £2-3k range, saloons a few hundred less. While they days of picking a decent example up for £300-600 with ease are over they're still fairly cheap.

For reference, I put mine up for £3000 last year as I felt it was a bit too nice to use on a regular basis, also, the wife was ashamed to be seen in it. Much to my surprise my phone never stopped and it sold for full asking price within a week or two. As a 2.3 turbo manual with 92k it was probably quite desirable, none the less prices in general are on the rise for sure.

Re the flametrap, they're supposedly harder on the turbo models- Lots of *experts on the Volvo forum were talking about removing the intake manifold leading to some procrastination on my part. In the end it was needless, a 15 minute job. Just about everything on these cars is simple by modern standards, they're a joy to spanner on. IIRC the timing belt on mine took me two hours on a hung over Saturday morning.

[Shirley Knott]

6 minutes ago, Shirley Knott said:

Whoops

 

[Shirley Knott]

Just now, Shirley Knott said:

Edit- Double post/brain fart.

[spartacus]

On 1/13/2021 at 8:26 PM, Tim_E said:

It was purely an 'I wonder if I can turn the knob without the key...' moment. So I tried and failed a few times then tried and the first one came off. Anyway yes it will help with noise and fuel, and the rack will be useful I'm sure. It actually looks good with it on, I think! I'm still in the phase of trying things out though.

Like the headlight washers. They work, they just need blades! But I don't understand where the little hoses are meant to go!

Then at some point I'll take the binnacle off and prod all the solder joints. I'm told that they probably need sanding off and re-soldering and that the window switch needs hosing down with contact cleaner. We'll see, eventually.

I'm still living the dream!

Somebody will be along shortly to tell you for sure but I'm going to guess that the hoses attach to a jet on the headlight washer blade.

 

[Shite Ron]

1 hour ago, spartacus said:

Somebody will be along shortly to tell you for sure but I'm going to guess that the hoses attach to a jet on the headlight washer blade.

 

Correct

I think I need to clean the lichen off the 740, I was going to photograph the 940 but the arms are slightly different and hide the hoses.

[Cord Fourteener]

2 hours ago, Shite Ron said:

Correct

I think I need to clean the lichen off the 740, I was going to photograph the 940 but the arms are slightly different and hide the hoses.

I'll have another look but there no attachment on the arm, and my blades are also MIA so is there a hose attachment on the actual OEM blade? The old and knackered blade that came with the car didn't seem to have an attachment, maybe it was the incorrect blade?

Edit: Actually now I've decoded what's going on here the attachment does appear to on the arm... Is that right? I will have to go and look at mine again!

[Cord Fourteener]

16 hours ago, Shirley Knott said:

 

Re the flametrap, they're supposedly harder on the turbo models- Lots of *experts on the Volvo forum were talking about removing the intake manifold leading to some procrastination on my part. In the end it was needless, a 15 minute job. Just about everything on these cars is simple by modern standards, they're a joy to spanner on. IIRC the timing belt on mine took me two hours on a hung over Saturday morning.

I'm starting to enjoy working on this car, possibly for the first time ever!

I'm definitely someone who would like to be able to spanner but despite trying so far I'm terrible, I'm just learning all this things I don't know.

But I like this car. After speaking to someone on Volvo (who is very patientely talking me through everything) the job seems doable, even for me! 

I've even ordered a torque wrench and some ½ inch drive sockets! Not for the pcv but for another job.

[Shite Ron]

35 minutes ago, Tim_E said:

I'll have another look but there no attachment on the arm, and my blades are also MIA so is there a hose attachment on the actual OEM blade? The old and knackered blade that came with the car didn't seem to have an attachment, maybe it was the incorrect blade?

Edit: Actually now I've decoded what's going on here the attachment does appear to on the arm... Is that right? I will have to go and look at mine again!

The blade and nozzle go onto the end of the arm. Mine got attacked by a gate a few years ago so the other side looks like this:

[Cord Fourteener]

4 hours ago, Shite Ron said:

The blade and nozzle go onto the end of the arm. Mine got attacked by a gate a few years ago so the other side looks like this:

Yes mine look more like this! But without any kind of end or attachment!

I think i need some spare parts then.

On the other hand i have discovered that i have a vacuum in my crankcase ventilation, so i guess that means it's not completely blocked.

So I'll still clean it all out but i won't rush, I'll wait until i have a good day.

I think I'll be de-greasing the engine to spot any oil leaks, I have a new rocker seal anyway for when I re-tighten the head bolts.

I had a poke behind the dash. Definitely one bulb was knackered so I moved one so I can see the rev counter (the only way I can guage my speed into I properly resolder the speedo). I think the PCB where the engine temperature guage bulb is might be a bit off-kilter.

All things to improve one day!

I've been told that squirting contact cleaner into the window switch might make it work again...

 

[Cord Fourteener]

Improvement to night time drivability has happened.

Next to try and figure out the right hand light. Getting a working bulb will be a start but I think I need to look at the fitting. The bulb for the rev counter was in the very right most place before and there's something wrong with the socket or the PCB.

[Shep Shepherd]

2 hours ago, Tim_E said:

I've been told that squirting contact cleaner into the window switch might make it work again...

If you're careful and patient, the individual switches can be dismantled, cleaned and reassembled, thus restoring their operation 

Also, bending the dashboard illumination bulb holder's contacts slightly so that they bear down harder on the relevant areas of the PCB works wonders, as does cleaning said areas of the PCB.

[Cord Fourteener]

13 hours ago, Shep Shepherd said:

If you're careful and patient, the individual switches can be dismantled, cleaned and reassembled, thus restoring their operation 

Also, bending the dashboard illumination bulb holder's contacts slightly so that they bear down harder on the relevant areas of the PCB works wonders, as does cleaning said areas of the PCB.

I didn't get a photo but the PCB is loose around the bulb slot. I'm sure it can be glued/wedged or whatever and the bulb made to contact. The bulb was actually really tight, I had to very carefully use pliers to get it to rotate and release.

When I come to dismantle it more and actually unclip everything I'll get some pics and have a proper look.

I aim to re-solder the bits that don't work too.

[Cord Fourteener]

Latest:

I had the cluster out.

It's not the Japanese unit used on the later cars, mine is the German unit, the VDO unit.

So it means I can't just find the dry solder joints and re-float them for a quick fix.

It means I have to either fix or replace each individual broken guage, if that's possible. And check the various senders still work.

That's a job for another day!

I don't know why the temperature guage bulb didn't work, maybe a faulty PCB or just that it was a bad fit. A new bulb shall be had anyway, next week.

[Noel Tidybeard]

On 02/01/2021 at 19:00, Shirley Knott said:

That looks great!

The saloons are one of those rare cars where they were adapted from the estate version rather than the other way round IIRC.

 

 

i would say not as the 760 loon arrived in Feb '82 whereas the wagon & the 740 loon/wagon appeared in Feb1985

[Shirley Knott]

41 minutes ago, Noel Tidybeard said:

i would say not as the 760 loon arrived in Feb '82 whereas the wagon & the 740 loon/wagon appeared in Feb1985

That sounds conclusive then- Every days a school day. 

 

[Noel Tidybeard]

it did seem odd that there was only a loon when they came out

the rear windscreen pillar came in for criticism as well but all was forgiven when the estate emerged as an 'andsome bugger

[Cord Fourteener]

55 minutes ago, Noel Tidybeard said:

it did seem odd that there was only a loon when they came out

the rear windscreen pillar came in for criticism as well but all was forgiven when the estate emerged as an 'andsome bugger

In terms of pure aesthetic, I prefer the 240. Those are crazy expensive and the 740 is a good evolution, and it's the 'new' model and as I kid I thought it was the biscuit and cheese.

In an ideal world i think I'd have a 7/900 estate as my daily and a 240 loon as another classic project, and maybe another of any of these to swap for the obligatory V8 swap. For the shits and giggles.

Ok I'm back on planet earth now. Sorry about that.

[Cord Fourteener]

I've either broken the fuel guage completely (it was throwing junk numbers all over the place) or I've fixed it and I've managed to actually nearly run out of fuel... I've no idea how much fuel this car gets though! Even though I've been putting fuel in regularly...

I'll find out tomorrow.

[Cord Fourteener]

On 1/15/2021 at 9:56 AM, Shite Ron said:

Correct

I think I need to clean the lichen off the 740, I was going to photograph the 940 but the arms are slightly different and hide the hoses.

https://genuinepartsukni.com/products/genuine-volvo-washer-nozzle-90467805?gclid=CjwKCAiAgJWABhArEiwAmNVTB9FJhAuNYm3Zt3s8V3ZBXaJ_iCxy-cypswEs8VVWMXO90n80e-iZ2RoCF2QQAvD_BwE

is this the right part?

I'm not sure it looks the same.

Edit: I've just realised it's the bonnet washer nozzle.

I'm such a nozzle.

[Amishtat]

21 hours ago, Tim_E said:

I've either broken the fuel guage completely (it was throwing junk numbers all over the place) or I've fixed it and I've managed to actually nearly run out of fuel... I've no idea how much fuel this car gets though! Even though I've been putting fuel in regularly...

I'll find out tomorrow.

My fuel gauge has never worked, but the car will tell you when you're very low on petrol as it will cough/briefly cut out on right handers. 

[Cord Fourteener]

12 minutes ago, Amishtat said:

My fuel gauge has never worked, but the car will tell you when you're very low on petrol as it will cough/briefly cut out on right handers. 

It turns out the fuel guage is back to spraffing shite...

I have put wanted ads but if course every one wants them. Volvo quoted £defence budget each for the instruments and the headlight wiper parts I want. Hmmm

[Amishtat]

The only instruments I had working were the tach, clock and temperature gauge and nothing on the dash illuminates. Very occasionally the fuel gauge and speedo would briefly wake up, but I didn't tend to trust what they were telling me. The rest of the car worked so it didn't bother me. 

[Cord Fourteener]

1 hour ago, Amishtat said:

The only instruments I had working were the tach, clock and temperature gauge and nothing on the dash illuminates. Very occasionally the fuel gauge and speedo would briefly wake up, but I didn't tend to trust what they were telling me. The rest of the car worked so it didn't bother me. 

Yes i have temperature guage, that's nice to see. I have tachometer, so I know how fast I'm going at least, I worked it out with GPS. Actually it's 2000rpm = gear x10 so it's quite intuitive.

The only thing is the fuel. I know I'm putting fuel in but I don't know how much I started with and how much it uses, nor do I know how many miles I've done so it's all guess work until I can spare the more than £70 to brim it, although with *some* fuel in who actually knows how much it will take.

I have no work at the moment so I've nothing coming in until the next self employed grant in March so I guess I'm in fuel limbo until then😂

Thanks to Wifey for the couple of tools and bits and pieces I've bought recently 😁

As you say it's a decent car in all other respects so I drive it and enjoy it very much. And I have the Mondeo for work horse purposes so I'm good for using the 740 when conditions are ideal. Can't complain😊

[Cord Fourteener]

I wonder if the plastic bits on this V70 wiper arm, at £20 a pair, can be made to fit my 740 wiper arms? Any ideas @Amishtat?

The arms are different, but I only need the plastic fitting at the end with the hose and wiper attachments...

[Amishtat]

13 hours ago, Tim_E said:

Yes i have temperature guage, that's nice to see. I have tachometer, so I know how fast I'm going at least, I worked it out with GPS. Actually it's 2000rpm = gear x10 so it's quite intuitive.

The only thing is the fuel. I know I'm putting fuel in but I don't know how much I started with and how much it uses, nor do I know how many miles I've done so it's all guess work until I can spare the more than £70 to brim it, although with *some* fuel in who actually knows how much it will take.

I have no work at the moment so I've nothing coming in until the next self employed grant in March so I guess I'm in fuel limbo until then😂

Thanks to Wifey for the couple of tools and bits and pieces I've bought recently 😁

As you say it's a decent car in all other respects so I drive it and enjoy it very much. And I have the Mondeo for work horse purposes so I'm good for using the 740 when conditions are ideal. Can't complain😊

Sorry, I've no idea about the headlamp wipers as that's another function I only have in the ornamental sense. I used to budget £10 a day for my work commute (46 mile round trip, of which 40 was on the dual carriageway A12) and one morning early last summer I went to put the daily tenner in only to find it took about a litre and a half before clicking. I think I managed just under three weeks on that tank but the previous few years ensured I never went anywhere without a full can in the boot. 

[Cord Fourteener]

6 minutes ago, Amishtat said:

Sorry, I've no idea about the headlamp wipers as that's another function I only have in the ornamental sense. I used to budget £10 a day for my work commute (46 mile round trip, of which 40 was on the dual carriageway A12) and one morning early last summer I went to put the daily tenner in only to find it took about a litre and a half before clicking. I think I managed just under three weeks on that tank but the previous few years ensured I never went anywhere without a full can in the boot. 

So that's more than 20mpg at least!

[Amishtat]

I was guesstimating at 24-25 or so for the journey I was using it for most often. Very rarely any traffic holdups at the time of day I went to work so three miles through the lanes then twenty minutes or so at roughly sixty. Didn't see the point of thrashing it, it's not that sort of car and anyway it must have done at least 250k now according to my rough calculations. 

[MondeoBlues]

I found that you'll always have more fuel than you think, and as a result I never spent more than 50 quid brimming the tank, which should do you a month or so if you're not driving it very often. 

BTW, I've posted your garage key, so it's on its way back

[Cord Fourteener]

Just now, MondeoBlues said:

I found that you'll always have more fuel than you think, and as a result I never spent more than 50 quid brimming the tank, which should do you a month or so if you're not driving it very often. 

BTW, I've posted your garage key, so it's on its way back

Did you get your music and the HBOL? Should be with you about now.

My eldest made me listen to some of them, (I can't play CDs so we looked them up on Spotify, no CDs were harmed).

We quite got into the Finish metal-folk. Good stuff.

I've discovered the fuel guage and speedo are a case of TADTS 

I can live without them, I've been putting petrol in, car goes, all good.

If I ever want it to be the only 7/900 series in the world with fully functioning instruments I'll just have to pay Volvo the daft prices as second hand items are rare, it seems. Not impossible but rare. And there's about a hundred slightly different varieties used throughout the production life so another reason why second hand ones arn't always right.

[MondeoBlues]

The CDs and HBOL have been received, thanks. If you're getting into folk metal I recommend giving Eluveitie and Finntroll a listen as a good starting point