Lambda Sensor issue

[T4Rick]

Originally Posted by chomerly

No offence taken 960.

Do the T4's not have a VVT then?
I remember watching a video on YouTube a little while back and it was by chance that i came across a video of what a VVT wheel sounds like when it is on the way out.

This grinding sound that i heard yesterday morning sounded very similar to what i remember so i assumed it was the same issue, or at least the beginning of the same issue.

I don't know much about Volvo's as this is my very first one.
I have taken a video which will hopefully give a little clarity to what i heard.
I wil get it uploaded sometime tomorrow.

If yours is a 99model it shouldnt have vvt mine doesnt and im on a 99 plate as well.

[chomerly]

Ah, ok.

I was under the impression that it came with a VVT.
It will be interesting to find out what the noise is then.

I just wanted to ask if anyone knows what the individual part numbers are for the timing belt pulley and the timing belt itself.

[960kg]

Seeing as `99 is a dodgy year who know`s what happens....Ph1...1.5...2
a changeover time nothing is proven.

Look at your engine cover ....does it has a large one piece cover or two different shaped black covers.

If it has two take off the large bulbous left hand cover ,standing at the front of the engine and look and see if it has a large solenoid alloy looking thing with a connector going to it....if you have then you have VVT.

According to Volvo a 1999 model is a 2000 one so more than likely can be a Ph1.5 a mix of all parts

When on the production line whatever was in the bin when you car went by was fitted untill the changeover was complete.

[gmain1967]

Originally Posted by 960kg

You cannot safely say that that "NTK are good to go" you probably get away with it on your motor because it is no longer Volvo spec.

On my completely standard `98 T4 i had the out of cat adapter i fitted did not work at all, the light still came on. I still have the adapter doing nothing in the garage as i took it off again.

You know standard Volvo spec. T4`s are very fussy and you can only throw genuine Volvo parts at them other wise it can be more expensive in the long run trying to save money and it costing a lot more after buying twice as many sensors.

This happened to Grant with his greatly modified T4 he asked me about part numbers and the part was correct so he bought them and he had terrible problems even though the same number was on the part. He failed two MOT`s and failed on emissions. What a waste of £100 .In the end he bought new proper spec. ones and it solved his problem.

It is just a minefield out there of copy parts and they all try to grab your money and then they laugh there tits off, buy genuine Volvo whether you can afford or not, just save for them and have no problems.

A Volvo is not a Volkswagen or any other make and are at the forefront of development of vehicles frequently spoiled by the so called Volvo enthusiast.

Why do you think only T4`s prefer VOLVO own plugs, they have Bosch written on them but the Volvo ones are made by Bosch to Volvo`s own copyright spec. and that is why they work with no problems. The same goes for the O2 sensor give the car what it rightly deserves to run properly.

Just to add to this Keith that I am at square one again with O2 sensors. Had codes read today and same problem - rear sensor is knackered. I am wondering whether it has been fried due to hotter running from bigger turbo and whether a replacement will do same and last a matter of months.... Either way, it's getting replaced. Again. Would have thought front one would be more affected being closer to the turbo but who knows. Car is beginning to pi$$ me off now........!

[960kg]

Originally Posted by gmain1967

Just to add to this Keith that I am at square one again with O2 sensors. Had codes read today and same problem - rear sensor is knackered. I am wondering whether it has been fried due to hotter running from bigger turbo and whether a replacement will do same and last a matter of months.... Either way, it's getting replaced. Again. Would have thought front one would be more affected being closer to the turbo but who knows. Car is beginning to pi$$ me off now........!

Hello Grant, Hope your ok, I am sorry to hear about the rear sensor . I do know what you mean about the front versus the rear, but perhaps the rear was a bit duffy who knows, all you can do as you said is plough on regardless.

I would just bite the bullet and get the sensor from Volvo, yes, i know , i know PRICE, but at least you know you have the best and if if packs up tell them i am sure they would replace if at the push.

I know it sounds big headed but i swear by Volvo parts having learnt the hard way and believe me i found it the cheapest way after 16 yrs of Volvo`s, but it is difficult to put this over to owners, they all think they are stealers but in my book they are the answer to reliability and not at a price as it will cost twice as much to ignore unless you prove lucky.

Keith

[chomerly]

Well i've been out to my car this evening and had a look to see if there is a solenoid for the VVT and there isn't.

Now call me a pessimist but the only other things i can think of it being is either, the idler wheel for the cambelt or the water pump wheel.

It is definitely in that area listening to it.

Anyway, while under the bonnet of the car, i thought i would clean up the ICV and the intake valve area and found about two tablespoons worth of oil sitting in the pipe for the intake and just in towards the butterfly valve.
I cleaned it all up and as i was about to finish my neighbour popped over asking if everything was ok.
I explained what i was doing and what i would be doing in the next couple of days, with regards to the compression test, and he said that he had a compression tester.

You would have to tell me now i've gone and ordered one lol.

Although the compression tester looked rather dated, i still went ahead and used it anyway.

I used the tester on each cylinder from left (cambelt side) to right and the readings given below reflect that order.
I also only did a dry test as i was running out of daylight.

1. 150psi
2. 150psi
3. 150psi
4. 160psi

I think i will do this again to get a more accurate reading and to perform a wet test.
I have no idea what the readings are supposed to be but the one thing that did throw me was the compression tester.

When testing the first cylinder, the compression tester remained at the 150psi point until i pressed the relief button.
On the second cylinder, the compression tester leaked back.
This also happened on the third and i decided to return to the first cylinder just to make sure that i actually saw the needle remain in place after turning off the ignition.

After hooking up the tester back on to cylinder one, i cycled the ignition and got the same reading.
within a second or two, the reading started to drop off as though the air was leaking back.
Just like it did on cylinder two and three.
I continued onto cylinder four and i got a higher reading but the leak back happened in exactly the same way and more or less at the same rate.

This could just be something to do with the tester itself but it has thrown me a little.
As said, i think that i will do it again once the tester i have ordered arrives but in the meantime i may take the car to a garage and ask them to do a leak down test just to be sure.

After hooking everything back up and running the car, there was a fair bit of smoke to begin with but cleared up a bit once the engine was warm.


So far i'm apprehensively pleased that the issue may be related to something else but what that something else could be is a mystery at the moment.

[gmain1967]

Originally Posted by 960kg

Hello Grant, Hope your ok, I am sorry to hear about the rear sensor . I do know what you mean about the front versus the rear, but perhaps the rear was a bit duffy who knows, all you can do as you said is plough on regardless.

I would just bite the bullet and get the sensor from Volvo, yes, i know , i know PRICE, but at least you know you have the best and if if packs up tell them i am sure they would replace if at the push.

I know it sounds big headed but i swear by Volvo parts having learnt the hard way and believe me i found it the cheapest way after 16 yrs of Volvo`s, but it is difficult to put this over to owners, they all think they are stealers but in my book they are the answer to reliability and not at a price as it will cost twice as much to ignore unless you prove lucky.

Keith

I am running genuine Volvo parts - guy that gets me parts is an independent Volvo specialist (used to do most of work on police Volvo's years ago and knows them inside out). His thoughts were same - bigger turbo and more heat.... Either way, more money and Roadtax at end of month too... I feel a change of car coming on!

[960kg]

Hi Grant, yes, i know how you feel, i really do hate my 2001 1.8 S40 that is why i won`t do anything to it, it is even in a real filty dirty condition.

Which was one good reason i went backwards and bought the V70 T5 1997 240bhp model with no Ford gimmicks on it which cost the earth to replace. pre ME7

I had it remapped etc. and it does go well, all Volvo parts naturally which make it perform well and make it reliable.

Why don`t you consider one they are very cheap at the moment to get and some have low mileages.

[gmain1967]

Originally Posted by 960kg

Hi Grant, yes, i know how you feel, i really do hate my 2001 1.8 S40 that is why i won`t do anything to it, it is even in a real filty dirty condition.

Which was one good reason i went backwards and bought the V70 T5 1997 240bhp model with no Ford gimmicks on it which cost the earth to replace. pre ME7

I had it remapped etc. and it does go well, all Volvo parts naturally which make it perform well and make it reliable.

Why don`t you consider one they are very cheap at the moment to get and some have low mileages.

Hi Keith, if you recall I had an S70 T5 and swapped it for the current T4 - just did not like it at all.... Much prefer the S40 which looks more modern and feels nimbler (lighter and smaller)....

[chomerly]

Right.

Just gotten back from the garage.
I asked them if they could do the leak down test i was on about in my earlier post and was told that they haven't got a tester to do it.

The mechanic asked if the smoking is there when i start the car and whether it is still there when it warms up.
I told him that it clears up after the car is warm and he said that it is highly likely to be the stem seals.

He said that when the car is cold the stem seals are generally hard and brittle and allow oil to pass through when the engine is running which is why i get smoking when running the engine from cold.
But when the engine is warm the stem seals warm up and become more supple and softer and create a better seal which is why there is much less smoke if at all.

So this leaves me at a point where i am now more in favour of taking the plunge and buying the stem seals and taking the whole head to the cylinder head specialists and asking them to give it the once over.