Volvo 480 Club Europe

Hi Guys - Happy New Year!!!!! A quick question as well......... A friend of mine also has a 480 ES, and it has started giving strange problems. Usually it starts and runs frine, but sometimes it coughs and won;t accelerate: also it will suddenly rev very high, splutter, and return to normal. It's ve...

Hi There - The water pump on my 1990 ES has started to weep, so I've bought a replacement. Before I go into the task, though.... The Haynes manual says that there's a seperate drain tap for the cylinder block, but doesn't say where it is - anyone know? Also it gives specific torques for the pump bol...

Sorry, not sure without looking - I'll get out to my car in the daylight and have a look...

Hi guys - I need to find a decent (and cheap!) mechanic in north or east London to change the cambelt on my 'new' 480 ES - can anyone recommend a place? I've been quoted £117 by my local Volvo guy - is this reasonable? It seems a little on the high side, as he said it would only take him an hour an...

Hi There -

Firstly, have you checked the heater or heater pipes? As I recall, they go into the bulkhead on this side, and would be the first suspect for a footwell leak with antifreeze....

I'll have a go...I've owned all sorts of cars over the years, have never heard anything similar. The car is perfectly silent when turning/reversing/going over rough roads or bumps, it was ONLY going through big puddles of water or over 'rumble strips' on the motor way that this happened. I've had a ...

Interesting topic for me, as I believe that the 480ES I've just bought is also a bit 'lazy'....it starts, idles and runs beautifully, but seems to lack the punch of other cars I;ve tried. Admittedly, the car had been sitting unused for 6 months before I bought it, and already the clutch and gearbox ...

Cheers all - This has set my mind at rest!!

I can now get on with doing the basic servicing....discovered today that the rotor arm was so corroded I;m surprised that the poor car runs at all! Now replaced, going very well....

Hi There - I bought my 480 yesterday, had a great trip home (as I mentioned in the General section)....however, I went on a long trip today, and on the way back it's thrown up a problem. The car was great on the way out, 60 miles of motorway (M25, A12). On the way back to London tonight, though, it ...

Thanks - I'll do it on Saturday, before any long journeys....the Volvo has thrown up something of a major problem tonight, so it looks as though there's money to be spent!!

My '91 ES has aircon controls as you describe: it won;t blow cold although I hear the compressor. It may be user error as I have no idea how to operate it, but as the car sat for 6 months before I bought it I think it likely that it needs regassing. No idea how much that'll be thogh, so I suspect I'...

Hi There - I bought my first 480 today after wanting one for about 8 years: I've been into British classics for ages (MG, Triumph), and can't understand why the 480 doesn't get more attention from the classic car people..... :? Anyway, I've just bought a 1991 ES in metallic grey, 143k on the clock. ...