Volvo 480 Club Europe

'Afternoon All

I was wondering, having read the account by Motor magazine of their long term test of the 480ES, in which nearly everything possible went wrong.

One of the issues they found was that when the info centre read there was a 20 mile fuel range left in the tank, there was actually nothing and they ran out of fuel.

Is this a common issue, if so what other discrepancies should I look out for?

My car is a B18E but MY89 (the test car was an E-reg 87) so I hope those faults were rectified, as they said had happened in the final (april '89) entry in the review

MisterH wrote: ↑

Thu May 28, 2020 3:39 pm

'Afternoon All

I was wondering, having read the account by Motor magazine of their long term test of the 480ES, in which nearly everything possible went wrong.

One of the issues they found was that when the info centre read there was a 20 mile fuel range left in the tank, there was actually nothing and they ran out of fuel.

Is this a common issue, if so what other discrepancies should I look out for?

My car is a B18E but MY89 (the test car was an E-reg 87) so I hope those faults were rectified, as they said had happened in the final (april '89) entry in the review

All part of the fun of 480 electrics!! I should think Jeff or Our Dutch friend Robert will have the definitive answer for you Will.

I think anyone who thinks Range is "to the mile" accurate needs a little help....

And on 80s equipment.....

Think about it; Range is attempting to predict the future. It's basing the future on what it currently knows. So if you're currently averaging 20 MPG, it's going to expect you to keep doing 20MPG.

Treat it as a novelty - Once you get into the red bars, put some damn fuel in!

preferably before you get into the red - rubbish in the bottom of the tank getting in the fuel lines is nightmare stuff

So I see, we generally get it down to 2 bars before filling it up - I take it the bars are usefully accurate

The quattro has been showing 10 gallons left for a while now, and I am sure that with a 2.1l turbo we haven't been doing 50MPG+

Also, there is a smell of fuel that comes about with the windows open, I have understood that this is a known problem stemming from a problem with the fuel flap?

My first 480 was an E-reg 1988 model (so again a B18E) in which nearly everything went wrong at some point or other too...

Others will doubtless be able to quote chapter and verse, but the range figure is calculated on the basis of the mpg of the last few miles driving. When, on my 1987 model mentioned above, the clutch cable broke and I had to be towed to the garage, the engine was just idling and I remember laughing because the range figure kept looking better and better with every mile that passed!

So no, as has been said, the figure should be taken as no more than a general rough guide. It is easily "corrupted", especially with the 80s electronics.

Even on modern Volvos, the handbooks warn that the fuel gauge should always be taken as the definitive guide to how much fuel you have left, and not anything the info centre might say.

Smell of fuel - now you mention it I remember having that as another problem with my 88 model; Volvo said it was something to do with a breather pipe which they extended and that solved the problem. Sorry - I didn't play with cars in those days (early 90s) like I do now, and at the time it was under warranty) so I don't actually know what they did...

David

I mananged to get it to say 11, then it gave up and just showed - - - , which I assume means 'your on your own now pal'

the C30 always seems optomistic, less than half a tank and it still reckons more range than the miles I've done to get to that point!!!!

I think it is average mileage over last 30 miles is used to work out range?

MisterH wrote: ↑

Thu May 28, 2020 3:39 pm

'Afternoon All

I was wondering, having read the account by Motor magazine of their long term test of the 480ES, in which nearly everything possible went wrong.

One of the issues they found was that when the info centre read there was a 20 mile fuel range left in the tank, there was actually nothing and they ran out of fuel.

Is this a common issue, if so what other discrepancies should I look out for?

My car is a B18E but MY89 (the test car was an E-reg 87) so I hope those faults were rectified, as they said had happened in the final (april '89) entry in the review

This "Motor Magazine" is this something current or from the past? Any links?

Van wrote: ↑

Sat May 30, 2020 6:35 pm

MisterH wrote: ↑

Thu May 28, 2020 3:39 pm

'Afternoon All

I was wondering, having read the account by Motor magazine of their long term test of the 480ES, in which nearly everything possible went wrong.

One of the issues they found was that when the info centre read there was a 20 mile fuel range left in the tank, there was actually nothing and they ran out of fuel.

Is this a common issue, if so what other discrepancies should I look out for?

My car is a B18E but MY89 (the test car was an E-reg 87) so I hope those faults were rectified, as they said had happened in the final (april '89) entry in the review

This "Motor Magazine" is this something current or from the past? Any links?

I believe it was a running report from 1987-89 by a string of journalists

Do you want me to post pictures of it?

The range is based on average mpg over the previous 10 miles so if you've been stuck in heavy traffic for 10 miles then go to a steady 50 or 60mph the range will go up and up for the next 10 miles.
I believe the smell comes when the breather under the filler cap is blocked. It also causes difficulties getting the pump to keep running when refueling. We had both problems in the gt till the breather was cleared.

dragonflyjewels wrote: ↑

Sat May 30, 2020 9:50 pm

The range is based on average mpg over the previous 10 miles so if you've been stuck in heavy traffic for 10 miles then go to a steady 50 or 60mph the range will go up and up for the next 10 miles.
I believe the smell comes when the breather under the filler cap is blocked. It also causes difficulties getting the pump to keep running when refueling. We had both problems in the gt till the breather was cleared.

yes right now the flap is difficult to open when filling, it seems to 'belch' when the flap is opened, which has to be done with a fulcrum

MisterH wrote: ↑

Sat May 30, 2020 6:57 pm

Van wrote: ↑

Sat May 30, 2020 6:35 pm

MisterH wrote: ↑

Thu May 28, 2020 3:39 pm

'Afternoon All

I was wondering, having read the account by Motor magazine of their long term test of the 480ES, in which nearly everything possible went wrong.

One of the issues they found was that when the info centre read there was a 20 mile fuel range left in the tank, there was actually nothing and they ran out of fuel.

Is this a common issue, if so what other discrepancies should I look out for?

My car is a B18E but MY89 (the test car was an E-reg 87) so I hope those faults were rectified, as they said had happened in the final (april '89) entry in the review

This "Motor Magazine" is this something current or from the past? Any links?

I believe it was a running report from 1987-89 by a string of journalists

Do you want me to post pictures of it?

I see. I was under the impression it could be a classic car magazine currently running and reporting about a classic car.

I think there were some updates in the software controlling the 8-bit CPU in the infocentre, because the behaviour changes a bit through the model years. It could very well be that the early cars' infocentre had a bug.
Also, poor earth connection will make the measurements unreliable.

brinkie wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 02, 2020 10:20 am

I think there were some updates in the software controlling the 8-bit CPU in the infocentre, because the behaviour changes a bit through the model years. It could very well be that the early cars' infocentre had a bug.
Also, poor earth connection will make the measurements unreliable.

Thanks for the Info Robert (pun unintentional)

I think mine is working fine, I have been trusting it all the way and *touch wood* it hasn't let me down

I think with 480s you either have good ones or bad ones, and if its survived this long mines probably alright.

That being said It has been in a garage for 10 years so may be coming up with a curveball...

But I don't get any bad feelings from the car's character, so I am just driving and loving the car!

Well, what I have noticed after tinkering with 480's the past 6 years: moisture is the biggest enemy of the 480. Not just rust, also the electrical system will suffer a lot.
I have been lucky, my car hasn't lived near the sea, the previous owner fixed all the leaks and I have a dry storage for the days I am not using the car. My car isn't entirely trouble-free, but the electronics are clean.

brinkie wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 02, 2020 12:58 pm

Well, what I have noticed after tinkering with 480's the past 6 years: moisture is the biggest enemy of the 480. Not just rust, also the electrical system will suffer a lot.
I have been lucky, my car hasn't lived near the sea, the previous owner fixed all the leaks and I have a dry storage for the days I am not using the car. My car isn't entirely trouble-free, but the electronics are clean.

Mine does live outside but currently its baking in the sun, there is also a dehumidifier for winter. Can't work out why the passenger floor get wet when it rains though...

dragonflyjewels wrote: ↑

Sat May 30, 2020 9:50 pm

The range is based on average mpg over the previous 10 miles so if you've been stuck in heavy traffic for 10 miles then go to a steady 50 or 60mph the range will go up and up for the next 10 miles.
I believe the smell comes when the breather under the filler cap is blocked. It also causes difficulties getting the pump to keep running when refueling.

Sylvia, your post seems to imply that the car's pump is still powered during re-fuelling - say that is not so!
Years ago, I knew a bloke who re-fuelled a portable generator without stopping it running. It was several months before the bandages came off. The scars are forever!
All the best.

MisterH wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 02, 2020 1:04 pm

brinkie wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 02, 2020 12:58 pm

Well, what I have noticed after tinkering with 480's the past 6 years: moisture is the biggest enemy of the 480. Not just rust, also the electrical system will suffer a lot.
I have been lucky, my car hasn't lived near the sea, the previous owner fixed all the leaks and I have a dry storage for the days I am not using the car. My car isn't entirely trouble-free, but the electronics are clean.

Mine does live outside but currently its baking in the sun, there is also a dehumidifier for winter. Can't work out why the passenger floor get wet when it rains though...

Assuming you mean the front passenger foot well, take the door trim off and check carefully around the quarterlight: it was a known leak source on earlier models...

David

yorkievolvo wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 02, 2020 6:09 pm

Sylvia, your post seems to imply that the car's pump is still powered during re-fuelling - say that is not so!
Years ago, I knew a bloke who re-fuelled a portable generator without stopping it running. It was several months before the bandages came off. The scars are forever!
All the best.

I think the pump she's referring to it the garage filler pump, not the car's fuel pump.

blimey, I'm not that senile
I was indeed talking about the petrol pump clicking off as though the tank was full.