Routine Service etc - 480 Turbo

[Neilc]

Hi all, about to pick up a J reg (91?) Silver, Turbo 480 for next to nothing (140K mls). What should I do as far as a routine service/check before I try and do some serious mileage in this car. I have a lot of experience with old cars <1970 not much with modern things like this. To be frank all the gizmo's scare me - ie sudden electrical failures! <!--EZCODE EMOTICON START ;) --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/im ... s/wink.gif ALT=";)"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> All seems to be working though. Touch wood!<br><br>I gather these cars have electronic igniton. So maybe plug leads, plugs, oil/fuel filter, oil, oil filler cap - appears to be leaking - and..?<br><br>The only real problem I can find is that the drivers door window has failed. Makes a crunching sound but doesn't move. Seems to have come out of it's channel or something - ? I can move it by hand.. Ooo classy. <!--EZCODE EMOTICON START ;) --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/im ... s/wink.gif ALT=";)"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> <br><br>I need a drivers side Mirror housing, in Silver - but no idea what silver it is. Sort of mettalic Silver/Grey colour. Where should I look in the UK for 480 parts, and where can I find what colour the car is, is there a list somewhere on the web or is the car marked with a paint code somewhere?<br><br>Many thanks,<br>Neil <p></p><i></i>

[Nionyn]

Hi Neil, and welcome.<br><br>I'll let more capable mechanics than myself answer most of your points, but I might be able to help with a couple of things...<br><br>From the age of your car it's likely that its colour is "Smoke Silver Metallic" (306). No, I don't have a memory for these things - there's a handy chart on this site, with a link to it a little way down the main page. <!--EZCODE EMOTICON START :D --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/im ... /happy.gif ALT=":D"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> <br>There is a code for the paint colour hidden in the car's VIN number (see link a little farther down the site's main page).<br><br>Volvo still supply spares for 480s, of course, but, as I'm sure you know, depending on what you want they can sometimes be frighteningly expensive.<br>Scrap merchants can be a useful source of spare bits'n'bobs, though you'll probably have to hunt around a bit, and there seem to be quite a number of 480 owners who also keep an old 'spare car' or two for spares. I know of one family who have four 480s altogether!<br>Whereabouts are you? Somebody here may already know of somewhere close to you.<br>Then again, hang around here a while, and somebody might have exactly what you're after...<br><br>Have fun with your 480. I reckon it won't be long before you love it, even with all its new-fangled electrickery! <!--EZCODE EMOTICON START :D --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/im ... /happy.gif ALT=":D"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> <br><br>Cheers,<br>Nionyn <p></p><i></i>

[Neilc]

Nionyn,<br><br>I'm in Portsmouth. Looks like I'm now buying *two* 480's, a G reg as well - non turbo. New motor and box but rusty wheel arch on one side. Needs MOT. Not sure if I should use it as a parts car or fix it up! The Turbo is in better nick all round but this is sure as hell driveable. It's a Red colour and needs a T-Cut. Seems a waste to pick over it's remains but I need a mirror & a window mechanism! lol<br><br>I didn't realise the Turbo's had the ECU in the LHS rear behind the lights, thought it was in the drivers footwell from the literature.<br><br>When I drove it the first and only time I was surprised by the performance. Feels quicker than the published 9secs. I have a 140K mls on it. Has a long service history so maybe it's been well looked after.<br><br>Anyhoo.. cheers! <br>N <p></p><i></i>

[Neilc]

Got my J reg 91 480 Turbo last week and performed a service on her today up on my mates hoist. Couldn't even see through the Air filter it was so blocked, did an oil change, replaced the driver sides electric window servo unit or whatever you call it. Piece of piss to replace which was a surprise.<br><br>New fuel filter - it's first by the look of the date on the unit.. and a bit of a pig to replace what with 4 I think different sized nuts! New NGK v-groove plugs, new oil filler cap. <br><br>Definite improvement in idle and performance, car really breathes well now up the rev range on the turbo. K&N would be nice. Quite amazed at how quiet the car is, good pulling power and great economy, well compared to my 24mpg MG V8 anything is less thirsty this side of a Jag! Got to find a wing mirror cover for the drivers side, replace cracked rear light, dead bulb. Replacing the Cam belt and oil seal tomorrow, lubricating the seat sliders.<br><br>Biggest hurdle for me is the seat flip forward mechanism. It is broken off in both seats so passengers can't get in the back without a struggle. Suggestions on replacement? I guess it is a total seat disassembly? There appears to be a clip or something running on a nylon cable, the external plastic slider fits onto this clip thing. The clip seems to break off inside the plastic slider. Must be a very common fault. Suggestions?<br><br>Finally, I joined the 480 Club Europe some two weeks ago but I still haven't got my membership.. Is the web master of hols? <!--EZCODE EMOTICON START :) --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/im ... /smile.gif ALT=":)"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> <br><br>Cheers,<br>Neil<br><br> <p></p><i></i>

[levensnevel]

Neilc,<br><br>welcome.<br>With respect to your biggest hurdle, the broken seat flip forward mechanisms i've used, and as a matter of fact am still using, a very pragmatic solution.<br>The mechanism works with a steel cable. <br>Dismount the plastic covering<br>You can pull a part of the cable (don't cut it) outside your chair<br>Put the plastic covering back on its place<br>Use a clamp to secure the steel cable<br>and presto <!--EZCODE EMOTICON START :p --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/im ... tongue.gif ALT=":p"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> <br>Now you only have to pull the wire to fold your seat(s)<br><br>With the risk of mention the obvious to a seasoned car owner I would suggest that you replace the timingbelt when you're not sure when this has been done, better safe than sorry.<br><br>Levensnevel<br><br>Stop drooling, start driving .... <p></p><i></i>