Volvo 480 Club Europe

arthuy wrote: ↑

Mon Jul 22, 2019 6:13 pm

All you need is a UV torch and you should find the leak and your very own CSI-480.

The radiator is still suspect, the loss occurs even when parked up and leave no obvious traces.

I 'inheritated' a bottle of the stuff, I think the dosage is one bottle to 1000litres of inhibitor/biocide

I do home made tracking with a ball of string and two steel tubes that are EXACTLY th esame length. needs lots of to-ing and fro-ing until you get teh string parallel to the wheels, then simple meauring tape at the rims, half a turn on each track rod end and Bobs your mother's brother etc

I bought a gunson laser kit a few years ago, tried it once but was short on time. need to dig it out and work out how it works properly one day.

Managed to get a fair bit of work done yesterday, I decided to have a look at the engine damper which is pretty shot. I was going to fit a nipple and fill with grease but it didn't make much difference. Thought it might work out with a fixed rod like on the old Mini, seeing as the damper was shot and I didn't have another to hand I welded it so will see if that improves anything. Trying to get the nut on at the timing cover side was a nightmare, barely enough room to get a 1/4" socket in.

A little bolt managed to fall on to my PAS drive belt which I only discovered when I cranked the engine. No major damage other than a nick in the long belt. They were on the replace list, belt sizes on my car with aircon are 3PK592 and 6PK1555 and the local motor factor can sort me out.

Whilst I was ordering some parts I ordered a fuel filter(Bosch F5203). I am dreading trying to removed the rusty old one but I have spare fuel pipes if it goes wrong.

Got a little bit of welding and I think I am about done, really want to get to the 480 meet.

arthuy wrote: ↑

Tue Jul 23, 2019 1:39 pm

Whilst I was ordering some parts I ordered a fuel filter(Bosch F5203). I am dreading trying to removed the rusty old one but I have spare fuel pipes if it goes wrong.

Luckily for you, some clever bloke did a how-to Right here!

thats the very post I used for checking which filter I needed.

I cross referenced both the filters in the photos.

Mine looks a lot worse than yours which is why I have the fear.

Give it a daily spray, it’ll be fine!

I stuck my head under when I was welding to remind myself how bad they are. Probably going to replace with my spare pipes when I get a chance to get them off the spares car.

Not the best photos but you get the idea the nuts on the end of the pipes are corroded. I did give them a squirt of WD40 and will see what they are like when I get a spanner on them.





This is the mod I did to the engine steady, this one was shot so nothing lost. On a lot of cars the top engine steady is a fixed length with the bushed taking a bit of flex.

you could maybe have split a section of heavy duty rubber hose to slip over the exposed rod and wound some 16SWG wire around it to create a rubber damper?

Help needed.

I am trying to refit the pas pulley that goes on the crankshaft.

Tried to stop engine rotating by putting in gear and standing on brakes but getting a enough movement that prevents me getting 95nm on the bolt.

I read there is a hole on the gear box side you can insert something to lock the crank.

Cant see it, could any one post a photo or tell me where to look?

Bit of research today and I think I have found the answer.



found a post from 2007, mentions removing a bolt near the dip stick and vin plate and inserting a long 8mm bolt.

Need to go out and pick up some more welding wire, I ran out last night and only have a few inches left to do.

good luck removing that blanking plug!!!

be canny when you insert the bolt into correct location on the webs

what's 95Nm in old money?

I just put car into first Mrs had foot on brakes, job done, but that was REMOVAL,

since changing the belts twice just 'pulled it up tight' with a 15" bar (assume the crank shaft front bolt?)

about 70ftlb.



I will have another go with it in gear and may a longer extension to clear to wing or maybe my shorter torque wrench as the wish bone was getting in the way.

Was a bit hot to weld even a small section.

Have uploaded some of the photos from the last few days.





The inside was a pig to get into, I ended up almost hugging the lift.







This was the repair I had done with the gas which kept blowing holes which I was filling with weld. I cut it out and made a better job of it.







Work continues, I have ground the outer sill repair and just need to sort out the inner patches before I can fill and paint it.

The end is in sight.

Managed to get the pulley bolt sorted, put a few of my extension bars together and cleared the wing. Got my glamorous assistant to put the car in gear and hold the brake. I did remove the bolt and put fresh thread lock on so hopefully that should hold.

thread lock? ,what's that ? ? ?

last twice I've just 'pulled up ticht' !!!

made the mistake of wire brushing the rear of the sill.

Had to go and get slightly bent wing from the spares car. Not the weekend I had planned.

Look away if you have a weak stomach.

Wow! You're storming along at the moment! I feel positively sloth like by comparison!

Well I have done almost nothing for a year, MoT is booked for wednesday and I really want to get to the 480 Meet this year.

Being very honest the past few weeks have been trying and I have been falling out of love with the car. Hopefully when it is back in service and clocking some miles I will be happier.

The rear wing repair was always on the cards and I have gotten 2 years out of it, long term I would like to fit the panels from my spares car but I don't have the time and funds to do that just now.

An interesting thing about the from wing being used for the rear arch is that the bottom pressings match up but needs a bit of fiddling to get the curve to right, I think I will need to cut the bottom section off and re-weld it.

I have a bit of fear about doing the outer wing welding as the last time I did a wheel arch I used a gasless wire that burnt holes badly and distorted the rear quarter panel. I should be fine with this welder as it is a lot better and the gas is flowing nicely. Bit thing is to take my time and let the panel cool between welds.

A few more photos from tonight, I am happy so far, it is a bit of puzzle making repair panels for fresh air but have been able to use the front wing section and the remnants of the wing to recreate the profile.

Bit more done today.




felt brave enough to cut the bottom off.








I have had to cut more of the wing away to get access. Not pretty but functional, I will clean it up a bit .

Next thing to do is the missing sill section, my least favourite thing is welding upside down on to rusty metal, fingers crossed.

Don't forget that as soon as a section is finished (and by that I mean no more welding near that area), get some cavity wax inside to protect all that bare metal.

I'll obviously go with Bilt Hamber S50 as my recomendation!