My GT lives again!

Here you can talk about the joy owning a Volvo 480 brings. Non-technical discussions take place here, like what is the difference between an ES and a S version.

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Edmundpwb2
Started learning about 480
Posts: 59
Joined: Wed Sep 09, 2020 11:17 pm

My GT lives again!

Post by Edmundpwb2 » Fri Nov 06, 2020 9:51 pm

Last sunday I finally got my GT going again. I can tell you I was quite literally jumping for joy. My neighbours must have wondered what was going on seeing my dancing around screaming yessssssssss on my drive! Huey as I have named him was bought back in September and the day after I bought it from ebay and having a lovely 40 mile drive home I couldn't get it to start the very next day after a trip to the park! Weeks of trying to start it and fault finding finally paid off though. A combination of the crank sensor and the coil baffled me for weeks. Don't think I would have managed to fix it on my own. Not without the help from Jiffle and DC Walker. Thanks chaps and thanks to everyone else that also sent messages, advice and downloadable info. It all helped. I did try to follow everything that I was advised.
Huey took the short trip to a nice warm garage on Wednesday while the bad weather is here. I have noticed more/new problems on the way but at least its ticking over nicely and I can get going on fixing non starting related issues. I hope to be able to get pictures working on here to show the slow progress (or more likely very slow progress) of fixing Huey up.
Nice to meet you all though. Is there any other SouthWest 480 owners? There used to be one or two about in Taunton and Somerset area but have not seen one down this way for a long while now. Cheers all Ed

jifflemon
480 Is my middle name
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Joined: Sat Dec 17, 2016 11:03 am

Re: My GT lives again!

Post by jifflemon » Fri Nov 06, 2020 10:11 pm

Always happy to help!

Now.... More problems you say??? :D

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MisterH
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 1161
Joined: Sat Nov 24, 2018 6:15 pm
Location: Stockbridge

Re: My GT lives again!

Post by MisterH » Fri Nov 06, 2020 10:26 pm

I am based in Hampshire, but my car lived in Shepton Mallet for a long time, before going off the road in 2006. My Rover 220 GSi on a sidenote has lived around Taunton all its life. Both are rare cars, but were off the road for a while.


Super well done on getting your car back on the road, I am sure we will get an opportunity to meet at some point :D
Current Jobs to do (23/1/22):
Fix Central Locking
Fix drivers side speaker
Annoying Scratching Squeak
Water leaks
Complete Front O/S rebuild

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dcwalker
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 1522
Joined: Sun Sep 16, 2012 12:30 pm
Location: York

Re: My GT lives again!

Post by dcwalker » Sat Nov 07, 2020 5:35 pm

You're very welcome to the help Ed, my pleasure.

Sing out as further issues come up: I'd like to think that by now we can solve most things between us all on this forum!

Happy 480 motoring to come!

David
Current: 1994 480 GT, 1996 460 CD & 1997 440 LE with lots of optional extras & 2007 V50 SE Sport
Previous: Celebration 331 (re-homed with Richard S), Celebration 467 (returned to Martin Mc); Celebration 346 (re-homed with Alan480); Celebration 269 (scrapped abandoned project), Celebration 73 (sold on after 6 years), 1992 ES, 1988 ES - and numerous other non-480 Volvos!

Edmundpwb2
Started learning about 480
Posts: 59
Joined: Wed Sep 09, 2020 11:17 pm

Re: My GT lives again!

Post by Edmundpwb2 » Fri Nov 20, 2020 3:13 pm

Well you said sing out! :lol:
Having driven the car a few times since getting it back on the road the following issues has developed and made themselves known to me.

-The central locking has stopped working
-The indicators have stopped working
-Knocking noise when steering and moving. But not when still and moving steering.

This add to the list of jonbs I already knew about.
Who is best to talk to about rust? Specifically checking the underside of my car that has hammerite caked on it and how to deal with rust around windscreen rubber in one corner. As well as a few rust scabs on the bodywork.

I must get photos working on here. To show you all.

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dcwalker
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 1522
Joined: Sun Sep 16, 2012 12:30 pm
Location: York

Re: My GT lives again!

Post by dcwalker » Fri Nov 20, 2020 4:12 pm

Edmundpwb2 wrote:
Fri Nov 20, 2020 3:13 pm
Well you said sing out! :lol:
Having driven the car a few times since getting it back on the road the following issues has developed and made themselves known to me.

-The central locking has stopped working
-The indicators have stopped working
-Knocking noise when steering and moving. But not when still and moving steering.

This add to the list of jonbs I already knew about.
Who is best to talk to about rust? Specifically checking the underside of my car that has hammerite caked on it and how to deal with rust around windscreen rubber in one corner. As well as a few rust scabs on the bodywork.

I must get photos working on here. To show you all.
:lol: - I did indeed!!

Central locking and indicators both involve the CEM. So, apart from checking that (I'll come back to that when I've checked something...) other possible problem points are:

Central locking - switch inside driver's door lock; central locking motor in passenger door. Does the driver's door lock when turning the key? It should as its is mechanically fixed. When you turn the key does the inside courtesy light come on (before opening door)? Can you lock/unlock the passenger door with the key? If so when you do is it silent or do you hear the motor whirr?

Indicators - if it is all of them a faulty switch is unlikely. However given they all run through it a dodgy hazard light switch can play havoc...

Knocking noise you'll need to be a bit more specific on I'm afraid - front end, back end? Underneath, at a wheel do you think? When straight or when at full lock? Knocking, rattling or clicking?

If you can come back on some of these questions I'm sure we can help you further.

Good luck!

David
Current: 1994 480 GT, 1996 460 CD & 1997 440 LE with lots of optional extras & 2007 V50 SE Sport
Previous: Celebration 331 (re-homed with Richard S), Celebration 467 (returned to Martin Mc); Celebration 346 (re-homed with Alan480); Celebration 269 (scrapped abandoned project), Celebration 73 (sold on after 6 years), 1992 ES, 1988 ES - and numerous other non-480 Volvos!

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MisterH
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 1161
Joined: Sat Nov 24, 2018 6:15 pm
Location: Stockbridge

Re: My GT lives again!

Post by MisterH » Fri Nov 20, 2020 5:02 pm

dcwalker wrote:
Fri Nov 20, 2020 4:12 pm
Central locking - switch inside driver's door lock; central locking motor in passenger door. Does the driver's door lock when turning the key? It should as its is mechanically fixed. When you turn the key does the inside courtesy light come on (before opening door)? Can you lock/unlock the passenger door with the key? If so when you do is it silent or do you hear the motor whirr?
Hi David

My central locking has never worked, but recently the interior light started working again every time I unlock the car, I take it this is a good sign? How might I go about fixing it? The alarm definitely works :lol:
Current Jobs to do (23/1/22):
Fix Central Locking
Fix drivers side speaker
Annoying Scratching Squeak
Water leaks
Complete Front O/S rebuild

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dcwalker
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 1522
Joined: Sun Sep 16, 2012 12:30 pm
Location: York

Re: My GT lives again!

Post by dcwalker » Fri Nov 20, 2020 5:20 pm

MisterH wrote:
Fri Nov 20, 2020 5:02 pm
dcwalker wrote:
Fri Nov 20, 2020 4:12 pm
Central locking - switch inside driver's door lock; central locking motor in passenger door. Does the driver's door lock when turning the key? It should as its is mechanically fixed. When you turn the key does the inside courtesy light come on (before opening door)? Can you lock/unlock the passenger door with the key? If so when you do is it silent or do you hear the motor whirr?
Hi David

My central locking has never worked, but recently the interior light started working again every time I unlock the car, I take it this is a good sign? How might I go about fixing it? The alarm definitely works :lol:
Hi Ben

If the courtesy light is working and the alarm is arming, then that suggests to me that the switches buried in the door lock itself are working. They can get gunged up which may be why the light has come back to life for you.

On older models like yours (ie before the CEM3, which is what Ed's GT has) the central locking wasn't routed through the CEM (although alarm and courtesy lights were). There was instead a control box which lives, I think, in the driver's door. Only in the passenger door is there a motor - can you hear that whirr briefly if you lock and unlock on just the passenger door with the key? If you can, my guess would be faulty control unit...

If so, you'll need to find another early model being broken - without wishing to sell bits off of other people's cars :lol: it might be worth you making contact with Alfie12 if he does, indeed, decide to abandon his "car in a bush" project. Whether it works or not is of course another question, but the set-up in that car should be the same as yours.

Hope that helps!

David
Current: 1994 480 GT, 1996 460 CD & 1997 440 LE with lots of optional extras & 2007 V50 SE Sport
Previous: Celebration 331 (re-homed with Richard S), Celebration 467 (returned to Martin Mc); Celebration 346 (re-homed with Alan480); Celebration 269 (scrapped abandoned project), Celebration 73 (sold on after 6 years), 1992 ES, 1988 ES - and numerous other non-480 Volvos!

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MisterH
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 1161
Joined: Sat Nov 24, 2018 6:15 pm
Location: Stockbridge

Re: My GT lives again!

Post by MisterH » Fri Nov 20, 2020 5:35 pm

dcwalker wrote:
Fri Nov 20, 2020 5:20 pm
MisterH wrote:
Fri Nov 20, 2020 5:02 pm
dcwalker wrote:
Fri Nov 20, 2020 4:12 pm
Central locking - switch inside driver's door lock; central locking motor in passenger door. Does the driver's door lock when turning the key? It should as its is mechanically fixed. When you turn the key does the inside courtesy light come on (before opening door)? Can you lock/unlock the passenger door with the key? If so when you do is it silent or do you hear the motor whirr?
Hi David

My central locking has never worked, but recently the interior light started working again every time I unlock the car, I take it this is a good sign? How might I go about fixing it? The alarm definitely works :lol:
Hi Ben

If the courtesy light is working and the alarm is arming, then that suggests to me that the switches buried in the door lock itself are working. They can get gunged up which may be why the light has come back to life for you.

On older models like yours (ie before the CEM3, which is what Ed's GT has) the central locking wasn't routed through the CEM (although alarm and courtesy lights were). There was instead a control box which lives, I think, in the driver's door. Only in the passenger door is there a motor - can you hear that whirr briefly if you lock and unlock on just the passenger door with the key? If you can, my guess would be faulty control unit...

If so, you'll need to find another early model being broken - without wishing to sell bits off of other people's cars :lol: it might be worth you making contact with Alfie12 if he does, indeed, decide to abandon his "car in a bush" project. Whether it works or not is of course another question, but the set-up in that car should be the same as yours.

Hope that helps!

David
Yeah I can hear no electric motor trying to work, it is just the mechanical action of the (drivers) lock. Is it a difficult job to replace, as complicated stuff intimidates me a bit :scared:

So there is no whirr, that would suggest the locks are, as you put, gunged up?
Current Jobs to do (23/1/22):
Fix Central Locking
Fix drivers side speaker
Annoying Scratching Squeak
Water leaks
Complete Front O/S rebuild

User avatar
dcwalker
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 1522
Joined: Sun Sep 16, 2012 12:30 pm
Location: York

Re: My GT lives again!

Post by dcwalker » Fri Nov 20, 2020 5:44 pm

Just to be clear, Ben, the motor is in the passenger door. The driver's door lock is mechanically operated by locks, but the control unit signals the passenger door motor to unlock the passenger door. If the control unit is faulty, therefore, locking/unlocking driver's door will give you silence, but not tell you what is at fault...

So to narrow it down, you need to try unlocking/locking the passenger door with the key - if that gives you a motor noise, then I suggest control unit is faulty; if it doesn't, it could be either control unit or motor...

David
Current: 1994 480 GT, 1996 460 CD & 1997 440 LE with lots of optional extras & 2007 V50 SE Sport
Previous: Celebration 331 (re-homed with Richard S), Celebration 467 (returned to Martin Mc); Celebration 346 (re-homed with Alan480); Celebration 269 (scrapped abandoned project), Celebration 73 (sold on after 6 years), 1992 ES, 1988 ES - and numerous other non-480 Volvos!

User avatar
MisterH
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 1161
Joined: Sat Nov 24, 2018 6:15 pm
Location: Stockbridge

Re: My GT lives again!

Post by MisterH » Fri Nov 20, 2020 6:08 pm

dcwalker wrote:
Fri Nov 20, 2020 5:44 pm
Just to be clear, Ben, the motor is in the passenger door. The driver's door lock is mechanically operated by locks, but the control unit signals the passenger door motor to unlock the passenger door. If the control unit is faulty, therefore, locking/unlocking driver's door will give you silence, but not tell you what is at fault...

So to narrow it down, you need to try unlocking/locking the passenger door with the key - if that gives you a motor noise, then I suggest control unit is faulty; if it doesn't, it could be either control unit or motor...

David
Ok, I shall try that, I remember it gets a bit funny, if you unlock the passenger door with the drivers locked it will set off the alarm, but will venture out into the dark now to try it

I will be back...
Current Jobs to do (23/1/22):
Fix Central Locking
Fix drivers side speaker
Annoying Scratching Squeak
Water leaks
Complete Front O/S rebuild

User avatar
dcwalker
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 1522
Joined: Sun Sep 16, 2012 12:30 pm
Location: York

Re: My GT lives again!

Post by dcwalker » Fri Nov 20, 2020 6:11 pm

Ah...it should disarm the alarm...interested to know what you discover - beginning to think control unit...

David
Current: 1994 480 GT, 1996 460 CD & 1997 440 LE with lots of optional extras & 2007 V50 SE Sport
Previous: Celebration 331 (re-homed with Richard S), Celebration 467 (returned to Martin Mc); Celebration 346 (re-homed with Alan480); Celebration 269 (scrapped abandoned project), Celebration 73 (sold on after 6 years), 1992 ES, 1988 ES - and numerous other non-480 Volvos!

User avatar
MisterH
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 1161
Joined: Sat Nov 24, 2018 6:15 pm
Location: Stockbridge

Re: My GT lives again!

Post by MisterH » Fri Nov 20, 2020 6:21 pm

dcwalker wrote:
Fri Nov 20, 2020 6:11 pm
Ah...it should disarm the alarm...interested to know what you discover - beginning to think control unit...

David
Ok so went out to check the car, I think the lock is fine with the alarm (it just triggers if you open the door while the drivers side is locked, obviously)

I unlocked drivers first, just as expected, mechanical click, nothing on the passenger side.

Went to unlock the passenger side and again there was no whirr at all, just a mechanical lock noise, though I did notice the key action was ever-so-slightly more weighted, probably due to the power mechanism on that side.

When I first asked this question many moons ago it was suggested that they may just need a clean, but I think that is a bit too optimistic
Current Jobs to do (23/1/22):
Fix Central Locking
Fix drivers side speaker
Annoying Scratching Squeak
Water leaks
Complete Front O/S rebuild

User avatar
dcwalker
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 1522
Joined: Sun Sep 16, 2012 12:30 pm
Location: York

Re: My GT lives again!

Post by dcwalker » Fri Nov 20, 2020 6:27 pm

Interesting. Yes, I think the passenger door lock does always feel more weighted.

If there's no noise at all in the passenger door then it might be the motor gone then. At least if it's that it's the same on all 480s as far as I know,...

I think you'll have to start looking into the door interiors and start by checking the wiring and connections. Hmm, I don't think there's a relay; I think that is effectively covered by the control unit...

David
Current: 1994 480 GT, 1996 460 CD & 1997 440 LE with lots of optional extras & 2007 V50 SE Sport
Previous: Celebration 331 (re-homed with Richard S), Celebration 467 (returned to Martin Mc); Celebration 346 (re-homed with Alan480); Celebration 269 (scrapped abandoned project), Celebration 73 (sold on after 6 years), 1992 ES, 1988 ES - and numerous other non-480 Volvos!

User avatar
dcwalker
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 1522
Joined: Sun Sep 16, 2012 12:30 pm
Location: York

Re: My GT lives again!

Post by dcwalker » Fri Nov 20, 2020 6:29 pm

If you haven't yet, check your fuse 4...

David
Current: 1994 480 GT, 1996 460 CD & 1997 440 LE with lots of optional extras & 2007 V50 SE Sport
Previous: Celebration 331 (re-homed with Richard S), Celebration 467 (returned to Martin Mc); Celebration 346 (re-homed with Alan480); Celebration 269 (scrapped abandoned project), Celebration 73 (sold on after 6 years), 1992 ES, 1988 ES - and numerous other non-480 Volvos!

User avatar
MisterH
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 1161
Joined: Sat Nov 24, 2018 6:15 pm
Location: Stockbridge

Re: My GT lives again!

Post by MisterH » Fri Nov 20, 2020 6:49 pm

dcwalker wrote:
Fri Nov 20, 2020 6:27 pm
Interesting. Yes, I think the passenger door lock does always feel more weighted.

If there's no noise at all in the passenger door then it might be the motor gone then. At least if it's that it's the same on all 480s as far as I know,...

I think you'll have to start looking into the door interiors and start by checking the wiring and connections. Hmm, I don't think there's a relay; I think that is effectively covered by the control unit...

David
All this talk of control units and relays is getting confusing, here is what I think I know:

The drivers side door is a regular mechanical lock, when this is (un)locked, a signal is sent to the door control unit, which is in the drivers door, which then activates the lock motor, lockated in the passenger door.

As there is no noise then it could be the motor gone, or it could be the control unit not getting the signal through, right?

Ok, will check the fuse when I get the chance, where can it be found, is it in the box under the dash?
Current Jobs to do (23/1/22):
Fix Central Locking
Fix drivers side speaker
Annoying Scratching Squeak
Water leaks
Complete Front O/S rebuild

User avatar
dcwalker
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 1522
Joined: Sun Sep 16, 2012 12:30 pm
Location: York

Re: My GT lives again!

Post by dcwalker » Fri Nov 20, 2020 7:16 pm

You've got it, yes :D

Yes, fuse box under dash...

David
Current: 1994 480 GT, 1996 460 CD & 1997 440 LE with lots of optional extras & 2007 V50 SE Sport
Previous: Celebration 331 (re-homed with Richard S), Celebration 467 (returned to Martin Mc); Celebration 346 (re-homed with Alan480); Celebration 269 (scrapped abandoned project), Celebration 73 (sold on after 6 years), 1992 ES, 1988 ES - and numerous other non-480 Volvos!

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