First car,first Volvo and first 480!?

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Zoist
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Joined: Sun Apr 11, 2010 9:26 pm
Location: Denmark Viby J

First car,first Volvo and first 480!?

Post by Zoist » Wed Aug 03, 2011 7:38 pm

Hi

for a long time I have wanted a car, but not any car... I wanted a special car. a car that was fun to drive, with fun electronic that I could play with. But most important it had to be a car that was rare.

3 of my mates drives and fix Volvo 120 and 121 (Amazon) the wanted me to by one to. but I see them all the time on the roads... not that special....

One day last year a stumbled over a add on the net, 2 Volvo 480 ES 1,7 from 1987 (black - danish reg.) and 1988 (white - imported (Doner)) 500 £
I did not know anything about the car, but the design was great! so i garbed one of my friends and asked him all about it.

after that i was sure. I wanted that car! plenty of things to play and fix on that car.

We went down and I bought them, only 400 £ total.

august the 15th 2010 the where delivered at my moms farm

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ever since i have worked on the car when I have the time for it, I work on the car. but as a active student working hard to become a Marine and Technical engineer there is only little time.

Especially when the shipping company wanted me out at sea around the world.

But from the day i got the car i have bin doing some work, and a hope to get the car to the MOT later this month and finally get it on the road for the first time!

One thing I have learned... and a really did not expect that....
Big heavy marine engines and equipment are far more easy to fix, then this car!!!!!
Damn I have had a lot of trouble with that car, and I am not finish yet..... :boom:

On this day, I have done the following:

complete change of the break system, the pips on the black car was crap, I transfered the complete system from the with one instead.
and on same accusation I took the calipers for a complete overhaul.
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New wheel bearings on the rear wheels, new disks and break pads.
New disks in the front and break pads.
new break hoses all around.

change over the doors, the black ones was rusty and the white ones was perfect. (the mirrors and the windows did not work on the black)

Hight adjustable passenger seat. (thanks for the "how to do")

polished and painted intake manifold and valve cover (silver and black)

both bumpers was gone on the black one, so i took them from the white, and welded the holes and got the repainted.

Info center did not work... but after messing with the connections at the back it worked! but now it is showing "STOP" with a water fail... even if it is ice cold... so that needs to be fixed.... :angry:

Head lights fixed... that was hell.... all rusty and shit... but the ones from the white was fine.

complete new exhaust manifold. damn that is not cheap! 200£!!!!

and the Idle is still not good... i have ordered a new idle control valve, hope that can fix that problem...
More to com. (sorry my bad English, when working with Philippines day in and day out, you kind a forget the this you learn in school...)

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Zoist
Knows where Volvo is from
Posts: 103
Joined: Sun Apr 11, 2010 9:26 pm
Location: Denmark Viby J

Re: First car,first Volvo and first 480!?

Post by Zoist » Thu Aug 04, 2011 11:57 am

Sorry guys, the wire from the temperature sensor was cut, and a connection was made by the faulty wire.
the wire is replaced and connected correct. now everything is OK!

washer pumps has been replaced, and not it all functions! but when i tested it, the rear wiper got loose and just hang until i noticed. so just tightening the nut and all was fine again. all go to go after the bumpers has been paintet (by a friend) and put back together.

MOT - WE ARE COMING SOON!!!!

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Zoist
Knows where Volvo is from
Posts: 103
Joined: Sun Apr 11, 2010 9:26 pm
Location: Denmark Viby J

Re: First car,first Volvo and first 480!?

Post by Zoist » Mon Aug 08, 2011 5:39 pm

CRAP CAR!!!!!

I had planed that today was the day for a MOT.... so i finely could get the car on the road! :rofl:

So early up, fixing the bumpers, light, dashboard, and connect the brand new Idle controller....

all was good until i wanted to start the car.....

(clik........ clik........) :?

nothing happened... the battery was dead... so 20 minutest trying to start the bastard in different ways. and then we where off. :angry:

everything was good. after 13 km we took a stop at a service station to chek the air and get a snack... everything was ok, a little klonk sound was started somewhere in the front, but nothing bad (yet)

but when we left and had driven 2 km. everything went wrong..... the engine started to loose power, the light in the dash board fainted, no oil pressure, and NO battery power... the car was dead on the road... :shock:

we walked back to the service station to collect a friends car so that we could try and jump start my car again. is succeeded and I drove back to the garage.
but now the klonk sound had changed to a violently noise, especially when I turned right....

When I was back, I lifted the car to realize that the left front tire was not tightened, so 2 of the bolts was really loose and the other 2 was a bit loose too.....
the battery was dead so i started to recharge right a way...

so I will probably try again in a few days.... but right now I am really mad at that car!!!! :badmood:

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Zoist
Knows where Volvo is from
Posts: 103
Joined: Sun Apr 11, 2010 9:26 pm
Location: Denmark Viby J

Re: First car,first Volvo and first 480!?

Post by Zoist » Tue Aug 09, 2011 11:37 am

glasgowjim was so kind to give me the advice to check and test the ECU, it could be the reason to my high and annoying idle even after i have changed the idle controller.... 40£ on a brand new one... and a 2. hand ECU is about 20£.

I will turn back to my car today, to do some final work on the rust, some electrical issues and check the number of the ECU.

somehow it seems that the front indicators can't be a line correctly with the side of the car, they seem only to dig ind the car and not a line with the side so I get a grim notches at the indicators. and the rear bumper has quite a distance between the bumper and the side of the car. (photos will come)

I have also just received the head light washer pump for my car, but I only found out that i did not need one when it already was shipped... anyone need one?

I will sleep in my car to night to get it done so I finally can get the car to MOT first thing next week, I don't have time in the weekend because i have a date and a concert to attend to.

But damn it would have been nice to be able to drive instead of taking the train....

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Zoist
Knows where Volvo is from
Posts: 103
Joined: Sun Apr 11, 2010 9:26 pm
Location: Denmark Viby J

Re: First car,first Volvo and first 480!?

Post by Zoist » Mon Aug 15, 2011 4:16 pm

today was the big day.

The car was going to MOT. :rofl:

I was quite nerves, I feared that the car would break down again like last time... so in good time before we went off, I charged the battery just to be safe, even thoug it startet with out problems the first time i tried today.

but off we went, the car sounded like it should (with the ECU still coughing) :x

But we arrived at the MOT, after 45 km. and after 10 minutes I recived the verdict.... PASSED. :hopping: :hopping: :hopping:
with just 2 remarks (earth fail on rear right tail light and a worn ball joint for the right front wheel)
With joy and relief I drove to the nearest Burger King to eat breakfast (at 4 PM) :crazy:

Now the car is parked in my parking stop where I live. and tomorrow I will collect the license plats!
There is still a lot to be done, but now it will be more easy and straight forward because i can drive back and forth my self!

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Zoist
Knows where Volvo is from
Posts: 103
Joined: Sun Apr 11, 2010 9:26 pm
Location: Denmark Viby J

Re: First car,first Volvo and first 480!?

Post by Zoist » Fri Aug 26, 2011 6:39 pm

Just tested a new ECU.... an no change in the crazy idle!

same problem...... F*#@................ what now?

oh well, I changed the timing belt and drive belt. so now I don't have to think about that.
When i drove to the garage i noticed that the right front speaker has a loose connection so that need to be fixed when i find the time. I NEED GOOD MUSIC!
The original speakers is in desperate need of base. So i have to think of a cheap way to get some decent base (without blowing the windows) anyone got an idea?

And before it gets too could i need to paint the wheel archest..... and the doors... the car is black, they are white.

I also need to change the cooling water and sprinkler water...

So much to do, so little time.

oh yeah, and I need to change the ball joint, I collected it from the store yesterday. £18....

User avatar
Zoist
Knows where Volvo is from
Posts: 103
Joined: Sun Apr 11, 2010 9:26 pm
Location: Denmark Viby J

Re: First car,first Volvo and first 480!?

Post by Zoist » Sun Oct 02, 2011 4:04 pm

So, Paint is done.

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the bump thing at the side will be mounted as soon I get them of the other doors.

The engine runs better, without reason... I think I might have a loose connection at the idle controller.

Some rust at the back has been fixed, one day I accidentally looked in the spare wheel well and found 15 cm of water :badmood:
The drain was blocked, and the water came from behind the rear bumper. It has been fixed by my trusty Kemppi welding machine.

The sound is working again, but the tweeters don't work. when i got the money they will be changed with Pioneer speakers.

On the way home to a friend, the window lift mechanism on the passenger side broke... is sounded or full and I feared the worst, but when I got the mechanism out i found that is was not that bad. The plastic that was keeping the wire at place broke off... luckily I had a spear. easy fix

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But all in all, I think the car is ready for the winter, to morrow I will change the front wheel bearing in the left side. It is worn out and is becoming unconvertible to drive with. I only need season tires and maybe a new battery, time will tell.

BUT DAMN I LOVE THAT CAR!

User avatar
Zoist
Knows where Volvo is from
Posts: 103
Joined: Sun Apr 11, 2010 9:26 pm
Location: Denmark Viby J

Re: First car,first Volvo and first 480!?

Post by Zoist » Fri Dec 16, 2011 6:36 pm

HI

I decided last month to sell my car... I did not have the money too keep it on the road... and today the lucky buyer bought it.
I am sad that I did not had the money needed, i thought i had, but i had underestimated the financial burden.

I hope he will be happy with my dear car.

I will stay tuned and help you people when I can

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