Volvo 480 ES - M_AAF

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Rob88h
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Re: Volvo 480 ES - M_AAF

Post by Rob88h » Fri May 07, 2021 12:43 pm

There's still plenty to do to improve M_AAF, but it's providing stellar daily performance. Obviously I had to do one of these:

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Rob88h
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Re: Volvo 480 ES - M_AAF

Post by Rob88h » Fri May 07, 2021 12:44 pm

Here's another picture, just because the going's good:

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MisterH
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Re: Volvo 480 ES - M_AAF

Post by MisterH » Fri May 07, 2021 3:43 pm

Wow! Your photography skills are genuinely excellent, they make the Antares wheels look good!
Current Jobs to do (23/1/22):
Fix Central Locking
Fix drivers side speaker
Annoying Scratching Squeak
Water leaks
Complete Front O/S rebuild

Rob88h
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Joined: Tue Apr 20, 2021 7:59 am
Location: Essix

Re: Volvo 480 ES - M_AAF

Post by Rob88h » Fri May 07, 2021 5:05 pm

MisterH wrote:
Fri May 07, 2021 3:43 pm
make the Antares wheels look good!
Funny you should mention that - I'm a sucker for originality but even I contemplated swapping out the wheels :lol:
The 480 is such a great piece of 80's design that the blobbly 90's Antares don't suit the rest of the design in my opinion. I even went as far as getting some Clio RSi alloys (being local, cheap and a more angular look). The only picture I've got is with them offered up to check PCD and offset and stuff like that but with totally the wrong profile tyre. I was going to refurb them, in gold, thinking gold and dark green would be a good look.

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I chickened out in the end and have stuck with the Antares out of respect to Volvo.
It's always a one man argument I have with myself when thinking of modifying a car - but strangely if I buy a car already modified I'm completely cool with it because someone else did it and it's part of the cars history! To the point where sometimes I'm reluctant to undo a modification (unless it's really naff!). I have weird car thoughts like that.

Rob88h
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Re: Volvo 480 ES - M_AAF

Post by Rob88h » Sun May 09, 2021 9:00 pm

A few more small wins for M_AAF have taken place recently.
I’ve relieved the rear of the headlining from its Bedouin Tent effect with some high heat trim adhesive. Thanks to the handy guide on this very forum, removing the headlining board was a doddle. The improvement is good – but it did highlight a few more surprises along the way. See some before and after shots for how much better the situation is for back seat passengers now (if I ever have any).

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The first surprise was the interior courtesy light was broken from presumably being overtightened (as they said would happen in the guide, haha). Simple enough, no bits missing, and some super glue later saw it in one piece.

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The second surprise was the weepage of the previous nights rain from the boot seal. I don’t want to get into it too much here at this point – M_AAF leaks. Mostly front footwells, but since cleaning all the soil out the drainage around the bonnet, it's seeming to be a manageable level of leak. Yesterday I discovered the boot leaks. The floor is ok and it’s only a bit of capillary action on the headlining (I think) and it seems to be hidden under plastic trim (I think). I dunno, maybe they all do this to some extent. Anyway I had to dry it off so the re-gluing had the best chance of working.
My wife was away for the day, so I took the liberty* of bringing car into the house and using her Vidal Sassoon to dry the edge of the head liner.

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Oh, before that, while it was wet and more complient, I guessed, I carefully prealed back the fabric to the point of the start of the sag. I wasn’t going for a full re-lining job and replacing the material, just improving on what was already there.
Then with a stiff brush, I removed any dusty old glue I could, which came off quite nicely and left me with a good surface for the trim fix adheisive. This stuff is designed for headlining and getting hot in a car in the sun, so I’m hoping it won’t re sag but I am a bit worried I didn’t apply it liberally enough. I don’t have any action shot of the gluing as I was in maximum concentration mode and was acting quickly.

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I used a decorators mini-roller to smooth the fabric down and am pleased to report an even, creaseless job. I am pleased. There is a quite visible line of colour change when it’s not in the car because of what I presume is sun bleaching damage, though once back in the car you can’t really tell.

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I left it off the car upside down overnight for the glue to do its thing and cure. Not sure if I needed to but things had been going well and I didn’t want to push my luck.
When putting it back in the next day I came across surprise number three – more home brew wiring. I'm not sure what this is for, maybe the rear wiper, or rear de-mister, something like that I assume. Neither of which work, obviously. You've got to leave some things for another day otherwise a car gets stripped down too much and is a chore to get back on the road!

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M_AAF is getting to the point now where I’ve done many of the obvious faults I first came across. It’s getting to the level where I go looking for trouble – and I’m no doubt starting to find it - or I discover new faults having lived with it for longer. It’s not a 480 thing, every car I have does this. It's just the inevitable getting to know it phase.

Rob88h
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Re: Volvo 480 ES - M_AAF

Post by Rob88h » Sun May 09, 2021 9:02 pm

Here we are on a bit of a trip this weekend:

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Alan 480
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Re: Volvo 480 ES - M_AAF

Post by Alan 480 » Mon May 10, 2021 6:28 pm

the 'rat's nest' of wiring is not 'uncommon' :-(

and repairs are tricky due to the wires moulded into the rubber and are all black, with some tiny numbers on them.....

another of the 'they all do that'

I'm thinking I'll have to re re-do the head lining as it was a bit saggy and didn't want to peel too much off, now it is VERY well held along the bits I re-did but sagging 'inboard' :-( I'm scared i might tear it if try to peel off my glued section, with hindsight I should have peeled off ALL the front half, glued front, waited two days, peeled ALL of rear and repeated??
Alan

480 ES 2litre 'Celebration' ? , C30 1.8ES, SS1

jifflemon
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Re: Volvo 480 ES - M_AAF

Post by jifflemon » Mon May 10, 2021 9:15 pm

Rob88h wrote:
Sun May 09, 2021 9:00 pm
M_AAF is getting to the point now where I’ve done many of the obvious faults I first came across. It’s getting to the level where I go looking for trouble – and I’m no doubt starting to find it - or I discover new faults having lived with it for longer. It’s not a 480 thing, every car I have does this. It's just the inevitable getting to know it phase.
Oh trust me, there's plenty more to discover yet!

Rear light seals?
Rear shocks
wishbones
Horns
window motors

They're the gift that keeps giving! :rofl:

Rob88h
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Re: Volvo 480 ES - M_AAF

Post by Rob88h » Mon May 10, 2021 9:27 pm

jifflemon wrote:
Mon May 10, 2021 9:15 pm
Oh trust me, there's plenty more to discover yet!
I was trying to explain this to someone the other day. Everything a car needs to make me trust it won’t let me down is there and dependable. I’d jump in and drive this car anywhere. Yet there is so much to repair that you seemingly have a hobby for life with a 480. In a good way.

I think M_AAF may be a case study in all of the “they all do that, sir”, but that’s ok with me. It just adds to the list of achievements improving the thing.

Rob88h
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Re: Volvo 480 ES - M_AAF

Post by Rob88h » Mon May 17, 2021 11:30 am

The 5th Biennial LeJog Reliability Trial – Car of choice, Volvo 480

Since 2011 a mate an I have made a trip from Lands End to John O’Groats every two years for reasons that are hard to explain. There is no real reason, it’s just sort of a tradition now. It started as a one-off adventure in 2011 where we aimed to hit all four cardinal points of the UK on the way from “work home” in Essex to our family homes in Yorkshire for Christmas. Man-maths were involved but it was a good excuse to drive my then current car much more than just home.

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We got as far East as we could, but on the way North we encountered terminal piston-valve-cambelt calamity.

In 2014 we tried again, albeit with reduced ambition, taking in just Land’s End and John O’Groats in this:

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No problems. A bit of a boring let down.

So, in 2016 we tried again in this:

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This time to mix things up motorways were banned. The AUTO Porsche ate it up shifting at all the wrong moments. I loved it.

In 2018 we took this:

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Top down all the way…



For 2020, our biennial Christmas trip of pure blokey freedom turned into a government mandated stay at home order. I’d already bought the car I had in mind for this trip last August, the 480. I’ve been postponing things until a). we were allowed to and b). I felt comfortable that it was responsible to do it. Because of this, and because we do something differently each time anyway to keep it fresh, I’ve decided this year to do it in stages (and obviously not in December 2020!). Part 1 was just Land’s End and back in a oner a few weekends ago, no need to stop, no hotels, less risk. Part 2 happened last weekend. 1500 miles in 2 days, an overnight stop in Inverness in self-contained accommodation and overall a complete success.

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Rob88h
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Re: Volvo 480 ES - M_AAF

Post by Rob88h » Mon May 17, 2021 11:44 am

On the way, and with a little trip reset planning, this epic mileage display was achieved:

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jifflemon
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Re: Volvo 480 ES - M_AAF

Post by jifflemon » Mon May 17, 2021 12:42 pm

this is several flavours of pure win:

Firstly for the epic milesage shot.

Then, with the exception of the alfa, Pop ups all the way!

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brinkie
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Re: Volvo 480 ES - M_AAF

Post by brinkie » Mon May 17, 2021 1:51 pm

Looks like you're in need of a new rev counter face plate. :) Can be mailed, if you are brave enough to open up the instrument cluster and rev counter; especially the rev counter is tricky, as it is held together by the same screws that hold the face plate. Can also post a complete rev counter which is only more expensive because of the postage.

You already knew the cluster isn't original, but it's also not correct for 1994; this is a 1989 or 1990 speedometer, they're 2% off.
Robert.

Present cars: 1994 Volvo 480 GT 2.0i, 1999 Volvo S70 2.5 Europa, 2010 Volvo V70 2.0F Momentum

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MisterH
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Re: Volvo 480 ES - M_AAF

Post by MisterH » Mon May 17, 2021 2:21 pm

Sounds like a lot of fun, can't help but notice the irony of the 480 being among the most trouble free :hopping:
Current Jobs to do (23/1/22):
Fix Central Locking
Fix drivers side speaker
Annoying Scratching Squeak
Water leaks
Complete Front O/S rebuild

Rob88h
Started learning about 480
Posts: 52
Joined: Tue Apr 20, 2021 7:59 am
Location: Essix

Re: Volvo 480 ES - M_AAF

Post by Rob88h » Mon May 17, 2021 2:47 pm

brinkie wrote:
Mon May 17, 2021 1:51 pm
Looks like you're in need of a new rev counter face plate.
Haha, there are bigger fish to fry in this binnacle so to speak. The ODO and trip are now sorted with a replacement gear, but the PCB is soldered on to the push through pins on the tacho and the Info Centre. The PCB has a damaged track (I think on the Info Centre backlight) and the Info Centre itself is increasingly in a world of its own. Recently, in colder weather in the mornings, I get an assortment of things lighting up on the Info Centre all at the same time. While amusing it's not an inspiring state of affairs this Info Centre will be with us for much longer. It did tell me the other day only the top third of the fuel tank had petrol in it and the text at the bottom looked decidedly Russian :lol: It's spending more and more of it's time completely blank, but every now and again does wake up to tell me average speed, oil temperature or external temperature.

Rob88h
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Re: Volvo 480 ES - M_AAF

Post by Rob88h » Mon May 17, 2021 2:57 pm

MisterH wrote:
Mon May 17, 2021 2:21 pm
Sounds like a lot of fun, can't help but notice the irony of the 480 being among the most trouble free :hopping:
Define trouble, haha.
I'd defend a 480 to the bitter end as being a very very dependable car underneath a plethora of ultimately unimportant electrical gremlins.
In fact the Volvo started fixing itself on this trip. On the morning of day 2 (4am! because we had 800 miles and some slow roads to do) - I put it in reverse and was greeted by the rear wiper trying to clear the back screen! The rear wiper has never worked as long as I've been running M_AAF. It's not working again now, but 10/10 for effort and some useful information to diagnose it - At least I know the motor isn't stuck and the linkages work!
Also I discovered that at 70mph on the motorways, the intrusive "dash rattle" can be completely switched off by popping up the lights. I'm stilling mulling over why on this one, it has got to be airflow, maybe stopping the wiper blades chattering on the screen or changes to the airflow in the HVAC pipes via the screen scuttle, but it works :lol:

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MisterH
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Re: Volvo 480 ES - M_AAF

Post by MisterH » Mon May 17, 2021 3:17 pm

Rob88h wrote:
Mon May 17, 2021 2:57 pm
MisterH wrote:
Mon May 17, 2021 2:21 pm
Sounds like a lot of fun, can't help but notice the irony of the 480 being among the most trouble free :hopping:
Define trouble, haha.
I'd defend a 480 to the bitter end as being a very very dependable car underneath a plethora of ultimately unimportant electrical gremlins.
In fact the Volvo started fixing itself on this trip. On the morning of day 2 (4am! because we had 800 miles and some slow roads to do) - I put it in reverse and was greeted by the rear wiper trying to clear the back screen! The rear wiper has never worked as long as I've been running M_AAF. It's not working again now, but 10/10 for effort and some useful information to diagnose it - At least I know the motor isn't stuck and the linkages work!
Also I discovered that at 70mph on the motorways, the intrusive "dash rattle" can be completely switched off by popping up the lights. I'm stilling mulling over why on this one, it has got to be airflow, maybe stopping the wiper blades chattering on the screen or changes to the airflow in the HVAC pipes via the screen scuttle, but it works :lol:
Haha that is brilliant

On saturday driving home from the gym, changed down into 2nd before a mini roundabout, heard a clunk and now the gearstick feels just a little looser in gear :badmood:
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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jamescarruthers
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Re: Volvo 480 ES - M_AAF

Post by jamescarruthers » Mon May 17, 2021 3:56 pm

Epic 480 trips are to be encouraged! They make a great cruiser in my opinion.

The buzzy rattling will be from the black trim with holes in for the wipers. You can either change the fasteners for tighter fitting ones or add a little foam tape to where it meets the screen.

I’ve often found that they buzz after their first time off.
1987 Volvo 480 ES, 507274, 217 - Red (Ness)
2006 Citroen C6 Exclusive 3.0 petrol/LPG
2008 Mini Cooper convertible (Mau)

Previous 480's:
J123 CFU -- ES
J449 MNL -- ES auto
D864 CPV -- ES
L691 JFC -- Turbo
F70 MNR -- ES
H858 FGV -- Turbo auto
E981 KHM -- ES (509849)

Rob88h
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Re: Volvo 480 ES - M_AAF

Post by Rob88h » Tue May 18, 2021 10:34 am

jamescarruthers wrote:
Mon May 17, 2021 3:56 pm
The buzzy rattling will be from the black trim with holes in for the wipers.
Pretty sure that's it! i gave it a poke this morning and it does move a bit so could be chattering against the screen at speed. From the history, this car had a new windscreen in 2011, so it's certainly been off at least once in it's life.

You are right about them being a great GT choice. We did 16 hours near continuous driving on day 2 and felt fine at the end of that! Top car the 480.

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Re: Volvo 480 ES - M_AAF

Post by Emma » Wed Dec 22, 2021 1:54 pm

Hello! (To anyone who may see this)

I'm a bit belated with this but MAAF came to me in May. He's got some daily duties and is very much a rolling resto - he just passed his MOT, so lives to fight another year at least.

At some point I'll start a separate thread about him but thought for the meantime I'd just add to this to say that he is safe and well!

He periodically pops up on my Instagram, if you want to stalk for wedge goodness @__emmmaaaaa

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