New Year, New 480!

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.

Moderators: jifflemon, coyote1980, Rachel

Martin Mc
480 Rookie
Posts: 457
Joined: Tue May 29, 2012 11:57 am

Re: New Year, New 480!

Post by Martin Mc » Sat Jan 04, 2020 8:54 am

jifflemon wrote:
Fri Jan 03, 2020 5:43 pm
Ok, so lets bash them down one by one....
Martin Mc wrote:
Fri Jan 03, 2020 9:56 am
1) Running lumpy as the sea (I suspect it needs a good run)
Never forget MMM. That is, Motors Must Move. A good dose of usage, followed by a sympathetic service (Including things like Cap/Rotor/Fuel filter) will soon have it back on form!
Martin Mc wrote:
Fri Jan 03, 2020 9:56 am
2) Speedo, mileometer and info centre inoperative (cooeee Brinkie! Will be in touch if you are still able to help!)
Check the very obvious (fuse, Rheostat turned down) but I'm sure the lord of dashboards will be here shortly!
Martin Mc wrote:
Fri Jan 03, 2020 9:56 am
3) Damp as a swamp inside (will dry out in my garage for a few days_
Personally, rip the interior out - it'll dry a whole lot quicker as well as help trace where the water is getting in. It's also much easier to clean, and makes the car smell much better too!
Martin Mc wrote:
Fri Jan 03, 2020 9:56 am
4) No way of knowing how much fuel is on board - will have to wing it on the way home :0)
Always exciting is life in a 480! :rofl:
Martin Mc wrote:
Fri Jan 03, 2020 9:56 am
5) Headlamps pop up and down randomly and not in synchro - looks like Roger Moore's eyebrows on speed! - but at least it confirms the motors are ok :)
Out of synchro would suggest someones been knob winding and got bored! Like you say, at least it confirms you've got working motors. I use and advanced method of Brinkies previously fix - I run both simultaneously (rather than one at a time). The only drawback is that it means you only get a single cup of tea of course....
Martin Mc wrote:
Fri Jan 03, 2020 1:00 pm
6) Handbrake at 0% efficiency! Hence my concern about leaving it on deck, on a ferry, in the Irish Sea, secured only by reverse gear and steering lock :eek:
Pull it apart and reset it. My money says its only ever been adjusted "on the cable" and has gone over centre.

Looking forward to more updates!
Brilliant! Got her back home around 11pm last night - battery had gone flat whilst on the sea crossing, so it took ages to get her off the boat and back onto dry land. The run from Liverpool to Blackburn was interesting - Electrics on the dashboard sprang partially back to life; still no speedo or mileometer; throttle cable sticks I think so tending to over-rev at junction; gearbox got more and more notchy as it heated up; brakes are binding a bit I think, but overall it was fine.

Will give her a good clean this morning and lubricate some bits and bobs, check electrical connections etc.

The work of the moneypit begins!

Martin
1991 ES White / 1995 ES Red / 1995 ES Red / 1994 S Black / 1995 Celebration Red / 1994 S Paris Blue / 1995 Celebration (again!) Red - Currently free of all extramarital cars, wrench-loose and fancy free :)

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dragonflyjewels
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Re: New Year, New 480!

Post by dragonflyjewels » Sat Jan 04, 2020 9:01 am

Well done Martin ! I'd been looking longingly at that one, entirely due to the red dipstick - it IS a 2 litre isn't it ? If so I can promise you a somewhat smokey exhaust with the need to keep a close eye on the oil level, but a whole lot of bottom end grunt. I've had mine since 2001 and will probably never sell it - couldn't bear to lose all that fun !
Hope you get it all sorted without too much pain and look forward to seeing you at a meet soon.
Sylvia

Snazzy - 1993 Paris Blue ES red dipstick 2.0i bought 2001
Lethal Lily - 1991 White Turbo
Paris the Unicorn - 1991 Paris Edition
hubby has
Sven - 1994 Racing Green GT
Evil Eva - 1992 Paris Blue Turbo

no previous 480s - can't bear to sell any

jifflemon
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Re: New Year, New 480!

Post by jifflemon » Sat Jan 04, 2020 4:49 pm

Martin Mc wrote:
Sat Jan 04, 2020 8:54 am
Brilliant! Got her back home around 11pm last night - battery had gone flat whilst on the sea crossing, so it took ages to get her off the boat and back onto dry land. The run from Liverpool to Blackburn was interesting - Electrics on the dashboard sprang partially back to life; still no speedo or mileometer; throttle cable sticks I think so tending to over-rev at junction; gearbox got more and more notchy as it heated up; brakes are binding a bit I think, but overall it was fine.

Will give her a good clean this morning and lubricate some bits and bobs, check electrical connections etc.

The work of the moneypit begins!

Martin
OK, so more good news(ish!).

Battery? Check charge rate - Covered it in a post in the how to's. Could just need a new battery.

Dashboard - broken cog - Again, there's a how to!

Gearbox? Change oil! (that service thing I mentioned!)

Brakes - Remove and grease the sliders! Probably just surface rust from standing around - remember, MMM!!!

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brinkie
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Re: New Year, New 480!

Post by brinkie » Sat Jan 04, 2020 8:29 pm

jifflemon wrote:
Fri Jan 03, 2020 5:43 pm
Martin Mc wrote:
Fri Jan 03, 2020 9:56 am
2) Speedo, mileometer and info centre inoperative (cooeee Brinkie! Will be in touch if you are still able to help!)
Check the very obvious (fuse, Rheostat turned down) but I'm sure the lord of dashboards will be here shortly!
Reporting for duty! :lol:
jifflemon wrote:
Fri Jan 03, 2020 5:43 pm
Martin Mc wrote:
Fri Jan 03, 2020 9:56 am
5) Headlamps pop up and down randomly and not in synchro - looks like Roger Moore's eyebrows on speed! - but at least it confirms the motors are ok :)
Out of synchro would suggest someones been knob winding and got bored! Like you say, at least it confirms you've got working motors. I use and advanced method of Brinkies previously fix - I run both simultaneously (rather than one at a time). The only drawback is that it means you only get a single cup of tea of course....
:rofl:

I would hazard a guess that the relay is sticking. Clean it, or put another in.
jifflemon wrote:
Fri Jan 03, 2020 5:43 pm
Martin Mc wrote:
Fri Jan 03, 2020 1:00 pm
6) Handbrake at 0% efficiency! Hence my concern about leaving it on deck, on a ferry, in the Irish Sea, secured only by reverse gear and steering lock :eek:
Pull it apart and reset it. My money says its only ever been adjusted "on the cable" and has gone over centre.
My experience is that the brake cilinders have gone bad (sticking), or someone has been adjusting the handbrake without proper knowledge of the system. It's best to take the brake cilinder apart and put new parts in if re-adjustment fails.
Robert.

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

Martin Mc
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Re: New Year, New 480!

Post by Martin Mc » Sun Jan 05, 2020 12:04 pm

Roger Moore's Eyebrows on Speed

Well, I thought I'd cracked the problem this morning, when I noticed that the DRL were running with different brightness, suggesting a problem in that area. On inspection, there was indeed a problem on one side,with a defective DRL bulb. So I replaced the defective bulb,and now the DRL appear to function properly with headlamps up (i.e.dimmed to 5W).

Fired up the old girl to test the fix, but it is still doing the weird headlamps popping up and down thing, when the engine / ignition is on and headlamps turned off. You may be able to see what I mean via this link:

https://i.imgur.com/ExyAvrr.mp4

:lol:

Any ideas?

Martin
1991 ES White / 1995 ES Red / 1995 ES Red / 1994 S Black / 1995 Celebration Red / 1994 S Paris Blue / 1995 Celebration (again!) Red - Currently free of all extramarital cars, wrench-loose and fancy free :)

Martin Mc
480 Rookie
Posts: 457
Joined: Tue May 29, 2012 11:57 am

Re: New Year, New 480!

Post by Martin Mc » Sun Jan 05, 2020 3:43 pm

Couple more bits of info.

Car is idling a bit fast when warm, around 1100 rpm. Not sure why this might be, but it might just be lack of use..

Image

Am missing slider knobs for the heating / vents on the dashboard (I'd normally replace these anyway as they are invariably grubby. Does anyone have any spares (£) or know where I might purloin a couple?

Image

As you can see, a previous owner has added a voltmeter and oil pressure gauge :)

Other good news - both heated seats are toasty and working so at least I'll be able to enjoy the sensation of having wet my pants once the weather turns colder :)

Oh, and the diagram under the under-bonnet relay lid is missing (perhaps someone might have a spare or a photo which I could print and trim)?
the
I have a couple of spare relays (412653 oem) though untested - are these the same as for the pop-up headlamps? If so, perhaps I should try swapping them around? I'm not sure if there are any relays missing on the board. Anyone know what I should have in there?

Am booking the car in for the handbrake and MOT this week.. Will update as and when things develop.

Martin
1991 ES White / 1995 ES Red / 1995 ES Red / 1994 S Black / 1995 Celebration Red / 1994 S Paris Blue / 1995 Celebration (again!) Red - Currently free of all extramarital cars, wrench-loose and fancy free :)

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JohnTurbo
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Re: New Year, New 480!

Post by JohnTurbo » Sun Jan 05, 2020 4:22 pm

Blackburn huh?
Just up the road.

I am J8 M65.
Past:
94 Turbo - Red
94 Turbo - Black (Converted from NA 2.0)
92 Turbo - Red
90 Turbo - Silver
Now:
00 Exige
15 GKD Legend
16 Skoda Superb

jifflemon
480 Is my middle name
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Re: New Year, New 480!

Post by jifflemon » Sun Jan 05, 2020 6:20 pm

Martin Mc wrote:
Sun Jan 05, 2020 3:43 pm
Am missing slider knobs for the heating / vents on the dashboard (I'd normally replace these anyway as they are invariably grubby. Does anyone have any spares (£) or know where I might purloin a couple?
Drop me your address - I've a couple that were 3d printed and finished off by hand, you can have them for nowt.
Martin Mc wrote:
Sun Jan 05, 2020 3:43 pm
I have a couple of spare relays (412653 oem) though untested - are these the same as for the pop-up headlamps? If so, perhaps I should try swapping them around? I'm not sure if there are any relays missing on the board. Anyone know what I should have in there?
that sounds like the fella!

Martin Mc
480 Rookie
Posts: 457
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Re: New Year, New 480!

Post by Martin Mc » Mon Jan 06, 2020 5:21 pm

Ok, so she failed the MOT this afternoon... :( But the good news is that it wasn't on very much! :hopping:

It looks like it will be a case of new discs and pads at the front, and possibly a caliper at the rear, but that is pretty much it!!

Could be on the road by later this week :) Brill!

Watch this space!

Martin
1991 ES White / 1995 ES Red / 1995 ES Red / 1994 S Black / 1995 Celebration Red / 1994 S Paris Blue / 1995 Celebration (again!) Red - Currently free of all extramarital cars, wrench-loose and fancy free :)

Alan 480
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Re: New Year, New 480!

Post by Alan 480 » Mon Jan 06, 2020 6:48 pm

Martin Mc wrote:
Mon Jan 06, 2020 5:21 pm
Ok, so she failed the MOT this afternoon... :( But the good news is that it wasn't on very much! :hopping:

It looks like it will be a case of new discs and pads at the front, and possibly a caliper at the rear, but that is pretty much it!!

Could be on the road by later this week :) Brill!

Watch this space!

Martin
Good news (in way)
the caliper might actually be OK, I know that Jiffelemon did a 'how to' on teh re-build, I only went as far as removal of the main piston and cleaning the cr*p out of the internal screw thread /adjuster part, made one heck of a difference

PS you might be lucky and it just needs adjusted up (on caliper) to within a third of turn, tighten, spin wheel, repeat and back off a 'thochty' , assuming that the lever arms are touching the stops when the handbrake is OFF, and cables are free to allow the internal wires to return?
Alan

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

Martin Mc
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Re: New Year, New 480!

Post by Martin Mc » Mon Jan 06, 2020 7:11 pm

JohnTurbo wrote:
Sun Jan 05, 2020 4:22 pm
Blackburn huh?
Just up the road.

I am J8 M65.
That could be handy for a local mini-mini meet! Hopefully I'll be back on the road by the weekend, and a bit of a burn up the M65 would probably do the car a power of good :)
1991 ES White / 1995 ES Red / 1995 ES Red / 1994 S Black / 1995 Celebration Red / 1994 S Paris Blue / 1995 Celebration (again!) Red - Currently free of all extramarital cars, wrench-loose and fancy free :)

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dcwalker
480 Is my middle name
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Re: New Year, New 480!

Post by dcwalker » Mon Jan 06, 2020 11:25 pm

Martin Mc wrote:
Mon Jan 06, 2020 7:11 pm
JohnTurbo wrote:
Sun Jan 05, 2020 4:22 pm
Blackburn huh?
Just up the road.

I am J8 M65.
That could be handy for a local mini-mini meet! Hopefully I'll be back on the road by the weekend, and a bit of a burn up the M65 would probably do the car a power of good :)
When you fancy going a bit further afield, you're always welcome across the Pennines...

Good news the the MOT - that all sounds easily sorted.

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
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Re: New Year, New 480!

Post by MisterH » Tue Jan 07, 2020 9:00 pm

If the speedo connectors have been resoldered in the engine bay, check to see if it has been earthed to the body shell mistakenly. after a year of trying to fix it, cut one wire on my car and it burst into life :wall:
Current Jobs to do (23/1/22):
Fix Central Locking
Fix drivers side speaker
Annoying Scratching Squeak
Water leaks
Complete Front O/S rebuild

Martin Mc
480 Rookie
Posts: 457
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Re: New Year, New 480!

Post by Martin Mc » Tue Jan 07, 2020 9:18 pm

MisterH wrote:
Tue Jan 07, 2020 9:00 pm
If the speedo connectors have been resoldered in the engine bay, check to see if it has been earthed to the body shell mistakenly. after a year of trying to fix it, cut one wire on my car and it burst into life :wall:
Hello there,

That sounds like something to look into, when I get the car back from its MOT & repairs. I think I can find it, based on the info in the Haynes manual. Will report back what I find. :eek:

All the best!

Martin
1991 ES White / 1995 ES Red / 1995 ES Red / 1994 S Black / 1995 Celebration Red / 1994 S Paris Blue / 1995 Celebration (again!) Red - Currently free of all extramarital cars, wrench-loose and fancy free :)

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brinkie
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Re: New Year, New 480!

Post by brinkie » Tue Jan 07, 2020 10:31 pm

Martin's car got the updated electrics (post-1991), they don't have the problems that occurred in the first three model years with shielded cable. I think soldering of the green and grey connectors will solve the speedometer problems. If not, we can search further :)
Robert.

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

Martin Mc
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Re: New Year, New 480!

Post by Martin Mc » Wed Jan 08, 2020 11:57 am

brinkie wrote:
Tue Jan 07, 2020 10:31 pm
Martin's car got the updated electrics (post-1991), they don't have the problems that occurred in the first three model years with shielded cable. I think soldering of the green and grey connectors will solve the speedometer problems. If not, we can search further :)
Hello Robert, that sounds like the best idea. A quick update following the MOT though:

1) There appears to be the wrong caliper on one side at the rear, and this has been botched so that all fixings are either rounded out / off or not present :shock:
2) Whoever had the car last appears to have cut off one of the handbrake cables at the back (another bodge job) and left the other one as tight as a tyrannosaurus' testicle. Basically it means the entire braking set up at the back needs rebuilding (££ / time :cryhard: )
3) My local friendly garage, who have tended to all 6 of my 480 projects over the years (and so who I know always look after me) have agreed to do the rebuild out of hours as a favour / training opportunity for a new lad, which means I won't get the car back with its shiny new MOT till the end of next week (17th or 18th Jan) at the earliest.

All of this means I won't be able to get the instrument cluster off and over to you till probably early next month.

But the good news is, I should be able to use the car again (as a daily driver) in a couple of weeks! Woo hoo! :D

Watch this space!

All the best!

Martin
1991 ES White / 1995 ES Red / 1995 ES Red / 1994 S Black / 1995 Celebration Red / 1994 S Paris Blue / 1995 Celebration (again!) Red - Currently free of all extramarital cars, wrench-loose and fancy free :)

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brinkie
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Re: New Year, New 480!

Post by brinkie » Wed Jan 08, 2020 1:22 pm

If you give me the mileage and if there is SRS (air bag) present or not, I could try and build a completely "new" one, send it to you and you will have absolutely no downtime. You can send the old unit back afterwards, there is no hurry.
(if I can find a speedometer in miles in one of the boxes in my loft that is!)
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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brinkie
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Re: New Year, New 480!

Post by brinkie » Thu Jan 09, 2020 8:45 am

brinkie wrote:
Wed Jan 08, 2020 1:22 pm
(if I can find a speedometer in miles in one of the boxes in my loft that is!)
Good news, I have found one! It's a good thing you've posted pictures of the instrument cluster here, I will build an exact copy this weekend.

Did you already source another popup headlight relay? I can put one in as well. (need any more parts btw? the box is quite big)
Robert.

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

Alan 480
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Re: New Year, New 480!

Post by Alan 480 » Thu Jan 09, 2020 12:38 pm

brinkie wrote:
Thu Jan 09, 2020 8:45 am
I can put one in as well. (need any more parts btw? the box is quite big)
wot? 480 sized :wink:
Alan

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

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brinkie
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Re: New Year, New 480!

Post by brinkie » Thu Jan 09, 2020 3:13 pm

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:
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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