Power Surging

[T5chris]

Can anyone give me some advice,

Car seems to have power surging probs on gentle acceleration, doesn't happen when I open her up and doesn't feel like a mis-fire. Seems to be worse if car has stood for a while.

Anyone got any ideas? EML not on by the way.

Cheers
Chris...

[Andrew]

<clensed by author>

[st1t5]

When my ETM was dodgy a few months back it drove like a pig at low low revs and when lifting off the clutch in 1st gear ... kinda like it was kick back if you know what i mean ....... i got the ETM cleaned by Volvo and its been fine ever since ....... touch wood.

[T5chris]

When my ETM was dodgy a few months back it drove like a pig at low low revs and when lifting off the clutch in 1st gear ... kinda like it was kick back if you know what i mean ....... i got the ETM cleaned by Volvo and its been fine ever since ....... touch wood.

Was the Engine Management light on though? Mine isn't?

C...

[T-5ones]

Get the codes read. I had no warning light but the codes were saying there were issues that should be rectified.

Mine has only a tiny uneven idle at tickover.

Also have a read... http://www.vexedvolvo.org/

[darkstar]

interesting thread.

my 2000 plate C70 T5 does this: difficult to drive at low rpms in traffic and when driven on the motorways seems to alternate between smooth cruising and a surging sensation - almost as if the car just wants to bury its throttle into the carpet.

I have previously approached my local Volvo dealer (Lookers Volvo of Colchester(previously H R Owen Volvo)) with this description to be told that if I want them to locate a problem on my car I'd have to pay £90 per hour (standard labour rate for them) to diagnose the problem.

The mechanic I spoke to assumed I knew nothing about the whole ETM saga that is ongoing with Volvo- as soon as he realised that I had read about this 'cover up' by Volvo he caged right up and refused to speak to me any more.

It appears that the standard reply for all volvo employees when faced with the ETM problem is deny that there is a problem and try to get the customer to pay for a mechanic to 'diagnose' the problem.

Has anyone on here had an ETM replaced Free of Charge on a 2000 plate car?

p.s. sorry for appearing to steal this thread a little:wink:

[st1t5]

Was the Engine Management light on though? Mine isn't?

C...


No, my engine management light was not on Chris.

[SaffronC70]

Hi guys

Check this thread : http://www.vpcuk.org/forums/showthread.php?t=10003&page=2

Other causes of surging on could be static actuator adjustment - other the years this adjustment will drift a little due to wear n tear, so the BCS will keep it under control as best it can, but if it goes too far out of tolerance you will get spiking - this only really happens under full load though.

HTH

Chris

[T5chris]

Cheers Chris,

The thing that has me beat is that when you hear of ETM probs most people are talking about it incorporating an idling problem. Mine idles like a dream, certainly doesn't hunt for rev stabilisation.

I don't know why but I have a feeling that it might be something less technical such as blocked injectors or fuel filter.

Think she is just throwing a wobbler coz I've just started using her for work again which means she gets covered in sand and cement everyday!!

C....

[SaffronC70]

Can't get less technical than sucking on a pipe - did you try ?

Chris

[Baj]

Mine does something similar but on 1/2 to 3/4 throttle. Its like hunting.
It will pull gently as normal then hard then gentle again.
It is intermittant and like you say, the idle is fine

[T5chris]

Latest update is that I changed fuel filter and spark plugs yesterday evening. Performance was significantly improved, however, when I opened it up for a run through the gears under hard acceleration I started to lose boost in 4th gear and within about 30 secs I got the EML on. Now its back to running like a granny chariot!!

Phoned Volvo today to see how much they wanted to chek it over, I nearly died when the guy on the phone said 160 quid for a computerised diagnostics check plus an extra 80 quid for a visual diagnosis after being plugged in. Only good thing is that they told me their computer showed that my ETM was replaced at the start of last year just before I bought her. Unfortunatley when I bought the car although the service book was present there were very few repair receipts so I don't know all of what has been done to her in the past.

I really need to find somewhere up here that isn't part of the local stealer's monopoly!!

Anyway, taking it over a mates tonight and we are gonna check all the turbo hoses etc just in case before I bite the bullet and put her into Volvo.

[T5chris]

Mine does something similar but on 1/2 to 3/4 throttle. Its like hunting.
It will pull gently as normal then hard then gentle again.
It is intermittant and like you say, the idle is fine

By the way Baj, let me know if you find anything out with yours as the symptoms are very similar.

Cheers
Chris...

[dreadly]

Latest update is that I changed fuel filter and spark plugs yesterday evening. Performance was significantly improved, however, when I opened it up for a run through the gears under hard acceleration I started to lose boost in 4th gear and within about 30 secs I got the EML on. Now its back to running like a granny chariot!!

Phoned Volvo today to see how much they wanted to chek it over, I nearly died when the guy on the phone said 160 quid for a computerised diagnostics check plus an extra 80 quid for a visual diagnosis after being plugged in. Only good thing is that they told me their computer showed that my ETM was replaced at the start of last year just before I bought her. Unfortunatley when I bought the car although the service book was present there were very few repair receipts so I don't know all of what has been done to her in the past.

I really need to find somewhere up here that isn't part of the local stealer's monopoly!!

Anyway, taking it over a mates tonight and we are gonna check all the turbo hoses etc just in case before I bite the bullet and put her into Volvo.

Sounds a lot like the turbo wastegate issue that was on the Volvo club website a while back...
Something to do with the wastegate arm pulling up over time, causes the gate to not shut properly.. Same symptoms.

[SaffronC70]

Sounds a lot like the turbo wastegate issue that was on the Volvo club website a while back...
Something to do with the wastegate arm pulling up over time, causes the gate to not shut properly.. Same symptoms.

yup, exactly what I said.

If you are confident with a spanner, wind out the actuator rod one turn and take the car out to see if it is better/smoother.

Chris

[dreadly]

yup, exactly what I said.

If you are confident with a spanner, wind out the actuator rod one turn and take the car out to see if it is better/smoother.

Chris

sounds like a plan :)

[T5chris]

yup, exactly what I said.

If you are confident with a spanner, wind out the actuator rod one turn and take the car out to see if it is better/smoother.

Chris

Chris,

Had a look at this possibility last night, guess you have to take the turbo heatshield off to do it as can feel (but not see) where I need to put the spanner, but it ain't accessible.

When I took her over my mates last night he seems to think she has a very slight mis-fire on tickover which I hadn't considered either. That puts an electrical fault back on the cards I guess.

Can of worms well and truly open!! I can feel and expensive trip to a car doctor coming on.

C...

[T5chris]

Well guys I finally got to the bottom of it after buying my own code reader. Turns out it was the front lambda sensor was duff and as a result was sending the fueling haywire!!!

One thing I will say though is that I think 213 quid for a lambda sensor is bloomin scandalous!!! Good old Volvo eh??

C.....

[Andrew]

EDIT: ah replied too soon.

[ragtop]

Hi
Had similar if not exact same prob with mine. Apparently Volvo's reckoned it was the turbo control valve module (I think that was it).
But it was changed, and a slight improvement was made, but nothing to what it was like when you have the car from new..