Long Term Future

**Wobbly Dave** · Sunday 29th May 2005, 00:20

I find it easy to advise and help on other peeps T5s. I love my 850R and have spent many happy hours tinkering and cleaning, which is why I find it hard to get to grips with the best way to go.

I did a compression test on her today and was a bit disappointed with the results

Designating cylinders 1 - 5 (offside to nearside) i.e. cambelt end is No1

http://www.bigredvolvos.co.uk/compression.htm

I repeated each one 3 times. Average no of cranks on the starter was about 10. I was using a Gunsen High Pressure compression gauge - you have to screw it into the spark plug holes. Each test was done with WOT with all the plugs out. She has done 156K miles.

I have low compression. 145psi is about 10 bar. Haynes says it should be between 11 - 13 bar.

The car still goes like stink. There have been one or two occasions when startup has not been the regimented 2.5 secs on the key - always the same- never fails to start etc.

My question is
Should I look to re-install the 15G and let her go ASAP and find something younger?
New/second hand engine?
Head off/ recon?
Thoughts?

The car aint bust as such. But it doesnt look good. Or maybe I am over reacting?

Andrew · Sunday 29th May 2005, 00:35

My advice is to keep her for as long as you like - don't spend any more money on her and get a S60R when £££ permits.

**siamblue** · Sunday 29th May 2005, 01:12

Hi Dave, Only you can decide what is best, You own a very rare top spec and top end power wise road car, I think IMHO you should source a knackered or worn engine and rebuild it in your own time, Whilst continuing to run the R, Then in about 6-12 months time you can refit your uprated engine into the R,Then if you so wish rebuild the original lump,
I was bricking it yesterday when i did my compression test as i was worried about what might show up, But it shocked me to see the numbers i had with a car with so many miles on her,
Did you do the oil test on her ? That will tell you whether it is ring wear or not,

I think your car has many more years matrimony with you Dave...

Gary.

**Wobbly Dave** · Sunday 29th May 2005, 01:17

Sorry - Here I am being all knowledgeable - what "Oil Test"?

**siamblue** · Sunday 29th May 2005, 01:42

The oil test is when you put a teaspoonful of oil in the bore you are Testing this will seal the rings and will give a more higher reading, Than without the oil in the bore. This will prove whether your rings or bore wear is at fault if it improves the reading,
No improvement suggests leaking or burnt valves or worst scenario head gasket.

Gary.

**After_Shock** · Sunday 29th May 2005, 15:55

Dave keep it, no point in spending the money you have then selling.

Use her for a while but keep a close eye on things to make sure nothing gets any worse, if things start to go downhill a bit get the parts that need re-conditioning done and get the head fully ported and polished whilst its in bits

**sholtby** · Sunday 29th May 2005, 19:09

Was the engine hot as it should be when you did the test?
The pressure you recorded seems OK for a low compression turbo engine as fitted to our cars. The time to worry is usually when pressures vary between cylinders and the engine burns oil.

Simon

**andi t5** · Sunday 29th May 2005, 20:50

your over reacting, the cars done over 150k for gods sake, ,if its going well and not using oil why worry those figure sound fine, find something more important to lose sleep over

**vt5** · Sunday 29th May 2005, 22:34

David David David, I agree with the last guy, i think you worry too much.

Ive been here before myself, you have a great car, you keep it tip top, you find something that worries you and decide to cut your losses fearing the worst, all you manage to do is jump ship lose money and end up thinking why did i sell it i must have been mad, it was a great car.

Wake up and smell the alcantara and leather, a slight loss in compression in a car with over 100K mileage is normal and with your car being maintained the way it has been i bet it runs a higher compression that one with 100K that has not been regularily maintained. We all think however lower mileage = better condition = better car. Often it isnt the case.....Put it in persective, your car is not new, it has done a few miles and so deserves a bit of "give".

I took mine to VT last week, i asked Hamish to try and diagnose a noise i have between 1.5 and 2K revs, you can only just hear it and im not really bothered just want to know what it was...."Its somewhere in your drive train but dont worry about it, its something of nothing and your car has done 124K miles for godsake, its still smooth, fast and drives well"

"Fair enough" was my reply.

If however after a few more thousand miles yours got alot worse and dropped well below normal for mileage, you get your piston rings done and a rebore if necessary......not too bad.

**mulletboy2** · Sunday 29th May 2005, 22:37

Dave - I'm around tomorrow if you want to repeat the tests on Nookie mate.

**siamblue** · Monday 30th May 2005, 00:37

I think Dave is having a midlife crisis he's come to the end where he cannot do much more to his beloved,Only joking Dave,If you want to spend more money get some HIDs.
Keep her mate, There's a pile of crap out there if you want to part with a bloody good car that people would kill for.

**Wobbly Dave** · Monday 30th May 2005, 09:03

Possibly, I am wobbling a bit too much again.

Having run against the likes of Matt30462 and Andrew yesterday - there is clearly nowt wrong with her.

I should like to get another head and start work bringing it up to spec. Something to do as a long term project.

I would be interested in comparing the compression with Nookie - she has 30k more than mine and I wanna see what her figures are.

I am just planning ahead. I don't really want another car.

**After_Shock** · Monday 30th May 2005, 11:37

Dave good choice! The C70 I had used a little bit of oil aswell, not quite as much but not far off and I got the trademark puff of blue smoke on start up aswell.

The head would be an interesting next step, along with porting and polishing the exhaust manifold.

**GATHY** · Monday 30th May 2005, 19:36

if it aint broke dont fix it.
check to see if your discs are worn if you want something else to do
your just finding work for yourself dave.
how many older cars are out there with level compression ? not many.

sorry no it does sound like its on its way out.cut your losses ill give you £2000 for it.(£2000 nice deposit for a new car). lol

**mulletboy2** · Monday 30th May 2005, 21:08

Well, I saw Dave today and he's definitely not having a wobbly moment (assuming I have the correct definition of "wobbly"

). Ignoring the compression test results altogether, the car simply wasn't boosting as well as she was last weekend. The boost backed off quite quickly from 1.3 bar in 4th. He suspects a bad batch of fuel, which isn't unheard of, and I'd tend to agree.

Nookie's compression is worse than his, but even then, she still runs like a dream

**Wobbly Dave** · Monday 30th May 2005, 23:37

It gave me good heart today having seen the compression results on Nookie (Mulletboy's 850) and it is not all doom and gloom. Oddest thing - yesterday on the run to E. Anglia she was possessed. Today it was a different story

Gathy - thanks but no. This thread is not about selling my car - this month, next month even. I am just putting my thoughts out there, about upcoming projects. I will probably get a 2nd hand head and look to recondition it over the next 6 months.

**lance** · Monday 30th May 2005, 23:51

Im sure she will be sweet mate for another 50k + before you really need to worry about a rebuild!

**siamblue** · Tuesday 31st May 2005, 15:19

Dave if the head is coming off why not do the bottom end too?
Then you can uprate the rods and get more power with another map as you have all the fancy bits on her now,
I know it will be expensive but what a engine it would be,Especially if you intend to keep her for another 5years or so.

Just MHO.

Gary.

**Wobbly Dave** · Tuesday 31st May 2005, 17:26

My long term plan is to buy a 2nd hand engine in reasonable nick from Salvo or the like and start tinkering. I have to keep mine on the road. Then when the newly firbed engine is ready - I can look to get some help to drop it in.