New Volvo Owner - Restoring power

[jabbles21]

Good morning, after a bit of advice RE getting full potential from the engine.

I've just bought my first Volvo, a 1996 850 T5 with 123,000 miles and FSH, 85% of which is from Volvo and the rest from an independent garage.

Although it isn't strictly 'tuning', but will a decent service (spark plugs, fuel, oil, and air filters, and an oil flush) help the engine in terms of power at all? Last service was around 15,000 miles ago so it is overdue. I will be doing the service either way, just wondering if it will improve performance?

Also, the lambda light is on, and from what i've read that sounds like it could be a problem with the MAF sensor or a boost leak? I'm guessing either of those things will reduce power? If it isn't one of those things what are the other potential causes?

Other than servicing and sorting the lambda light, is there any other basic measures I can take to get the power closer to the original 225.

It feels fairly quick to me as it is but I can't help but feel I could improve it with a bit of basic maintenance.

Any other advice in terms of precautions to take to maximise reliability are most appreciated!

Thanks, Jake.

EDIT: Also, the boost gauge only ever gets to about 1/2 way or 2/3 of the way through the white, which is from about 3k revs upwards. Is this normal? And if so, what kind of boost is it using there on the standard 15T turbo?

[danny-R]

I'd start with a stage 0 (do a search on here) plugs leads etc. As for the lambda light, it could be anything. I'd check all of your vacuum hoses first. When I got my first T5R I had the same light on for ages and couldn't figure out why, it turned out there was a little rubber elbow had fell off the inlet manifold. May be worth a try, take a look at the left hand side of the inlet near power steering pump there should be a little nipple with a rubber elbow.
Good luck and welcome btw

[jabbles21]

Thanks for that mate, I'll have a search for that now.

And very valuable information about the Lambda! Haven't had a proper chance to have a look yet but when reading up on the Volvos before buying one I did read some of the hoses and piping is prone to failure, so yeah I'll have a look at that now!

I'm guessing it isn't a serious problem as it runs and idles fine and the light isn't flashing..?

I will get some decent pics over the weekend, got essays in at uni all this week so no time to tinker just yet haha. (And yep, I am a bit young to be driving a Volvo estate)

[danny-R]

Never too young, to drive a volvo I was 19/20 when I got my first T5R. Where are you located? Once you have your lambda issue sorted I'd keep your eyes peeled for a mapped ecu or take advantage of hlm's £150 deal, but be warned once you start you can't stop

[Rudeyboy18]

Yes the 3k onwards in when full boost comes on. Its that way to protect the rods in the engine from bending .

With regards to the warning light... i would say probably a boost leak. I would change all the VAC and EVAP lines in and around the engine bay to silcone. 4metres of 3mm and 3meters 6mm should do it no probs. Nice quick easy , cheap fix. I had my car Mapped with a boost leak and i was dissapointed with result.... i was only getting 8-9psi after being mapped. Changed the vac lines etc and it jumped up to 12-14 psi. Now ive popped a decent manual boost controller and am holding 18psi :-) Also using a cheap copy MAF is not a good idea ( based on reading many threads ) so either get a new genuine, or 2nd hand genuine or clean yours with some electrical cleaner.

Another thing to consider is replacing the PCV ( positive crank ventelation ) i think its called. Its along job to do ... 3hours, but simple enough with some decent tool. Inlet manifold off, fuel rails etc.

Ive been apart of the volvo gang since April 2012 and since then i have carried out quite a few jobs myself and invested in some decent tools etc. Good start was to get a Volvo haynes. The guys on here are legends too, lots of knowlegde. Once you start getting invloved in threads reponses to your questions will come flooding in. What might be a good thing to do is post a thread on "introduce your self. " that way people see your new to the forum.

Good luck with the quest of renewing your T5

[jabbles21]

Thanks for all the helpful info chaps. Truly appreciated.

Thanks mate haha, yeah i'm 19 ... only ever driven Volkswagens so I thought it was time to change as I've always liked Volvo and their engineering. So far i'm pleased!

Thanks for the info on the lambda warning light, I will have a look but to be honest I don't have a clue what i'm looking for.. I can spot a split hose but I wouldn't be able to tell you what most of them do haha. But yeah i'll have a look, once I get a bit more money coming in over summer I'll look to sort the hoses.

RE the PCV yeah i know that needs replacing at some point too, little bit of smoke coming out of the dipstick when I viewed it so i'll bear that in mind.

I'm based in Cheltenham (Uni) and Taunton (home) so if anyone fancies lending me a helping hand to carry out any of the above or at least to get me started, there could be some beer tokens in it for you.

Cheers, Jake.

[jabbles21]

Oh, and with the remaps .. that is the target haha just thought I should make the car is capable of taking another 25% of its power again. When all the servicing and warning lights are done it's time for breathing upgrades and remap!

[danny-R]

Take a look at this (you may have to sign up) the 12th pic down is the little elbow I speak of. Right PITA to get at but you will be able to get your hand in to check to see if it's attached.
http://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showthread.php?t=46946

[Rudeyboy18]

The hoses/vac lines are only about £20 for all that deliivered ebay . I would just changed them anyway. But a bad pipe will feel wrong.... degraded, grainy and weak.

[jabbles21]

Thanks for that danny! Signed up there yesterday. I'll have a look next time I get change, should I be able to hear if there's a boost leak? or any other way of finding one?

If not i'll just get some hoses ordered!

[danny-R]

Doubt you'd be able to hear a leak over the noise of the engine, it look me probably a month of head scratching before I found it lol, I have just posted this link on the torque app thread, fault code flasher http://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showthread.php?t=83897
really is simple, there's a few videos on youtube if you get stuck

[jabbles21]

Ah okay. Just had a sneaky look then, couldn't really see to the one you mentioned.

But there's two rubber hoses going into the filtered air just after the airbox, one with blue tape and one with yellow tape on the ends. The blue one wasn't attached. Any Idea what that is?

Secondly, to the very front left hand corner of the bay there are two hoses that look to come out of something that looks like a mini oil-catch tank thing... Guessing they just let air out into the atmosphere so they are fine as they are?

Cheers.

[danny-R]

This any good? the little red dot is where the nipple is, which should have a little rubber elbow attached

[timbo_1975]

As others have said, go over all the vac lines, and connections. Get the whole kit for ~£20, strip them all off one at a time and refit. Especially the PCV connection behind the PAS pump as in the picture. Check / replace all those that go to the boost control valve too.

Replace the BOV diaphram, and check carefully all the boost hoses. You may have a split under one of the jubilee clips. Just age related.

Definately do a full stage 0 service and if you can pull off the manifold and do the PCV. Clean the throttle body whilst you are in there and replace the o ring on the vacuum tree. You may find it's one of the more rigid PCV hoses thats split under the manifold.

There is a vacuum leak somewhere and 10-1 that is why the lambda light is on. A code read would help steer you in the right direction.

After that check the boost pressure, re-adjusting the actuator which surely will have gone alittle soft to restore factory boost pressure.