I read that as mainly short :

"The vehicle has had a life of [mainly] short not fast journeys."

Depends how you look at it but i do know of some funeral directors where the driver still crawls along at 4mph even when running light back to the "office".

When a genius writes words they are read in many ways. Modest Angel Emoticon.

I declare orf topic.... :D

Volvo hearse!
 

Now that's worth dying for!

So yesterday I sorted the dribbling rocker cover gasket and thought I’d have a quick look at why the windscreen washer didn't work.

First realisation, I could remove the rocker securing nuts by hand!! This would explain why so much oil was dribbling down the sides of the block then...

Rocker off. Interestingly the cam lobes look quite worn, I don’t know if you can zoom in and see from this picture, there are scratches and also discolouration to the lobes. Perhaps this explains the clicking/ticking noise.
https://i.imgur.com/YR5wdIgh.jpg

Cleaned.
https://i.imgur.com/K51NJwgh.jpg

With gasket.
https://i.imgur.com/QSF0pVQh.jpg

I gave the rocker cover itself a good clean too, as the mating surface here appeared pitted and dirty, after a scrub though I think it was paint overspray, which came off with a good scrub from a scouring pad. I did get in trouble for using the kitchen sink for this, but made sure I cleaned up after myself. If anything, the sink is now about the cleanest it's ever been!
https://i.imgur.com/wr1GHuzh.jpg

Clean.
https://i.imgur.com/0gW4LUjh.jpg

I gave the top of the cover a quick polish too, could do with a coat or two of paint to really smarten it up, but didn't have the time today. I also scrape doff all the oil off of the sides of the block, should make it easier to see if it leaks again.
https://i.imgur.com/AE3MJCIh.jpg

So, next I looked at the washer reservoir, which has both lids/caps missing. I've ordered these from online and cleaned the reservoir etc in the meantime.
https://i.imgur.com/6GhVJ6Gh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/0DDz9xHh.jpg

There is some very interesting wiring going on down here, the main reason that I had no screen washing action was due to dodgy wiring having come disconnected, so I’ve re-bodged it for now and will sort out more permanently at a later date. I also ordered the upgraded washer nozzles, as the second reason for no screen washing is totally binged up nozzles - even a bicycle tyre pump couldn't solve it!
https://i.imgur.com/M6BXIonh.jpg

Perhaps it's been bodged to try and fix the non-functioning headlight washer system?

Exhaust is now not arriving until Tuesday, so will hold fire there until tomorrow when I hope to dismantle the current system. I need to get the hearse extension piece off to get copied by a custom exhaust specialist just down the road from us. I'm hoping it isn't going to be too expensive!

That's the wrong washer pump Tom - i doubt it's got enough grunt to operate the headlamp washers in addition to the standard washers.

When you say the upgraded washer jets, which ones do you mean?

Also there is a non-return T-piece valve on yours, between the washer jets on the underside of the bonnet - just above the dizzy cap! perfect positioning because when this valve fails, it's designed to leak! Operate the washers and it squirts water all over the dizzy cap! :err: :nah:

These valves are about £4-5 and worth changing as a precaution - also if you get the correct washer pump, the OE plug will just plug straight into it.

Any idea where your low washer fluid sensor has gone?

*** EDIT ***

PS - the camshaft doesn't look that bad to me, usual wear marks but nothing to give a ticking noise, the ticking noise is more likely your exhaust.

These are the washer nozzles i've bought, I read one of your threads Dave where you mentioned that 850/V70/V40 all can be fitted to the 7/9 series cars.

Hmm, interesting! Nothing comes out of the headlamp wash system at all, I think it must all be disabled as the wiper arm spindles don't turn either - a problem for another day I think.

The T piece does indeed let water out, but seems to miss the dizzy cap with the bonnet open - not sure about when closed. I assumed this was designed to let the pressure out if the spray nozzles became blocked - as in this case.

I wasn't aware that there was a low fluid sensor. Where should this be? And could this explain the perpetually on '!' on the dash, or doies it have a seperate warning lamp? The handbrake warning light next to it goes out when the handbrake is released but almost never the '!'.

Hmmm, it doesn't actually say they're the mist type jets, hopefully they are as if they just give a single jet then it's not an upgrade.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Volvo-740...e/292670134756

That's the non-return T-piece valve, it will dribble all over the dizzy cap with the bonnet shut - don't forget it moves forwards as well as down when the bonnet is shut! It's designed to let water out when it fails - maybe your jets aren't blocked after all?

Looking at your earlier pics it seems the headlamp wash is indeed disconnected. The low fluid sensor/switch fits in the smaller of the two holes on the top, the large hole has a rubber skirt that also fits round the fill tube, the smaller one had a screw cap with a hole in the middle for the sensor.

https://www.volvopartswebstore.com/i...e/GR-67656.jpg

Gives you an idea!

As for your warning lamp, it's something to do with the braking system, possibly needs bleeding, low fluid level or something of that ilk. Does it have ABS at all?

The low washer fluid warning light is on the left of the row of warning lights at the bottom of the instruments. If memory serves it's to the right, next to the ABS warning light in this shot :

https://s19.postimg.cc/4a7c6pj6b/201...-24-44_492.jpg

It won't come on though as the switch/sensor is disconnected - it may show up on the bulb check function when you first switch the ignition on. ;) :D

Muxh exhaust bashing has occurred, more to follow tomorrow morning. I ache already and its definitely time for bed...

So yesterday was a reasonably productive day, first off, I had a look at the passenger’s door card - every time the passenger door was opened there was a risk of the door card being ripped off as the lower rear corner snagged on the door seal. I was pleasantly surprised on the quality of the door card and sensible way in which it's fixed to the door - way better than the crappy clips that other cars I’ve had use, which nearly always break on removal and the replacements never quite fit as well.

The lower plastic part (which is black on the passenger’s side interestingly, compared to blue on the drivers) that acts as the bin/pocket was only secured by two screws it turns out, and the door card itself was missing a couple of securing bits. It's my hope that this fixes the issue, and it's not the door being out of alignment.

Broken fixing points for lower plastic cover, some longer screws sorted this out.
https://i.imgur.com/ZLL3JPCh.jpg

All looks quite tidy in here; the door open light even works on this side!
https://i.imgur.com/dbRezNgh.jpg

Any ideas what this is for? It looks like the wires have been munched by a hungry window mechanism, I’m pretty sure all the electrical things work in the door, unless these are speaker wires? There are no speakers or head unit fitted.
https://i.imgur.com/ZoOL09bh.jpg

Next, I started the exhaust, I really haven't been looking forward to this but cracked on with it nevertheless. I wanted to put the ramps at the front, but our drive is slightly sloped and because the car has been lowered a little bit, the ramps didn't clear the front bumper, so rather than taking it off the ramps went under the rear wheels - had to get my husband to sit in the boot as one wheel kept spinning!
https://i.imgur.com/QvV1Xd0h.jpg

I started at the back, the rear silencer came off relatively easily and that's about where anything of any ease finished!

I next started undoing all the fixings/joining clamps etc only to find that only half of the nuts would come off, after much swearing and knuckle bashing I resorted using a spanner attached to the nut and a hammer to ease off the nuts that would move, those that wouldn’t sheared off after this treatment which made life a bit easier!

The middle section was interesting, the extension part that fits between the front and middle silencer was an absolute masterpiece of bodgery, there were two sheets of thin metal wrapped around the exhaust with three jubilee clips and a large amount of fire gum/exhaust paste holding it all together! It started like this.
https://i.imgur.com/AUpIxfbh.jpg

And finished like this. The metal was so thin, I just hot it with a hammer a couple of times to sever one half from the other.
https://i.imgur.com/N1KbJp8h.jpg

I couldn’t get the part that goes above the real axle off, so I bent the middle silencer pipes and pulled the whole section forward, giving it all a good wiggle, leaving me with these off the car. Hooray!
https://i.imgur.com/iM6VqjYh.jpg

It's difficult to see but there is going to be quite a lot of sweeping up to do, mud, exhaust paste, rust and bits of silencer innards are all over the drive!
https://i.imgur.com/qFDMNeQh.jpg

A little pile of scrap, noting the sheet metal used to try and seal the completely busted extension piece.
https://i.imgur.com/UO02FH0h.jpg

So that leaves the front silencer still attached to the car, which is this mornings job. The bolts are turning, but the nuts are turning too! So i'm cutting the bolts, one and a half down, and another one and a half to go - I want to preserve the downpipe junction, as I don;t plan on replacing the downpipe just now - it looks fine and I really don't fancy trying the downpipe to manifold bolts!

The new exhaust should be delivered to day too, I had a text to say it'll be between 10 and 11am, I leave for work at 10:30 so fingers crossed.

EDIT

Now all of the old exhaust is off the car, hooray!

Front silencer with the other part of the extension piece, note the knackered end!
https://i.imgur.com/UfU7lYDh.jpg

I literally just had to smack this a couple of times with a hammer and peel the last bit off with the clawed end to cut through. Very weak metal.
https://i.imgur.com/K8xJrbAh.jpg

Ready for the new exhaust!
https://i.imgur.com/1gPnrFjh.jpg

Hopefully putting the new exhaust on will be significantly easier than removing the old! I had an idea last night that instead of getting an extension piece made, I could just use the standard exhaust and have a side exit somehwere just before the rear wheel - mounting one of the silencers might be a bit tricky, but the tailpipe could be guided to exit at the side rather than back, especially if it's cut slightly at the end. When the new exhaust arrives, i'll offer it up to see if it's possible - if it is it'll certainly be cheaper than getting an extension custom made! Also, it'll look really cool, and seems to be legal as long as it exits behind the front axle :D

Tom.