having this similar problem, but I have looked at the pictures and cant seem to find where abouts my swirl arm etc is as it is not as obvious as it seems or are someengines different.Mine is on a 55 plate (05) 163 bhp model (xc90 auto).
To clarify my problemin more detail, its been doing it since I had the car and has been into an independent volvo garage (charlwood) who have said that there is a boost problem and that the front engine mount was the cause and this was changed, alright for a few days then started to come on again. The engine service light tends to come on when the weather is hot. The last time it came on was august last year then a few weeks ago after sitting in a traffic jam on a rather hot day the light came on lost a little power on pulling off the turbo seemed to cut in and then off we went. It will come on during motorway drive again when hot but no loss of any power etc and after a few minutes the light goes out. Just had a service and got them to check and now had the rear engine mount replaced and top engine mount as the rubber had split. A few miles next day very hot came on when stopped at traffic lights and once got going went out again. Garage has told me its a common problem and other things could cause it but obviously going to cost and if the weather is not hot then it may not happen, as was the case since last august.

not sure about your symptoms, but the swirl arm and throttle if you have it should be directly in front and below the oil cap after you remove the engine cover.

i am not sure if the 163 models have them, or whether they are only on the euro IV 185 bhp models....anyone else know?

Swirl throttle only fitted to Euro 4 spec. and includes 163 and 185 variants.

Change-over from Euro 3 to Euro 4 was in 2005, so possible you don’t have swirl Throttle. You would need to check you engine code to be sure, but if you don’t have a DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter) then it’s a Euro 3 and no Swirl Throttle.

Also I think (but happy to be corrected!) the Euro 4 163 BHP engine is designated 2.4 or 2.4D, if your car is designated D5 then it’s a EURO 3 (the D5 designation on EURO 4 is for 185 BHP models)

I had the same problem on my 2.4d, the ball kept coming away, just used a couple of cable ties to hold the ball to the arm, works well and hasnt come off since, the other end looks like someone has already modded it before me with a panel pin !!

I had this on the way home from work today, i noticed that i was off the gas but the car was getting faster!! When i depressed the clutch the car was at 1500 rpm.

I got home and had a look and the ball joint has popped out on the engine end but not broken (yet).


Edit: just had a look and got it to calibrate and the arm popped straight back off, one of the 4 tiny clips that retain the ball in the socket has broken off :(

Out comes the drill!

wait with that drill a moment, i think you buy the replacement arm for a few quid.

the reason i had to pin mine with a bolt, was because it broke the little ball off of the swirl throttle flap, hence nothing to clip onto.

The arm is ok its one of the four clips inside the socket on the engine bit which hold the ball in place which have busted off so it just pops straight out.


Its the same as these on the arm but in the flap/throttle bit on engine

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c2...zaw/th_arm.jpg

i think if you ask your local dealer they should be able to supply the arm. the main trouble occurs when the ball breaks off of the flap near the engine block.

might be worth investing in a "stop" so the arm does not extend to the extent of breaking it off again. i did one, which is shown on the pictures on page 3 of this thread.

I'll get down b&q to get some bits tomorrow.

Bloody volvo's its one thing after another!!!!

Cheers Stu

I've made myself a new connecting rod for my swirl thingy as mine kept popping out because of broken ball retaining clips instead of the usual broken ball syndrome..


I got some rc plane 3mm push rod, 6mm ball rod end and for the end which goes into the engine a smaller ball with a 2mm hole through it.

I managed to drill a 2mm hole through the part in the engine and in the broken socket i put a 6mm ball to fill the hole so the screw has some support in that area.

I then put a dog leg in the push rod to match the kick of the old plastic thing as best as i could.
Then i cut the rod and put a new thread on the end of it. Using a vernier i then measured the distance between centres of the old plastic ball and socket and adjusted my new rod to suit. A smear of araldite on the threads to hold nicely in place.

I'm waiting on some slighty longer 2mm screws because the 10mm long ones i have are slightly too short. I will post some pictures of it fitted tomorrow and with crossed fingers i hope it works.

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c2...h_CIMG1317.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c2...h_CIMG1318.jpg

I had removed the ball from the plastic rod because i was going to try something else first but then changed my mind..

Gary