D5 (D5244T to 2005) ECM6805 Cured?

[GSMGuy]

Originally Posted by R-P

I was going to threaten him with a visit where I would swap his turbo, vacuumlines/pump and other bits for mine if he still hadn't answered (been on holiday for a week).

But someone else already helped remind him.

@ Mike: we need information. So if you can spare the time, you would make (many) people happy with your solution. And if you want to build a business out of setting right what Volvo can't/won't solve, then I very much want to be your first customer

(If time does not permit you explaining/taking pics for a while, just drop a line that you haven't forgotten this thread )

Sorry guys, been burning the candle at both ends, and wanted to wait until I had time to do a proper post - But as there is so much interest....

History:

ECM6805 code and limp mode at regular intervals...

Tried:
New intercooler (old one WAS split - Slightly better, still going into limp on anything like brisk acceleration

So - Purchased a Mityvac and set about testing....

Applied 18" of vacuum directly to the turbo - Car went like sh1t off a shovel, but threw excess boost pressure error (can't remember code)

Tried pulling a vac straight into the vac system, ie remove vac pipe from vac pump and apply vac to it - Held vac, but leaked it away quite quickly - A little "jiggling" and I found that both of the little rubber "ends" on the vac hoses to and from the turbo control solenoid (on the engine block) had gone soft - Ordered replacements (less than £3 from Volvo) and fitted - System now holding vac without loss.. Attached Mityvac to vac pump.... VERY LITTLE vac with engine running at idle... Increasing to 12-15"hg @ approx 2500 rpm...

To prove the fault - I rigged up my Pela oil extractor INSIDE the car, with a small bore pipe going out, through passenger window, and under the bonnet, connected to the vac feed (ie pipe removed from vac pump and connected to new pipe)

Using a Draper boost pressure/fuel pump tester gauge, I pumped up the Pela to 18" of vac... Went for a drive..

Car was TRANSFORMED! LEAPS off the line, pulls like a train....

So - as a new vac pump is OVER £400!!! I got one from Preston Volvo Breakers - £30 cash... Fitted in 10 mins, and car has performed perfectly for the last 5000 mile - Not one single error or fault code, still pulls like a train and all of the hesitation from standstill has gone - I am regularly beating EVERYTHING away from the lights....

The way the turbo is controlled on the D5, means that if there is no vacuum, there is no boost.... My vac pump was outputting virtually nothing at idle, and then 10-12"hg from 2500rpm, explaining why I had decent performance from 3000 rpm on, but nothing from idle...

And before the sceptics start, saying "Oh but you will have had no servo assistance for your brakes" The D5 pump is TWO SEPERATE pumps completely, one low vol, high output fot the turbo, the other High vol low output for the servo....

HTH you all - I am now keeping the car, whereas I was on the pont of selling it - Also my ave mpg over the last 5k has gone from 24-25 around town to 28.7.... And I am "booting" it everywhere!!!

Mike