I said i'll be back!

[AndysR]

Mine is the same as yours was, I guess there's every chance it could be wrong but then my heater works ..

One point to check, the temperature sensor in the roof mounted interior light, mind was clogged with dirt as air is drawn across it via a vac pipe from the engine bay. Cleaning it through made a HUGE difference to how effective the heater operated ..

[Laird Scooby]

My heater worked as well but it just didn't work the way i've come to expect from a Volvo - not hot enough! It is now though!

Whether mine is now right or wrong i'm still not 100% sure other than it gives a much better output. As such i'm a happy bunny!

I will check the roof mounted sensor again, i checked it when i fitted a bulb in the lamp and it looked ok then.

[Laird Scooby]

Friday came and being pleased with my efforts on the heater and also having sorted the front suspension gremlins with no recurrence of symptoms, i thought i'd treat the beast to having the tracking done at ATS - not the best idea i've had this week! The tracking was still out afterwards but worse than that, they had caught the exhaust on the ramp and made the blow from the front really loud!

I had planned to get under and sort it all yesterday but it rained - biblically!

The weather was better today, not much but better so armed with my disc cutter and a few tools, i visited my mate to give me some help to remove the front box, cut the flanges off the front pipes and box and fit these :





I thought i had taken more than 2 pics but it seems not! ops: :shock:

These cured 99% of the blow from the flanges that were so corroded they didn't have a flat mating face between the pair of them! The other 1% i'll get rid of when i move the rest of the system forward again but more of that in a bit.

It turns out there was still a bad blow from one front pipe where the brackets that hold it to the gearbox are were welded on. The brackets are still holding miraculously but it's wrenched a hole in the front pipe, obviously where they clobbered the exhaust on the ramp because it wasn't down properly! :roll: :evil: I'd call them halfwits but that's overly generous!!!

Now a few Jubilee clips, GunGum and a dog-food tin will come to the rescue of the front pipe! I mentioned bringing the exhaust forward again - they had also broken one of the exhaust mounting rubbers and shifted and broken the exhaust strap round the middle box. New strap and rubbers ordered from fleabay, should land later this week giving me a few days to get the Jubilee clips, GunGum etc.

On a lighter note (or should that be a straighter note ) i tweaked the tracking a bit - half a turn in on the left, half a turn out on the right and it's pretty much spot on now - still a mite twitchy over bad surfaces but a whole lot better than it was.

Just got to wait for these last few bits to land, sort the exhaust finally and then i can do that other ATF part-change, check the CO level and get it in for MoT, with luck it should go straight through, it hasn't been for the want of trying!

[AndysR]

Nice work, mine won't be as simple as I discovered the centre box has a crack in it around the weld for the o/s downpipe, essentially I'll need a downpipe and centre box... think I'm going custom pipe for those

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by AndysR

Nice work, mine won't be as simple as I discovered the centre box has a crack in it around the weld for the o/s downpipe, essentially I'll need a downpipe and centre box... think I'm going custom pipe for those

The front boxes are still available from most places, the middle and rear boxes, over axle pipe etc all seem to be shared with the rest of the 7/9xx range so looks like they'll be available for quite a while yet.

It's just that front pipe and front box that is the pain in the butt for us! I do have a bit of an idea brewing about changing the front box for a "Y" piece with some sort of resonator box, i've seen the flanges on ebay for the back end of the front box (the ones that have the bevelled ring gasket in between) so reckon i can put a universal box, rear flange and front "Y" piece together to work nicely. Also looking at universal stainless silencers to replace the middle and rear boxes but that's more long term - a kind of self-build-custom stainless system if you like. Various O/A pipes are available as well so it should be possible - just!

[AndysR]

Sounds adventurous.. I'm not so hands on. I do like the idea of opting for a y piece in place of the front box with a stainless rear box and a stainless tailpipe that is the same style as the original S style tailpipe, I think that would look smart

[Laird Scooby]

A lot of the aftermarket boxes are sold in terms of measurements, length x diameter and pipe sizes. I might go daft and just buy a stainless middle box that matches the dimensions and fit it in with the existing pipes and clamps, assuming they are separate on mine - something i've not looked at as i didn't plan on replacing it just yet.

That said, while i was trawling fleabay recently i found this :

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1819793599...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

The same seller has several other designs including twin square tail pipes, single straight etc but i haven't spotted one with a stainless "S" pipe like the OE back box.
I quite like the look of that one, also the twin square pipes. The other option is measure the back box and find a stainless aftermarket size for size replacement, fit the mild steel pipe on as a temporary measure then buy a length of stainless pipe and have it bent to shape - or leave it straight and have it cut to length.

[rwdkev]

Need any rare parts..........?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VOLVO-760-...gAAOSw5cNYLzK-

[Laird Scooby]

Thanks Kev - i've already seen that and did in fact buy the pair of 740/760 mirrors he had for sale seeing as some kind, considerate cretin took my drivers door mirror out the other day!
The plan is to use the mirror motor and glass from the ones i bought to rebuild the mirror on the car - eventually i'll remove and refurbish both mirrors properly and i have a vague idea about replica chrome plating the backshells of the mirror housings - time will tell on that one!

In other news, the exhaust rubber mounts and straps landed and the Jubille clips, Gun-Gum and dog food tin were judiciously applied as well as moving the system forward about 1.5" to help the sleeve joints seal and repositon it after it was dragged backwards by the ramp incident.

It then became apparent there's a blow from the left hand exhaust manifold and/or the connection with the left hand front pipe. Found a missing nut from the manifold where it bolts onto the head, ordered some stainless flange nuts only to find that i must have slipped on the drop-down menu while ordering as what has arrived is too small! Also needs the heat shield/hot-spot/heat riser removed from the manifold before this one nut can be fitted! Half expecting to find other nuts missing now!

However most tasks have ground to a halt, for a few days at least. Being diabetic i get ulcers that don't heal easily, mainly on my hoofs and recently have had some that unbeknown to me have become infected.
I'm now on strict doctors orders to have my feet up, minimum of walking about except for the errrr......... "essentials" and have been given an "under the counter" appointment and told any problems to phone and be persistent. Unprecedented treatment so it makes me wonder what's special about the infection!?!?!?!

All good fun!

[Paul240480]

Fingers crossed , hoping you'll be back to 'normal' soonest M'Laird