XC70: General Silk Purse or Sows Ear D5 130ps remap?

[Andrew Dodd]

Purchased new to me 55 plate XC70D5 lux 3mths ago - manual 62K lovely condition etc etc but after struggling with low power and poor MPG cf my previous XC70D5(185auto) I now find the engine is the lowest output possible- a D5244T2 130PS 96kw and fault codes inaccessible-?!
Have checked out an ECU re map- they can get an additional 26BHP out of it( so still only 156BHP?)- £250- I am worried re a potential mess up of the electrics linked to the fault code issue
The question -''can you make a silk purse out of a sows ear''??. Should I go for the re map- Is the alternative add on box on any better- any recommendations- .Should I put up or get rid ?
I am no techy so can you keep it simple please the car is great and ticks all the boxes for us as a family and ideally we want to keep it long term
Thanks
Andrew

[jeffreyt]

I'd say sell it,provided you don't lose much on the deal, and buy another model rather than remap..
That's based on my experience of the XC70 ( admittedly an early one 2000 reg
petrol,auto) which I have just sold and replaced with a manual V40.

IMHO the XC70 was not one of Volvo's good'uns,all manufacturers produce the occasional dog and this was Volvo's turn.Try comparing it to an Audi Allroader and you will see what I mean.

No doubt this will get shot down by the XC70 devotees but my XC70 was a dog from the lousy auto box,fragile electrics,ridiculous thirst,the list could
go on but you get the picture.

[SonyVaio]

Your being a 'V70 Cross Country' was it Jeffrey as opposed to an XC70??

Yes little more than a name change really but a change all the same. Point I'm making is they are all V70s underneath and the XC have then got higher suspension and AWD with a few plastic exterior chunky bits thrown on too.

The V70 is a great success for Volvo and the XC70 or V70 Cross Country is no different really. Perhaps you jus got a bad one?

To the OP, if the car is good and you like it then I'd go for the remap. No point in losing money in any sale only to then perhaps pick up a lemon? You mention 'add on box'?? An add on box would be known as a Tuning Box and these are not the prefered option, you'd be far better getting a proper remap which actually updates the ECU and not some box that fools the ECU by providing false readings/signals to get it to provide more fuel.

Have a search around and actually speak to a fe tuners to see what they reccomend for your car along with possible gains. I'd expect a little more than 26bhp gain from a remap (more 30 to 35).

Give Ben a call at Shark Performance and Don a call at Kalmar Union for advice and options.

[Unreal master tech]

Hi Andrew I could be wrong (I am only trying to help mind) but I am fairly certain that the xc 70 lowest engine output is 163 horse power this was known as the early engine with a black engine cover the later engine you had was silver topped 185 horsepower I am not aware of a d5244t engine producing anything less than 150 horsepower.it could be a foriegn market car of course but to my knowledge I think it might be worth while speaking to a Volvo garage or specialist who can confirm this as it could be a running fault causing low power output? Only trying to help mind if you have a reg I can confirm or even a chassis number would be able to identify engine etc

[SonyVaio]

Originally Posted by Unreal master tech

Hi Andrew I could be wrong (I am only trying to help mind) but I am fairly certain that the xc 70 lowest engine output is 163 horse power this was known as the early engine with a black engine cover the later engine you had was silver topped 185 horsepower I am not aware of a d5244t engine producing anything less than 150 horsepower.it could be a foriegn market car of course but to my knowledge I think it might be worth while speaking to a Volvo garage or specialist who can confirm this as it could be a running fault causing low power output? Only trying to help mind if you have a reg I can confirm or even a chassis number would be able to identify engine etc

Good call, I did think this too. I'd drop into a dealer to find out exactly what engine is under hood.

As said may well be an import.

[Andrew Dodd]

thanks to all- I have had police garage mechanic take a look and check it out wtih local dealers... it was they who said it was a 130 PS... based on engine number... no signs it was an import- all main dealer stamps in history.... sigh... will go for the re map- can't afford to do anything else.. we have local recommended guy from police mechanics - they seem to link nationally to a place in derby where they send the draw down from the ecu by internet- get it back re mapped.. and load up.. a national franchise?'' Optimum tune''- will let you know how I get on.. thanks once again-

[Clan]

The D5244T2 is 130 bhp but never imported into UK , that car must be an Import. Anyway it is the same engine mechanicaly as the D5244T 163 bhp . You would be better spending you money on a proper remap which would take it to at least 185 bhp if not more ...