V70: Engine - Surprisingly underpowered

Ovlovppz · Apr 26th, 2019, 19:50

Took the caravan out today. The nivomats picked up the rear nicely and the car felt very stable.
I am generally pleased with it but it has surprised me with its lack of pulling power.
I have come from a 2004 1.9 Passat Highline estate.
It was remapped from 130 to 165 and pulled the caravan with no issue. Now, the V70 is apparently 163 but does not seem to compare to the Passat for its towing ability.

Is this normal or do I have an issue with the V70?

green van man · Apr 26th, 2019, 20:13

I would suggest you have an issue with the car or caravan. My previous 140 bhp P1 2.4 tdi V70 pulled my 1450kg caravan with no problems. My current 175 bhp polestarred 195 bhp P3 XC70 2.4 D5 pulls my 1650kg caravan like a train.

In truth the polestar upgrade made it a better tow car, bringing peak torque lower down the rev range so that pulling off became a doddle whereas before the upgrade there was noticable turbo lag.

Are you sure the caravan brakes are not binding or the wheel bearings dry? The old van I serviced myself and found if the van was stored with the brakes applied then they often would not free off properly for 20 or so miles, also if not turned the tyres would set a flat in themselves in storage that took 20 or 30 miles to flex out of themselves, never had a problem with tyre pressures and always ran 55 psi.
I changed wheel bearings every 2 years as I found they pitted in storage and cheap £16 bearings changed regularly were a better option than alco bearings at £56 which still pitted.

The new van being under warranty I have to have serviced by a registered agent, doesn't stop me checking for peace of mind.
I store the van with wheels chocked and brakes off but my storage is inside a barn not an open yard as most are.

Paul.

Ovlovppz · Apr 26th, 2019, 20:34

Thanks for replying Paul.
The caravans in good order. Brakes operating correctly and the wheels rotate freely.
The car does not seem as sprightly as the Passat even when solo. (It used to wheel spin in third gear)😉
The V70 runs well and has no problems.
I felt towing with it was more of a chore than a pleasure due to the lack of torque and needing to frequently change gear to climb the Lincolnshire hills.
I am considering a remap but on paper it shouldn't be necessary 🤔🤔

tommyweaves · Apr 26th, 2019, 21:55

Think you've got an issue with the car.

I'd suspect something like the MAF.

Ovlovppz · Apr 26th, 2019, 22:23

No issues show up on VIDA 🤔

green van man · Apr 27th, 2019, 08:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ovlovppz

No issues show up on VIDA 🤔

What's the history of the car, do you know? Short runs , lots of ticking over can cause the ERG system to foul the inlet tract, not enough to throw a fault code but enough to restrict airflow.
While an Italian tune up/ regen can clear the the muck from the exhaust side of the engine only physical cleaning can clear the inlet tract. Know my works van, a pto cherry picker has had to have the inlet manifold and erg valve replaced because it was blocked with muck despite always being run on branded fuel.

There are vids on here and u tube about doing the job and some of the pictures show an alarming amount of muck in the manifold. It is apparently a bit of a bugger to do mind, not done it myself yet but expect it will be needed at some point on all euro5 engines.

Paul.

Ovlovppz · Apr 27th, 2019, 09:47

I cleaned the egr and the intake manifold recently.
Got a lot of muck out of it but not huge amounts as it was not severe and the car has been used for mainly motorway driving.
I think I will have a look at it all when I get home but for now, it pulls the caravan but just not how I thought it would. Maybe my expectations are too high. 👍👍

Peter86 · Apr 27th, 2019, 13:03

Out of curiosity, why didn't you consider a D4/ D5 if your towing? More power is always better.
Another thing to consider is modern cars are more heavier due to safety items, bet your Volvo is well equipped.

Ovlovppz · Apr 27th, 2019, 14:39

I chose the 163 because it has the same HP and more or less weighs the same as what it replaced.
So I would have thought it would have been more or less equal. However, the V70 is a far better tow car regarding suspension and road holding. So the Volvo wins hands down. I just need a little more go from it 👍

tommyweaves · Apr 27th, 2019, 15:26

If you can find someone with the same engine, it's a very quick and simple job to swap the MAF. Within 10 minutes you'd know if that is your issue. Worth a try before looking at more painful scenarios.

Apr 26th, 2019, 19:50	#1
Ovlovppz Member Last Online: Dec 28th, 2023 18:54 Join Date: Sep 2018 Location: Lincoln	Surprisingly underpowered Took the caravan out today. The nivomats picked up the rear nicely and the car felt very stable. I am generally pleased with it but it has surprised me with its lack of pulling power. I have come from a 2004 1.9 Passat Highline estate. It was remapped from 130 to 165 and pulled the caravan with no issue. Now, the V70 is apparently 163 but does not seem to compare to the Passat for its towing ability. Is this normal or do I have an issue with the V70? __________________ 2009 Volvo V70 se sport r-design D5 240bhp 440nm

Apr 26th, 2019, 20:34	#3
Ovlovppz Member Last Online: Dec 28th, 2023 18:54 Join Date: Sep 2018 Location: Lincoln	Thanks for replying Paul. The caravans in good order. Brakes operating correctly and the wheels rotate freely. The car does not seem as sprightly as the Passat even when solo. (It used to wheel spin in third gear)😉 The V70 runs well and has no problems. I felt towing with it was more of a chore than a pleasure due to the lack of torque and needing to frequently change gear to climb the Lincolnshire hills. I am considering a remap but on paper it shouldn't be necessary 🤔🤔 __________________ 2009 Volvo V70 se sport r-design D5 240bhp 440nm

Apr 26th, 2019, 22:23	#5
Ovlovppz Member Last Online: Dec 28th, 2023 18:54 Join Date: Sep 2018 Location: Lincoln	No issues show up on VIDA 🤔 __________________ 2009 Volvo V70 se sport r-design D5 240bhp 440nm

Apr 27th, 2019, 09:47	#7
Ovlovppz Member Last Online: Dec 28th, 2023 18:54 Join Date: Sep 2018 Location: Lincoln	I cleaned the egr and the intake manifold recently. Got a lot of muck out of it but not huge amounts as it was not severe and the car has been used for mainly motorway driving. I think I will have a look at it all when I get home but for now, it pulls the caravan but just not how I thought it would. Maybe my expectations are too high. 👍👍 __________________ 2009 Volvo V70 se sport r-design D5 240bhp 440nm

Apr 27th, 2019, 13:03	#8
Peter86 Pete Last Online: Jul 4th, 2021 22:21 Join Date: May 2013 Location: North West	Out of curiosity, why didn't you consider a D4/ D5 if your towing? More power is always better. Another thing to consider is modern cars are more heavier due to safety items, bet your Volvo is well equipped. __________________ 2003 V70 D5 [163] SE - Sold at 188,000 miles. 2011 V70 D5 [215] Rdesign - currently owned.

Apr 26th, 2019, 20:13	#2
green van man Premier Member Last Online: Apr 11th, 2024 09:21 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Ffos y Ffin	I would suggest you have an issue with the car or caravan. My previous 140 bhp P1 2.4 tdi V70 pulled my 1450kg caravan with no problems. My current 175 bhp polestarred 195 bhp P3 XC70 2.4 D5 pulls my 1650kg caravan like a train. In truth the polestar upgrade made it a better tow car, bringing peak torque lower down the rev range so that pulling off became a doddle whereas before the upgrade there was noticable turbo lag. Are you sure the caravan brakes are not binding or the wheel bearings dry? The old van I serviced myself and found if the van was stored with the brakes applied then they often would not free off properly for 20 or so miles, also if not turned the tyres would set a flat in themselves in storage that took 20 or 30 miles to flex out of themselves, never had a problem with tyre pressures and always ran 55 psi. I changed wheel bearings every 2 years as I found they pitted in storage and cheap £16 bearings changed regularly were a better option than alco bearings at £56 which still pitted. The new van being under warranty I have to have serviced by a registered agent, doesn't stop me checking for peace of mind. I store the van with wheels chocked and brakes off but my storage is inside a barn not an open yard as most are. Paul.

Apr 26th, 2019, 21:55	#4
tommyweaves Premier Member Last Online: Apr 10th, 2024 19:55 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Sleaford	Think you've got an issue with the car. I'd suspect something like the MAF.

Apr 27th, 2019, 14:39	#9
Ovlovppz Member Last Online: Dec 28th, 2023 18:54 Join Date: Sep 2018 Location: Lincoln	I chose the 163 because it has the same HP and more or less weighs the same as what it replaced. So I would have thought it would have been more or less equal. However, the V70 is a far better tow car regarding suspension and road holding. So the Volvo wins hands down. I just need a little more go from it 👍 __________________ 2009 Volvo V70 se sport r-design D5 240bhp 440nm

Apr 27th, 2019, 15:26	#10
tommyweaves Premier Member Last Online: Apr 10th, 2024 19:55 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Sleaford	If you can find someone with the same engine, it's a very quick and simple job to swap the MAF. Within 10 minutes you'd know if that is your issue. Worth a try before looking at more painful scenarios.

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