could this be anything other than stuck vanes?

[djneils98]

my v70 D5 (163 euro 3) goes into limp mode under medium acceleration (holding at about 2600rpm)

But if I do the "floor it in 4th at 40mph" trick just once then I can't get the car to repeat the problem at all (no matter how I drive) until the engine has been allowed to completely cool down for a few hours.

The engine feels strong and smooth, has bags of performance and no smoke.

I've filled it up with shell nitro+ and tried to give it a bit of an italian turn-up. Considering trying some sort of additive - redex or some sort of in-tank turbo cleaner - are these kind of things just snake-oil or could the remains of something burned at 1000+ degrees really remove carbon deposits?

I'm thinking it's the start of the vane mechanism starting to stick (106k miles on the car)
Is there any point paying to get the fault code read at volvo? my usual mechanic read the code as low boost pressure.
Could my symptoms be caused by anything else given it is temporarily cured by the 40mph thing? (implying to me that an application of full vacuum is enough to free the mechanism until it cools down again)

thanks in advance for all thoughts suggestions

[Ndavis]

I had the same thing, and found that a combination of v- power fuel, a couple of shots of redex, a clean up of the turbo governor valve filter and a jolly good thrapping down some B roads cured it...

If it's bimbled around town for a week or so, it sticks again and brings the fault code in. The solution is just to 'exercise' the turbo regularly, I think...

[reesky]

Hi,

Check your hoses for leaks.

Check your intercooler for bowing at the bottom or leaks. If there are any, get a new one off eBay. Don't pay more than £80 for it. Unbrandedd ones are perfecly fine. You don't need a "Volvo" one (these are often Valeo units). 2 hours to fit - drop it in from above, angle it slightly as it goes in, job done. You can do it from below too, but need to drop the pack a bit to do this. Make sure you chekc for sensor hole.

Lastly - turbo - it could be this - but it's not the end of the world if so. I would get an old unit off eBay, stick a new cartridge in, job's a good 'un, these cartridges are usually balanced. Then 2 hours to fit it - need access from below, drop the old unit, after soaking your nuts overnight. You will need some gaskets (I have some for sale).

Even less likely is the turbo control valve. You can fashion a VW one (Piersburg) on in for 1/3 the price of the one for Volvos.

Even less likely is the vacuum pump controlling the turbo. You would know about this as your car would vibrate through lack of pneumatic damping.

Job done.

I did all of the above (with the exception of the turbo cartiridge as I won a fully recon one off eBay for £100)

[djneils98]

Originally Posted by reesky

Hi,

Lastly - turbo - it could be this - but it's not the end of the world if so. I would get an old unit off eBay, stick a new cartridge in, job's a good 'un, these cartridges are usually balanced. Then 2 hours to fit it - need access from below, drop the old unit, after soaking your nuts overnight. You will need some gaskets (I have some for sale).

thanks - i've had quotes of about 80 quid to clean the vane mechanism of the turbo. Do you think it could be anything else given how a quick blast of full throttle at 40 mph in 4th (resulting in full movement of the vanes) cures it completely until the engine cools completely?
What do you mean by a cartridge? is this the bit with the vane mechanism in?

[djneils98]

Originally Posted by Ndavis

I had the same thing, and found that a combination of v- power fuel, a couple of shots of redex, a clean up of the turbo governor valve filter and a jolly good thrapping down some B roads cured it...

If it's bimbled around town for a week or so, it sticks again and brings the fault code in. The solution is just to 'exercise' the turbo regularly, I think...

thanks - so you haven't had any ill effects from using redex? been using vpower and thrashing it as often as I can

tbh it's perfectly live-able with so i'm inclined to wait until it gets worse and save for a recon turbo in the mean-time.
the car's already cost me 400 quid for a fuel pump and 250 for seized calliper and resulting disc/pad replacement. only had the car 3 months

[reesky]

Originally Posted by djneils98

thanks - i've had quotes of about 80 quid to clean the vane mechanism of the turbo. Do you think it could be anything else given how a quick blast of full throttle at 40 mph in 4th (resulting in full movement of the vanes) cures it completely until the engine cools completely?
What do you mean by a cartridge? is this the bit with the vane mechanism in?

Yeah that's right about the cartridge

You only really need one if the bearings are shot, otherwise yeah it's a case of cleaning the VNT, no idea how they would do that but there are turbo cleaning solutions out there which can do this.

Note - nothing you put in your fuel will clean your turbo.

The theory behind the "italian tune up" is that it moves the actuator enough to get the VNT moving again.

[moorgate]

if you have someone who will unmount the turbo and scrub out the VNT, then let me know who it is - I'd pay £80 for someone else to do that for me!

[D5meister]

Take a look at the front grille for black oily mess - if all black and oily - IC blown.


If ok - when did u last get new fuel filter.

[djneils98]

Originally Posted by moorgate

if you have someone who will unmount the turbo and scrub out the VNT, then let me know who it is - I'd pay £80 for someone else to do that for me!

it was 80 just to clean once off

[djneils98]

Originally Posted by D5meister

Take a look at the front grille for black oily mess - if all black and oily - IC blown.


If ok - when did u last get new fuel filter.

thanks - had the filter done when I first got the car about 3 months ago at volvo main dealer. Then had in-tank fuel pump changed as that was broken.
Now car runs like a dream once I do the 40mph thing once so very live-able with currently. will check the intercooler but would imagine if it was anything else the 40mph trick wouldn't cure it