850 TDi

[JOE 90]

:-) Hi everyone, I have just cracked my Volvo 'cherry' and purchased my first proper car!

It's a 1996 (N) 850 Tdi and i am well impressed with the car, full stop! But, as is the way when you buy second-hand, i have a few niggles that i would like to get sorted, and i am hoping that the wealth of knowledge out there - you guys ! - can help me out please.

1. The car starts and runs superbly, but once it has warmed fully up, after say 8 miles or so, i am experiencing an uneven idle at tick over and a slight 'lumpiness'while moving along. The idle occasionally surges up to 950 to 1000 r.p.m.and then settles down again.However, when given full throttle, it really shifts, but does blow out some black smoke. I know that the car had not been used for at least 3 months prior to me purchasing it.
Any thoughts please.

2.The rear wiper is not working at-all, but the washer jets (fuse 33?) are. I haven't removed the boot carpet lining yet...to check if 12V is getting thru'...thought i would ask first to see if this is a common problem.

3.The central locking is not working on the fuel filler flap. I looked in the owners manual, where it said what to do if this failed and didn't open - pull the hook type thing - and as far as i am aware, this hasn't been done. Again, any thoughts please.

4. The handbrake is not working on the driver's side. Am i right in saying that it looks like it doesn't work via the brake pads...but locks the actual disc from moving someway? Ironically, after washing the car, and leaving it standing overnight, the offside rear wheel has been locked up on setting off - handbrake stuck on!! - and then has freed itself off and proceeded to not work again!
Does anyone have some knowledge on this one please?

Sorry to lump so many queries on my first post, but if anyone has had similar problems on any or all of these issues i would be very greatful for your thoughts.

Many thanks all.

Joe

[Al115]

Hello Joe, welcome to the Forum!

I can offer some advice on point 4 - handbrake. I had problems with the handbrake on my V70 (which works on the same system as on your 850), in that it sometimes stuck, sometimes didn't work, etc. I ignored it and then the thing seized up for good at a really inconvenient time!

The handbrake has its own shoes that contact the inside of the rear brake discs. If I were you I would take a look at the shoes since mine had crumbled and were jamming the discs! Jack the car up, take a wheel off, unbolt the caliper, take the disc off, take a look at the shoes. A Haynes manual is well worth buying for this job alone!

Hope that helps.


Alastair

[sholtby]

1. I'd get the cambelt and waterpump changed asap. This in itself may cure the problem if the injection timming is not right. You need to buy 2 Haynes manuals! Obviously one for the 850 but you also want manual 3504 'Audi 100/A6' as it covers your engine describing how to set idle and fast idle speeds etc

2. Not sure as I have a saloon. But checking there is power to the motor would be a start.

3. Check power is getting to the solenoid.

4. Remove rear callipers and discs and see what condition the handbrake mechanism is in. Refer to Haynes manual.

Simon

[jaytee]

Re. '4' the linings have almost certainly come off the shoes and are flapping about inside the drums, sometimes jamming on and other times just sitting around! so that when you pull the handbrake on, nothing, or maybe only a bit of a shoe without lining makes contact!
New shoes and correct adjustment is the cure.

jim

[tj101c70]

Hi Joe

Hope some of below helps



>
>1. The car starts and runs superbly, but once it has warmed
>fully up, after say 8 miles or so, i am experiencing an uneven
>idle at tick over and a slight 'lumpiness'while moving along.
>The idle occasionally surges up to 950 to 1000 r.p.m.and then
>settles down again.However, when given full throttle, it
>really shifts, but does blow out some black smoke. I know that
>the car had not been used for at least 3 months prior to me
>purchasing it.
>Any thoughts please.

as above,,?? mileage??,,replace cam & pump belts, along with there tensions. so you can start at a base level(cam belt @ 80k, pump belt ever 40k)


>2.The rear wiper is not working at-all, but the washer jets
>(fuse 33?) are. I haven't removed the boot carpet lining
>yet...to check if 12V is getting thru'...thought i would ask
>first to see if this is a common problem.

Seen a few with the wiper spindle sized up, hopefully a bit of WD should sort

>3.The central locking is not working on the fuel filler flap.
>I looked in the owners manual, where it said what to do if
>this failed and didn't open - pull the hook type thing - and
>as far as i am aware, this hasn't been done. Again, any
>thoughts please.

If you take out the r/h rear load trim and side panel, you will find a wire rod connected to the filler flap, for emergency use. Sound like you need a new c/locking motor( £80 odd if I remember right)

>4. The handbrake is not working on the driver's side. Am i
>right in saying that it looks like it doesn't work via the
>brake pads...but locks the actual disc from moving someway?
>Ironically, after washing the car, and leaving it standing
>overnight, the offside rear wheel has been locked up on
>setting off - handbrake stuck on!! - and then has freed itself
>off and proceeded to not work again!
>Does anyone have some knowledge on this one please?

Again as above advise, a strip down, you will find the brake shoes inside the disc hub broken up, they do not seam to like being washed then the h/brake being jammed on, shoes weld themselves to the drum
have had one which cracked the disc aswell !!!

Regards TJ

TJ101 04 V70R AWD (Flash-Man)
05 XC90 D5SE(Ruby-Geartronic)

[warthog]

Hi Joe,

welcome to Volvo ownership.

On the locking fuel filler flap, mine started getting slower to unlock until one day that I needed fuel and it wouldn't open - of course I had a boot full so that was all unloaded on the garage forecourt!

I delved into the sidepanel at home and using the 'nothing ventured, nothing gained' motive took the locking motor apart, cleaned and re-greased. That was nearly 2 years ago and so far there have been no further problems. So it's worth a try before you shell out good money.

The rear wiper motor has had some posts regarding the spindle seizing and then burning the motor out. Water enters via the outer boot that hardens and leaks. I think there is an automatic overload cutout on the motor, so you may be in luck dismantling and cleaning the mechanism.

[JOE 90]

Thanks for the reply guys. Not sure if this just goes to TJ or to everyone...but thanks to all anyway!

The mileage on my Tdi is 95,000 and the belts were changed at the 80,000 service, before i owned the car. I have the volvo receipt....nasty at £832 !!

So assuming that they are ok...any other thoughts on the rumbly idle? I wondered whether it could just be down to lack of use and condensation/crap at the bottom of the tank being sucked thru' the injectors. The car had not been used for a good 3 months prior to purchase - guy had 3 cars, including a T5 - and when i bought it, it had next to no diesel in the tank.

As regards the wiper motor and fuel flap motors...how does one remove the back and side panels. I know that seems like a daft question, but i cannot see any screws or plastic screw covers anywhere? I guess that the hatch cover is held on by clips and can probably be prised off - busting clips no doubt - ? but i can see no way to remove the side panel where the fuel flap motor is. If someone can tell me how to get these off please, i'll follow out the suggestions as posted.

Many thanks for your help chaps.

[warthog]

Joe,

to get to the flap motor you have to remove a few bits of trim, but it's not that bad once you know where to start.

Working from the rear, fold the rear seats down. Take up the two floor panels that are over the spare wheel. Lift up and remove the two side floor panels - they just clip in.

Next remove the Torx screws that hold the rearmost floor trim strip in (8 or 10 screws I think) and remove the trim strip. The corner side trim (that you remove to get at the flap emergency catch) can also be removed.

Remove the cover over the rear speaker and undo the torx fastener inside that holds the upper side trim on. In the top of the side trim (just by the coat hook) there is also a torx screw. You don't have to remove the trim itself but just ease it out as the side trim slots under the top trim.

By the rear seat catch is a slotted vent in the top of the side trim. Remove this and take out one of the torx screws. The side trim can now be eased away from the side - it's clipped onto the bodywork. With a bit of juggling you can get the rear top corner out from behind the upper trim panel. It's a bit tight as you need to lift the bottom edge to get the bottom out, but you can't because of the top trim. It will come with a bit of care.

The flap motor is held by 2 torx screws - one behind the flap (may be 2 here, I can't remember) but there's also one inside the car.

Taking the flap motor apart is straightforward, there wern't any springs etc in the case to get lost, just a small motor and a lead screw.

Reassembly is the reverse of the above, however you may need to slacken off the other torx screw on the metal strip on the front of the side trim panel to get things to line up. Don't do as I did and was so intent on squeezing the rear of the side panel in that only when I had the whole lot back together did I notice that I'd trapped the front tie-down loop on the inside of the side panel and had to take the whole lot off again!! (I only noticed when I came to hitch the cargo net in right at the end)

Cheers

[Networkguy]

>The mileage on my Tdi is 95,000 and the belts were changed at
>the 80,000 service, before i owned the car. I have the volvo
>receipt....nasty at £832 !!

OH MY GOD

I remember having a cry when I had the 80k service on my S70 TDi and it came to almost £500 including a set of brake pads.

£832!!!

Please tell us all, what dealer this is (so we can avoid)?