Placebo cheap T5 'service'

[fenton_jd]

My T5 been feeling choked under acceleration ever since I changed the Fuel Pressure sensor months back. Having to put my foot far down just to feel the torque, so decided to give the mechanics a once over (without spending any money...)

Here's what I did:

- Cast aside undertray and front bumper
- Tightened up all turbo/intercooler hoses in, under and around the engine bay
- Replaced the weak looking hose clamp around the ETM pipe for a brand new thicker clamp. Tightened right up.
- Removed coilpacks and spark plugs.
- Re gapped the old sparkplugs to 0.8mm rather than 0.7mm (my logic being the bigger gap compensates for the general wear on sparkplug).

- Tightened all 5 sparkplugs finger tight and then a 1 quarter turn with socket wrench
- Tightened all 5 coilpack bolts finger tight and then a 1 quarter turn with socket wrench.

Results are a big wadge of torque has returned from the dead. Mid range the difference is alarming.The full 320nm torque is back and here to stay! I've had a dodgy Fuel Pressure Regulator since purchase so I've never experienced the full performance of this car yet. Damn this thing pulls.

5 days in, performance still license loosing. The midrange acceleration compared to the 2.0d is just ridiculous.

[kebab10]

Well done. I would imagine that your mpg has also improved as well. Should be interesting for some other T5 owners.

[benf]

Originally Posted by fenton_jd

My T5 been feeling choked under acceleration ever since I changed the Fuel Pressure sensor months back. Having to put my foot far down just to feel the torque, so decided to give the mechanics a once over (without spending any money...)

Here's what I did:

- Cast aside undertray and front bumper
- Tightened up all turbo/intercooler hoses in, under and around the engine bay
- Replaced the weak looking hose clamp around the ETM pipe for a brand new thicker clamp. Tightened right up.
- Removed coilpacks and spark plugs.
- Re gapped the old sparkplugs to 0.8mm rather than 0.7mm (my logic being the bigger gap compensates for the general wear on sparkplug).

- Tightened all 5 sparkplugs finger tight and then a 1 quarter turn with socket wrench
- Tightened all 5 coilpack bolts finger tight and then a 1 quarter turn with socket wrench.

Results are a big wadge of torque has returned from the dead. Mid range the difference is alarming.The full 320nm torque is back and here to stay! I've had a dodgy Fuel Pressure Regulator since purchase so I've never experienced the full performance of this car yet. Damn this thing pulls.

5 days in, performance still license loosing. The midrange acceleration compared to the 2.0d is just ridiculous.

thanks for sharing. What millage are you on ? FYI, on my classic S40 T4 removing the undertray actually reduced MPG and affected the cars road stickyness - e.g. ablity to put the power-down :P noticable diffrence when I got around to putting it back on. Wonder what you have done that has made the most diffrence ??

With my old car plugs where about 3/4 the way through the 'recommend' service interval - took them out and cleaned them good with carb cleaner ... 'holly feck' it made some much diffrence to mid-range pickup I nearly soiled myself lol - volvo turbo charged petrols seem to be king in the mid-range.

Looking forward to my next service @ 4 yrs - new spark plugs, air filter etc ... and oil is now nearly 13 months old. Thinking of just going to do it myself, with the old car did my own servicing for nearly 4 years and _never_ had one single problem with the car :P

[t5_monkey]

Thanks that's a helpful guide!

A sorted T5 really flies

Mine did 99.5 and 14.77 @ York on the old faulty FPS and tired MAF so can't wait to see what It can do next year.

[fenton_jd]

Originally Posted by benf

thanks for sharing. What millage are you on ? FYI, on my classic S40 T4 removing the undertray actually reduced MPG and affected the cars road stickyness - e.g. ablity to put the power-down :P noticable diffrence when I got around to putting it back on. Wonder what you have done that has made the most diffrence ??

With my old car plugs where about 3/4 the way through the 'recommend' service interval - took them out and cleaned them good with carb cleaner ... 'holly feck' it made some much diffrence to mid-range pickup I nearly soiled myself lol - volvo turbo charged petrols seem to be king in the mid-range.

Looking forward to my next service @ 4 yrs - new spark plugs, air filter etc ... and oil is now nearly 13 months old. Thinking of just going to do it myself, with the old car did my own servicing for nearly 4 years and _never_ had one single problem with the car :P

benf I put the uindertray back on as soon as I'd finished checking the turbo hoses underneath!

I think the spark plug gap made the biggest difference. I'd love to have a go in a T4. Though I might miss the 5 pot sound!

[SonyVaio]

Will have to get them plugs out and check and adjust the gap.

Nice to see those no cost checks have made a good difference.

[fenton_jd]

Seriously guys I cannot believe the difference here. It feels quicker now than it did 2 days ago!

[Kidderz]

Originally Posted by fenton_jd

Seriously guys I cannot believe the difference here. It feels quicker now than it did 2 days ago!

Cars vary in performance day to day, air temperature, atmospheric pressure, humidity etc can make a big difference, like night and day sometimes.

[Daim]

The idea with the sparkplugs isn't bad BUT wear doesn't mean to widen the gap between the electrodes. More so lower the gap, as the resistance between the electrodes will grow/raise and the sparks won't be as strong as they could be.

What plugs are you currently running? The original Volvo ones with 4/3 ground electrodes?

[fenton_jd]

Been over 2 weeks since I performed the original adjustments.

The torque is still perfect. The difference, STILL, is like night and day.

5th gear at 1200rpm (30mph) - even lightly pressing the throttle at this engine speed and the car just punches forward effortlessly even uphill, and with passengers.

If I tried to accelerate at this engine speed prior to my adjustments, there was simply no torque and I'd be forced to change down.

I was definitely onto a winner here!