Last night when I started our 850T it made a loud squeal for approximately 15 seconds. It initially sounded like a belt slipping then it went away. When I got home and turned the motor off I heard something that I thought was the turbo winding down. We've had the car for six years and I had never heard this before. Each time when I start the car it makes this squeal/racket for a few seconds then goes away. It sounds like the bearings in something have gone bad. But why would it go away after a few seconds. The winding down noise when I shut the motor off has not returned. The noise seems to be coming from the drivers side of the engine.

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Rick

replace your belts, or put some type of belt squeal oil on it.
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run it hard, run it fast

He's already said it's from the driver's side and not the side where the belts are...we suspect air pump and NOT belts.
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1998 S70 T5 Emarald Green Metallic, 2004 V70 2.5T Ruby Red, Previous Owner of Black '94 850 Turbo Wagon. My cars have been running so well lately they've got me worried.

I've had a similar sound for years, when starting stone cold on very cold days. It lasts about 5 sec. I suspect (in my case) it is the power steering pump, because its shaft is a little loose. I'm waiting for the sound to get worse, which it has not. You can test for power steering, a/c compressor, alternator, idler by taking off your serp belt and spinning or wiggling each rotating part. This isn't proof because the part may behave differently at working speed and under load, but it could point to the problem. Again in my case, I don't suspect timing belt, waterpump, or tensioner because I replaced/attended to these and the noise has not changed one bit.

Is your serp belt dry and in top condition? You might get a squeal for a little while after starting because the alternator is initially working hard to replace at a high rate the charge in the battery you used to start the engine. Once the battery is back to near normal charge the alternator drive would stop slipping.

The sound is definately coming from the drivers side of the motor. This should rule out the sepantine belt and all accessories. I went to the dealer yesterday to have them listen to it. Of course the noise would not fully return while I was there. It made a little noise but not much and it lasted for a very short time, like 1-2 sec. He told me it was more than likely the air pump. I'm driving the car now and noise seems to have went away. I'm waiting for it to cool down some more and maybe it will return. Here is a thread where someone experienced pretty much the same problem I seem to be having.

http://www.volvoforums.com/m_3175/printable.htm

It seems that the air pump is the only component on the drivers side of the motor that could cause this noise.

The only thing that could make noise on the driver's side is the air pump under the battery.
Try to have someone else start the car when it is cold, while your ears are stuck in the engine bay. Your serpentine belt may need replacement, or an idler pully may be shot.

Klaus
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(1975 164, 1995 854T, 1998 V70R)

The noise stopped completely a few weks ago. I received my air pump but have been waiting for time to install it. The check engine lite came on when the noise stopped. Maybe the air pump hard broke and now has tripped an error code. I tried retreiving the code but nothing comes up, not even the 1-1-1. I went ahead and pulled the battery and battery tray, there is no air pump under there. I've searched all over and cannot located an air pump that resembles the one I received. This thing is pretty big. I can find no reference to it in my Haynes manual. I've also rechecked the pictures at numerous car parts sites and it looks like I received the right "air pump", I just can't locate it. I read on a different site that the air pump is part of the emissions system, it recirc's warm air to the engine to help the car reach normal operating temp faster. I followed the entire intake system and could not locate anything besides the idle air control valve. Am I looking in the wrong place, or does my 95 turbo not have one?

Rick

Found out my car is not equipt with an air pump. This is good news but does not help me with my original problem. Sure wish I could have read that error code before pulling the battery. Maybe it will come back.

Thanks for the replies to the original posting.

Rick

Actually, the air pump pumps aditional air only when the engine is cold to help burn off any vapors that don't get consumed because of an over rich condition at start up.
You sound like you live in the USA, so the steering wheel is on the left hand side of the car. There is a small 1 inch hose from the air cleaner that goes down under the battery tray and connects to the air pump.

Klaus
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(V♂LV♂s 1975 164, 1995 854T, 1998 V70R)

+1 air pump

I had the same anoying problem. I was chasing the sound all over ( sound carried to different parts of the engine). I used a section of cut rubber hose and finally tracked it down to my idler pully. Just received the pully and plan on installing this weekend

Lee

I didn't think the 96 850 Turbo had an air pump, I thought they started getting put in 97 and newer NA and LPT cars. The HP Turbo cars don't have them, I thought.
I would look at your idler pulley and belt tensioner as was mentioned, even though it sounds like it's coming from the driver's side.
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Wallie