Anyone ever try doing a conversion from the electronic throttle to a cable throttle system on the '99 S70s? I am familar with the cleaning and rebuilding of the ETS units, but really am more interested in doing a std cable conversion instead.

Specifically, I am wondering in anyone has examined the expected oscilloscope patterns from the ETS for the ECM to fool it into thinking it is still connected. Does the ECM get all the info it needs from the o2 sensor, or will the ME7 crap out without the throttle position info?

Thanks,
Vos

I think the conversion is really impractical. I had a 1998 T5 (cable) and wanted a wagon so bad I found a 1999 V70 T5. I wish I had the 1998 cable. It took me awhile to resolve the throttle body issues on the wagon...and in an unusual twist...the cleaning worked. But it was not really a dirty TB, it was a plugged hole in the manifold, called a "banjo" hole.

I suspect this conversion would involve a new computer and you would have wiring harness issues. The TB you have has no provision for a "cable"...it's electronic. So now you are replacing the TB, probably the computer,...and who knows what else. If it could be done correctly, I realy don't think the emissions are an issue. But complicating matters further...1999's have a cylinder head different than any other year (according to the fairly sophisiticated parts interchangeabilty software in a local wrecking yard).

Now that I've got the kinks worked out of the 199 I bought...all is fine with the drive by wire system. That doesn't mean I wouldn't prefer a 1998 system, but to pay big bucks for something that might not work right. No.

I cannot think of any way that this could be done. Not only will it fail an emissions test if it could be done there is no way that you could overcome the fact that ME-7 is looking for a throttle sensor input that is relative to what the E.T.M. is opening too. Also do not blame Volvo for all this as it is ALL emissions related and is required by the E.P.A. on all vehicles at some point in time.

Hmmm.... Oh well! I did not realize it was a federal mandate for electronic throttle systems to be implemented on all cars. Is it one of those "by year 20xx" policies where they have till 2010 or something to comply?

In Texas at least, we don't have emissions testing, yet, though I do hear that it will be implemented in the next few years. Good news for us Volvo-philes though is that no matter how much we tinker, I am willing to bet that our late model volvo's will still pass the requirements since the req's will have to be lax enough to allow all these ridiculous double wide rear axle pickup trucks around here to pass the rule (yeah, we have 1000's of those here in town, most of them city dwellers, so they can't even use the excuse they need them to tow!). I guess its a college student thing here in College Station Texas. But I digress:)

I am still convinced this can be done, with the idea to use a throttle position sensor of the legacy type and create a passthrough board to modify its output to the expected voltage input parameters for the ME7. Should not be too difficult, just measure the signal coming from the ETM to the ECM during a full range of throttle movement, make note of the signal amplitude and frequency range and just adjust the signal for a legacy TPS to output the same range. It should work...in theory:)

I live in the Austin area and emissions testing is going to begin here in Sept of 05.It is already in effect in the Houston,San Antonio,Dallas-Ft. Worth and El Paso regions. You can go to the D.P.S. website and there is a link to "Aircheck Texas" I believe it is and find out if it is also coming to your county.

Yikes! That is much sooner than I realized... I used to live in California years ago, and the emissions are what most folks had trouble with. Well, I guess we are finally joining the rest of the world! Thanks for the heads up.