Ok, I posted on here a few months ago about my girlfriend's 1996 965 having some steering issues. Whenever you turn the wheel left or right, this creaking / groaning sound comes from the front suspension somewhere.

This creaking / groaning has gone from only happening while steering, to happening whenever there's up and down movement of the front of the car. It's so bad that you can feel it in your feet when you hit a bump, as well as hearing it from outside the car.

Also, on top of that, I've got some questions about 960's sounding "a bit valve-ish." When I start the car and give it it's standard idle time of about 1 minute before driving, the car ticks a lot, obviously a valve sound. But this has only started happening recently, within the last 3000 miles or so.

Also, at idle after you turn on the car, if you don't touch the gas at all and leave it in drive, the car accelerates to 15-20 mph, and switches into 2nd gear.
This only happens when the engine is cold.

Another trouble is that the car never really warms up. If it's cold out, the temp needle sits around 1/4 the way up the gauge, if you're on the highway, it barely moves from the pin, and the heater stops pushing heat. You can sit parked in drive and let the car warm itself up, and it reaches approx 12:00 on the heat gauge, but never goes higher. I'm thinking: thermostat and / or thermostat gasket. Any other ideas? Coolant level is normal, no oil in coolant or vice versa.

It figures that both of our Volvo's would be having probs at the same time...

Ryan

Two comments:
1. For faster warmup, make sure the thermostat is new: they do fail and can stick open.
2. "A bit valve-ish?" This car has hydraulic lifters. One syndrome that has been seen is, during cold operation and short trips, contamination of exhaust valve stems from carbonized oil (see the new FAQ coming out this week). This can cause binding in the valve guides. Eventually the valves fail to retract, with massive damage to the head.
To avoid this, you might use some Techron fuel injector cleaner and Amsoil Engine Flush before the oil change, and then install Amsoil, Redline, Mobil 1, or Valvoline synthetic oil in 5-30 grade. Use this all the time and, once you have a thousand miles or so on synthetics and Techron, take the car out for an Italian Tuneup at high revs for a minute or so.

Curious ...do you think the carbonized oil is coming from the oil flowing through the turbo? I have noticed the same ticking in my 940T (195K).

Yesterday I stopped and put in 1/2 qt of Risilone (to bring oil to proper level). I was a bit cautious about trying anything new with my 'Red Flash' ...but it really seems to have more power, and I can tell that the sound from the valves is quieter.

Did I do good? Should I put the other half in at the next oil change?

Andrew in AL