Norm et al,

The only issue I have with FCP is that the hose did not fit and caused me a major extra hassle. Removing the emotional component of this situation reveals the root cause of the deficiency in engineering/manufacturing of the part. I am not going to get on a soap box and make a scene by slagging FCP, it was just this one single hose configuration that needs to be addressed through their engineers to the manufacturing floor.

The dimensions are off enough to prevent a proper and this should be addressed by FCP to their vendor and have it either corrected or maybe have them pull the product from the shelves. One guy on here suggested that I replace my motor mounts to make the hose fit. I just spent the last 3 weeks doing some moderate surgery on my 740 and I'll be damned if I am going to roll around on the frozen tundra up here to replace motor mounts so a hose will fit, it should have been a 15 minute job. The old one fit just fine without changing the motor mounts, so why would this one not fit ?

As a side note, I am seriously considering making a go at opening my own Northern European car parts wholesale and retail service up here in the Upper Valley (Connecticut River Valley) I am between Concord, NH and White River Junction, Vermont - try to get a foreign car part around here ! Good luck.

Go to a auto car parts store around here and ask for anything that doesn't Massey- Ferguson, Ford, International Harvester, Subaru or GMC (Got a Mechanic Comin"), they furl their brows and label you a communist . It's kind of entertaining actually. I get a kick out of it persoanlly. It doesn't do much for me when I need to get parts for a Volvo, Bimmer, VW, Saab or other Northern European auto.

So, if anyone here from FCP is listening, maybe you could take the time to address the deficient engineering and manufacturing processes with the contact person who has Engineering responsibilty for this product at MTC and have them correct it. In the meantime, I have to go out to Hayseed Auto parts and get a few mor clamps and hardware to make this a semi permanent fix for the Volvo.

BTW, the car runs almost perfect with a hose installed that isn't collapsing under vacuum. It actually goes like hell now.
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Rich George