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Hello all,
Can I just say first of all that this is an absloutley brilliant site. One of the best resources of information I have ever seen. THe 700-900 FAQ section is a godsend.
Anyway, this is probably going to be a fairly long post, so pleae feel free to skip to the next, but the story in itself is quite funny.
Anyway, about one & a half years ago, my father drove his old 940 TD Intercooler from Brussels over to the UK. He had bought this car new in 1992 when he was posted to India for his job. He's owned Volvos as far as I can remember. He returned to Brussels in 1996, but various factors meant that the car, although returning with him, stayed in a storage box until 1999 (three years). When he finally got it out of storage, he decided that he didn't want it (right-hand drive, so not really good for Europe), he drove it over to the UK and gave it to me (nice one dad!).
Unofortunately, as I was pretty broke at the time, I did not use it, so it sat outside my house, unregistered and uninsured for a month. Meanwhile I was making preparations to move house about 150 miles away. As I was going back and forth from the two places, the car got a police sticker on it saying that it appeared to be abandoned and would be removed within a week. I called them up to tell that I was moving house and would move it in couple of days. I returned to a two days later to move it and it was gone. But no-one knew where it was...the police hadn't taken it, or the council...my neighbour then informed me that early one morning, three men turned up, lifted the car onto a low-loader and drove off...he thought they were either contractors for the police or friends of mine coming to take the car so he didn't do anything.
Anyway the upshot was that the car was stolen in broad daylight, and was also uninsured due to my lack of funds (first job after university and a little kid to look after...). I called my father to tell him, he was none to pleased (understatement of the decade!). Although the police were helpful, they pretty muck told me that the car was gone...I gave up hope after a month or two.
Anyway, 10 months later and 150 miles away, the door-bell rang, I answered to see two policemen. Suppressing the urge to leg it out of the back door, I asked if I could help them. After asking me my name...they told me that my Volvo had been found...abandoned in a hotel car-park about forty miles away. I couldn't belive it! I rented a trailer and drove there the next day...got to the hotel in question...no car...asked reception and they confirmed that the car had been there for about a week, but when they went out to look, I was right...not there. Tearing my hair out by this point, I called the police, and they told me to come and see them at the local station...by the time I got there, the two (two!) duty police officers had left on a call! I called the central line, they told me to wait....half an hour later I left, cursing the police force in particular and anyone in general.
As I was driving home, I pulled into a pub car park to turn the 4x4 & trailer round when...there it was...my Volvo! Instantly recognisable from the Belgian export plates and dent from a (now totalled) autorickshaw in the side. I blocked it in with the 4x4 and started getting it onto the trailer. At this point, three men came out of the pub, one enquiring "What the f*&% do you think you're doing". I somehow didn't think that these guys were in the mood for a civilised discussion so I sent my friend who came along for the ride in to call the police again...things were gettign a bot heated when the police finally arrived. When they saw all the papers I had, they decided to let me take the car. One of the men did ask for my name and address so we could 'sort this out' but I declined (a wise move).
So here I am, the proud owner of a blue 1992 940 Turbo D. The car has very low mileage of 42000miles (after getting to India with his car, my father was given a company car, so hardly used it). Interestingly, the mileage covered over the period when it was stolen is only 17 miles, I know this because I pressed the trip meter, and knew the mileage figure before it was stolen. Also the car is covered in dents (India doesn;t have the safest roads around).
I am sure I will be asking this forum more than my fair share of questions over the coming months...but for now, the problem is this:
My car blows out a phenomenal amount smoke, especially when on hard boost. I know diesels are pretty smokey (my 4x4 is a non-turbo diesel), but this is a bit embarassing. I have changed the filter and oil (synthetic). The pipe coming from cover (crankcase breather?) has lots of oil/sludge roundthe entrance to the turbo intake, and I recently removed the intake to turbo pipe and there was a heck of a alot of oil/sludge in there as well. I haven't go round to looking at the turbo to intercooler pipe yet...
The round valve thing on top of the rocker cover is I assume the PCV valve...but it just lets flow through...
Also, the car is drinking oil like to tomorrow. Changed the oil and filter before I started driving it...two weeks later the oil light stayed lit up briefly on starting, I ignored it (the light is always doing this in my 4x4) kept a few more time over the next two weeks. I finally decided to check the oil level...i was off the bottom of the dipstick!! We all know how bad this can be for diesels. Any, I filled it up with about 2.5 to 3 litres of oil two weeks ago, checked the oil last night, and it was just on the botton of the stick again, well below the min mark. THis means that the car is going through about 1 litre every 200 miles! This can't be good (and is expensive as I've chosen a quite pricey oil).
Short of something requiring major rebuilding (rings, boring out...) anyone think of something that I may be able to do myself (i'm still broke...got a much better paid job, but another kid, arghh!!). I'm a pretty competent mechanic (for a banker...I can fix Vespas up pretty well, but they are alot smaller). I just want to get the smaller things out of the way before I get my wallet out and go to my dealer...
Finally, how do vacuum controls work. The heater/blower fan blows well (loud), but now air from the vents (or very little). My 4x4 has cable controls, so I am completely lost here. THere is a hissing sound from the controls when I chaged a setting, but bugger all happens.
Thanks for reading my 'little' essay. I promise I'll keep them shorter next time
(ps: my productivity has taken a bit hammering sice I signed up to the 'digest'!, better get back to work!)
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