Hey all, I just registered on here and am having a problem with the C70. Its an 02, 2.3hpt, Automatic, 88k miles. This post is long, but i wanted to make sure all my symptoms are on here so as to get the best response!

(Software has been upgraded, throttle was NOT changed, MAF meter is a new VOLVO piece from the dealer, and has Volvo plugs in it)

When you first start it for the day, it feels almost as if its choked. Slow to rev, fast to drop rpms at an idle too if you rev it. And when it falls back to idle from a rev, it has an audible thump, or low toned 'boof' kinda sound from the engine, not a mount or anything, its actually a sound the engine is making right before it goes back to idle. Taking off from a dead stop you can get 0-25mph or so in about 15 seconds, feels like its towing something. NO POWER, until it warms up a bit, then you can definitely feel the power is there. Still from a dead stop it doesnt have much power. After it warms up and has been driven a bit, it has power, and takeoffs are a lot better, just not where they should be. While driving warmed up under 2k rpm the engine has a semi-fast surge to it, almost like driving a car with a big cam lol! Full throttle pulls are ok, but not where a 5cyl turbo volvo should be...it was much worse before taking it to the dealer!!! Before any fixes, at high rpm revs, the intercooler hoses would cavitate, they dont cavitate so much now, and have clamps in the middle of the rubber to stabilize the hose more lol!

Took it to the Volvo dealer in Cincy the other day, and the 155 hadnt been done, so they ran all the codes and put the new software in it. Before that it threw a MAF code, the ETM code, and had a misfire code as well.... 217 dollars later I changed the MAF meter, put the good VOLVO plugs in it, and the software had been changed. Runs better and smoother now after warmed up.

After driving the car a while and parking it, you can start it and sometimes the fan kicks on within 10 seconds of starting??? Transmission does seem like it gets confused sometimes...but not to the point it is slipping or slamming into gear...it has power after warming up, but still not as powerful as it should be! When the weather is nice and cool like at nighttime, the car runs GREAT, pulls nicely while driving, not a monster, but nicely, but when its hot or even warm and kind of muggy, its gutless...

Anybody got any ideas of things to check??? Can the coolant temp sensor contribute to the low power while cold or hot? The fan does kick on sometimes when the motor isnt even warmed up...but the gauge is good at all times. And the power seems to come back a bit after the motor is warmed up...but it still has the surging under 2k rpm.. Can the Throttle positioning sensor cause this? Maybe its temperamental with the weather and reads wrong? Throttle response is kind of "NOT THERE!!" you can hit the gas pedal and it takes a good second or more before the engine really responds... the turbo does blow a little bit of oil, may be a little bit of a drip from the lower intercooler hose, and after a long road trip to missouri and back non stop, parked it at home, and the next morning, from the lower intercooler hose, it had a nice 1foot by 1 foot spot of oil on the driveway, but has stayed in the middle of the crosshatched area on the dipstick ever since then. Hasnt been dripping at all for the last month or so.

The ETM light has NOT lit up at all and wasnt on when i took it to the dealer...The CEL has not even lit up, even before taking it to the dealer lol!! The codes were thrown though seeing as I made sure "things" were disconnected and the car was started, jus to make sure the ETM light was on so Volvo wouldnt fight with me about the light lol!!!

This thing has me baffled and I dont have the money to spend on shotgun maint. changing everything 1 piece at a time, but its starting to seem i may start doing that lol!!! The independent volvo shop wasnt sure with what it could be, but that was with my description of the problems lol. The Volvo dealer said the misfire is most likely form having ac delco plugs in it, its got Volvo plugs in it now, and is doing the same thing. The mass air meter was changed with a true volvo piece and has helped immensley, but still no guts at low rpm.

Any ideas???

 

Anybody got any ideas lol...its worse with the weather...raining outside, lot less power...longer take off times, cool and dry ...more power...less take off times...hot and muggy...longer take off times and lower power...

Any ideas???