Well, I work at a established independent Volvo repair shop, and we work on more than just Volvos -- but everything.

Im gonna start breifly every day when I can post about some of the stuff that I see and or fix in the shop.

Yesterday a VW diesel Golf mid 2000s year, 340k miles. Had a poor running issue, turned out to be collapsed vacuum lines, and clogged intake system. Replaced all vacuum lines with silicone, and took the intake hose off and littaley scraped 2 pounds of carbon out of the intake. Followed up on it with BG VIC in an air atomizer with the engine running to get what couldn't be reached. Ran like new afterward.

late 80s Volvo station wagon. No start issue/long start. Customer said it recently had new plugs put in. I take them out and find that they were champions. Replaced with NGK. Issues resolved.

1989 Volvo 740. Customer brought own parts, 2 front calipers and pads. I replace calipers and pads go to bleed brakes, and master cylinder is out too! Fun fun.

1987 BMW 325. Drive shaft is bad. I take it out (total PITA!). Go up the hill to check to see if a 1989 325i that we have on out lot, if the drive shaft will work off that. NOPE the 325i had a manual and the regular 325 was a auto. DANG IT.

97 Volvo 960. TB cleaning.

 

Nice. Keep it coming. I miss my 960.

 

You really should take the intake manifold off to clean it. It can't be cleaned properly on the car. [The redneck burnout is the best way to clean a TDI manifold.] Also, washing any of that carbon slurry into the cylinders is a bad idea as it gets into the ring pack. Doesn't do the turbo any good either. And worst case a chunk of the carbon can hold a valve open so it's hit by the piston. That never ends well.

 

The one on that TDI was worse. Surprised it ran actually.

OK today We had...

Rear tailgate panel repair on a 1997 Volvo 960. Didn't break the inside handle bezel this time (cracked and had to repair it on anotehr car couple weeks ago)

2000 Volvo S40 long crank, heavy miss under load. Spark plugs changed a year ago according to customer (approx 15k miles put on car) Pulled plugs. BOSCH. Replaced plugs with NGK issues resolved. That is until I came back from a post repair test drive. letting it idle outside the shop, and it starts missing. Coil for 1 and 4 went out. Cause -- Heat. Coil go out on these cars just by looking at them.

On same car as above, sway bar bushings. Royal PITA. and with my lift out of commission (we got 2 lifts, other one is the bosses) it was insane.

1996 Volvo 850 NA. Engine dying at idle, or under light load, and coming to a stop. Took 2 days of messing with the car throughout the day to figure this one out. Letting it idle until it cut off, and running over to it and playing with the ignition system or bleeding off the fuel rail to check for fuel pressure. It turned out it was the MAF after I noticed the values being way too low when trying to start it back up. Replaced MAF, problem resolved, but under shop care for the rest of the week before its release.

Note to self. Write down the names and phone numbers of other mechanics who borrow your tools. I looked in my socket drawer and am missing probably $400 in sockets and ratchets.

 

Try not to loan out your tools. Just kindly appologize. If you are also a barrower, makes it hard to refuse.

 

goes both ways, but I usually return tools right after I get done using them.

 

1984 Volvo 240 sedan: The usual, but this thing had only 37,000 original miles!! Check over for state inspection and oil service. Reverse light not working, burned circuit board, and NSS adjustment. Passed inspection after the repairs. Later in the day the customer calls and mentions a problem she had also been having. Brake going out when at a stand still. Signature bad master cylinder. Replaced. Bled, and out the door.

2000 Volvo V70 XC: Passenger side inner tie rod end, drivers side control arm, lower radiator hose, repaired preheat hose, and check over for state inspection.

1988 Volvo station wagon: Heater core.

2004 Volvo XC90: A dealership blotched up the wiring for the input speed sensor. Repaired wiring harness correctly.

The BMW 325: As a temporary fix until new drive shaft is found, manually with my fingers greased u-joints. Repaired exhaust --straight pipe after rear axle.

2000 Volvo V70 XC (different one): Rotate balance tires. Check suspension. Needs drivers side control arm.

2004 S60 R: Check over for state inspection, installed computer update. This one is for sale.

Four more tow-ins in the 4 o'clock hour.

Its the weekend now and my hands are raw. Hopefully be getting my desktop computer parts in tomorrow and get that thing running again. Im building a 2001 Dell 2350. After I am done with it it will be better than this laptop I have now, which is a i7 core 8MB HP Pavilion.

 

Loan out the laptop ASAP, preferably to someone who doesn't return things!
(hopefully that is a typo - 8GB maybe?)

 

8 MB ram. This thing is 3 years old and is fast, even with 20 applications running at the same time. Hard drive is a 500 gig.

 

You mean 8 gb ram. Windows needs a min of 512 mb of ram to operate properly.

 

damn im also slightly dyslexic it seems lol

 

Don't worry about it. I'm a computer geek.

 

Well I didn't see a whole lot today for I was busy swapping out an engine in a 2000 C70.

I did notice my boss do 2 flame traps, a set of brakes, 4 oil services, and answer the phone every few minutes.

 

Today

New engine arrived for the C70 which is actually a 2003. Broke the crank position sensor mounting pad. The new engine, the one on it was also broke. In a pile of poo now. B5234T5 engine. The only engine that had the plastic mounting pad, all the rest were cast. FTW.

1991 240: Cold start issues. Spark plugs, wires, clean TB, adjust TPS.

960: fuel pump.

S90: replaced A/C line.

2000 V70: strut bushing.

2010 XC90: Front brake pads.

 

2004 V70 XC: rear brakes check over for inspection, replaced driver inner ite rod end. Found that the rack bushings are bad also. Made it through inspection with a pass, but got to tell the customer they might want to start saving for a new rack and pinion.

2003 C70: the one that was getting engine replaced -- buttoned everything back up, after installing the new from the dealership speed sensor mounting pad. Ran and purred like new. Aside from forgetting to tighten up a coolant hose, no leaks, and engine sounded normal. Being kept under close observation for the rest of the week.

1997 850: Flame trap, positive battery terminal, oil service, tranny flush.

2004 S80 Twin turbo: Flame trap.

1991 740: oil change

1997 960: diagnose loose steering (floated) confirmed worn rack. Bottle of Lucas additive gave it a little more life.

note of the day >>> Don't loose your dipstick.

 

Thanks for creating this thread. It's interesting to see what a pro gets done in a day.

 

we average 17 live cars on lot every day. There is only the 2 of us. Been this way for months and showing no signs of letting up.

 

I'm impressed. I do my own wrenching and I'm pretty good - BUT it takes me a whole day to do a timing belt. I'd be hard pressed to make a living at it.

"......no signs of letting up." So are you seeing more business than you had been? Is it the poor economy - people keeping their cars longer? Or finally have a little spare cash for maintenance? I'd be interested to know what you think is going on.

 

IMO, there are not to many mechanics that know their way around the Volvo's and people that want their Volvo fixed right, they have the dealer or a indi-Volvo shop. The economy has nothing to do with it. When people are tight on money, they drive around a little longer with the problems their cars have but sooner or later they will be in for repairs/service.

The Volvo shop just 2 blocks from my house cost twice as much to have a repair done and they are not helpful. Even parts are 2 and 3 times the cost of other places. So, I will drive my car 38 miles to a Volvo mechanic.

 

Timing belt on most Volvos I got down to about 45 minutes. My boss averages 25 minutes. (we start stop watches) we always double check everything, most of the time we go back over each others work to make sure everything is right.

I see it as getting the connections over the years and people talking -- looking for a good shop to get their cars fixed. The shop i'm at had been in business for almost 40 years, and between my boss and I, we have over 40 years experience. The customer list is a mile long.

A lot of our business comes from thoughts and actions just like that.