Hi, I'm a Volvo newbie, just got mine on the road, going for a compression test tomorrow to see how my 289,000 km engine is doing. So far, I love the car, what a solid thing... I'm a convert!

In the meantime, I know my struts and shocks need replacement; no big surprise, I knew this before buying the car. I found what looks like a good price on some struts and shocks from VLVWorld (I'm in Ontario Canada, so, ordering from them means no duty, as they ship from Montreal). Haven't ordered anything yet, since I want to first check the condition of the engine, internally.

How can I check whether my car is spec'ed for Nivomatic self-levelers? According to my product plate, my car is an 855. Incidentally, my car is made in Belgium, if that makes any difference.

Another question: If I should have Nivomatics on the back, does this mean I have to run a particular strut up front?

Another question, how well do aftermarket audio decks and speakers fit in these cars?

Thanks, love the forum, great resource!

 

Hello mate,

The following may be of some guide, though it is a site in the UK.

http://www.volvoclub.org.uk/faq/Rear...Identification
http://www.volvoclub.org.uk/faq/RearSuspension.html

Nivomat seems to have coil springs around them on the upper portion, unlike the conventional units. Nivomat shocks seem quite expensive, and I personally would go with Bilstein Touring or Koni Sport or any adjustable unit. Bilstein HD seems to have poor reputation of being too firm. I do not believe you need special set-up for the fronts with self-leveling rears. However, when you do the front suspension, be sure to replace the following items as well:

FRONT SUSPENSION:
1. Upper mount (bearing) with new nuts x 3 each side (total of 6 nuts).
2. Upper springseat (notorious for wearing out & causing clunking noise).
3. Bump stop for strut
4. Special washer for strut
5. Top cap for strut
6. New bolts & nuts for strut lower attachment.
7. Ball joint/control arm with new nuts & bolts (Newer models cannot replace ball joint alone).
8. Sway bar (stabilizer) link rods (new parts should come with new lock nuts).
9. Struts (only if the car rolls too much or the car keeps bouncing after hitting bumps). Either OEM Sachs or Bilstein Touring is good. Bilstein Heavy Duty seems to be a bit too firm. Koni Adjustable seems to have good reputation too, as you can adjust the damper.

REAR SUSPENSION:
1. Shocks (Sachs, Bilstein Touring or Koni Adjustable)
2. Upper shock mounts
3. New lock nuts

Ref: https://volvoforums.com/m_48928/tm.htm

I wonder if you would have to pay tax if you ordered parts from FCP Groton of Connecticut, US:
http://www.fcpgroton.com/volvo.htm#850

I'm not sure about after market audio, others can give you better ideas. As long as it fits nicely, however, I think it would be better than the original (Alpine) unit. As to speakers, as long as they fit, there wouldn't be much trouble. I personally would go with those that have the same input impedance (Ω), but it may not matter much.

So, wait until others give you different feedback.

Good luck,


JPN

PS: 289,000 km = 180625 miles. If the engine is running smooth, it probably would give you another 100,000 miles = 160,000kms, as long as you follow scheduled maintenance, change oil at every 5,000kms/5 months, butMAKE SURE that the timing belt has been replaced when they are supposed to (every 70,000 miles/5 years; 60,000 miles for 1993 models).

The illustration is courtesy of FCP Groton.

[IMG]local://upfiles/6892/2E4140EE996E463C8AA3C5BAAF419668.jpg[/IMG]

 

Isn't there a conversion kit that allows you to install standard rear shocks (i.e. get rid of Nivomat)?

 

Compression: average 150 over all 5 cyls... I think she's a keeper! She just needs some TLC now to get her back to where such a car should be.

I'll skip on the Nivomats, and see what can be sourced around here.

Timing belt was last replaced after 200 000Km, so I'll take care of the suspension issues and general tune up first. Road-worthiness is most important to me and a thorough looking-over are needed (air/fuel/oil filters and windshield wipers are already done). Suspension, ignition, and flame trap are next.

It only gets fed high octane fuel (91+) with me; I'm hoping I can make the motor last a good while.

I already had to replace the AC compressor (it seized and melted my serpentine belt). Being aware the things usually seize because of a leak/lack of recharge, I had the shop throw in the dye and put the UV light on it to make sure there were no leaks. I'll have to keep an eye on it, though.

Likely I'll order a new timing belt and throw it on when I do my pre-winter service routine/snow tire swap.

Other minor things I'll be fixing:
[ul][*]driver's side door makes an awful creak when opening and closing (mechanic told me to check the jack strap?) [*]left-hand headlight wiper motor is apparently dead, as well as the rear window wiper motor, according to the previous owner [*]driver's side seat heater doesn't work [*]driver's side windshield/roof seal is gone, and needs replacement altogether[/ul]The motor in this car is clean, no leaks anywhere, brakes are fresh, and the tires will definitely keep me going until winter, when snow tires get thrown on. I like to do most of the work on my car myself, so I get to know it well.

Some things, that require big-money tools, like front wheel alignments/front strut replacement, I prefer to let a competent shop take care of; the rest, though, I prefer to handle myself as much as possible, as I've done with my previous cars.

If she's good to me over the winter (I hope she'll be, if I'm good to her!), next summer, I just might treat her to a body/rust cleanup and paint job...

Thanks for the itemized suspension bits, I'll include them in my immediate parts list as well...


PS: Are there any Volvo-specific tools I should be on the lookout for, if I want to own this car long-term?

 

Door problem:
http://volvospeed.com/Repair/hinge.php
http://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/cha...?p=26689#26689

Learn how to read diagnostic trouble codes from the OBD1 port in the engine cabin.
http://volvospeed.com/Repair/a1.html
http://volvospeed.com/Repair/a2.html
http://volvospeed.com/Repair/a3.html

Good luck

 

I wish more people were like you, so buying used cars wouldn't be so much of a gamble.

There are many Volvo-specific tools, but for the kind of work you'll be doing, you can do without. One of them is the nut removing tool for the "cross" nut on front strut assembly, but you can get it loose with a punch & hammer and not much force is required (mine was so loose that it turned by hand). Just tap on the outer edge of the nut lightly a few times and it should loosen. But if you're going to have it done at a shop, they'll figure out.

1) As to the door creaking, visually inspect the hinges , slider rail (a square-shaped metal bar that needs to be lubricated or replaced if warped) and door-to-body contact. It may just need to be re-aligned.

2) As to the headlight & rear window wiper motors, make sure it's not the fuse or loose/dirty electrical connections before spending $ on a new motor.

3) As to the seat heater, check for fuse & proper electrical connections; a connector may have been disconnected for some reason.

4) As to the window seal problem, it is best to let a reputable shop do it for you.

For general maintenance reference, see following thread:

https://volvoforums.com/m_48928/tm.htm

Let us know if we can be of further assistance.

Regards,


JPN