I recently purchased a 2005 S40 for my daughter but need to do some work on the car. I’ve tried searching here as well as everywhere else for a real recommendation on what the best shop/service manual is that is readily available and doesn’t require I give up a kidney or something.

should I get one of the general Chilton’s, Haynes, or Clymer manuals? Or try to acquire a Volvo manual if that is even possible. Or should I go with/through one of the online services like AllData?

Any help is GREATLY appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

Randy... The Village Idiot

 

Really depends on what you want to do for a repair. I always had a Haynes for my 850T and S40 1.9T but found mostly they are good for torque specs and generalized knowledge. Almost everything I've done in the past 5 years I've either found a Youtube video, a post on one of the boards or some other reference web site just by googling a topic. Want to replace the boost controller (aka turbo control valve) on your S40? Google that as a topic and you'll see IPD USA has a video on Youtube. If you really are getting in deep, then you can check out the Volvo VIDA DICE on eBay (may require a subscription for stuff but you can check that out on volvotechinfo.com for pricing/license terms). For me, if I really need a VIDA DICE system, I'm probably better off letting my Indy or dealer do the work :-)

 

Thanks for the reply. First things first... gotta get this car running. Bought the car in good physical condition and told that before a heater hose blew out and the car overheated, it had been running reliably.

The car say for 3-4 months before we bought it. We have replaced the heater hose, changed out spark plugs and put a full tank of fresh gas in it (it was almost empty before picking up).

We did find that the sunroof was leaking and there was a huge puddle in the back passenger floor board. I think this is fixed and we did vacuum water out and had fans in place for a couple days to dry out as I have read some horror stories about what this can do.

Before fully drying out, we were getting "Crash Mode" warnings and the I think some "SRS" warnings as well. Since drying out, no weird codes.

It cranks and acts like it wants to start but is getting misfire errors through my OBD scan tool hooked to laptop. I think I saw it reporting low fuel pressure of about 8 PSI even though my my mechanical fuel pressure gauge was bouncing around while cranking 45-55 psi.

This brings me to the fuel rail pressure switch and or fuel pressure regulator (FPR). PPR... where is that thing hiding in the S40 2.4i? I know the FPR is not cheap and so thinking I might part-swap the pressure sensor... unless someone can tell me how to test it discretely.

I have a dumb question... when testing for spark, I'm used to taking a plug out and grounding out and watching for spark... how the heck do you do that with coil packs that are under the upper intake manifold? I am hesitant to turn the motor over with the upper intake off.

Thoughts?

Thanks in advance!

TheVillageIdiot13

 

Bought a new Bosch fuel pressure gauge, hooked up and turned her on... 40-42 PSI and it seems to bounce around 45-50 while cranking.

Scan tool plugged in and reading PID's, computer is seeing fuel pressure in key position II and III and cranking and then leaving in position II it maintains 40-42 psi.

Turn key off and and watch and the mechanical fuel pressure gauge maintains pressure. I think these items clear the fuel pressure regulator and the fuel rail pressure sensor as the problem.

What next? I have some diagnostic fils from my reader... see attached. If anyone has any ideas, I would be appreciative.

I'll keep drudging along, using Google, YouTube and whatever else I can find.

I would still like to know if there is a good source for diagnostics that I can get my hands on.

Thank you!

Randy

 

search Amazon for a COP "coil on plug" test tool. they go for $40 and allows you to sense the signal from the coil without removing the plug. some vids on Youtube as well. Not sure if your car has a pressure regulator - there's a fuel pressure sensor which controls the pump to set the fuel pressure (buy after market from IPD, way cheaper than the dealer list price)

 

Is it throwing actual OBD codes as well as reporting that some of the readiness indicators aren't set yet?

I think the best thing to do to try to figure it out would be a compression test. The three things that are necessary for a running engine are fuel (sounds like it's getting to the injectors anyway), spark and compression. Yes, there could be a problem with the spark, particularly with a car that's had a water issue (which can result in all sorts of odd electrical maladies). But your comment that it sounds like it wants to start sounds to me more like a compression issue, which could be due to a myriad of issues, including (and if I had to guess...) a slipped timing belt (hopefully not so far as to have caused the pistons and valves to punch each other in the face).

 

I took a look on Amazon for COP tools. I see quit the variety of tools and pricing. I’ll go check YouTube next.

No, no OBD codes being thrown. I’ll get on compression tests this weekend. I don’t know if it is any indicator but there is no sign of any moisture or metal in the oil. The oil appears clean and does not smell burnt. Is there any sure way with motor in car to ensure timing belt hasn’t slipped? Timing belt has been changed in its life and also appears to be in relatively good condition.

Thanks for the input. Now back to YouTube.

Randy

 

if the timing belt slips a notch or two it will throw a cam timing code. If it slips a whole lot, you'll ding the exhaust valves. the car still does have timing marks on the cams and crank - lol that's one thing the Haynes manual will cover (for fun you can google something like "volvo V50 haynes PDF" to see if someone has posted an on line version or you can look for a Youtube vid on checking cam timing (its a little bit tricky to see it up when doing a timing belt change as the car has the VVT hub to reset) - I've not done this on a VVT car yet - only on an 850T)

 

I figured timing marks are there just looking in the bay makes me claustrophobic! I'm used to being able to climb into the bay with the engine! LOL I'm guessing the crank timing mark might be visible through wheel well if passenger wheel removed. I've done search for Haynes S40 with no luck... I assume you are saying S50 is same as S40... can you tell I'm not a long lived Volvo owner?

I am hoping to have a compression tester this afternoon or worse case, over the weekend.

Thanks for all the input.

Randy

 

yes, there is a door inside the fender well for access with the wheel off

 

And BAM! Thanks for the confirmation.

BTW, I looked around for a PDF of the S40 or V50 with no luck. Lots of links to suck you into what I usually find as a perfect way to get spammed and slapped with viruses.

Thanks again!

 

It really IS hard to find a good manual for the Volvos... I had one for my previous car (Acura MDX), and just bought a factory service manual .pdf for my Audi A3. With either of those, I can do a search and find just about anything I need in seconds. With the Volvo, I was forced to try to fire up the quirky virtualbox app so I could try to run the VIDA software so I could eventually drill down through a dozen or so menus to get to where I wanted to be. Sure, it's really kind of cool that you can be hooked up to the car, and the VIDA will give you options for opening up information on the troubled part... but what I really wanted was a searchable .pdf file of a factory service manual.

FWIW, I just sold the Volvo, so I might not be looking for one in the future. OTOH, I sold it to a very good friend who will no doubt be darkening my driveway when it's got a problem... ;-)

 

Sooo... sad night last night... I think I am shifting gears (so to speak).

I thought I posted this last night but don't see it... if I find I am double posting, I delete...

My son brought a compression tester over yesterday afternoon. First off, not 100% I had good readings. The compression tester had an adapter that threaded into the head and because it took a 19 mm socket, I am not completely sure I had it completely seated into the head. My 19 mm socket doesn't fit down into the head far enough to really thread it in... or the adapter is just not long enough. Do they make a longer adapter. Anyway, tried doing a compression test and my heart kinda sank. First test cylinder #1 (I assume its start #1 from crank pulley? Or is it #5?) came back with what looked really low (again, not sure it was a good tight test) reading of around 80 psi. Went to next one and had almost nothing. Went to #3 (I know this one has to be #3 as its in the middle! )... also very little to no reading. With the compression tester, I had a very little reading on the last two. So since I was concerned I had a bad test, I crammed a piece of heater tubing down in the head and put my finger in the tube... #1, #4, and #5 all have what feels like good compression. Numbers 2 & 3 not so much.

This brings me to one of the previous discussions... checking cam timing. I found no door/window from wheel well to see crank pulley or timing mark on crank pulley. I found one kind of faded green timing mark on the front (intake) cam shaft gear but could not find timing mark of any kind on the rear (exhaust) cam shaft. In no way shape or form could I find a timing mark on the crank shaft. I found some pictures that showed what looks like the timing mark is visible from the top side, between the crank pulley and the block. Unfortunately we found no way to get the timing belt cover completely removed. There is barely any space in there and even if we were to take the passenger side motor mount out, I'm not sure I could slide the cover out and even if I do, not sure I would be able to see down between the frame and the motor in order to see a timing mark.

Any thoughts or experience on this? I promise I'm searching elsewhere through the forums and through the web before I come here. Hopefully I can find some help and hopefully this might help someone else down the road.

Thanks in advance.

Randy