just bought myself a 2005 volvo s40 t5, put synthetic oil in yesterday, my dad tells me dont change it for 10k miles(also says on bottle) and to also just put 87 gas instead of 92. what do you think on this? ive heard the gas doesnt matter, also heard 87 over the long run really messes it up ect.

thanks a lot guys!

 

Nice car, looks clean for a 2005. As far as gas goes I wouldn't go cheap look at the owners manual if it suggest 92 then put 92 remember it's a turbo so you need to make sure your feeding it properly. I personally would also suggest not letting the tank go Past half empty keep it full at all times that'll keep your engine from taking in all the nasty stuff that accumulates at the bottom of the tank. Expensive I know but hey how much you like the car?

Oil should be fine I only Use royal purple in mine but any should do.

 

okay thanks, whats the real difference between 87 and 92 though jw.
and by the oil thing, i mean it says change every 10,000 miles but my friend said you should do it every3-6 thousand with my car.. what do you think?

 

Thad the octane level of the gas pretty much how strong it is, 87 being the lowest for cars going all the way up to 101 87 is good for cars like my s40 that's non turbo just a small 2.4l engine. Low out put only like 150HP I think. Yours Is a 2.5L turbo charged engine much higher power around 230HP

Cars like ss camaro's, mustangs, vettes, the higher end bmws and audi's cars with more hp need stronger fuels. High out put cars like lambos, and drag cars need race fuel (101) the most expensive too.

Basically I think the way volvox are put together I could understand needing higher octane but check your owners manual and see maybe the car is fine with just 87.

As for the oil I would just be safe. Go based off how many miles you have. The more miles the more frequent your oil changes should be. How many miles does your car have?

 

The octane rating of gasoline really doesn't indicate how "powerful" or "good" it is. Higher octane gasoline can withstand more pressure before igniting than lower octane gasoline, making it ideal for higher compression engines. Even though the S40 T5 has a fairly low boost pressure (around 10psi maximum), and you may not damage your car using the minimum 87 octane gas, it may not run as efficiently.

From the owner's manual:

"Octane rating: Unleaded premium gasoline with an octane rating AKI of 91, or above. The minimum octane requirement is AKI 87 (RON 91)."

 

okay thanks guys, and my car just hit 110,000 today.

 

Dang well just keep it running strong. Has it had the last two services done? Spark plugs, belt, tranny flush etc... Those are due at 98k and 102k I think.

 

I just purchased my 2.4i about three weeks ago, and the first thing I did was have the timing belt and water pump changed (87k miles), along with basic service. I'd recommend the same for you if it hasn't already been done.

As far as octane rating, I have a Mercedes SLK that's supercharged, and, like the turbo in the T5, its recommended higher octane is used, so I do it. But in the S40 I use 87 octane. I tried 92, and I can tell you there is zero discernible difference in performance or fuel economy. Zero. It definitely makes sense to not waste money if its not needed, but in the case of a turbo or supercharger equipped vehicle it seems its the way to go.

As far as changing the oil every 3000 miles, that's bollocks. Its another complete waste of money dreamed up by the oil companies. In vehicles that use regular (non-synthetic) oil, the recommendation is more frequent oil changes than synthetic, no doubt. But if you look in the owners' manual of modern vehicles (which is what you should be going by) they usually recommend somewhere between 6000 and 7500 miles. A far cry from the oil companies' suggestions. Stick with your auto manufacturer's mandates for synthetic oil change intervals (easily 10,000 miles) and your car will last hundreds of thousands of miles.

A good thing about having bought a Volvo is that the engines are some of the most durable out there. As long as you keep up with basic maintenance on the car, you should almost never have drivetrain (engine, transmission, etc.) issues. It happens, but its comparatively rare. Its one of the reasons people buy Volvos with 100,000, 150,000, even 200,000 miles already on the clock without batting an eyelid.

Good luck with your car. You should have a long, pleasant experience with it.

 

Yup I'm amazed at how well my car rides and 102K nobody believes me when I say how Many miles are on it as clean as it looks and smooth as it rides.

As for maintenance can you change the spark plugs yourself on a 2.4i or is it hard?

 

I haven't checked it out yet, but here's a member's how to on a T5,

https://volvoforums.com/forum/volvo-...k-plugs-41321/

complete with pictures. Its a coil pack setup and definitely not as straightforward as other engines I've worked on. But if you're pretty handy it shouldn't be a big issue at all.

The good thing is that its something you'll only have to do every 100,000 miles or so. And the way modern spark plugs are engineered, you can actually go many miles past that without any noticeable performance loss.

 

Thanks bit is it really necessary to unplug the vacuum lines and Maf sensor, I mean shouldn't be a problem any way since I was planning on changing them with my new intake install anyways.

 

As far as oil change intervals I just use the "Service" light. Light comes on -> change oil and filter -> turn out light. On my 2001 and 2005 it's 7500 miles.

 

Does the 2.4i need double platinum spark plugs? I looked into today very few places carry them.