Hi. I have a 1999 S70 an dthe ETS light popped on. I did some research, and removed the throttle body, completely cleaned the butterfly valve, venturi and throat. Re-installed and the light was out for a short time before it came back on-permanently. The car runs better than before, as it used to lope-the cleaning definetly fixed the loping. But, I still have'nt gotten the software upgrade. Question: Will the software upgrade make the ETS light turn off? Is that really all I need?
Thanks-

 

Did you lubricate the shaft, both sides, with thin full synthetic oil where it goes into the body? There are 2 o-rings in there and they can get dry and create drag on the servo motor. here are some pics https://volvoforums.com/forum/members/bobec-25604-albums-v70-etm-632/
especially after you clean any lubrication that's in there out. Use an oil soaked Q-tip to work it in. I'd try this before anything else. The firmware worked fine until now so?

 

Also, while you're at it, please clarify what you mean by a "loping" idle. Typically, a loping idle only happens (from my admittedly selective memory) when one or more of your cylinders fires irregularly at idle, causing the engine to "lope," or wobble back and forth, kinda causing the car to shake back and forth. This was especially common on old-school carbeurated V-8 engines.

If, by a "loping" idle, you mean an idle that rises and falls by a few hundred RPM's when the car is at a stand-still... yes, that's a sign your throttle body/ETM has finished taking its poop. The software upgrade will do nothing to fix that. All the software will do at this point is lighten your wallet and cause your "lope" to be from 800 - 1200 RPM instead of 700 - 1100 RPM.

Time for a refurb or a new ETM unit. Do not pass "go". Do not pay only $200.

Welcome to your very own Nordic *****, son! Yeah, she's REALLY good looking, but:

1) She'll take your cash...

2) She'll screw you skillfully and thoroughly; but...

3) She's just SO darned good at what she's built for; and...

4) You'll enjoy every minute of a great ride while you're givin' it to her; but...

5) You're definitely going to need to pay dearly every once in a while for the priviledge.

That being said:

THIS, my son, is one of those "pay-to-play" type moments. So grin, grab that tube-O-lube called a MasterCard, and get ready to roll. Just think of all the fun you'll have once you're done forking over all that rapidly de-valuing American money.

{No, actually, I'm NOT sober at the moment. 10-year Auchentoshen Classic single-malt... Thanks for asking. }

Cheers,
LG

 

1)Try to lubricate the shaft o-rings,
2) Make sure your battery is very good,
3) check all connections and voltage to the ETM.

4) don't listen the post above until you've done 1 thru 3

 

As an FYI, I absolutely agree with Bobec. I was taking for granted that since you had already pulled the ETM off and cleaned it, you also had the standard level of knowledge required to make sure that you did the job right, as Bobec explained it.

That being said, I was only trying to prepare you humorously and sarcastically for that which seems inevitable for any of us. A failed ETM. Someday, some way, that little SOB will die on you. If you're like me, you'll pull it out every so often and clean it gently, yet completely like a favored rifle. Like every 20K when you do a "suck and fill" transmission fluid rotation. That will definitely keep it alive a LOT longer than spec.

I'm just of the opinion that, once it gets bad enough to keep that Check Engine Light illuminated on a full-time basis, it's beyond the help a clean-up job can provide.

But hey, Bobec's got WAY more wrench time on these vehicles than I do. I'm an automotive generalist. He's specialized. Even I would trust him more than me. And Me's a pretty good guy.

I'm pullin' for ya, kid. I don't say this often, but I hope you screwed something up when you were cleaning, so you can discover your error and make things all better.

Cheers,
LG

 

and this is why i bought a 98 model.

 

just to clarify, the volvo recall was only for 10 years? example: on my 99, i would have to take it in by 2009 for them to replace the ETM for free, correct?

 

also, what is the software upgrade needed?

 

The recall and free repair ended in May 2010. From now on, you're on your own unless the vehicle is under warranty.

These units can be repaired for a reasonable charge by a national rebuilder.

 

The car runs great after the cleaning- there is no check engine light on, only the ets light-it is on most of the time. I'd say 85% on-15% off.

 

You're kidding yourself. The system will go down on you leaving you sit. Fix it now or add a tow truck bill to the cost of repair.

If you guys can't afford to own Volvos, buy something cheaper. Next you'll be cleaning used oil filters!

 

RyBred,

how much effort does it take to remove the ETM get a Q-tip and work some thin synthetic oil into those o rings this is one of them https://volvoforums.com/forum/album....pictureid=2822

The ETM controls monitor the servo response via the TPS (of which there are two). if the controls do not see the TPS feed back signal they are expecting you will get an ETS light. This means that teh servo motor has more load on it than the control system expects. It could be caused by dry o-rings, low supply voltage etc. The ETM I took apart had very little wear on either of the TPS films. https://volvoforums.com/forum/album....pictureid=2821 It does this specifically so you do not get stranded or you don't have a run away car like Toyota. ETS means my ETM needs some service. Dry nitrile = high coefficient of friction.

It runs good but if those o-rings are dry and you lubricate them it will run even better. Our V70 has throttle response I never would have expected after some oil was put in.

Just like changing your oil and filter, nitrile seals need to be lubricated.

 

The blowby in the PCV system will be more than enough lubrication.

 

x2, then disintegrate the cicuit boards inside. the trick is to maintain the pcv system. that banjo fitting under the intake which is the vacuum source is the usual culprit.

 

one problem with this is the return of crank case (PCV) is on the other end of the intake manifold on our V70 and I think it's the same for the S70. This is so any carbon suspended in the oil vapors don't gum up the ETM. When I first saw this change I thought it made total sense and wondered why they didn't do it on the 850's.

The second is if if it did go through the ETM what would make anyone think that oil would immediately find its way into and around the o-rings.

 

The circuit board is so far removed from the intake air flow it would be "impossible" for any contaminates to get to it. Every opening is very well potted and then the board itself is completely encapsulated in silicon conformal.

 

not so. a friend of mine is a factory tech rep and he saw one about 9 years ago completely disassembled at rockleigh, nj and the boards were oil soaked. i dealt with these issues as a tech from there introduction til' 07. they tried the software and then were just replacing the units again. that was their most expensive recall followed closely by the s80/v70 cooling fan ones also. i had also heard that the manufacturer of those throttle units went under, magnetti marelli. not 100% though. if the pcv system is kept clear that is the only chance they have @ a long life. what a disaster it was.

 

i just replaced my PCV system 1.5 years ago. how should i go about maintaining its cleanliness?

 

Here is the one I disassembled

https://volvoforums.com/forum/album.php?albumid=632

it is from our 01V70. You can come by my place any time and I'll show you how the board is encapsulated in silicone conformal (do you know what conformal is?) and all the potting and the o-rings. The magnetti marrelli ETM was an engineering masterpiece for its time. It was before hall effect technology was mature and even Bosch took a chance using hall effect in 03. Yes the ETM in 03 was a Bosch not a magnetti marrelli check VIDA.

 

1) Remove your engine
2) break it down
3) hone the cylinders
4) replace the rings with 0.010 over and cut the end gaps yourself
5) reassemble the engine
6) perform proper ring seating procedure
7) wow.. no more crank pressure.

Gee, I have 200+K on my Volvo and I don't expect any ring wear leading to crank pressure? (not directed at you elcs70 but other unrealistic people who think these great cars should defy the laws of physics and last forever).

I just broke down a 99 s70 engine with, what I was told, 85k on it. the valves and head looked very clean, the bores measured up perfectly so I trust the 85k. the second compression ring had 0.028 of end gap. The top compression ring had 0.015 (not bad). But even though the bottom ring should have more gap, it shouldn't be even close to 0.030.