raeste Posted December 19, 2011 Report Share Posted December 19, 2011 Dec 19 2011 update: so, as we near the end of 2011, here's a pre-Christmas report (most of which is pretty darned good, all things considered):1.0 -- after having one of the PS fluid hose clamps tightened a while ago and the reservoir topped up, the fluid leak has completely stopped, everything remains dry, and all systems are "go".2.0 -- the on-again / off-again clutch slippage seems really minimal (if that's what it is). Proof of 'minimal': my wife took the 'R' to go shopping back into the city last Friday for the first time in a couple of months -- she drives it maybe three times a year -- and didn't notice any problems in that realm whatsoever. So that's good, especially seeing as she is a bit apprehensive about driving the M66 at the best of times, but especially in slippery conditions (which they were); and [ii], she is super-vigilant when it comes to our vehicles -- she notices everything (which is a really good thing!) So, I'll continue to monitor as time goes by.3.0 -- the "chassis setting service required" message and the default suspension setting has come and gone twice in the past month and continues to be entirely and consistently correlated with moisture and cold; for now, it's off and the system is working fine. One of these days I'll have that RR shock / strut connection properly checked.4.0 -- the studded Nokian Hakkapeliittas were installed on the car near the end of October and have, as usual, been performing perfectly -- and of course we haven't really had a lot of snow, just a couple of blasts. And it's been warmer than usual. But as I said last year, these tires with this vehicle is a perfect combination. Maybe I should keep them on all the time and we'd never get any snow at all to speak of in these parts!Anyway, for the time being, the 'R' is doing fine and continues to provide what I continue to think of as the best driving experience ever. Fuel mileage remains excellent, no weird noises, no vibrations, performance continues to be outstanding, everything works 100% (e.g., stereo, seats, mirrors, lights, etc.) and all the creature comforts continue to please in the best ways possible. I continue to treat the leather every two weeks or so and it looks and feels pretty well like new.Given how good it is, I should treat this car better, though. Yes, I'm feeling guilty. Although the weather hasn't been truly severe (yet), the occasional storm conditions of the past few weeks and accumulated snow and ice in most places here in S. Alberta have really thrown up a huge amount of road crap. Right now, our poor 'silver bullet' needs a very thorough wash to get at all the accumulated salt and grime that is smeared everywhere. There seems to be a lot more that crap on the roads this year than previously, and I don't think it's just my imagination. In fact, I've been carefully monitoring windshield washer antifreeze use and have put in more jugs of fluid so far this year than ever before (and I am happy to report there is no leak in that system, either!). So, it's off to the car wash later this afternoon on the way home. That cleanup should last a day ... So -- I'll make sure to raise a glass to the forum on the evening of the 24th -- top of the holiday season to all fellow v70r list members and anyone else who happens to read this,Cheers / Blueleezard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raeste Posted April 7, 2012 Report Share Posted April 7, 2012 Thanks Trent and S&S --... S&S -- I had a quick look at the invoice from Volvo of Edmonton, and it says right there that the part number for the plug kit is 30751806. I gather from John's comments from Boston Volvo that the part number for the replacement plugs is 30751806. Same number. So, from that, I think the right ones are in there. It is entirely possible I mis-heard the mechanic at Volvo of Edmonton describing the plugs -- there were three conversations going on at the same time while we stood there in the shop, and it was pretty noisy overall -- so likely I didn't properly hear the points about gappable / un-gappable / number(s) of electrodes, even though I thought I had. This wouldn't be the first time that my selective hearing has kicked in. Sometimes, I don't do the dishes even though my wife claims to have reminded me to do them five or six times ... Thanks again,BlueleezardDear all:UPDATE: So I had a conversation a while ago with the previous owner of our 'R' about replacement of plugs -- he and his wife happened to be coming through town and kindly dropped off the un-used "Summer" mats for the 'R' that they had found in their basement. Very nice of them to drop them off.Anyway, it turns out that they did have the plugs replaced at about 100,000KM (60,000 miles) because they had noted some hesitation / performance problems (caveat emptor: of course that was never mentioned at the time ...) ...In other discussions in this forum you'll see that I had the fuel rail pressure sensor replaced and that seems to have cured any such problems that we had noticed after purchase. So, although they had changed out the OEM plugs (for a non-standard replacement), the previous owners never went further in any problem solving / diagnosis.What they ended up putting in there were not Volvo or OEM plugs -- and this explains what I thought I had heard during the 168K KM (105K mile) maintenance session among the mechanics at the Volvo dealer in Edmonton: namely, that although we didn't know it, our 'R' had incorrect plugs installed when we acquired it from the first owner.So, following the prescribed 168K KM (105K mile) maintenance, it now has the proper plugs installed. Fortunately, it seems that no damage ensued from having the wrong plugs in there for about 60,000+KM (dumb luck, I guess).Just something that other potential buyers of used 'R' machines might want to pay attention to ... might not be something that a "pre-purchase check" would cover.Cheers / Blueleezard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raeste Posted April 8, 2012 Report Share Posted April 8, 2012 All: the blowing snow has finally let up and the sun has come out. Thought to show a few pics of our 2004 M66 R. It's in great shape and a whole lot of fun. As my DD it provides great pleasure every day. Aside from the small bits that are causing me to be vigilant, as I've said elsewhere this the best AWD vehicle I've had in four decades of driving. Unless I have to, it will be some time before I pass it one to someone else. It is superb.Cheers / Blueleezard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raeste Posted January 18, 2013 Report Share Posted January 18, 2013 Dear all:UPDATE: So here we are in the middle of the first month of 2013 -- and our 2004 "Silver Bullet" 'R' is now ten years into what has essentially been DAILY SERVICE! Non-stop! And, it is doing really well. The studded Nokian Hakkapeliittas with dedicated 'R' rims are back on again for another Winter, doing their job perfectly as one would expect. Having replaced all four bearings / hubs, the stripped angle gear, the original clutch and flywheel (now a great single mass from VIVA), plus all filters and seals, everything is good. In fact, very good. Still haven't had that somewhat annoying wiring problem on the RR shock / strut dealt with -- but, as I've said so many times before, there really is no apparent need. This great car is still my DD and has yet to let me down in any way. Fuel mileage and AWD remain excellent, and everything in every category is working perfectly as it should (touch wood). The overall safety, performance, comfort, fit and finish, and the reliable pleasure of extremely enjoyable driving in all conditions (ranging from warm, dry, beautiful and sunny to cold, frozen, icy, wet and dark) is nothing short of amazing. This wagon just doesn't give up, and isn't showing much if any evidence of age, or of wearing out. Regular maintenance, general cleaning, and overall vigilance (plus tending to the really small things, like always clearing out the sand and accumulated winter crap from the driver's footwell) seems to keep this wonderful 'R' performing and providing all that it should, all the time, and always the way it has done -- since the beginning. Did I say "ten years"? I check the date this vehicle was manufactured in Belgium (and when it was put into service here in Canada) -- sure enough, ten years. Wow. And it still runs and performs like new. The Atacama leather is still perfect, even the driver's side outer bolster that shows light scuffing but virtually no wear. Nothing rattles or is loose, and nothing has fallen off, torn, ripped, worn, failed, or broken. Not a switch, cover, latch, knob, cubby, vent, stitch, seam, or even a bulb. The stereo is an audiophlie's dream. Business colleagues who I drive around from time to time cannot believe the car isn't brand new. On our recent Christmas vacation trip into the Rockies and back, only just a while ago in December, my wife (who doesn't drive or ride in the 'R' much at all -- she has the 2003 4Runner as her DD) was astounded about how quiet and comfortable and secure the Swede was all the time, every day, as we plowed through really nasty, dangerous, and extremely cold conditions. Is this update turning into yet another testimonial, or what? What can I say? I love this 'R'! Get a V70R P2 while you can! Cheers / Blueleezard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hxgaser Posted January 18, 2013 Report Share Posted January 18, 2013 Great reading and thank you for keeping up with the update. I have a question about your chassis service required warning. I am having the same issue and I also think it is temperature related. Did you ever address the issue in its entirety? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raeste Posted January 19, 2013 Report Share Posted January 19, 2013 Hey hxgaser: Thanks for your kind comment. About the "chassis service required" message -- no, I haven't had it addressed yet. Just too busy -- work consumes huge amounts of time and energy (not complaining!). And yes, it's been a while since I paid attention to this! Over the past 2+ years I've had it examined and then discussed the problem with a number of shops. First, with the local Toyota shop (good attitude and lots of genuine interest, but no required expertise or adequate tools there), then the local Volvo shop (also a pretty good attitude and lots of expertise and, especially, all the right tools, but I am just a bit hesitant about being pressured, even subtly), and finally my first indie shop that is pretty good for general import work but a bit too far into the "good ol' boy / just bend the metal" worldview for me to trust them completely with this level of challenge -- especially given this really is a perfect, beautiful "R". So -- as of a few months ago, fortunately I discovered a 2nd indie shop with a superb and well-established reputation -- nearby, too. They don't normally do Volvo work because (although they can clear codes and do simple stuff like oil changes, etc.) they don't have the necessary full software access for "deeper" work that is often required with newer Volvos. However -- following a thorough and totally rational conversation exploring observed symptoms and plausible solutions, including discussions on this list -- they have agreed to have a look at the wiring for the rear shocks / struts. This appears to be an observable, physical problem (at first glance, anyway!). So they won't charge a penny to have a look unless they end up deciding they can actually do the solution work (that's damned good IMHO; already proven with their excellent work on my wife's 4Runner). Anyway, my read on the problem is: there's most likely a frayed wire on (or leading to) the RR shock / strut assembly that screws things up, resulting in the "default" setting and no suspension choices. I haven't found this to be a drivability problem; simply put, I just haven't had time to bring the 'R' to the "new" shop yet for the initial investigative work. The shock / strut assemblies are in very good physical shape -- so say all the shops where I've brought the "R". No leaking or dripping, no "oil film" or dust adhering to everything because of it, no damage, no nothing. Everything is solid and quiet, andappears to be wonderfully dry and intact. The earlier symptoms -- where the problem occurs when dry and then disappears when wet -- suggest this really is electrical (e.g., something like frayed insulation) that results in a temporary short, generating the code and the error message -- except when moisture penetrates, bridges the gap, and things go back to "normal". The car is not throwing any other codes, at all -- a good thing, I guess! So, I'll report back to the list when I finally get around to bringing in the "Silver Bullet" for initial diagnostics! Cheers / Blueleezard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayne T5 Posted January 19, 2013 Report Share Posted January 19, 2013 That's a great report, thanks for sharing. How many miles on your VR? I think they respond really well to being taken care of, which is obvious you do. I often think of buying another one and putting it away for when the one I have is worn out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hxgaser Posted January 21, 2013 Report Share Posted January 21, 2013 Thanks for the response. That is exactly what I am thinking with my Chassis Service notice. It only comes on in the morning when it is cold outside and disappears in subsequent start ups. Anyways, I should have looked at the wiring while I was replacing the fuel filter and installing the euro rails yesterday. But I have no other issues at this point, so I will leave it alone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raeste Posted January 24, 2013 Report Share Posted January 24, 2013 Hey Wayne T5 and hxgaser: Our "Silver Bullet" just turned 194,000KM this past Monday (that's 121,250 miles), averaging just a tad over 12,000 miles per year since the ISD. The dreaded 200,000KM on the clock seems to be coming up awfully fast! Anyway -- my wife and I are the 2nd owners of this great 2004 V70R. We acquired it at 157,000KM (98,125 miles). Our history of Volvo ownership goes back to 1974 -- hard to believe it's been that long -- and I totally agree that they respond extremely well to common sense, good quality care. Best part is, as I've said elsewhere: with our 2004 "R", everything works super well. Nothing is broken, nothing has failed, and I'm more than happy to keep the regular maintenance going (e.g., Mobil 1 all the way every 3,000 miles, rotating tires at the same time, etc.), plus replacing parts and getting work done as needed. The clutch and flywheel were no surprise given the mileage -- and going through IPD and VIVA saved a lot of money. Doing the bearings and seals was just a common sense no-brainer. And, I'll be very happy to have the wiring fixed on the RR shock / strut -- when I finally get around to it. Sometimes I feel quite guilty about using this wonderful car as my DD. It seems so special in every other way, but here I am, driving it anywhere from 60 to 90 KM (40 to 55 miles) per day -- and, up here in Calgary during the winter, the conditions are usually nasty (quite a bit of ice, snow, slush, salt, sand and gravel, generally pretty shi**y). And sometimes the blizzards are downright awful, as anyone else who lives here can attest. What I am saying is: given that our "Silver Bullet" was kept in great condition by the previous owner who lived 200 miles (300KM) north of us, and that the leather, glass, all electronics, etc., are all as new, sometimes it seems downright criminal to create even more wear and tear -- especially after all these years! On the other hand, let's face it -- this is a very high-quality Swedish product. It was hand-made by the hand maidens precisely for these conditions (assembled in Belgium as you know). Yes, it's now 10 years old since "birth". But as I have said, it's just about as good as it gets. I will never be able to say too many good things about the all-wheel drive (especially coupled with the studded Hakkapeliitas in winter). I get around, through and past everything else on the road (usually stuck or otherwise incapable of being driven), even when you can't *find* the road! I'm the first to admit I didn't have very many toys as a child. Therefore, as my sigline suggests, in my advancing years I am sorely tempted to go for some performance add-ons with the "R". I would love to have 30 (or maybe 50?) additional HP on tap -- although I admit to also worrying, just a bit, about stressing the drive train as a result. We'll see about all of that. Best of luck maintaining and enjoying your respective "R" machines! Cheers / Blueleezard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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