most of us volvo fans have heard about the new automatic breaking feature that is supposed to prevent crashes by sensing an impending impact. The folks at volvo set up a demonstration of this feature, and well, it didn't work out so well.
check the link for the footage of this no so successful demo @ autoblog.com
for the sugerblack car update:
i polished my wings (taillights) and they are looking nice, but i'm still having smoke coming out somewhere under the manifold. I need to take her in. Also still having problems with the car popping into winter mode. Am convinced it is the vehicle speed sensor. In any event it looks like i might have to delay suspension and break work for enginework which isn't good.
Monday, May 10, 2010
Monday, April 12, 2010
busy spring
i've been remis and haven't posted in a while - so i guess i need to pick up where i left off on the torque rod for the transmission.
Way back on the 23rd of jan, a very sunny and what i thought was a warm day, i jacked the t5r up and busted a knuckle or two getting the new one on. I had to borrow a tool cause i didn't have a good breaker bar, but finally got the old one off and STRUGGLED to get the new one on. Took about and hour and 15 all said which was longer than it should have.
here is a pic of the busted piece hanging:
and here is a pick of the new one on:
if i wasn't so cold by the time it was on i would have cleaned up that mess down there . . . lot of leftovers from the transmission hose popping off.
As a testament to how much i have been working - i didn't manage to get the car up to highway speeds till easter! i had hoped that the mount would have stopped the intermittent jerk when i put the car in reverse, which it didn't. But i was SURE it would deal with the vibrations at high speeds.
So this easter, heading up to maine, i was SHOCKED to feel vibrations, bad ones, again on the way up - this time @ lower speeds than before. So up there i notice that the firewall torque mount was shot. ungh. i ordered one from fcp groton and installed saturday. Much easier. in and out in half an hour and that job required taking the plastic water deflector off and wiper arms. but was a snap. Also, replaced the radiator cap which may have finally solved what i thought was an over pressurized cooling system but was probably just a crack on the inside of the cap.
So am feeling good. I still need to figure out which are the vacuum hoses that need replacing with the stylin blue ones. Have some body cosmetics to deal with. And of course need to figure out what the hell is causing my winter mode to kick in all the time. Think i need to pull the codes again and post to volvospeed or volvolution or something. Its getting warm tho, so time to get back under the hood and get 'ol sugerblack driving nice.
Way back on the 23rd of jan, a very sunny and what i thought was a warm day, i jacked the t5r up and busted a knuckle or two getting the new one on. I had to borrow a tool cause i didn't have a good breaker bar, but finally got the old one off and STRUGGLED to get the new one on. Took about and hour and 15 all said which was longer than it should have.
here is a pic of the busted piece hanging:
and here is a pick of the new one on:
if i wasn't so cold by the time it was on i would have cleaned up that mess down there . . . lot of leftovers from the transmission hose popping off.
As a testament to how much i have been working - i didn't manage to get the car up to highway speeds till easter! i had hoped that the mount would have stopped the intermittent jerk when i put the car in reverse, which it didn't. But i was SURE it would deal with the vibrations at high speeds.
So this easter, heading up to maine, i was SHOCKED to feel vibrations, bad ones, again on the way up - this time @ lower speeds than before. So up there i notice that the firewall torque mount was shot. ungh. i ordered one from fcp groton and installed saturday. Much easier. in and out in half an hour and that job required taking the plastic water deflector off and wiper arms. but was a snap. Also, replaced the radiator cap which may have finally solved what i thought was an over pressurized cooling system but was probably just a crack on the inside of the cap.
So am feeling good. I still need to figure out which are the vacuum hoses that need replacing with the stylin blue ones. Have some body cosmetics to deal with. And of course need to figure out what the hell is causing my winter mode to kick in all the time. Think i need to pull the codes again and post to volvospeed or volvolution or something. Its getting warm tho, so time to get back under the hood and get 'ol sugerblack driving nice.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Transmission Mount
Well - here is my new working theory for why the transmission hose popped off the radiator - in addition to the torque rod being shot (click this post's title to pop over and see the part i am talking about) i noticed this weekend that the car was overheating again. I was actually @ the carwash and saw the temp/pressure gauge going up. To make matters worse the wash kept failing while me and the little man were going through it, so i was kinda worried i was going to hit the red while is was in there. anyways, i pulled in front of the house, popped the hood and the fan wasn't blowing. Which made me crazy because i just replaced the thing. What had happend was the connector to the relay was slightly out (the locking tab is broken). I pushed it in and the fan kicked on. So my theory is that w/ the fan not going and the torque rod being gone was a combo that resulted in the hose loosening and pressure building.
I ordered the anti-torque rod today, will probably get it tmrw. And unfortunately i'll need to take it somewhere to put it in. I left my torque wrench up in maine and its too cold to do that kind of stuff right now on the street. so that's next on the list.
I'm also really concerned with the suspension - i have been feeling like the rear shocks are going and notice a bit of oil on one looking under the car the other day. So i need to make a decision on that - i want the bilstein touring shocks/struts but don't feel quite like dropping another 350-400 bucks. So i am trying to decide if i should just throw in some monroe or similar non performance parts. Oh well - in any event i'm driving like an old lady now. I will have to figure out my plan tho soon - next maine trip is in the beginning of feb so i will need to get sugerblack ready for the highway by then.
I ordered the anti-torque rod today, will probably get it tmrw. And unfortunately i'll need to take it somewhere to put it in. I left my torque wrench up in maine and its too cold to do that kind of stuff right now on the street. so that's next on the list.
I'm also really concerned with the suspension - i have been feeling like the rear shocks are going and notice a bit of oil on one looking under the car the other day. So i need to make a decision on that - i want the bilstein touring shocks/struts but don't feel quite like dropping another 350-400 bucks. So i am trying to decide if i should just throw in some monroe or similar non performance parts. Oh well - in any event i'm driving like an old lady now. I will have to figure out my plan tho soon - next maine trip is in the beginning of feb so i will need to get sugerblack ready for the highway by then.
Friday, January 8, 2010
Thursday, January 7, 2010
tune up
of course i forgot to take pictures after i put in the new plugs and wires . . . but did take this one during the operation . . . i had left the car parked after the fiasco this sunday w/ the trans oil hose blowing off. So this morning i went under the hood and added a worm clamp on the hose, put the airbox back in and she started and drove just fine. I'm wondering if i should jack her up to take a closer look at the transmission mount or just order one from FCP. they have em for 37 bucks which is very reasonable. My gut is telling me to order it, and that i should pull codes or take the car over to Aamco or something.
anyways - car drove great into the office so i think i'll take my chances and drive to laguardia to pick up the wife and son fromt the airport tonight.
'
anyways - car drove great into the office so i think i'll take my chances and drive to laguardia to pick up the wife and son fromt the airport tonight.
'
Monday, January 4, 2010
xmas work & new years trip
sugerblack and i had a great visit from santa this year. We did the sparkplugs (platinum) the wires (ipd) and distributor (cap & rotator) i had the pcv done at a local mechanic (labor was 272) and saved myself a lot of money compared to the quotes i was getting from everyone else. I cleaned the engine & polished the manifold. Car drove so well after the work (except for some vibrating at about 80 - which i suspected was a transmission mount).
all was well - parked the car in long term parking and headed to atlanta. Yesterday we met a friend of my wife who showed up for brunch in an Audi r8 - a real supercar. then to a kids birthday party at dave & busters where i spent all my time driving super car simulators. so after a 3 hour delay i picked up the car, no wife & no baby and hit the bqe on a sunday night - i was living the dream baby - hauling. as i hit my exit, the first one on the prospect expressway with widespread panic blaring on the stereo i felt the car downshift (normal) and heard the engine revving (not normal). green light and a right onto 20th street - and no forward momentum, just rev when i pressed on throttle. Worried it was the timing belt (which i have been worrying about lately) i shut the car off and popped the hood - fluid everywhere. i noticed that there was a hose loose from the radiator on the diver's side near the battery but couldn't quite figure out why that would effect the transmission. I know now that the radiator services the transmission coolant & engine coolant.
Anyways - i was only 2 blocks from home but not somewhere i could leave the car so i called triple A - it was 10:35pm & 21 degrees. I was too afraid to run the engine for heat so i sat, and sat and sat. I called them again @ 11:30, they said the wrecker would be there @ 12:15. Called again at 1 am. @ 1:40 a wrecker came to tow me the 4 blocks to the service station by my house. 3 hours in 21 degree (6 with the windchill) i was violently shivering - even with the extra pair of socks i pulled out of my luggage.
This morning i went down to deal with it and jacked it to discover that in fact the transmission mount is blown. It could be that the vibrations caused the hose clamp to fail - could be that the guys at pepboys didn't install it properly when they did my radiator. In any event - it took more than 5 quarts of fluid to get it to engage again. I need to throw the airbox back on and put a worm clamp on the hose to secure it and look through the sites to see what i am going to do about repairs. not sure if i am should take it to the dealer for a real service but am leaning that way - or should do the guy in jersey or what. but boy - just when you are living the dream - cold cold reality brings you back. poor sugerblack
all was well - parked the car in long term parking and headed to atlanta. Yesterday we met a friend of my wife who showed up for brunch in an Audi r8 - a real supercar. then to a kids birthday party at dave & busters where i spent all my time driving super car simulators. so after a 3 hour delay i picked up the car, no wife & no baby and hit the bqe on a sunday night - i was living the dream baby - hauling. as i hit my exit, the first one on the prospect expressway with widespread panic blaring on the stereo i felt the car downshift (normal) and heard the engine revving (not normal). green light and a right onto 20th street - and no forward momentum, just rev when i pressed on throttle. Worried it was the timing belt (which i have been worrying about lately) i shut the car off and popped the hood - fluid everywhere. i noticed that there was a hose loose from the radiator on the diver's side near the battery but couldn't quite figure out why that would effect the transmission. I know now that the radiator services the transmission coolant & engine coolant.
Anyways - i was only 2 blocks from home but not somewhere i could leave the car so i called triple A - it was 10:35pm & 21 degrees. I was too afraid to run the engine for heat so i sat, and sat and sat. I called them again @ 11:30, they said the wrecker would be there @ 12:15. Called again at 1 am. @ 1:40 a wrecker came to tow me the 4 blocks to the service station by my house. 3 hours in 21 degree (6 with the windchill) i was violently shivering - even with the extra pair of socks i pulled out of my luggage.
This morning i went down to deal with it and jacked it to discover that in fact the transmission mount is blown. It could be that the vibrations caused the hose clamp to fail - could be that the guys at pepboys didn't install it properly when they did my radiator. In any event - it took more than 5 quarts of fluid to get it to engage again. I need to throw the airbox back on and put a worm clamp on the hose to secure it and look through the sites to see what i am going to do about repairs. not sure if i am should take it to the dealer for a real service but am leaning that way - or should do the guy in jersey or what. but boy - just when you are living the dream - cold cold reality brings you back. poor sugerblack
Sunday, December 13, 2009
getting excited for xmas
between shopping for my own stocking stuffers and an all volvo wishlist, i'm getting pretty dang excited for xmas. i put together a wish list from IPDUSA.com and am happy to report that i'll be spending the week in a cold garage tinkering. on the list:
1) new plugs
2) new distributor cap & rotor
3) new ipd wires
4) silicone vacuum hoses
5) forever black (will stain the trim)
6) new halogen back up bulbs
am also going to get the pcv system done monday the 28th.
so am excited that's the short list of tinkering and am looking forward to the time away from work. Am not sure if i'll put that damn gasket back on the heater core, though i really should as the higher you turn up the heat the less effective it is right now w/out that little gasket.
will do pictures and maybe try to finally get some video/audio/rolling shots of the vehicle this holiday.
j
1) new plugs
2) new distributor cap & rotor
3) new ipd wires
4) silicone vacuum hoses
5) forever black (will stain the trim)
6) new halogen back up bulbs
am also going to get the pcv system done monday the 28th.
so am excited that's the short list of tinkering and am looking forward to the time away from work. Am not sure if i'll put that damn gasket back on the heater core, though i really should as the higher you turn up the heat the less effective it is right now w/out that little gasket.
will do pictures and maybe try to finally get some video/audio/rolling shots of the vehicle this holiday.
j
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