Cars and Bikes

Car Review: Volvo S40 2.0T 2001 (on going project)
Just bought this car three weeks ago with 53.000km. After took the car from the showroom, I immediately went to Volvo authorized workshop which is located next to my office. Ooops .... surprised... they have service record of this car, and the last record was 80.000km routine service on April 2006, then no record after that. 80.000 km ?? that mean the car seller tricked me, they reduced the odometer reading ... ooh my god. Its often happen in Indonesia, but this my first experience, how they did that?, even the volvo workshop can't do that trick (and never do that). Ok, I got 5 years of service record anyway. At least this volvo have well maintenance for the first 5 years. I only missing around 15 months track record. The brief specification of my Volvo S40 as below:

mid size four doors sedan
engine: 2000cc turbo (low compression)
power 167 hp
front wheel drive

The reason for bought this car:

Need one more car for my wife activity
Bigger than the previous Merc A140
The car should be comfortable enough for long distance driving
European car
Mid size engine

So what the right odometer reading actually?, just guess 80.000km plus 15 months (approx 20.000km), let say 100.000km now. I don't want to take a risk, changed the timing belt immediately. Then the engine oil check light on with noisy engine sound, I stop driving and check the problem, its seem the oil can't reach the top engine. Went to workshop and flush the engine, put new Mobil1 5-50 synthetic oil and replaced the oil filter. I found a thick oil sludge in filter cup. However I'm still afraid that is some more sludge in oil pan. I'd checked and cleaned the oil filter for every 3 days (approx every 200km), after the fourth times, the filter cup looks clean, no more sludge.

Checking under the body, found the one of drive shaft boots was torn, no more grease on it. The volvo workshop didn't have the part, I should be waiting for 2-3 weeks. I went to other parts shop and found the original boot for Rp 450k (US$ 45), its much cheaper compare to authorized volvo workshop that offer me Rp 1.2M (US$ 130) for the same parts.

After a week later I'd found parts of my coolant fluid colored light brown looks like a milkshake. It must be come from oil mix with the coolant. Ooooh, ....... big, big problem.... (going on)

(continue)
Brought the car to volvo workshop, they diagnosed the problem and found the oil cooler was leaking, and the oil and the coolant mix at that point. No problem with engine head gasket, they put pressure through plugs hole, no leak. Its a better news for me, I don't like to change my top head gasket at this time, its very costly. The oil cooler itself will cost me approx. Rp 3.5M, (US$375), however the part was not available yet, I should waiting for 2-3 weeks. Ok, I'll be patience.

At the same time the engine check light on, according to volvo workshop its trigger by camsaft sensor reading. However, if I replace the "milkshake" coolant partially, the light goes off, and the light will gone if I not used the car for 2 days. Its happen several times, I suspect something related with the coolant fluid. I should wait until the new oil cooler fit on my S40.

See my volvo updated status at other post