Is Stu ok :-)

"Steven Campbell" wrote in news:4308cb86$0$1314$ snipped-for-privacy@ptn-nntp-reader02.plus.net:

Hi, Steve. It's nice to know you're concerned :-). I didn't mean to leave you hanging, but I've had an eventful few days. Are you sitting comfortably?:

All the recent car-changing malarky infected SWMBO and the upshot of that is that she's also bought another car - an 02 reg Yaris T-Sport. Caribbean blue, superb condition, 25k and FSH. Bought from an independant dealer, it cost her the princely sum of £6000 worth of inheretance money. A lot to spend on a car for what she uses it for, but I reckon it's a much better car than the Seicento (which I never liked), so why not?!

I took her down on Friday to collect the Yaris. My arrival was announced by the embarrasing growl of a blowing exhaust. I didn't realise this until I opened the door whilst parking - the car is so damn quiet! The dealer kindly agreed to allow me the use of his ramps in order to identify the source of the unwanted noise - the single and rather large rear silencer. After 8 years and 96k with the original, I knew this was on the cards, but as it happened, fate had dealt me this particular dollop of misfortune less than 24 hours before my weekend trip to Llanelli. I sighed, thanked the dealer and began to escort SWMBO home, with my tailpipe between my legs.

Once we'd returned home, I then started to organise a rear box replacement. This was pretty urgent, as the weekend trip was essential - we were attending a golden wedding celebration for my great aunt & uncle. Besides SWMBO, I also had to transport my mother and partially disabled nan, so using the Yaris was out of the question. Having seen the existing box (shot), I decided that replacement was essential prior to the 500+ mile round trip.

The rear silencer section is large. It is basically one half of the entire system, with a joint onto the cat pipe, a large square silencer and a tail section. The price for this from the local Volvo dealer was £280! Not wanting to use a cheap part sourced from an exhaust fitter, I arranged to pick up a Bosal one from Eurocarparts at 8:00 Saturday morning, then take it back for fitting locally. Cost £90 +VAT.

All went well, and off we went on our merry way. However, once we'd travelled a short distance, it became clear that the new Bosal silencer was far from silent. In fact, it's noisier than the original with holes in it (from inside the car at least)! Cruising is silent, but when accelerating or hill climbing, it roars like a sports exhaust! I'm about to post on the Volvo forum to see if anyone else has used the Bosal part and ask if their experience is similar. I've stuck my head under whilst revving it with my hand, and the joint seems to be sound. The source of the noise appears to be silencer box, perhaps it is faulty? If not, my best hope is that it'll quieten down when it becomes sooted up, but I'm not too chuffed about it.

My other worry is the clutch issue. To recap, this is a noisy release bearing at idle, with a high pitched groaning when letting the clutch in to pull away. The noise is rather like that of a dry bearing, but it is related to the amount load being transmitted through the clutch i.e. it doesn't happen when pulling away gently, but is very difficult to avoid on hill starts. It also judders slightly, which implies that the noise is being made by the clutch slipping. I have now dreamed up the nightmare scenario that the friction plate is worn to the rivets and that the noise is that of the rivets scouring the flywheel! Another post to the Volvoclub about to be written. One good thing I can say is that once engaged, the clutch never slips, even when climbing hills under full acceleration and with three passengers, so I'm praying that the problem is less serious than I imagine. I know that clutch replacement is going to be on the cards in the not-too-distant future, but I could really do with a year to bolster my finances first.

On a lighter note, I'm really chuffed with the S70's performance on the long journey. Very smooth and comfortable and surprisingly economical. Pulls like a train even with passengers in. The trip to Derby returned

34mpg and the outbound leg of the Welsh expidition managed 30. This was with four people, cruising between 75 and 85, some time spent in traffic and some sections of urban driving at each end of the journey. Up to this point I used Optimax, for the return leg I refuelled with normal unleaded from Texaco. I think the mpg has fallen slightly from this point, although I did get the right foot down a little harder, 85 - 90 most of the way. I can't confirm this as I haven't bothered to fill the tank up again.

So there you have it. That'll teach you to ask how I'm getting on ;-)

I'd have used it as an excuse not to go to Llanelli.

I've get to work in a bigger shit hole of a place.

For any passing plod, he meant 65mph there, and 70mph back - his speedo also needs a little attention :-p

Colin Wilson wrote in news:MPG.1d73179e2cfc5c7d98b352 @news.individual.net:

Who said anything about mph? I didn't quote any unit of speed - could have been quoting in kph, for all you know ;-)

Ahh, I knew there was a simple explanation :-p

Perhaps it could have been the temperature of your coolant too !