Hi All,
thanks for all your responses to my previous post.
Have had more of a chance to become acquainted with and fix niggling problems with the 164e. Am really beginning to like it for reasons that will probably be familiar to many of you but there remain a few niggling things...
Firstly the steering at full lock left. It shudders and carries on but is fine if you just back it off from lock a little. I remember the same thing on my Mum's old 245GL back in the mid eighties when I was learning to drive on it... That car (the 245) couldn't have been that old but had similar symptoms. I assume it is on the left lock because in Aus we drive on the left and hence backing out of driveways, parks etc. requires full lock but on the other side full lock is rarely used. Any ideas?
Ok, second is the fuel economy which I mentioned last time. Well, not just the economy. Also the fact that the engine "sings" at highway speeds (100-120k/h). I had another look and at 120k/h it is indicating
3700rpm. Last time I mentioned the tranny but overlooked the possibility of perhaps changing the diff ratio to raise the overall gearing. Is this possible do you think? Should certainly be an easier mod than, say, dropping a Jap 5 speed box into it. Besides, the three speed Borg Warner kinda suits the feel of the car.For any Aussies here I just thought I'd share... This car reminds me very much of an old (70's) Holden 6 (186 or 202 - closer to 186 in capacity) with a Trimatic box. Of course the build quality of the Volvo is better, it's more solid and there are more creature comforts like leather interior, AC, power steering etc. but in terms of engine and box they are almost identical in feel.
Ok, one last thing... I think I read somewhere that the mechanical injectors can make a noise like faint tappet noise. Well I am hearing faint tappet-like noises and assume that it is the injectors making it. I don't think this is bad but wonder if others have experienced this?
Cheers,
Pete