Technical Index

2004 Tech Session

Technical Sessions

Each winter, the Club hosts its well-attended annual technical session. These events are always interesting, informative and normally come with refreshments. Topics are normally mechanical in nature, but also include body and upholstery topics.

A complete list of Technical Sessions back to 1996 can be found to the left under the heading Technical Sessions.

Links

For a wealth of interesting and useful technical links, please see our Links to Resources page.

Special Technical Articles

Oil is Killing Our Cars

Jim Latham and his 122S, Greta
You will probably recognize Jim Latham and his 122S race car named Greta. Both have featured in our newsletter a few times before. It has been educational to see the steady improvement Jim has made to the cars performance. Read the whole story.

Building the World’s Most Powerful Single Carburetor Volvo Engine
This article appeared in the September 2007 edition of the VCBC newsletter.

Transmission Tailshaft Bushing Replacement
A fairly common failure on the modern AW70/71 automatic transmissions is the tailshaft (output shaft) bushing, which supports the flange connecting to the driveshaft. This bushing, resembling a camshaft bearing used in a steel engine block, frequently develops enough play on older cars that adverse noise and vibration can be observed. One club member documented his replacement of this bushing on his 740 Turbo. Read this article.

Buying a Used 850/S70
Here is a useful article for anyone looking at purchasing a Volvo 850 or S70. Gregg Morris has consulted several local experts on what to expect from this model. See the complete report.

Valve Spring Failure on a B230FT
No one wants to be faced with a potentially serious mechanical failure with their engine, especially on a newer car with relatively low kilometres. Club member Cam Finnigan documented the repair of a broken valve spring on his family's 1989 740 Turbo. This article originally appears in the Club's newsletter.
Read the article here.

Debugging Electric Window Lifts on a Volvo 240
If you have had troubles with the electric windows on your 240, this article presents a quick guide in troubleshooting the electric window lifts.

Emergency Spare Parts for Your Newer 240
If you are planning a long trip in your newer 240, here is an article explaining what parts you should consider carrying with you for the trip.

Torque-to-Yield Bolts
Jim Kerr is a regular contributor of technical articles to the Canadian Driver website. This technical article talks briefly about torque-to-yield bolts used by some car manufacturers to attach cylinder heads to engine blocks and some other applications. Jim Kerr is a master automotive mechanic and teaches automotive technology. He has been writing automotive articles for fifteen years for newspapers and magazines in Canada and the United States, and is a member of the Automotive Journalist's Association of Canada (AJAC).
Canadian Driver article "The secrets of bolt tightening "

AirCare Emissions Reports Available On-Line.

As of 2003, AirCare reports are now available on line. This provides a concise summary of all tests back to 2001. This gives any prospective purchaser the ability to have immediate access to this information, free of charge. Example #1. or Example #2. Two similar cars. A Link to AirCare is available on the Links page.

Original Volvo Factory Documentation

Volvo Technical Articles can be ordered on line from the Volvo Cars of North America Bookstore. This is your source for owner's manuals, printed service manuals and parts catalogs for Volvo cars built for sale in the United States and Canada.
www.volvotechinfo.com

Past Technical Sessions

Here is a complete list of technical sessions from the history of the Club. Some of these, in more recent years, have been written up in the newsletter and are available in links at the navigation area at the side.

  • 2005: Timing belt replacement on a 80 242GT by Ian Peterkin at Volvo of North Vancouver
  • 2004: Tune up for Aircare on a B230F or FT engine by Ian Peterkin at Volvo of North Vancouver
  • 2003: Front End Alignment at National Tire
  • 2002 (Held early 2003): Air Care of Cars with SU HS6 carbs at the Lake City Aircare Station.
  • 2001: Evolution of Electrical Systems and Engine Management Systems by Jason Leber at Don Docksteader Motors
  • 2000: Principles and repairs of differentials, by Ian Wood at IWE Rear Ends Only
  • 1999: Engine Rebuilding of B18/B20 at Alecs Automotive Machine Shop
  • 1998: Body work and paint by Brian Schram at Ed Schram Motors body shop
  • 1997: Replacement of McPherson Struts and Rear suspension bushings on a 1980 242GT, by Jeff Wong and Jason Leber at Don Docksteader Motors.
  • 1996: Auto Detailing at Dynamic Shine as well as a Dents Unlimited Demonstration and Leather restoration by Ambassador Restoration
  • Computerized Fault tracing of the 850 Series, by Jason Leber at Don Docksteader Motors.
  • Simultaneous presentations on SU repair, Volvo braking systems and wheel alignment, by Nigel Smith, Jason Leber and Sandford Kendrick at Westview Engineering.
  • Bosch D Jetronic fuel injection system, explanation and demonstration, by Nigel Smith of Westview Engineering
  • Fuel systems starting with SU carburetors at Don Docksteader Motors