The other day our S80's fuel door broke. On P2 Volvos there is an electric solenoid that locks the fuel door closed. If the door doesn't shut properly, the solenoid will still 'lock', but the door will be free to flap around in the wind like a Maple Leafs flag on your window. To fix a fuel door...

Inevitably, light bulbs burn out. As you may have read in my recent post about diagnosing failed lightbulbs, once you figure out which bulb is out, it’s simply a matter of replacing the bulb. This post will guide you in replacing the external bulbs in your RWD Volvo. This does specifically relate...

I picked up a set of wheels for my brick a couple of months back. I had been keeping an eye out for this exact set of Volvo wheels, 16” Meteors. If you know about the abstract naming scheme of Volvo wheels, then you’ll know these are essentially baby 17” Comet wheels, in my opinion, some of the...

Ever since I have owned my car, the rocker panels have been permanently dirty. No, it’s not because I’m too lazy to reach down and clean them when I wash my car, but for whatever reason, they have been painted dirty. I didn't notice earlier during car ownership as I figured the rocker panels were...

I recently stated that one of the most annoying things of car ownership was dealing with oil leaks. I have just realized this statement should also include exhaust leaks.   Exhaust leaks generally sneak up on you If your car is your daily driver, it is unlikely you will notice change in the...

A number of weeks ago, I wrote a post on how to fix vacuum leaks. Due to popular demand, I have done a more comprehensive write-up about diagnosing and fixing vacuum leaks. For basic troubleshooting, refer to my previous post. As you will notice, although there are many parts of this post which...

A dead lightbulb in modern cars is extremely simple to diagnose. You’re driving along, and suddenly a message pops up on the dash, “Bulb Failure Position Light”. Easy button, hit.   Cars with 80s and early 90’s engineering don’t have this luxury. Usually, a light will flicker on the dash...

Among the top most annoying problems car owners like us experience are oil leaks. Unless you don’t have a single care about your car, disappearing oil is usually a sign of something that’s just not quite right. For some cars, the engine will naturally burn oil, while unsettling, is fine. Other...

Volvo 940 Flame Trap Kit Old Redblock Volvos are notorious for their PCV system clogging up. Leave it unchecked for too long, and you would experience oil leaks that you just couldn’t figure out how to solve. So what is a PCV system and why does it matter? First off, PCV stands for...

You could say that I’ve been around RWD Volvos for a while. When I was young enough to still need a booster seat, I sat on my dad’s lap and steered our Volvo 240 wagon into our driveway as part of my very first driving lesson. The 240 was replaced by a 1991 Toyota Previa when its frame started...