760 Turbo, unusual sound on acceleration

[e4fx]

Hi -

I have a 1987 760Turbo.
The last couple of weeks I heard a strange sound when accelerating. This happens during normal street driving and towards the middle to end of acceleration. sounds like air hissing as if being forced through a very small hole - like deflating a pool toy. slows down and dissappears as I reach speed. any ideas?

thanks a lot. happy holidays.
eric

 

[Bill Bradley]

Hi -

I have a 1987 760Turbo.
The last couple of weeks I heard a strange sound when accelerating. This happens during normal street driving and towards the middle to end of acceleration. sounds like air hissing as if being forced through a very small hole - like deflating a pool toy. slows down and dissappears as I reach speed. any ideas?

thanks a lot. happy holidays.
eric

My bet is on the check valve for your vacuum line having gone bad.
Quick check: Try opening or closing the vents (floor, defroster). If they don't work, that's it. Probably blew off one of the hoses while under boost after the valve failed and that's what you're hearing. Replace the check valve (on the inlet for #4 cylinder IIRC) and re-attach the hose or hoses to the vent switches.

Bill

 

[Michael Pardee]

Hi -

I have a 1987 760Turbo.
The last couple of weeks I heard a strange sound when accelerating. This happens during normal street driving and towards the middle to end of acceleration. sounds like air hissing as if being forced through a very small hole - like deflating a pool toy. slows down and dissappears as I reach speed. any ideas?

thanks a lot. happy holidays.
eric

If the turbo ducts (the large hoses) are original, they are at the end of their life expectancy. One of them may have a hole in it, and if so it will interfere with engine operation soon.

The turbo generates boost anytime the engine speed gets up in the 2000 rpm range or higher, with almost any throttle at all. The boost is controlled by the throttle body so it doesn't show up on the guage, but those ducts are being pressurized. If a large enough hole is formed, a substantial amount of the air that has already been metered by the AMM is lost, so the engine runs very rich when it develops boost. The effect is unmistakable - everything is fine until the engine starts developing some power, then the power suddenly sags a lot and doesn't return until you back off on the throttle completely a couple seconds... then you are back where you started.

I advise you to inspect all the ducts, but I have a caution about the one from the AMM to the turbo inlet. That one tends to turn to mush at the bottom, right where it connects to the turbo. Since it is on the inlet side of the turbo, failure of that duct won't give you much trouble. The duct is about $200 US from Volvo the last I heard (only paid $150 US for mine so many years ago!), so if you aren't prepared to replace it you may not want to disturb it.

For all the other ducts (except maybe that short piece of blue silicone right on the turbo outlet, which is pretty tough), remove each one and inspect inside and out for holes and tears. I had one with only a small hole on the outside but it was torn end to end on the inside. The whole process is an easy DIY with a screwdriver (and gloves, because they are oily at least on the inside) and will take an hour if you are as slow as I am. If any are torn they should be replaced ASAP, and you may consider replacing all of them (except maybe the turbo inlet, depending on your money situation). IIRC the ducts besides the inlet one totalled about $200 US, but I bought most of them one at a time.

Mike

 

[tom.dave]

Good tip on the hoses. I bought my first brick, an 89 740T a few months ago and have been researching it since. My car needed lots of work and I've picked up on all the Volvo "issues" for that particular model, the hoses being one of them. A problem I've been dealing with has been gas mileage in the 13-15 range. I've done all the usual stuff, tune up, new ect, checked tires, suspension, brakes, etc all to no avail. Someone mentioned checking the turbo hoses and sure enough just as you mentioned the intake one between the amm and turbo had turned to mush right where the hose connects from the oil trap. I temporarily duct taped it to seal it off and hope this is the cause of my horrible gas mileage. I thought it would cause lean running rather than rich but my Volvo guru's say mileage would decrease because the O2 sensor would detect a lean mixture and signal the ecu to dump more fuel. Makes sense and I hope they are right. Strange thing is that after taping it I now get the same type of noise you mention which wasn't there before.Anyway what I am getting at is FCP and Eeuroparts has that hose for something like $65.00 so you don't have to spend $200. You can also get dealer type items for much cheaper and they ship international

 

[James Sweet]

Good tip on the hoses. I bought my first brick, an 89 740T a few months ago and have been researching it since. My car needed lots of work and I've picked up on all the Volvo "issues" for that particular model, the hoses being one of them. A problem I've been dealing with has been gas mileage in the 13-15 range. I've done all the usual stuff, tune up, new ect, checked tires, suspension, brakes, etc all to no avail. Someone mentioned checking the turbo hoses and sure enough just as you mentioned the intake one between the amm and turbo had turned to mush right where the hose connects from the oil trap. I temporarily duct taped it to seal it off and hope this is the cause of my horrible gas mileage. I thought it would cause lean running rather than rich but my Volvo guru's say mileage would decrease because the O2 sensor would detect a lean mixture and signal the ecu to dump more fuel.

What's actually happening is that the air is metered at the air mass meter right at the airbox, then between the turbo and the engine some of the air is escaping, but since the air meter is before the leak, the computer injects enough fuel for the amount of air measured while not realizing that a portion of that air is leaking out before it gets to the engine hence the extra fuel.

 

[e4fx]

hi - thanks to all of you so much.

exactly what's described below. I've neglected it and the symptoms are now very severe.

so now i'm in a serious predicament. I have a really sweet woman who needs to have me drive her around tomorrow starting at 8am. she's going in for surgery and will be in the hospital for 3-4 months. (I am absolutely NOT kidding.)

I'm not the fastest on cars, but I follow directions well. does anyone have - or pssibly supply - a link to a nice diagram of these hoses? main thing is I don't want to mess with the 4th as mentioned below.

I advise you to inspect all the ducts, but I have a caution about the one from the AMM to the turbo inlet. That one tends to turn to mush at the bottom, right where it connects to the turbo. Since it is on the inlet side of the turbo, failure of that duct won't give you much trouble.

if no pictures, any directions would be great appreciated. I'm going online to look for something after I write this message.

thank you all again.
my best,
Eric

 

[e4fx]

don't think it was clear in previous post. this is what is happening:

If the turbo ducts (the large hoses) are original, they are at the end of >

their life expectancy. One of them may have a hole in it, and if so it wil> l interfere with engine operation s> oon.

The turbo generates boost anytime the engine speed gets up in the 200> 0 rpm range or higher, with almost any throttle at all. The boost is contro> lled by the throttle body so it doesn't show up on the guage, but those > ducts are being pressurized. If a large enough hole is formed, a substantia> l amount of the air that has already been metered by the AMM is lost, so th> e engine runs very rich when it develops boost. The effect is unmistakable > - everything is fine until the engine starts developing some power, then t> he power suddenly sags a lot and doesn't return until you back off on the > throttle completely a couple seconds... then you are back where you started.

 

[James Sweet]

hi - thanks to all of you so much.

exactly what's described below. I've neglected it and the symptoms are now very severe.

so now i'm in a serious predicament. I have a really sweet woman who needs to have me drive her around tomorrow starting at 8am. she's going in for surgery and will be in the hospital for 3-4 months. (I am absolutely NOT kidding.)

I'm not the fastest on cars, but I follow directions well. does anyone have - or pssibly supply - a link to a nice diagram of these hoses? main thing is I don't want to mess with the 4th as mentioned below.

Just remove and inspect each of the rubber hose sections between the air mass meter and the intake manifold, there's only about half a dozen pieces, they connect with simple hose clamps so you should be able to have them all removed from the car in 5-10 minutes if you take your time and mark where each of them goes. If one has a hole in it you may be able to squeeze a few days out of it (enough for a new hose to arrive) with a liberal wrapping of electrical tape, just drive with a light foot.

 

[e4fx]

I appreciate your reply.

rented a car for the girl, so now i'm off to work on my 760. thank you for the instructions!

eric

 

[Michael Pardee]

Just remove and inspect each of the rubber hose sections between the air mass meter and the intake manifold, there's only about half a dozen pieces, they connect with simple hose clamps so you should be able to have them all removed from the car in 5-10 minutes if you take your time and mark where each of them goes. If one has a hole in it you may be able to squeeze a few days out of it (enough for a new hose to arrive) with a liberal wrapping of electrical tape, just drive with a light foot.

I have had better success with making a "boot" from an aluminum can to go around the hose right where the hole is and taping that in place - a roadside repair to be sure. It seemed to provide some support. No doubt about it, it's hard to hold pressure in a softened, oily hose!

Mike

 

[James Sweet]

I have had better success with making a "boot" from an aluminum can to go around the hose right where the hole is and taping that in place - a roadside repair to be sure. It seemed to provide some support. No doubt about it, it's hard to hold pressure in a softened, oily hose!

Mike

Hey that's a darn good idea, I'll keep it in mind if I ever get a leak out in the middle of nowhere.