Have you ever wanted to find the VIN of a car in Australia but all you have is the cars registration number? There are a few ways that you can find the VIN for free online. 1 - Free car...
We recently saw a letter published in the NRMA's Open Road magazine where a member wrote in to thank the NRMA road service for their help with a flat tyre. They explained how they had a puncture...
I've lost count of how many times I have had to remove the intake manifold from this car but today I did it yet again so that I could get access to the VVT valve to try cleaning it. I followed...
Two years ago Ronald Finger was publishing videos about his hobbies on his YouTube channel and had a subscriber count of under 2,000. Then he found a 1985 Pontiac Fiero that had been sitting for...
A couple of months has passed since I fixed my Volvo's idle and stalling problem and I have been using and enjoying the car for fault driving duties. But the other day the check engine light came...
My Volvo V50 2.4i recently threw a couple of VVT related error codes: ECM-640A and ECM-640F and one of the suggestions in VIDA is to clean or replace the inlet camshaft check valve (VVT valve)....
I've posted here before about possible sightings of phase 2 Volvo V40 T4's in Australia and been wrong each time. But this time I'm sure I've found one! If you are wondering what I'm talking...
My Volvo V50's rear-view mirror is pretty small and all I can see out of it at most times is what is directly behind me, and not the rear corners like I have been able to see out of most cars I have...
I have noticed for quite a while that our C200T has been making quite a bit of noise, particularly at startup. It seemed exceptionally bad when I last drove the car so I thought it was time to...
Selling Downing Atlanta supercharger from my '96 Z3. About 30k miles on the SC. Comes with Aguamist water alcohol injection setup which is optional to install. Also boost gauge with diode light...
In my last post 3 weeks ago I posted that the idle and stalling issue had been solved - one of the greatest days of my life. But 24 hours later the car started acting exactly the same again. I...
Some amazing news... The idle/stalling issue has been resolved! I had a new theory about what was causing the problem and was now suspecting the fuel injectors were leaking or blocked, so I...
The new coolant hose arrived and was fitted relatively easy. The cooling system now seems to be leak-free. A set of Bosch spark plugs also arrived so I fitted those as well. During the test...
The automotive channels on Youtube often seem to follow certain trends, like the recent one where several channels were combining old Ford Mustang bodies with new Mustang running gear. The latest...
Today is the final update for the supercharged BMW 318is as it has been sold and I will be attempting to use my new (to me) Volvo V50 as my daily transport. The BMW sold very quickly - within a...
I recently bought a VXDIAG VCX NANO device which can be used with Volvo's VIDA software to communicate with Volvos from the early 2000s up to 2014 or so. The device is claimed to be compatible...
It has now been over two months since I bought this car. In this time I've fixed a few issues but been unable to fix what I considered the major problem which is the idle quality and stalling when...
After more research and answers on forums the PTC resistor on the PCV/oil filter housing was introduced as a new suspect. Plan was to disconnect that once the problem starts happening and see if it...
Putting together a list of Volvo P1 parts and their Ford and Mazda equivalents. Volvo Part Part No. Ford P/N Mazda P/N Coolant tank (2.4i) 30776151 1438913 / 3M5H8K218DG...
I tried heating up the electronic throttle module and a few other components and then starting the car from cold to see if the problem happened straight away. It didn't. I also ran the car...
Not much has been happening with the V50 because I have been waiting for parts to arrive. Some new wipers came in which I have fitted. I am impressed with the type of wiper attachments Volvo has...
I am waiting on a new fuel pressure sensor but in the meantime, I tried a few things. First was to try heating some of the suspected components with a hairdryer while the engine was cold to see...
I was hopeful that the new PCV hose would solve my idle/stalling issue but unfortunately it did not. It was fine for the first short test drive, but on a longer test drive the next day the same...
I'm waiting on the new rubber PCV hose to come in to see if it fixes my idle/stalling issue, although the more I think about it, I don't think it will solve that problem. I'm leaning more towards a...
Selling my 1998 BMW 318is, Avus Blue, 5-speed manual, M44 1.9-litre twin-cam engine. Has done 310,000 km. Registration to 29 October 2020. Limited-edition Sport model which came with a factory...
My first efforts on the new Volvo were mostly cleaning of the interior to try and make it more presentable and to start getting rid of the cigarette smell. I bought a steering wheel and gear knob...
I have been looking for a phase 1 or 2 Volvo V40 for a long time, but at the same time keeping my eye out for other options including V50s. Manual Volvos are rare in Australia so not much comes up...
Around the World in 13 Days - Wheels 1977 In 1977 Wheels magazine planned a 4,000 km trip from Sydney to Perth to see how quickly a pair of competent drivers in a good car could make the...
This is a follow-up post to my original post: https://carchat.org/posts/1479-magazine-articles-about-driving-across-or-around-australia?post=1486 Wings Across Australia - Wheels...
A trip across or around Australia is the ultimate road test and several Australian car magazines have undertaken these journeys in various cars over the years. Whiteline 15000 - Motor...
If you've been wondering why there have been no new progress videos for B is for Build's Ford Mustang project, well that's because it's over. Why? Apparently, Eleanor is a copyrighted movie...
Sadly, the search for a V40 is still ongoing. I found a very good one for sale, a 1997 model T4 manual in Summer Green. It has travelled only 160,000 km and is owned by a Volvo...
For several years I've had a strange knocking type noise coming from my car. I've tried to solve it myself, and replaced several parts. I've also sought expert help on a couple of occasions but...
I've been selling off my issues of Evo (UK) magazine because I hadn't given them more than a cursory look over since I bought them many years ago. As I was going through each issue recording...
BMW Australia launched the E36 3 series in May 1991. The range initially comprised of the four-door sedan with 1.8-litre four-cylinder engine (318i) and two six-cylinder models - the 320i (2...
The new 3 series models were introduced from August 1998 with the 318i and 323i arriving first, followed closely by the 328i. Only the 4-door sedan body was offered initially, and E36 hatches,...
Excerpt from a 2001 Volvo USA press release with details about the phase 2 S40 and V40. S40 and V40 (Major Changes to Interior and Exterior) The remarkably successful...
According to the Haynes manual for the S40 and V40: To raise the front of the car, place the jack head underneath the braced underbody section behind the lower arm rear mounting. To raise the...
The Dog & Lemon Guide is a New Zealand publication with reviews of most of the cars available in NZ. This is an excerpt covering the S40 and V40 from the 2001...
Magazine article comparing the Volvo V40 T4 to Alfa Romeo 156 V6, Audi A4 1.8T, BMW 328i and Vauxhall Vectra V6 wagons. From Car (UK) magazine, September...
New addition to the family The Volvo S40 and V40 T4 are the result of intelligent industrial development and effective product development. The further development of both the existing...
Article from Autocar (UK) magazine, 3 July 1996 BMW 318is coupe - On sale: now Every now and then a car comes along that represents more than the sum of its parts. The 1996 BMW...
Excerpt from a comparison test between the Subaru Legacy, Audi A4 and Volvo V40. Volvo V40 in detail One of the best-looking estates around, Volvo's V40 has given the company a...
Article from Motor (Australia) magazine, August 1998 Story: Jonathan Hawley Photos: Warren Kirby You can't excuse Volvo of not trying. It's taken a year and numerous changes, but the...
Excerpt from Wheels (Australia) magazine's annual car of the year feature in February 1998. Volvo's collaborative effort with Mitsubishi (whose Carisma shares this platform) should get the...
