Faster with a grinder and screwdriver. We already saw Cyprian’s Volvo 940 on the roller bench a few years ago.
Loyal readers and viewers have already seen Cyprian’s Volvo a few years ago when he made his appearance in the On the Roller Bench section. That test of strength yielded a surprising result. We are just over 70,000 kilometers further and the counter has passed six tons. It looks like the Volvo is whistling happily on.
Gearbox replaced under warranty
In any case, it is not the first – and probably not the last – time that we have had someone show up for Klokje Rond with a Volvo 940. Every owner has his story, the technology seems indestructible and we simply find it a likeable car. It really is a Volvo of the old school and Swedish through and through. “The 940 has been etched in my memory since my youth because my grandfather drove it, so my first car was a Volvo, but not yet a 940. The next was a very nice S70, which unfortunately I only enjoyed for a few months. had. One morning the police showed up at my door with the bad news that my car had burned down. The car next to it had been set on fire, it turned out later. Fortunately, through the intervention of a good appraiser, I got back all the money I had invested. The search for the next Volvo brought me to 940 specialist Verkerk. My choice fell on this 940 Estate with gas installation, as is usually the case. The special thing is that the garage also provides a warranty. That came in handy when after a while I noticed that the third gear creaked a bit when shifting. A different gearbox was installed at no cost to me and the clutch was immediately replaced. Class.”
Cat stolen
Back to that session on the dynamometer. The old 2.3-liter four-cylinder with turbo managed to squeeze out 172 hp and 257 Nm. Even Cyp – as his friends call him – was pleasantly surprised. “All I did was increase the turbo pressure a little. It’s that simple. It now even has more power than the 2.3 T. On the counter it easily exceeds 200 km/h, according to the navigation I was driving 230 km/h. It’s not actually made for that. I modified the exhaust myself, quite simply by cutting out a silencer and replacing it with a normal piece of pipe. This way it sounds a bit sportier and not too loud. Except for that time when I got in in the morning and after starting I thought a helicopter was taking off somewhere. Really deafening. Until I realized it was my own car. The catalyst was stolen. Furthermore, quite a bit of damage has occurred in the past few years, all in the city. Recently someone with a cargo bike knocked off the mirror. And stop, whoa! I have to take all those scratches and dents for granted and I am glad it is not a new car,” says Cyp. Still, it’s not too bad, especially considering the fact that this Volvo has been providing its services for over 26 years. We sometimes see younger cars that are in much worse condition.
On to the six zeros
We are especially curious to see what judge Joep Schuurman’s hat looks like after the test round. “You can tell from everything that it is an old, worn-out car, with plenty to criticize. Starting was very slow and I therefore recommend a new starter motor. Once up to speed and on good road surfaces, it is still quite comfortable.”
That’s not too bad for Cyp. Time to take a closer look at the technology and the underside. There are some things to note about that. We didn’t expect anything different. “I have also noticed that it is difficult to start, as well as the vague shifting. When you grip the poker, it feels like you are stirring a pot of soup. Not long ago all gas injectors were replaced, but that did not improve starting. So now quickly look for a good starter motor and hope that things will improve. The turbo was replaced last year. Not a new one of course, because there are plenty of used ones available. We also had to do some welding here and there on the bottom. There you will really notice that it is an old car.”
Joep discovers that not everything has been welded yet in the front wheel arches, a known weak point of the 940. A layer of tectyl hides the rust from view, but our professional literally pierces through it! “My friends tell me to get rid of the Volvo, but that’s really not going to happen,” says Cyp. “I prefer to continue until six zeros appear.”
Owner Volvo 940
Name: Cyprian Zmuda-Trzebiatowski
Year of construction: 1994
Place of residence: The Hague
Occupation: owner of automotive logistics company
First car: Volvo S40
Previous car: Volvo S70
What would you like to change about your car?: “I always want it to be faster, but it’s actually a good thing.”
What is your longest trip with this car?: “From the Netherlands to the Czech Republic, to the north of Poland and back again, more than 4,000 kilometers in a week.”
Maintenance history
The heater radiator and turbo have been replaced. The gas injectors have also been replaced several times to solve the difficult start-up. Not so long ago, a different catalytic converter had to be installed as a result of theft. The gearbox and clutch were replaced under warranty. Some welding has been done to prevent rust. For the rest, the car received regular maintenance every 15,000 kilometers.
What’s wrong with it?
• Engine starts very slowly, starting speed is too low
• Exhaust sounds leaky and is a mixed bag of parts
• All wiper blades are bad
• There is excessive rattling, squeaking, creaking and groaning in the car and the chassis
• The engine runs at high idle speed (1,200 rpm)
• The instrument panel lighting is partly defective
• There is play in the switching mechanism
• The exhaust resonates
• The engine is leaking oil
• Various control arm and stabilizer rubbers of the front axle are extensively worn
• The front right brake backing plate is 80 percent gone/rusted away
• The anterior hard disk has significant dryness cracks
• The propeller shaft support bearing is worn
• The tire runs against the support arm at the front left
• There is a significant rust edge on the rear brake discs
• The car is starting to rust in the front wheel arches; this is hidden under tectyl
• The outer left front steering ball has play
The opinion of Carrec Technocenter
“Considering the age and mileage, the Volvo is not doing too badly, so with all my respects, it’s a thumbs up, because after 26 years and 610,000 kilometers it is indeed an achievement that the car looks like this.”