My winter Volvo started making strange noises as I was returning from Victoria on Remembrance Day, 2023. I saw an open garage and so I pulled in and asked for help. The people there were very accommodating and even provided me with a loaner car to get me back home to Parksville.

Over the past five months or so the following was done:
1. a used cylinder head was rebuilt at a machine shop in Duncan and installed.
2. Engine would start but ran roughly and would stall and then not start.
3. a new thermostat installed.
4. a new water pump installed.
5. a new timing belt and tensioner were installed.
6. a new crank sensor was installed, I think. Not sure on that.

The cylinder head was not an exact match to the original I was told. It was taken from a car of a different vintage to this 1995 model but it was Chapman's who sold it to me and I assume they know their Volvos.

In my last conversation with the head mechanic just before the car was towed home he stated that the car started but would not run right. It woould not idle properly and then the RPMs dropped, it stalled, and would not start.

The garage is not Volvo-centric so the car was a bit of an oddity to them and I don't blame them for not being able to solve its problems. But it leaves me with the problem of trying to get it running again for next winter.

Any thoughts on where I should go with the ongoing repair?

Bob Pellow
Parksville