Published on

Cosmic Aero goes for registration

Sadly this is not my driveway, lovely isn't it?

I had a big weekend on the 9-5 prior to rego, which is the Australian equivalent of a UK MOT or NZ WOF.

  • Both top engine mounts (Hutchison)
  • Trans torque rod (Hutchison)
  • ARB / Sway bar links (Meyle HD)
  • Tie rod ends (Meyle HD)
  • Tailgate struts (always tricky!)
  • Bonnet struts
  • Cabin filter
  • Passenger air filter
  • Sorted a minor oil leak
  • Pulled out the ancient and convoluted mobile phone kit (Nokia 6800 or something)
  • Had a bodge at alignment but needs doing properly

It went through its annual inspection without fuss, noted a minor oil weep which is probably the oil pressure sensor.

It's running pretty good now. There are a few more suspension bits to replace and upgrade, rear springs and shocks are tired so trying to budget for a Bilstein/Eibach kit in the not-too-distant.

With the Aero safely on the road I had to perform a transplant and refresh of the cheap 2.5T AWD XC90 I'd bought as a family hauler (water pump failed, cooked the motor, and already had bearing troubles). I'd never worked on a Volvo before, but it all went pretty smoothly.



One easily observed result of switching from the AWD to the FWD is that this thing spins its wheels like a deranged madman going up our drive.

A firmer rear end might help but that's FWD for you (and the mob who laid our driveway utterly failing to make the bitumen surface solid, but that's another moan...)

Comments