Hi all,

Currently running a S40 2.0i. At the minute, I only want to do very minor changes but would like some recommendations... I'm trying to gain a bit of performance - mostly handling to be honest - but also keep economy as much as possible.

First of all, are K&N filters actually any real benefit? I read somewhere that because they let more air in they are prone to allow particles into the engine that can be dangerous, is this true? Does anyone have any experience and information regarding engine damage?

Aftermarket suspension setups.... What brand would you recommend? Again, I only want a moderate change to ride height: 15-25mm, but would like to toughen the handling a bit. Of course the best idea is to get a kit, as opposed to just springs, or just struts... Also, where is best to purchase / fit? (I'm in East London, and I use a Volvo specialist in Southend who has done me right so far - fitting by them the best way to go?)

I dont think I'll change the wheels - the standard ones are very nice for a good while I think.

Aftermarket exhaust setups.... What brand would you recommend?
Again I'm looking for modest performance gains. It must not look like a baked bean can on my back box, and be on the quieter side of a ship horn. I'm not looking to sound like a racer, but I'd like a bit more surprise ooomph.

Aftermarket plugs.... Worth it or just hype?

Lastly, regarding oil and petrol.
Seeing as this is the 2.0i it doesn't have the Mitsubishi-made engine of the 1.8, so the lowest fuel recommended is 95RON not the 97 stuff. Should I see the same performance and economy from the 97 that you would in the 1.8 S40?

Recommended best synthetic oil for this model, and oil change schedule?

Thanks!

answered in order:
yes
check out tme.se for their specs on suspension mods. any good suspension company will list their best. ipdusa.com is another good one. i know they are in the US, but it will give you an idea of what is needed. kit is good, but there will be a sacrifice on something, nothing wrong with a kit, but if you don't know your way around a setup, go for a kit, that way you know it was manufactured for your specific vehicle.
same for an exhaust setup, know that you also need to do the intake side to benefit greatly from this mod. while you are at it, do the plugs and wires with a good quality set-up, more fire is better, like more air with a k&n
see above response
the better the octane rating, the better it is. you won't really harm anything, unless you go for a cheapo rating or cheap gas. you can always mix it up after every other fill-up, just realize that it might not be as lively with a half rating, ex. 97 one time and 91 on the other.
mobil 1 amsoil any quality synthetic. when in doubt, follow the recommended schedule for oil changes. can't go wrong that way.
good luck and post when you do the changes, pics are cool also.

Hi mate,

Thanks for the reply. I'm liking the exhaust details from TME, especially the part where they mention not making a noise about it. :) I agree that I'll have to get the full system to make any real gains in power. So I'm looking into the prices and that.

The same with the suspension stuff... I'll want to keep the mods (pretty) basic, and I think the full kit is the best way to go.

I was thinking about getting the K&N for a long time, but because of the scare stories, I have held off....

The car works great as it is, so I'm not in a great hurry to get everything done, however I think I'll change the parts over to what I really want when servicing / replacement is needed. I figure I might as well get the best value I can out of a £2K while I can. :)

The filter, plugs and wires will probably be the bits I go for first. Are there any pitfalls I should watch out for?

And I'll definitely put some pics up - before and after. :)

Thanks.

no pitfalls with plugs and wires. just get quality stuff, don't scrimp on it. saving a quid now, will just make driving your 40 worse, you won't enjoy it. what horror stories have you heard about k&n? as long as you wash and oil it, it'll last longer than your car. people who have problems probably installed them wrong or aren't taking care of them. do sections at a time. engine, together, exhaust together, suspension together, that way you see and feel the difference. of course, together meaning when you have the cash to do it together. :57:

I cant remember where I heard the stories about K&N, but basically the page/s that I saw were talking about, as they put it:

"Upgrading" the filter to K&N etc, or installing an induction system will only give very modest poster gain, barely noticeable performance increase and tend to allow larger airborne particles into the engine which the OEM filter would stop. These particles can/will damage the engine over time.

I'm not sure if they were a competing brand, but as best as I remember, they seemed objective, if a little over the top and sarcastic, in my opinion. But basically that's what they said, as far as I remember.

I agree about doing stages of upgrades at one go, otherwise the car WILL be better, but never feel different at all, if the changes are too spaced out.

compared to paper filters, k&n rock. can't be bear. now, compared to other oiled filters, that is apples to oranges. paper filters, no matter how tough of thick are just that, paper. dry them out in the superheated under hood temps and they will flake, there is your particles. like i had posted as long as you clean and oil your filter, like servcing you car, it will last longer than that. good luck bro.

Ordering the K&N today. :)

Also, I think I'm going to go for this: Splitfire wires

But not sure which plugs I should be going for really. I'm inclined to go for split fire plugs as well, (here)

Volvo OEM plugs are Bosch aren't they?

i am not sure about the splitfires, i use the irridiums for volvo. no problems. blue max 8mm wires and the fire is gooooood!!!!.

Looking at some extra over time this month. :) So, the suspension mod may come up sooner than I expected..... I have spotted this kit: FK suspension Kit.

But would be good to know if you (anyone?) has any experience with them, anything I should watch out for, any extra parts that I should get at the same time?

As for the wires/plugs, I might end up going with Magnecor wires and get some Irridiums, but those may be a bit later.

TBH there is no real point trying to get a normally aspirated 2.0i engine to go any quicker or handle any better when you can pick up 2.0T or T4s so cheap over here. They are a good base to start from and have a stiffer chassis than the N/A cars. Changing plug leads, K&N etc etc will only get you very very small gains(if you even get any) and cost alot of money. As for fuel the n/a cars are designed to run on normal 95 octane fuel there is no power or benefit from running on super unleaded unless its a turbo car which is mapped for 98 ron fuel.

Sorry for sounding negative but unless your not bothered about the cost and are doing it for fun then you are going to spend alot of money and be disapointed.

Hi Dandle,

Sorry for my delay... Thanks for the response. It's not negative, it's good to know - especially about the fuel thing. :)

I'm not going for any kind of out and out Porsche killer - Heh, not even a T4 killer. Its a bit of a project. I wont break the bank.

Thanks!

it;s not about being a porsche killer, the mods are for the engine to be more efficient. better breathing and exhaling for the engine will make it work less, less=less heat. that is good. as for the plugs and wires, even a little better for a good burn rate is beneficial. synthetic oil, filter, plugs and wires, are a tune-up. better parts, mean longer between changes. and the benefits just add up. either way, it's your call,. if you can swing it, go for an upgrade, if you think we all are blowing smoke up your rear, like dandle thinks, hey, there are lots of members here in the forum with an s40 who will attest to the fact. not only in this forum, but in the others as well. just check. good luck.

Hey Mason,

Agreed. Like I mentioned in the first posting, and like you referred to, I'm trying to get modest gains, a better ride, and (ahem) some fuel economy back. (I know that after throwing a load of cash at the car it can be argued that it all could have been used on petrol.)

It's true it's a project, but the car is a keeper. So I figure why not go for it, even if it's a little change at a time.

BTW, I'll definitely be putting some pics up - I just gotta get my sorry self up and shoot them.

:)

What are you on about, im not against anyone modding but you telling him putting better plug leads on and the like isnt going to make the car any better at all. Sure the exhaust and inlet will improve things a little maybe 5bhp if hes lucky. The standard stuff is all very good quality(just look how long it lasts) and unless its very heavily moddified N/A car then its just wasting money. The 2.0 engine hardly runs hot like a turbo car and TBH by saying mod away and there will be gains and it will run much cooler is just wrong, the gains will be minimal. Im not saying dont do it but dont throw money at it thinking it will make much difference, unless parts are worn out already.

excuse me, but every trade publication, including your top gear, all advice people to get better plugs and wires for a cleaner burn on the sparks. by getting a better burn , you spend less money on fuel. and it's not about power, meaning horsepower, it means a more efficient use of the power. and about the stock items, it has nothing to do with how long it lasts, it is all about how much it will cost the factory to include. case in point, the leather used in all the seatings, including your s40. cheapest grade possible. it is just a fact. also, the tires, made for lasting longer, not spirited driving. now tell me, have you changed your tires? are they stock, or have you gotten better tires? if so, why? for the grip. has nothing to do with being turbo or not, it's all about running more efficient. now, is you disagree, that is your opinion. this member has it in him to mod his volvo. if he wants to, and there is a plethora of items, including certified companies that are authorized in making the modifications, with volvos blessings, no less. so if he wants to, at least, we as members here also, should point him in the right direction. lessons learned and all that happy crappy. i know of at least a dozen different members here in this forum who can talk part numbers and such concering the s40. what works and what doesn't. if the car was so perfect from the factory, there wouldn't be an aftermarket for performance. dig?

OK you are sounding childish now bro!(do i sound cool too?). You dont get my point you are telling the OP to mod his car and he will see gains. There will be no gains on his 2.0 N/A car with better plugs and leads thats is a fact unless the originals are knackered, the car just isnt tuned very highly from stock and the standard stuff is more than up to the task. Even if there are slight gains they would be so minimal that it would take years to get back the outlay on initial spend back in fuel saved. Even T4s most people say stick with standard plugs etc as theres no better. For the money he will likely invest in modding he could nearly buy a T4 over here, you can pick a T4 up for £1000 with 200bhp and you telling him to spend well over £500 on the mods you talked about and he may gain 5bhp. I'm not anti but modding away isnt always the right choice when the T4 and 2.0T for that matter came with a stiffer chassis and better suspension and can be had so cheap.

you are correct, never said you were wrong. but if he, i think he is a he, bought a na, that probably means that they couldn't afford the car, the insurance or both. or he/she messed up and bought the wrong car. hey, it happens. the question is how do you go about modding said car without being taken for a ride with any bullsh*t mods. and please read the posts carefully, i never told him that he would see huge gains. right on the first post i wrote modest gains, with ALL the mods listed, not just wires and such. i don't need to be childish, the mrs already tells me that i already am. that i never grew up :grin: now about you being cool, don't know, i haven't broken bread with you, drank with you, or borrowed money that i have no intention or returning to you. and to answer your point about spending money well spent on another vehicle, the amount of money i have spent modding various cars and motorcycles could have netted me a castle in scotland next door to my auntie and uncle. and it's probably the same with 90% of the members here. of course, that's is my opinion, and like arseholes, everybody has one and they all stink. :thumbsup:

:lol: :lol: