r/C30

Hello people!

As the title says, my front bumper is damaged and I would like to change.

Does someone have any ideea from where I could buy something like that!

Thanks in advance!!

Has anyone noticed a difference in sound by replacing the stock turbo intake pipe with one from snabb or elevate? I want a little more intake noise, but I want to keep the stock airbox.

Hey guys, having a few symptoms and I’m hoping getting some tips for diagnosing. Here are the things I’ve noticed:

- I’m getting some blue smoke on start up out of the exhaust. Don’t notice it once I’m driving and it’s not a crazy amount.

-changed spark plugs recently and there was some
Oil fouling on the threads and in the wells

- burning (oil?) smell after driving up the long hill to my girlfriends house in the mountain.

Obvious thing is the pcv but Im curious if yall think it might be a leaky head gasket or seal elsewhere.

Any advise? Thanks yall

The Beginners Guide to the Volvo C30 (T5 Models Specifically) compiled by a freind who built 2 awd converted c30t5s himself.

SPECIAL TOOLS

*36mm socket for the oil filter housing

*Stubby 24mm socket for the manual transmission drain and fill plugs

*Torx keys/bits for trim and some mechanical parts

*Cam/crank locking tool kit if you want to change the timing belt yourself

*Looooooong ball joint allen keys if you want to install an aftermarket CBV (compressor bypass valve/blow-off valve)

*Ball-joint separator

MAINTENANCE

"What oil do I run?": Oil weight will differ to your region only Confirmed safe that I know of is 0W-40 and 5w-30 with the specs below being Australia.

Fully synthetic 0W-40. Castrol Edge Titanium is the easiest to come by and is recommended by Volvo/Ford. Penrite 10 Tenths Premium 0 is an Australian made alternative which also meets the requirements. DO NOT USE any oil that does not clearly state that it meets the Ford WSS-M2C937-A requirements (unless you have a good reason not to). This spec is much more important than ACEA spec.

"My car is using oil between services, but isn't that old/hasn't got many kms?":

This is completely normal for T5 models, and Volvo themselves confirmed it with me. My car uses about 1L between services depending on how I drive (usually spiritedly).

"What oil filter do I need?":

Ryco R2652P will be the easiest to get locally. OEM filter is Mann HU719/8X and can be found on some euro parts sites like FCP Euro, and some people also sell them locally. The T5 uses a cartridge type filter.

"What air filter do I need?":

Ryco A1612 or K&N 33-2873 if you'd like a higher flowing unit. See aftermarket options below.

"What fuel filter do I need?":

Australian market C30s do not have serviceable fuel filters. The only fuel filter they have is the filter which is connected to the fuel pump itself, and is only accessible by removing the fuel tank.

"What coolant should I run?":

OEM stuff is always ideal. It MUST meet Hybrid organic (HOAT) specs. ALSO, check the condition of your coolant expansion tank routinely. As they age, they are prone to cracking. If it looks cloudy/yellow, or is older than about 5 years, replace it asap. It is cheap preventative maintenance.

"What oil should I use in my transmission?":

Manual: Volvo OEM manual transmission fluid, or a fully synthetic 75W-90 GL-4 gear oil (I personally run Motul). I personally replace my manual transmission fluid every 50,000kms.

Auto: Volvo reckons the auto transmission used in the C30 is a sealed/non-serviceable unit. If you are going to service the transmission, then Penrite ATF Full Synthetic or Toyota Type 4 are recommended by some of our members.

"My clutch is starting to slip/shudder. What clutch kit should I buy?":

This is where the P1 parts bin comes in. As many of us know, the C30 shares many of it's parts with the Ford Focus MK2. This includes the Focus RS of that generation. For the same price as a normal OEM C30 clutch kit (around $1500 or thereabouts), you can buy an OEM Focus RS clutch kit which is rated for much more torque and retains the same feeling as the standard clutch. You'd be silly not to! For more extreme applications, there are also plenty of aftermarket options - but most of them require the use of a single-mass flywheel rather than dual-mass like an OEM kit, and this means that you'll have to live with the dreaded rattle from the gearbox that comes with running it.

"My car is making a whistling sound/lots of suction from the oil cap. Is this bad?":

If your car starts making a whistling sound, stop driving it asap. This means that your PCV unit has blocked up and the excessive pressure in the system has blown the membrane out. This sounds like a big deal, but do not worry too much because it's easily fixable. This is a common problem on T5 models, and to prevent it, you should replace the PCV every 100,000kms or within 8-ish years of the cars life - whichever comes first. Only ever use an OEM replacement PCV unit. There are plenty of write-ups about replacing the PCV, so I won't go into anymore detail on it.

"When do I replace the timing belt/water pump/belts?":

The service manual usually states 150,000km (if I remember correctly) or after 10 years - whichever comes first. HOWEVER, I would encourage you to change these after 100,000km or 5 years - whichever comes first, because Volvo's recommendation has proven to be a bit optimistic in many cases. A lot of people have left the timing belt too long/as per Volvo's recommendation on their T5s and it often results in the belt snapping or jumping teeth, resulting in a catastrophic engine failure by way of valves meeting pistons. Auxiliary belts should be replaced every 180,000kms or 10 years. Be sure to check the condition of the aux tensioner, alternator and A/C clutch while the belts are off.

"Okay, so what timing belt kit should I use?":

I'm glad you asked! FCP Euro sell a kit which includes products from all the OEM suppliers (ContiTech belts, INA tensioner/pulleys, Aisin water pump). If you're looking to source a kit locally, look for a Gates kit. If you want a stronger belt for performance applications, look for the Gates Performance kevlar reinforced belt.

"One/both of my driveshafts are bad/have torn boots. Where do I get new shafts?":

If you can, I'd recommend having your existing shafts rebuilt, or buying some OEM shafts either from Volvo or from a wrecker and have them rebuilt. 95% of aftermarket shafts available for the C30 either have fitment issues or tend to vibrate. OEM shafts can handle lots of abuse (though you'll need to be weary of the shaft angle if you lower your car). If you are set on aftermarket shafts - Repco sell some half decent ones and offer a 5 year warranty.

"My air-con works for 10 mins and then just blows out hot air":

This is usually a sign of a failed or worn A/C compressor clutch. The most common way to fix this is by removing shims between the compressor clutch and the friction surface.

"My car has poor throttle response or "surges" of power":

This is usually a symptom of a bad fuel rail pressure sensor. This is an easy fix if you're good with the tools, and pretty inexpensive as well!

"My car stutters under full throttle/boost":

This is usually a sign of a failing turbo control valve. The valve electronically controls boost and is located on the turbo compressor housing. It can fail over time with heat and age.

"My car has very clunky front suspension and/or jolts under acceleration/deceleration":

Check your engine mounts, torque mount and front lower control arm rear side bushings. The engine mounts are hydraulic and can tear over time, and will leak hydraulic fluid everywhere if bad. The standard torque mount on the P1s are terrible, prone to rotting and splitting, and are usually the reason for jolting/stiff gear shifts. Front control arm rear bushings (also known as lower inner rear bushings) are also prone to splitting with age, and can cause clunks in the front suspension.

MODIFICATIONS - "THE FUN BIT"

Tuning:

*BSR Tuning Stage 1 - a basic tune with a handset.

*Celtic Tuning Stage 1- a basic tune flashed in-house at an authorised dealer.

*Hilton Tuning - ranges from basic tunes to custom tuning via a DiCE unit.

*MTE Sweden Tune - sold by one of our own members - Mark (see below). Highly recommended!

*Penta Performance - written and sold by one of our own memebers - Gabriel (see below). Highly recommended! Multiple of us in Oz use Pentra he spent a long time developing these tunes.

Air Intake:

*(Stock is fine for up to ~320bhp, but who doesn't want more turbo noise and better oil filter access?)

*Budget setup - Ford Focus RS ECU enclosure + pod filter.

*Proper kits - DO88, Snabb, Elevate, Injen, K&N, Airtec (for all Airtec products, contact Adam below).

Air Intake Plenum:

(Stock plastic one is fine for most applications, but can sometimes be prone to splitting at the mold joins under high boost/heat)

*AIR shark 3d printed ram air scope.

*Airtec - most affordable

*Pumaspeed - mid range

*Anembo - (arguably) the best. One of the most expensive. Fully sick billet option.

Intercooler:

*Airtec

*DO88

*Focus RS MK3 OEM (requires modification)

*Volvo T6 OEM (requires modification)

*Volvo S60 T5 OEM

*Custom

Water-methanol Injection:

*AEM

*Snow Performance

Throttle Body:

*Porsche 986 Boxster 70mm #99660511501 (beware - can cause throttle-mapping issues!)

Exhaust:

*Downpipe - Milltek, Direnza, Pumaspeed, MTE Sweden, Airtec, Ferrita, Custom (anything to suit XR5/RS MK2 will fit)

*Cat-back - Milltek, Ferrita, Elevate, Simon's, Custom (XR5 exhausts can be modified to fit)

Torque Mount:

*Hardrace

*Anembo

*Elevate

*Airtec

Engine Mounts:

*Hardrace

*Powerflex polyurethane inserts

Camshafts:

*Newman cams

*Piper cams

Blow-Off Valve:

(These cars use an internal type of blow-off valve called a compressor bypass valve. It is located in the compressor housing of the turbo and is a pain to get to, but it's doable. It is possible to run a traditional BOV with a custom tune, however not recommended).

*Turbosmart (dual-port or full recirc)

*GFB (dual port or full recirc)

*Elevate (Turbosmart dual-port rebranded)

*Mamba (Turbosmart dual-port rip-off)

*Forge (full recirc)

Wastegate actuator:

*Turbosmart

*Forge

Turbo Upgrade:

*OEM K04 Hybridised (~350bhp capability)

*OEM Focus RS K16 (~400bhp capability)

Pumaspeed Hybrid K16 (~420bhp capability)

*Dreamscience TXX Hybrid K16 (~420bhp capability)

*Custom (e.g. a cast/tubular manifold from ATP/Airtec with a GT3076R-WG - good for upwards of 500bhp)

Block Strengthening:

(These engines are based on an open deck block, and can be known to crack cylinder liners if not careful/badly tuned. In my opinion, it is a MUST to do some kind of block strengthening if you wish to exceed 300bhp)

*Block mod - cheapest, involves shimming between the cylinder liners in order to thicken and join them all together. ~$800

*Aftermarket sleeves - requires machining in order to fit - $$$$$$$

Suspension:

(Most suspension parts are interchangeable between the Volvo C30, Mazda 3 BK/BL, and Ford Focus MK2)

*Springs/Shocks/Coilovers - Bilstein, MCA, BC Racing, CEIKA, KW, Koni, King Springs, Sachs (OEM)

*Sway Bars - Mazda 3 MPS (rear only - a budget upgrade and one of the best available), Hardrace, Whiteline, Corksport

*Suspension Arms/Camber Kits - Hardrace, Whiteline, Corksport

*Bushings - Hardrace, Whiteline, Superpro - I HIGHLY recommend installing a Whiteline Anti-Lift Kit (WALK) in the front control arms. This absolutely transforms the car.

Brakes:

*OEM XR5/S40 AWD/V50 AWD/MPS front brakes (single pot - 320mm rotor) - cheap and very easy to install. The C30 should've had these brakes from factory. 🤦🏻‍♂️ Add braided lines for a nice pedal feel too.

*CEIKA big brake kit

*Focus RS MK3 Brembos (4 pot, 350mm rotor) - the best bang for buck - requires drilling of the holes in the front knuckles, and 6mm spacers between the hub and rotor.

Short Shifter:

*Snabb

*Modified XR5 kit

Does anyone know where I can find a trunk cover for my 2013 C30 T5? Cloth or hard cover doesn't matter for me.