3200 throttle body - lock down project.

davy83

Member
Messages
2,809
FWIW I have recently fitted a new TB and there are no idle problems. So we may assume the strange drifting of the idle up & down is due to prolonged useage ? I also have a rebuilt TB from XeMODeX in Canada which idles perfectly. It seems to me there are some subtle differences of which we are currently unaware.
I agree this problem is really subtle. I think the Xemodex rotary sensor seems to be generally ok, although my car has had an Xemodex unit on it for 8 years and it started to idle badly just recently, which makes me wonder what the source of that particular problem is. There was a problem with the magnet breaking up which it probably more the problem there.
Also note that some of these SACER units also seem to work quite well. its possible it just needs a little more screening or shielding from the stray fields from the motor.
 

davy83

Member
Messages
2,809
FWIW I have recently fitted a new TB and there are no idle problems. So we may assume the strange drifting of the idle up & down is due to prolonged useage ? I also have a rebuilt TB from XeMODeX in Canada which idles perfectly. It seems to me there are some subtle differences of which we are currently unaware.
ah i should have said the new ones have old fashioned carbon track pots for rotation sensing, and these don't have an interference problem, so if these are new they may be the best solution, its just that they don't last forever.
 

SachaP

Junior Member
Messages
54
I am in the process of getting my 3200 back on the road after being laid up for 18 months . unfortunately the throttle body has stopped functioning properly probably due to the prolonged storage and non-use . in 9 years of ownership never had any issues with the throttle body but I guess it was only a question of time . symptoms are no revs beyond about 2000 rpm, and P0221 error code . David Askew has tried unsuccessfully to fix the throttle body . the problem seems to be some dry solder joints on the circuit board . the throttle body is being looked at by an electronics specialist to see if the joints can be fixed but even then that may not fix the problem . I would be happy to try one of your modified Volvo throttle bodies if/when they become available .
 

urquattrogus

Member
Messages
838
I wish it was a bloody cable throttle like the shamal!

I replaced my 3200 with a TVR, and now a Z3M Coupe which has the S50 engine that has no TC and a cable throttle controlling 6 ITB's

Refurbished Contactless TB and Pedal pot , all new sensors etc and still my 3200 threw hissy fits code wise!

The Z3M cable throttle is bliss! So controllable and easy to modulate, and raw.
 

SachaP

Junior Member
Messages
54
I put myself in the lucky category not having experienced any issues with the throttle body in 9 years of ownership . My luck appears to have run out though . I now need to find a solution as the old one is officially non-repairable . If anyone has a spare working TB for sale please let me know . Also interested to know if OP Dave's Volvo solution is or may shortly be available .
 

Mike Maz

Junior Member
Messages
32
I put myself in the lucky category not having experienced any issues with the throttle body in 9 years of ownership . My luck appears to have run out though . I now need to find a solution as the old one is officially non-repairable . If anyone has a spare working TB for sale please let me know . Also interested to know if OP Dave's Volvo solution is or may shortly be available .
I can confirm that davy83 has the throttle body's up and running. I fitted one to my 3200 a fortnight ago and the smile is back on my face!
Cheers
Mike
 
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SachaP

Junior Member
Messages
54
That sounds great Mike . Is it just plug and play ? Out of interest what happened to your old TB to mean you needed a replacement ? Thanks . Sacha
 

Tamariini

Junior Member
Messages
102
That sounds great Mike . Is it just plug and play ? Out of interest what happened to your old TB to mean you needed a replacement ? Thanks . Sacha

I can also confirm that davy83's throttle bodies are up and running. I fitted one on mine too and no problems since.
 

rs48635

Member
Messages
3,181
I know you have all lost interest in my lock down project, but i have made some interesting observations in my testing. I am wondering how many people have a contactless upgrade and have unsteady idle or problems driving and control, especially at low revs?
It seems we have been upgrading these ETMs with hall effect contactless throttle position sensors and yes this stop them wearing out, but they are very prone to interference from magnetic sources , like err well the throttle body motor!!! I have converted 4 of these with contactless rotary sensors and 2 of these were fine and 2 had instability problems after the upgrade, subtle but there nevertheless.
I have had a contactless upgrade on my throttle body for many years and its been very reliable but I have had occasional unsteady idle and odd revving of the engine, and I now see its been the hall effect rotary sensor all along. I have now had various other throttle bodies (8 or 9 in total) on my car and its clearly not the car, it really is the throttle body. With the right ETM the car starts like a rock and idles rock steady.
I have not worked out the perfect solution to this but i am working on it. It may actually be better to put a new high reliability contact, carbon track rotary sensor on the ETM which is not affected by the motor.
I certainly have not lost interest! My 3200 has been sulking next to the barn since it was parked, due to wishbone issues. The last attempt to get an MOT revealed symptoms akin to dead throttle body. Will soon have space inside the barn to install 2 post lift, so might finally get the 3200 going again.
Pretty sure I will need TB work, and happy to send mine for any upgrade. Does not need to be contactless especially as it ran well for most of it's life.
Chapeau !
 

davy83

Member
Messages
2,809
I certainly have not lost interest! My 3200 has been sulking next to the barn since it was parked, due to wishbone issues. The last attempt to get an MOT revealed symptoms akin to dead throttle body. Will soon have space inside the barn to install 2 post lift, so might finally get the 3200 going again.
Pretty sure I will need TB work, and happy to send mine for any upgrade. Does not need to be contactless especially as it ran well for most of it's life.
Chapeau !
Good man, can't leave that cdar just sitting sir!!!
Let me know if you need a hand with the TB happy to have a look at it. I have built a fairly advanced test rig which will catch any problems.
 

rs48635

Member
Messages
3,181
Good man, can't leave that cdar just sitting sir!!!
Let me know if you need a hand with the TB happy to have a look at it. I have built a fairly advanced test rig which will catch any problems.
Will be in touch , within weeks.
Still one car to sell and another going on loan to my daughter. Feeling encouraged enough to get battery charged so I can attempt to start the car. More likely collect error codes. Just remembered I had the "no start" issue last time with 'padlock' illuminated. Think my key and car ECU have been estranged.
 

Mike Maz

Junior Member
Messages
32
That sounds great Mike . Is it just plug and play ? Out of interest what happened to your old TB to mean you needed a replacement ? Thanks . Sacha
That sounds great Mike . Is it just plug and play ? Out of interest what happened to your old TB to mean you needed a replacement ? Thanks . Sacha
I tried to repair my old one and cocked it up! I then sent it off to davy83 for his thoughts on it, he stripped it down found the magnet was disintegrating and gave me a couple of options to repair it or replace it. I decided to go with the Volvo replacement and it's running a treat. It is straightforward plug an play.
Hope this helps
Mike
 

SachaP

Junior Member
Messages
54
Thanks Mike, that does help. It is also very encouraging that others have gone down the same route with the Volvo option from Dave, and appear to be happy. I have now ordered a Volvo replacement from Dave, and am looking forward to getting back on the road. My old TB had already had a contactless sensor upgrade carried out back in 2009. It lasted really well, but it seems that other issues can and do occur with these TBs. Dave's hard work on developing this alternative solution will give hope to many 3200 owners as these cars get older and more prone to issues (leaving aside the issues they already had coming out of the factory and since...).
 

davy83

Member
Messages
2,809
There is only one volvo ETM with the same body as the Maserati. its pretty obvious. its 62 mm instead of 59 mm (maserati) and has a shaped choke profile.
The code must be reprogrammed to suit the 3200, and its a good idea to reprogram with 2001 onwards code as it improved in 2001, a specialised programmer is required.
The rotary sensor can need adjustment as this upsets it too, and if you fit a contactless upgrade like the Sacer one this also can take some tweaking as they are not that reliable, lots of ETM's out there with Sacer sensors that do not perform well.
The Volvo unit has a shaped choke profile which needs machined down to make it drive properly, and I have built an air flow tester so I can match the airflow to the Maserati unit, to correct for this, and this also minimises any fuel air mixture errors.
There are a number of setup elements that are quite hard to measure and the same test rig I use for air flow matching measures all of the critical settings and allows me to accurately set them up so they behave.

The whole process has been a pain and I still have several Throttle bodies that don't work well so there is still some work to do, before I have a bullet proof solution.

The ones that work well, work really well and I would reckon having done back to back driving trials are better than the original.

The whole process with the tweaks and set ups and the machining to an airflow profile is very time consuming, and I am not sure I really have the time to keep working on these, but still doing it for some reason.

Note that Volvo make new ETM's that can be converted and this I think is a pretty good solution, that revision of the design is very good and requires the minimum adjustment. They are not cheap but not as crazy as trying to buy a Maserati one. I have these advertised one-bay and happy to sell these new ones to anyone interested.

Its a bit of a journey this.

the main problems with the original ETM's is A) rotary sensors wear and create position sensor errors (225 I think) B) the magnet breaks up and its starts to seize C) it gets gummed up and just starts to stick.

it is worth giving them a serious clean around the flap to remove any gum as this does actually upset them, but if its clean and still sticks then it needs stripped. Note that it is not possible to buy replacement parts for these so the only way to repair them is to canibalise other ETM's


  1. Which volvo unit you use? Flap size?
  2. Do you reprogram volvo etm to maserati one or use volvo sw
 

davy83

Member
Messages
2,809
76470
Its the only Volvo throttle body that looks like the Maserati 3200 one!!!
I measured the maximum ID at just over 62mm, never seen the diameter of the choke actually published anywhere.
 

VelluMasa

New Member
Messages
5
There is different diameter bodys depending volvo model. As I sayed only seen those 68mm ones. So which model or type number is 62mm on?
 

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