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bmassy's 2007 XC70 Build Thread

52K views 523 replies 34 participants last post by  bmassy 
#1 · (Edited)
Hello all, my name is Brandon, some call me "bmassy". Currently living in Rhode Island and do quite a bit of driving for work, I have a family owned 07 Volvo XC70 that I took ownership at around 115,000 miles. This wagon is my daily driver. Here I begin my journey..

My first task is to change out the oem audio system. I have always been into the car audio scene. My previous vehicles have had a car audio build (speakers, head unit, amps, sub, batteries etc). I'm looking to start doing the big 3 upgrade on my Volvo and wondering if anyone knows best place to feed my alternator 0/1 gauge wire (I will be ordering soon) and engine block 0/1 gauge ground wire to my battery in the trunk? I have 2 xs power batteries that I will be installing (d3400 and d5100R, hope it fits or I'll make it fit).

My audio plan:
  • I currently have Focal PS165F components in the front doors
  • plan to buy Focal PC165 coax for rear doors
  • disconnect C pillar speakers (or is it D pillar for where the hatch is?)
  • I have a Dayton Audio DSP-408
  • I have a CT Sounds 75.4 channel amp (may run front speakers active and see how it sounds first)
  • I have a CT Sounds AT1400.1 monoblock
  • I have a Sundown X-15v1
  • I need to buy some fusing
  • I plan on using Audioquest Golden Gate 2' RCA-RCA for all my amps to my DSP
  • plan on using Audioquest wire from amp to factory wiring harness behind radio
  • I will be doing a grayish laminate hardwood floor in the trunk
  • build a new sub enclosure for the X15 and possibly use wood veneer to look fancy
  • Build an amp rack out of same material used for flooring
  • need to get sound deadener for doors

My ultimate goal is: extremely clear and detailed sound with a lot of low end extension. Like a sound quality loud build. I do plan on strapping 2 CT AT1400.1 amps together and running 2 Sundown X-15s on about 3000wrms (down the road)


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#2 ·
You're going to need a LOT of sound deadener, Volvos are not known to have any and I mean any. Lightly tap on any side panel or the roof! No THUD, it's a PING!
Thin, tinny doors and you will need to pull the rear side panels and do in there as as they sit, it's a drum in there!
 
#3 ·
Yeah I could tell. Dealt with the same thing in my accord, did the front doors and rear deck (both sides) and doubled up on the whole trunk lol.

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#5 ·
somebody grabbed a bunch of deadening from an s80 or some such. I forget who's build it was.

anyway, they had bunches, and things fit apparently.
Prolix did in his p2 xc70 build
 
#6 ·
So, my plan to get Focal PC165 changed and I got a deal on a pair of open box Focal PC130 which are the 5/5.25" on the way to me. Figured since I will have a sub, these speaker will be crossed at 80hz and I should have decent amount of mid bass with properly deadened doors.

I think I am changing my mind and getting a pioneer avh-2330 NEX since it's got android auto and I'll wire up a back up camera to replace my park sensors..

For doors I might try out some dynaliner by dynomat or maybe luxury liner pro in the front and the dynaliner in the rears for comparison? I can get a discount on the dynaliner through work so [emoji2369] I will deff be putting down deadener all over the trunk prior to installing my sub.

Slowly but surely this will be getting put together and I'll just update this as my audio build log.

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#7 ·
Just got these suckers in today (Focal PC130) . Gonna be a lil before I can put them in. Need to gather up some CLD tiles (prob going to go with Sound Deadener Showdown) and also plan on using dynamat dyna liner between door cards for the front and luxury liner pro for the rear, or vice versa. I have a feeling these 5.25" will have some good mid bass in a properly sealed door. Very well built speakers for sure!


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#10 ·
It's an idea, I've never really heard of doing that though. I will have a sub that will play all my low end up to 80hz too so. May not be necessary?

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#12 ·
I put a pioneer in ours. It's a good deck for the money.
You'll have to cut up the factory double din adapter and make your own ISO mounting holes.

not a big deal.
I was gonna get the Metra dash kit, did you reususe the stock bezel with the pocket then?

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#14 ·
Got some stuff in today.
- Stinger roadkill fast rings
- boom mat speaker baffles (usually use these to protect the speakers from water and I cutout the bottom to let the speaker breathe)
- Pioneer AVH-2330NEX
- Pioneer backup cam
- CT Sounds AT60. 4 (for front tweets and mids)
- CT 75.4 for rear doors and rear D pillars (already purchased before)
- CT AT1400.1 for my Sundown X-15v1 (both already purchased before)

I ordered:
- SMD XL ANL Fuse holder with built in Volt meter
- Sky High Car Audio 1/0 OFC power and ground (25' each)
- Fuses
- SHCA 14 awg OFC speaker wire (100')
- SHCA 16awg remote wire
- 3x 16.4' Audioquest Golden Gate RCA
- 4x 2 meter AudioQuest Golden Gate RCA

Still need to buy
- sound deadener
- laminate flooring
- plywood/Birch
I'm sure I'm missing some stuff. I have a lot of left over stuff from my previous builds.


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#15 ·
Got another shipment of stuff in from SHCA.
- 10' of 4 awg OFC SHCA
- 50' 16 awg remote turn on wire (pink) SHCA
- bunch of 1/0 awg copper lugs
- bunch of 4 awg copper lugs
- 4 awg and 0 awg input terminals for my amps
- SMD XL ANL Fuse holder w/ built in VM-1 (should look pretty sweet on my amp rack)

I have began installing my back up camera. It's mounted, wire is ran 80% of the way. I didn't feel like moving my other car out of the garage to work on the volvo inside lol. I ended up getting cold and was losing daylight so I called it a day. I didn't get pictures of it yet but my cars interior is pulled apart so next time I work on it I can take pics. Was pretty easy to install though.


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#17 ·
funny thing, the 04 one is actually different than the 01-3 and the 05-7

because single year plastic color.
Took me three tries before I got the right colored one. All the parts places just assume that since the dash is the same 01-04 that they're interchangeable. Tasca finally got it right.
https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/vo...X9x61Jvz333ZFKUHnVS_tDjQaAq_nEALw_wcB#fitment

FCP lists 01-07 (-09 for S60s) for the adapter. I'm not familiar enough with the 05-07 dash to say myself.
 
#18 ·
FCP lists 01-07 (-09 for S60s) for the adapter. I'm not familiar enough with the 05-07 dash to say myself.
Trim around the console is a little different pre and post facelift. Post facelift added a trim ring around the whole center console. The 01-04 adapter will not fit in an 05-07, and vice versa without modification. See below for an '06 center console, note the silver trim ring (which comes in a few colors) which is not present in pre-facelift vehicles.

 
#19 ·
Made some speaker cables for my doors.used tech flex and heat shrink to give it a nice look. The red cable has 2 pairs of SHCA 14AWG OFC wire that will allow me to run active crossovers for my tweeter and woofer for the front stage. The blue cable is just 1 pair per side for my rear doors.


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#22 ·
Finally got my RCA's in. 3 from HU to DSP, then 4 for: highs, mids, rear doors, rear D pillar (plan on attempting to fit 3 inch speakers in there with custom bracket just for some more rear fill) and sub. I plan on using RCA pass thru on my amp for the D pillar speakers.


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#23 ·
So in the first 2 pictures, that is the camera wiring going to my radio, the pink wire is going to be the reverse trigger wire by using a busman add a fuse for the reverse light fuse.

Third picture: all plastic trim pieces for door trim and rear trunk trim lol

4th pic: my door how it sits until I'm done making a speaker bracket, figured I'd get a head start and pull it off.

5th picture: ran my rca under the carpet along the factory wiring then crossed under the carpet in the passenger seat to go up to the center console then toward the radio. I forgot to get more pics. I did remove my seat to get access to the inner frame and under the carpet to run the wires. DISCONNECT BATTERY WHEN YOU REMOVE SEATS.

6th picture: when I pulled my seat 90% out and realized there was a T50 TORX bit that holds the seat belt onto rail of seat.. Luckily I had someone to run and grab me a t50 from home depot cause I was not trying to reassembly that and waste more time. There is also a plug for a seat belt sensor that you will have to disconnect to remove the seat belt holster from seat.

SEAT REMOVAL:

1. Front of seat there are 2 CROSSHAIR looking things and a plastic cover at the front of each rail. PRESS the crosshair in and slide plastic cover toward front of car to gain access to 2x 13MM bolts

2. For the rear covers towards the rear of the seat you will need a pry tool and pry where it looks like there is a tab connected the cover to the rail and slide back.

3. Undo all 4x 13mm bolts

4. There is a plug at the front of the seat with a bolt on it that holds the plug together. Turn counterclockwise until you can freely pull the plug off of the seat and now the seats electronics are 90% disconnected.

5. Pull the seat forward a little and follow where the seat belt bolts into the rail of the seat. Held in by a T50 Torx.

6. Remove the wire guides for the seat belt sensor (that you just unbolted) and follow the wire to a grey plug and disconnect it.

7. Now you can freely remove the seat, be cautious for sharp edges. I nicked a piece of my leather near the window switched and I had to glue the little piece back down.

Hope this helps someone else who ever has to remove a seat. But remember to DISCONNECT THE BATTERY, unless you want an airbag light and a trip to your dealer.


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#24 ·
Oh here's a pic from earlier as well lol. If anyone would like to follow my build and me, my snapchat is @b_massy


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#25 ·
My XS Power D3400 is a direct fit for the OEM Volvo battery. Also installed my Pioneer AVH-2330NEX. My ASWC-1 did not work, it made all my dash lights go out and threw me "SRS-Airbag Service Urgent" warning [emoji854]. Anyone know if this clearable with Vida? I had installed everything with the battery disconnected (negative removed first of course). I'm going to check with Metra on their suggestion to get the ASWC-1 to work properly. Radio fitment looks good, slightly more recessed than the climate controls but whatever. Color looks like a match to me.


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#28 ·
Got sidetracked and replaced my lower passenger motor mount. 166k on the OEM one, almost nothing left lol. I guess this thread might turn into my build thread. But I can't change the title? Or at least can't on Tapatalk?


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#31 ·
Ahh not sure whom I'd be looking for since I'm still new here [emoji2369]

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#32 ·
I put a 1000w Hertz Mille Legend system in my 06 V70 (Pioneer DEH80PRS Deck) and love it. Your system looks awesome.

In other news, Costco does free hearing tests.....

I had a prob with my deck working with the steering wheel controls and found a good place for the adapter if you need help on that.
 
#33 ·
Thanks man! Waiting for temps to warm up a lil more and I should be working on this more often haha

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#36 ·
So I haven't really done much yet. I'm trying to debate where I want to mount my 3x amps and DSP. I may create a custom enclosure and mount them above each side of the wheel wells or just put them in the spare tire location..

I've been designing new enclosure for my Sundown X15. It's actually in my car in my old ported box temporarily.

It will be a 6th Order bandpass 2:1 series tuned. Rear chamber will be 4.05 cubic ft tuned to 28hz and the front chamber will be 2.12 cubes tuned to 56hz with a interchangeable port. It's deffinately a big box lol.

I may drill thru where the clutch pedal would go to run my 0/1 awg wire back to my battery(s) since I haven't found any existing holes to run my wires thru lol.


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#37 ·
Ever since my srs fault I have a dim/flicker of all lights. It's not very noticeable but more noticeable on my interior leds. ONLY when car is running. I'm thinking there is a canbus error and screwing it up? I haven't metered my alternator yet. Still have the original one. And I do have a new battery that floats 12.9v. Any suggestions?

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#38 ·
Alternator at idle voltage is 13.9-14.1. Didn't test with a load on it though. Although today I cleaned up the B+ wire at the fuse box under the hood and cleaned up the terminals on my battery since it had some teal colored corrision(?) on it. They are brass posts though. I let them soak in baking soda with hot water than used some chemical guys metal polish I had laying around and got them cleaned up. Doesn't seem like my lights flicker anymore, or just very hard to tell lol.

Today and yesterday it took a lil to crank over, yesterday it wouldn't. Took 3 tries before turning over and getting reduced engine performance notification that went away as soon as I started driving. Tomorrow I may take a look at the condition of the starter cable and maybe run a new wire with 0awg.

For the sound system, I may just run the cables under the car and tuck em and zip tie or get some mounts I can bolt in to run the wire to the trunk. I got 2 waterproof grommets I can use to run them thru into the spare tire well.

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