Few questions on the s40

[Buzz word]

My mate has just bought an s40. We were working on it over the weekend as he managed to buy one with the exhaust totally broken in a few places. On the center section there is a largish metal box which contains a brass colored weight covered in rubber. My best guess is it's some kind of damper to stop some issue to do with the natural frequency of the exhaust? We refitted it but it would be nice to know what it is.
Whilst fixing that i became aware of an air sucking noise from the front left of the engine near the pas pump. The noise dissappears when accelerating, but the car is a bit lumpy on tick over. I'm wondering if there is a inlet leak or if its normal? I will give it a squirt of carb cleaner when i next see him to check. would also explain why it feels so very slow. it should only be a bit slower than my focus but it feels awfully slow.
He complains the gear change is sloppy as well. Is the s40 just a sloppy box or is it a common piece of wear? looking at it, it doesn't seem a big job, just a couple of bushes but its budget motoring so if their all like it it could be not worth while.

[chris1roll]

If reverse is up and left, then the gearbox linkage bushes are £15 and took about 5 minutes to change. Made the gearchange a lot better. Still not fantastic, what with it being a renault box...

[Buzz word]

cheers, thats the box. Up and left with a lift up gate. It crashes everytime you go for reverse even with double de clutching so it could well be worth doing.

[chris1roll]

Ah, now, they do that even with the new bushes. the trick is once you have come to a halt, depress clutch, engage first,keep clutch down, then engage reverse. No crunches.

Might be worth bleeding the hydraulic system too

The later ones had a proper volvo box.