What did you do to your P2 Volvo today?

[Blacklab467]

If you’re that far into it take the knuckle off and press it in with the bench vise. Or a ball joint press. Mine sucked in pretty easy with the bolts but I think they were changed once before. You really don’t want to screw up these threads!

[Starbuck]

Now that you're asking (and I've tried to pay attention), I can't recall if the steering corrects me in LH corners. Definitely to the right. It's a subtle and smooth push in sustained corners where the wheel has to be turned more than just a juke. I do have a leach in my return PS hose at the clamp and end (replacing that, the reservoir and performing a flush today myself).

I'd love to borrow your press tool, that's very kind of you to offer. I'll PM my address. Thank you very much!

[moncureww]

A few things - between driving about 150 miles on the highways of DC and Virginia.

(1) I added new Stabilus trunk struts on the rear - big improvement.
(2) I unboxed my new upper engine mount (Hutchinson, has Volvo scratched off), and my Volvo OEM Spark Plugs for this weekend's ongoing tune-up work.
(3) Had two new tires put on the front, mounted and balanced, and had a four wheel alignment.
(4) I took the the full size alloy wheel I bought from the junkyard to the tire shop, had them put on a matching tire, and I took out the donut out from the trunk and put it on craigslist. Now I have a full size spare in the trunk!
(5) examined my engine mounts and decided the two hydraulic and one side mount are nearing replacement time.
(6) ordered matching beige leather dye from "Seat Doctors" to redo my slightly worn drivers seat in the next week.
(7) Gave the car a quick wash!
(8) Added a prancing moose sticker next to the license plate!
(9) Ordered 4 more bottles of 3309 trans fluid so I can do my second drain fill within a 5000 mile interval to clean the fluid.

Enjoying how well these P2 turbos drive!

2006 S60 2.5T AWD, AW55, 214k

[abscate]

Rolled down I 87 to NYC and back, 300 miles round trip
32 mpg

[Starbuck]

Today or rather yesterday as it's past midnight, I started replacing my control arms and stabilizer bar links. Ben had a surprise for me when I took the RF wheel off...a huge tear in the boot! Grease is slung around like it's free. I'm stopping for now and tomorrow I'll get a repair kit from Autozone or wherever. Good thing I still have the Bavarian parts eater here...I should sell her soon though. Ha.

More went wrong but that's for later. I'm a seepy kitteh and home is 40 minutes away still. Back tomorrow!

Super duper thanks to Pete for mailing me his ball joint Hulk smash tool. That thing saved so much time! Thank you Pete!

[abscate]

Can I trade work pieces please?

[Starbuck]

What in the grease monkey, Abscate?!? A rust monster is eating your car!

[abscate]

Bavarian Parts Eater.....


We call them Bavarian Money Waster up here....to be fair our E83 has given is 150k of service with a VANOS line, a water pump , CSB, and a couple of brake sensors being the only unplanned maintenance

[Starbuck]

We're back to this past Sunday's fun.

So after visiting four parts stores and enduring blank stares when inquiring about a boot repair kit, I settled on Gorilla Tape just to get me home. I returned to the first parts store I went to and happened to glance down in the tape aisle... directly at a boot repair kit the manager was adamant they didn't have. Sigh.

I returned back to the garage and cleaned Ben up with three cans of brake parts cleaner. I cut the failed boot at the gash and boy am I glad I did that. Guess what? Volvo doesn't believe in round. Imagine my surprise when I discovered the weirdly-shaped innards of boot thingy. WTF?! Anyone want to guess what shape the repair kit was? ROUND! IT'S ROUND! WHY WOULD IT BE WHATEVER SHAPE THAT IS THAT VOLVO DECIDED? Ugh.

I knew there was no way to fix it properly on a Sunday so I lined everything up carefully and concocted an evil plan. Mwahaha. Round repair kit CAN mate with the round external boot.

If anyone here has a reason these two should not join in (un)holy matrimony, speak now or forever hold your peace.

I cleaned everything up and blessed the union with the Loctite super glue the kit came with. Bam. The trio of rolly things were greased then I clamped the boot and finished with the control arm replacement. All this drama made me forget that was the original activity. The dust seal on the RF was shot so I ordered a new one but I don't know if I'll have time to replace it before I leave for MD/NJ on the 24th. I still need to hunt for a lifetime alignment place (I'll fully utilize THAT service haha) and we're supposed to go camping this coming weekend. Time is short. I did just see FCP has a cv joint boot kit with both boots. Hmm...I will not take the whole axle (drive thing?) apart though just to replace the inner boot. Needle bearings are a pain. Does anyone have experience fitting the inner boot over the outer hump? <-----EDIT. I realize now after thinking-while-driving that this was a really dumb thing to ask. Of COURSE it won't fit. Sorry. Other things on my mind. So now I will research the disassembly of the drive shaft/axle for real fixing later. I really don't want to have to buy a $300ish dollar part this soon. The fam is starting to scrutinize my incoming parts deliveries. Hahaha. Anywho, I am going to risk your collective distaste and admit to a plan to clean the bootinstein and apply a reasonable amount of primate tape as insurance.

So far the unholy boot union has held up for approximately 70 miles. I'll continue to scrutinize that relationship like I work for a tabloid.

[Starbuck]

Ben just got an alignment! The shop said (and I saw the adjustment screen) that Volvo says the rear camber is not adjustable. Thoughts?

I'm trying really hard not to be annoyed the numbers aren't zeroed out. Also, I find it funny that I had the front end taken apart and it didn't mess with the alignment (out of the green). Sorry I didn't take 'before' pictures.