Multitude of problems with 01 V70XC smells, etc

JOGR · Post by **JOGR** » 07 Jan 2011, 08:56

I have just recently run into a bunch of problems with my 01 V70XC.

1. I replaced the front/rear brake shoes and rotors, and now from the rear I am getting a clunk sounds, only when I am in reverse, that is coming from the brakes, it sounds like the caliper doing "something" but only when I back up! I did not bleed them yet, could that be the culprit?

2. Also, after the brake job, the rear end suspension is "sloppy", when i go over pot holes and stuff it is really bouncy in the wheels, like bad shocks or something, but they were fine before the brake job. could they have gotten messed up by jacking the car off the ground? I used the factory jack point.

3. Bigger problem! I replaced the heater core. I ordered the less expensive one from FCPGroton. I replaced the seals and the core. In retrospect I believe just the O-rings were bad, but replaced the whole thing. The drivers floor was soaked. Now, it is not leaking anymore, but I get a antifreeze smell from the heat vents that was not present before. Also, I believe the controls for the heat system are vacuum operated? When I turn the heat on, I can hear it actuating behind teh control panel about every 15 seconds, sounds kinda like a sucking sound and a baffle. every 15 seconds or so. like it is trying but cant work. grr. The heat is not as hot as it was, and because of this the wife has the fan on full blast. It started smoking! Now there is a burning smell when the blower is turned up more than half way.

Help please!

I have the dreaded broken tailgate wires too. but know what that is... The car has about 140k miles on it and is just falling apart!

RaymanSean · Post by **RaymanSean** » 07 Jan 2011, 12:33

JOGR wrote:1. I replaced the front/rear brake shoes and rotors, and now from the rear I am getting a clunk sounds, only when I am in reverse, that is coming from the brakes, it sounds like the caliper doing "something" but only when I back up! I did not bleed them yet, could that be the culprit?

Did you put the little spings (wire shaped like a hair pin) back? This is usually the cause of the clunk.

JOGR wrote:2. Also, after the brake job, the rear end suspension is "sloppy", when i go over pot holes and stuff it is really bouncy in the wheels, like bad shocks or something, but they were fine before the brake job. could they have gotten messed up by jacking the car off the ground? I used the factory jack point.

It is possible that the shocks were on the way out before hand and that having travel there full range of motion sealed the deal. The car has 140,000 miles on it it was time for shocks anyway. You may want to look into shock mounts as well.

JOGR wrote:3. Bigger problem! I replaced the heater core. I ordered the less expensive one from FCPGroton. I replaced the seals and the core. In retrospect I believe just the O-rings were bad, but replaced the whole thing. The drivers floor was soaked. Now, it is not leaking anymore, but I get a antifreeze smell from the heat vents that was not present before. Also, I believe the controls for the heat system are vacuum operated? When I turn the heat on, I can hear it actuating behind teh control panel about every 15 seconds, sounds kinda like a sucking sound and a baffle. every 15 seconds or so. like it is trying but cant work. grr. The heat is not as hot as it was, and because of this the wife has the fan on full blast. It started smoking! Now there is a burning smell when the blower is turned up more than half way.

I have not touched the heater core on these cars yet so i can only guess that to do the job the dash has to come out or be disassembled, If so you may have failed to reassemble things correctly causing a damper to fail preventing airflow and causing the blower to over heat. the coolant smell is likely the result coolant being spilled into the duct while changing the core.

JOGR wrote:The car has about 140k miles on it and is just falling apart!

Cars require maintenance, it sounds like you have had the car for 140,00o miles with little work having to be done and now it is time to pay the piper.

JOGR · Post by **JOGR** » 07 Jan 2011, 18:07

OK, got some work done today...

Brakes are solved, One of the bolts holding a rear caliper had backed out and was missing! I replaced it and loctited them both, no more clunking in reverse.

I tackled the tailgate repair. All of the wires were broken except one. I soldered them back together and that is happy now, although the car still says "Bulb failure position light".

Any suggestions on rear shocks? It is AWD.

I drove for awhile, and while the heat did smell "hot" I couldnt get it to smoke like my wife reported. I guess I will just have her drive it some more and see what happens?

RaymanSean · Post by **RaymanSean** » 07 Jan 2011, 18:42

sure it was smoke and not steam? for the shocks I would buy either the OEM's or Blistien heavy duty. Before you go to far have someone bounce on the car and see if you can see any other part moving. Also check and make sure the shock is still attached to the suspension. It appears that IPD has one OEM shock and does not list them for the XC for Blistien. Perhaps FCP has some instock.

Post by **JRL** » 08 Jan 2011, 06:58

You have no choice
You have air Nivomats, there is no aftermarket replacements, you need to use OEM
Luckily the prices for Nivos have come way down to reality, high 100s, low 200s not $500 as they used to be!