1998 V70 New Purchase and "punch list" of things needed

[FLXC90]

The 98 70 series is numbered B5254S, but it is a 2.4 Liter engine. Just one of those labeling things.

As far as your A/C--next to the center vent controls, just to the left is the fresh air wheel. try opening/closing it for any change.

[E Showell]

Fortunately, being near Filthadelphia, you are located in the center of the three best (and cheapest) Pick-n-Pull yards of which I am aware. They will be a good source of very cheap used parts if you don't mind removing the parts yourself. They are all called Harry's-U-Pull-It (internet at http://www.wegotused.com). The largest is located in West Hazelton, another (smaller) is in Allentown and a third (also smaller than West Hazelton) is located in Pennsburg. I reviewed them recently in a post on this site.

The great thing about Harry's is that they post inventory online so you can see if they have any examples of your model year or a compatible model year. More often than not, the inventory notes body color which is useful if you are looking for things like doors and bumper covers. Unfortunately, the inventory doesn't tell you how picked over the car may be or whether the driver door you need was demolished in the accident that sent the car to the yard in the first place -- you just have to go. If you go, you may well find "targets of opportunity" -- parts for which you have no immediate need, but are relatively high value and take little effort to remove. Head and taillights can fall into this category. If you go this time of year, be sure to bring sunscreen.

Seat removal is easy, but please don't go to the time and trouble of unbolting the seatbelt holder. It requires a large torx bit and is relatively inaccessible. Instead, there is a seatbelt release tab that just needs to be depressed before the seatbelt will slide out. The location and function of this tab is covered in a post in the repair database. Using the tab to release the belt takes all of three seconds. Also, in removing the seats, I find unclipping the under-seat electrical connectors to be the most challenging part of the process.

Your door opening problem can probably be addressed by parts from Harry's. The lock mechanism alone will run you approximately $150 for genuine Volvo new. I got the mechanism from Harry's including the lock, cable and interior door pull for around $22 if memory serves -- (that might have been the price for both sides since I needed to do both front doors). Installation so everything works properly is a bit of a PITA.

You might find a serviceable headliner at Harry's. If so, it is worth the trouble to remove it carefully (the hows are also covered in a post on here), although you've already been through the worst part if you've scraped off the old (although it is generally a good idea to do that with the headliner out of the car).

If you want more info on the trip to Harry's experience, feel free to pm me your phone number and we can chat about it. Overall, it was largely positive for me, although I didn't find every single part I needed. Living where you do, Harry's should be a parts supplier of first resort since it is just so darn cheap.

If the front suspension has more than 100K on it since last rebuild, you might plan for new struts, spring seats and strut mounts. Depending on your budget, you might just want to do the whole shooting match at one go -- struts, seats, mounts, sway bar links, control arms and inner and outer tie rod ends, then an alignment. That's a lot of coin, especially if you are going to be paying for a timing belt change, but you'll get 100k plus miles of trouble free motoring out of the suspension (I'd do rear shocks as well).

Don't run anything less than 89 octane gas in it or you'll risk burning an exhaust valve, which is pretty much game over unless you want to do an engine swap or head replacement.