New Guy Topic is solved

Post by **BlackBart** » 10 Dec 2016, 17:55

Hello - I've joined to learn more about the P2 XC. I've been reading MVS fixit articles for quite a while. I've been a member of forums for Alfa Romeo, our Audi A4 wagon, and my son's BMW E30 project car. We're refurbishing the E30 together, I'm rebuilding all the mechanical systems on my '67 Alfa, and last year I had to put a used engine in the A4 (rod bearings & sludge). That is a complicated car to take apart!

I've had an '84 intercooled 245, which we'd still have if someone hadn't totaled it at the curb in front of the house. We loved that car. I have a '94 850 turbo wagon - getting a bit tired with camping and hauling and long trips. I'd like to find a 122 wagon sometime that's not completely rusted.

So.. we're looking at buying a friend's 2004 XC70 with 122,000 mi. Second owner - they bought it as a lease return. Generally well-maintained, a file full of receipts from real mechanics. Nice car, black (BlackBart the pirate), new leather seats, good condition. They have two other new Volvos and don't need this one. They just dropped it at my house so I could look it over. New timing belt, several transmission flushes, most major systems repaired or replaced. I think the angle gear oil should be replaced right away (60,000mi on it), and the Haldex unit serviced (never). I whipped it around on some slippery streets today and the butt will kick out pretty smartly under power, which tells me I have 4WD operating.

I've driven it around town, on the freeway, and crawled around underneath. The biggest issue is a major clunk in the front suspension, especially the left, which I've tracked down to the upper spring seats - totally shot. I'm reading that rubber seat is a real problem. The struts (Sachs), spring seats, strut mounts, and sway bar end links have only 12,000 miles or so on them!

My question then, is I'm reading too much information about the HD ipd seat vs factory Volvo XC90 seat (it looks to me that the 70 and the 90 aftermarket are the same) vs a Hein - which may just be the Volvo part. Any advice there? An ipd guy said their rubber is better and they are longer lasting than any others (1.7% returns). I think the bearings are fine with 12,000 mi, but I'll check that. Kind of need to buy it first before ordering parts!

Other smallish issues are a loose plastic nose cone / bumper cover, faded clear coat on top surfaces, the steering column adjuster won't snug up, the heater fan squirrel is sounding sick (it's very cold here though), can't seem to fold the right rear seatback forward, and the passenger mirror housing is loose and flopping. Decent Michelin tires will last us a year or two. Will need snow wheels and tires.

Thanks in advance -

Post by **abscate** » 10 Dec 2016, 18:14

These are great cars if you can do your own work. Use Volvo parts, there are a lot of junk aftermarket stuff out there. The XC90 strut bearing is the you want for Montana roads.

Post by **BlackBart** » 12 Dec 2016, 14:42

Thank you.

I just read a post from a while back from the ipd rep, saying that their new HD spring seat will hold up better than original or the XC90 piece. It is Chinese apparently. You think the XC90 might hold up better? Is the XC90 essentially the same chassis made into an suv? But a heavier car with V8s so a heavier spring seat design?

Another question - ideas on service / repair manuals? There's the (Haynes?) paper manual - probably worth getting to always have in the car. Then I should look at the factory VADIS? system on disk? I did some searching and reading - I would need to make this work with Macs using Parallels or something. Never used it before. All my cars have paper manuals - Bentley is usually pretty good. I want factory parts diagrams etc.

Here's Bart this weekend...

I'd like to get the OEM 6 spoke wheels and keep these for winter. Is that called a TELLUS? I love that wheel.

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Thanks!
(Also a boat fan)

Post by **MadeInJapan** » 12 Dec 2016, 18:02

I've had the XC90 spring seats. I went with IPD's on our V70 this time. I don't think any of them are absolutely marvelous but I am hoping for more miles out of these...the XC seats were a tad better than what came on the car. The V70 got changed out the third time at about 150K miles.

Post by **oragex** » 12 Dec 2016, 19:12

BlackBart wrote:I've driven it around town, on the freeway, and crawled around underneath. The biggest issue is a major clunk in the front suspension, especially the left, which I've tracked down to the upper spring seats - totally shot. I'm reading that rubber seat is a real problem. The struts (Sachs), spring seats, strut mounts, and sway bar end links have only 12,000 miles or so on them!

My question then, is I'm reading too much information about the HD ipd seat vs factory Volvo XC90 seat (it looks to me that the 70 and the 90 aftermarket are the same) vs a Hein - which may just be the Volvo part. Any advice there? An ipd guy said their rubber is better and they are longer lasting than any others (1.7% returns). I think the bearings are fine with 12,000 mi, but I'll check that. Kind of need to buy it first before ordering parts!

Other smallish issues are a loose plastic nose cone / bumper cover, faded clear coat on top surfaces, the steering column adjuster won't snug up, the heater fan squirrel is sounding sick (it's very cold here though), can't seem to fold the right rear seatback forward, and the passenger mirror housing is loose and flopping. Decent Michelin tires will last us a year or two. Will need snow wheels and tires.

Thanks in advance -

If they replaced the suspension parts 12k miles ago and are shot, they've used some cheap or regular ipd stuff. I have read the HD stuff is stronger, but why take a chance? Ipd guys will tell you anything, but you still will be paying for the repair 12mo later. Go Sachs for the spring seats, the ones for XC90 seem to fit on the XC70. Besides, I'm under the impression the Sachs ones give a sort of pleasant smoothness to the ride.

The heater fan needs replaced, you may keep the resistor for spares.

A little warning. The multiple transmission flushes are ringing a bell. There might be shifting issues once the transmission is fully warmed up - like 30 min into driving

Post by **JRL** » 12 Dec 2016, 21:39

For the umpteenth time, ALL the Volvo spring seats are now the "XC90 spring seats", have been for at least 3 years, maybe more!
You can't buy the older ones anymore

Post by **BlackBart** » 12 Dec 2016, 22:44

^^^ Ah, interesting to know, thank you. I'll do more reading. The mechanic believes they may have been TRW or FBS? or something aftermarket - he can't remember. Since they don't drive it much, it's been over two years and now out of warranty. I don't want replacement junk under warranty anyway, so I'll just do it myself.

I'm under the impression they did all factory recommended maintenance which included trans flushes (?). Or...they know about the 01 / 02 issues and made sure the fluid was good?? It drove fine - maybe a little lazy on downshifts rolling to a stop or rolling slowly and accelerating. I thought they had fixed it by 03....

Kind of sad that ipd used to be our go-to trusted parts guys, with all the good stuff, and racing bits for your 142......are they more like other suppliers now and you have to research your own part sources every time? We've been seeing Chinese-made junk coming from fake Euro-sounding companies. Bosch parts sometimes aren't from Germany now. On the Alfa, you were just happy to find your part even listed in a catalog! Just BUY it! Now they're available again, but from what source?

Post by **BlackBart** » 14 Dec 2016, 16:15

oragex wrote:A little warning. The multiple transmission flushes are ringing a bell. There might be shifting issues once the transmission is fully warmed up - like 30 min into driving

oh...I just read flushes aren't so good. You should drain and fill several times.

True?

Also, people have installed aux trans coolers to keep the temp lower.

Post by **JRL** » 14 Dec 2016, 17:21

The Gibbons method of "flushing" is just fine
Google it

Post by **BlackBart** » 20 Dec 2016, 16:20

well, looks like I'll go ahead and buy this car. A few things to do, but overall pretty solid. $3500.

Black Bart's flag....

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