Project Car

[shaker_chi]

I picked up a 98 S70 T5 with 230,000 miles on it for $300. It has all the telltale signs of a blown head gasket (coolant in the oil, loss of power, etc. ). This will be my project car for the summer. I was looking at some info on replacing the head gasket and it doesn't look too terribly difficult as long as I'm methodical, take my time and label everything I should be ok. I have a question regarding the valves. Should I go ahead and just replace them all while I have the head off? Also, is there anything else I should replace or take a look at while I have it all apart.


Thanks

[ZionXIX]

Personally if I was going to go through the trouble of a head gasket replacement, I would inspect and replace whatever I could get my hands on. PVC system, Timing belt/water pump, all fluids, inspect all hoses and vacuum tubes, Tune up with plugs +/- wires, those godawful to get to turbo lines. I would treat it like a small restoration. But thats just me.

[shaker_chi]

I agree Zion. Those turbo lines are a PIA to get to when everything is assembled. I'll definitely refresh the PCV.

[bugs11]

Replacing the head gasket on my 96 850 Turbo pretty much made it into a project car for me. One of my turbo coolant hoses had an aneurysm, I replaced them both. I actually removed the turbo to clean and inspect, ended up replacing the original CBV on it. I took my head to a reputable machine shop for service, none of my valves needed replacing.

[shaker_chi]

Thanks Bugs. Any suggestions or words of wisdom before I jump into it this weekend? How much did it run you to have the machine shop true up your head? Lastly, burnt valves are an issue with these 850's/S70's, when I tear it apart what should I look for? Just a valve that is completely black?

[bugs11]

Shaker, the machine shop should know if a valve is toast or at least my local shop did. If I had to do it all over again I would have purchased a head gasket kit and sent the kit with the head to the machine shop. The shop I sent my head to purchased a head gasket kit because they needed the valve stem seals. The charged me more for the kit than what I would have paid buying the gasket kit on the internet. Also sent your valve cover with the head to the machine shop. The shop will clean the valve cover for you or so I've been told; I didn't do that and spent a few hours scrubbing my valve cover clean. Search this forum, I posted all about my head gasket journey.

[bugs11]

One other thing, you might want to plan on doing the heater core hoses hack (search forum). The way Volvo engineered the heater core hoses is a bit of kluge, the O-rings and plastic snap-catch parts don't age well.

[101]

You only need to replace damaged or burnt valves, but absolutely replace the valve stem seals 100% with Volvo only parts.

My machine shop bill ran around $400 for a complete check, surface skim and valve job which included replacement of three exhaust valves and all of the valve stem seals. Happy to send you my rebuild parts list if you PM me an email address. Mine was a GLT motor, so there may be some part number differences.

[bugs11]

Fel-Pro was the gasket kit the machine chop purchased for my head. They just sent the kit along with the head when it was delivered.