New Project - 2000 V70 SE NA - 5 speed auto Topic is solved

[scot850]

You would think so. However, I am now looking for an SUV. Back and neck issues make getting in and out of these wagons more difficult as arthritis is kicking in. It is so much easier to get into and SUV. My wife has a Kia Sportage and as I am 6' 1", I step into it and getting back out is way easier. I have been looking at an XC90 as it has room for our 2 dogs and has better seats than our 06 XC70, so would be better for longer trips. No hurry to get there, but keeping an eye out for a good one at reasonable price. Until my wife also retires in a couple of years, I don't drive far so having 2 cars is no sense, as I feel the 'R' is suffering mostly from lack of use. It is the most likely to go even after all the time and money, as I would like it to go to an enthusiast. We'll see in a few months what is going to happen. Now just need to get this car reliable and get on with the parts testing. Once that ha been done, then the decision on the future will be made.

Neil.

[scot850]

Well ran the car up to the local repair shop and no warning lights for the short run!

The repair shop is run by a fellow Scot, and I dropped of a 48 case of beer for the mechanics as he does not drink but refuses to take money for a lot of the work they do for me. Keeps the mechanics happy especially with a long weekend this weekend (Canada 150 celebrations). I get guilty pangs so don't want to outstay my welcome so the beer trade works well. When I can get it I drop off a case on Irn Bru (a Scottish pop which we all grew up with) for the owner for him and his family which they love!

Anyway, they installed the new Schaeder valve and re-gassed the system and again refused to take money for it. I realise how lucky I am to have this resource nearby in walking distance! I have warned the they are about to get a bucket load of wheels and tires to check out what is good/bad for me and my sons car winter rims to remove the tires so they can be powder coated.

Picked the car up and started it, and immediately the readout for the outside temp reads 'disC' and the mileage and trip go to '----'.

Drive to the gas station, fill up (about 100 yards away), restart and same issue. Turn the selector knob to another readout setting and all goes back to normal and car runs great most of the way home before starting a really annoying squeaking from the RHS rear seat/door area. Otherwise car ran nice and smoothly. Have to say the 5-speed auto box is way nicer than the 4 speed when they work. The closer ratios help even the NA pick up pretty well.

Got my son to drive the car today so I could try to figure out the squeak, but of course there was none. Maybe my (vast) weight settled it down. Time will no doubt tell. When we got back, my son (first car my 98 V70XC) said he forgot how nice the P80 is to drive even compared to the 06 XC70 he inherited from his mother!

Now hope to run the car for a few weeks to bed it in and then do the 2nd set of oil changes and swap out the LH axle and oil seal.

My son has yet to find out that he is going to be driving the car regularly to work to test all the electrical heating parts!!

Neil.

[scot850]

Well time for yet another update. Those of you who frequent MVS on a regular basis know the challenge this new project has become. No matter how much you think you know you never can predict or find all the issues with an old car like this, especially when they have been mistreated and neglected. Strangely the previous owner thought they had taken good care......Hm, let me think about that one!

Since the car has been back on the road several issues have come to the fore. Main one was the random and multitude of warning lights, mostly related to the ABS/STC system but some were not obviously related. The details are here:

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=81868

We appear to have got there eventually and special shout out to Matt and Mike but also to all others with suggestions and ideas (I have a gallon of gasoline and a lighter in the garage which were nearly used!).

Just re-checked the car with Vida this afternoon after another 10km run and all is good so far and no more random warning lights or speedo uni issues thankfully so far.

Turn signals were also another random issue. Used part from PnP appears to have resolved the random working of the turn signals:

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=81931

I also raised another question on engine bay ground wires as there appears to be one to the bulkhead middle section that is not always fitted:

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=82052

I have a spare and will eventually get around to add it as a back-up.

Thought there was another 'new' problem with the heater system not deflecting air to the windshield. Fortunately when I checked it with Vida today there are no codes, and when turned to de-frost I could feel the air flow. At least the servo motor is working ok as it is a real pain to get to if it fails. I will monitor this to ensure there is not an issue with the ECC unit. I have spares if needed.

Load cover

I was getting a really annoying squeaking from the rear RHS of the car that went away when I sat in the rear and had my son drive the car, naturally. I removed the load cover today when running an errand and as suspected the noise disappeared. Issue is most likely the broken end-cap on the RHS of the cover unit rubbing. Now on the look out for a good oak one.

Another thread related to this cars repairs, is finding that the RH axle carrier bearing is the same as earlier models (98 and older P80's). It is relatively easy to remove (thanks to the local dealer foreman). Bearing is pricey though!

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=80884

So currently the car is now running pretty well. It is fairly peppy for an NA and feels like a whole lot more room in it as there is no moonroof assembly. So what else has to be sorted?

Well there is:

1) Still the LH axle and axle seal to swap out
2) Trans oil to be drained and flushed again
3) Engine oil to be drained and filter/oil replaced with 10-40W synthetic.
4) Drain the power steering pump oil again using the turkey baster and header tank drain fill method again.
5) Flush the rear brake fluid as not done yet.
6) squeaky dash/top cover.
7) Still to find a good DSF oak carpet to replace the holey current item!

Finally I am looking at swapping the front struts for a pair I was given from a T5 V70. Need to clean them and give a lick of paint and install (getting a clonking from LHS front shock). I will make sure the noise is not coming from the end-link on that side (RHS already replaced with good used OE one as it was totally missing!!). Also check the sway bar bushings. Did look ok when I last checked, but worth a 2nd look. Once that is done then an alignment of the steering/suspension is on order.

I'll give the car another week of running around and then start the testing of the electrical parts I had bought it for in the first place nearly 8 months ago!

So getting there slowly but surely (I hope!).

Neil.

[scot850]

Well time to close the loop on this one.

Sad day today as the project has now moved to its new home at long last. A buddy (and hopefully he stays so!) was missing his 98 V70 base he sold about a year ago and said if/when I decided to sell it to call him. I did and he drove it an loved it. He knows all the work and money that went into is and that it isn't perfect, but then he got it at a fraction of what I have put into it money wise, let alone the sweat equity!

Car went with all the spare interior panels and seat bases/covers/arm rests and summer tires and rims. He now wants me to find any parts particular to the car so he can decide what he wants to buy from me to re-stock his spares stash he sold with the last car.

I truly hope the car lasts a long time for him and I know he will take care of it, in fact his son is already barred from driving it!

I a split on this car as it was probably the smoothest P80 engine and auto (5-speed) trans I have driven. There was something about the car that made any frustration melt away when driving it. Not fast, but could move along.

Thanks to all that contributed to (probably) the last P80 I will buy, but for now the 'R' is staying.

Car with summer rims and tires

V70 SE base

V70 SE base interior

V70 SE engine bay

Neil.

[abscate]

Love that oak interior and wood trim

Glad it went to a good home!

It’s going be hard to part with my T5 but after next summer, the last kids leave school , and I’ll be car heavy and something will have to go. With dad passing, mom is moving back To NY bringing 5 speed Golf, so yet another chariot to maintain

[scot850]

That will be a tough decision at that time as I know how you love that car.

Neil.

[850 LPT]

Wow, Neil, this V70 turned out really nice! The new owner should be very happy with it.

But I would never say never about buying another P80.

I was kind of leaning the same way as these cars are getting so old now until I found my "new" 850 about 2 months ago. The ad on CL intrigued me as it was advertised as a low mileage super clean car, for $1650. When I looked at it I could hardly believe what I had found. The exterior had some minor flaws but the interior was in mint condition, simply unbelievable. Then I drove the car and it performed the way you think it should. No rattles or squeaks of any kind with a super smooth engine and tranny. I bought it on the spot for $1500 with about 92k on the odo. To boot, it had the TB replaced last spring and it came with brand new Michelin tires.

I later learned that it was a one owner car. The owner was a doctor at a local hospital who apparently had the car serviced for it's entire life at the local dealer.
Since I bought it I did some regular maintenance stuff like brakes, endlinks, brake hoses etc and I'm enjoying it as my new daily driver. Makes me smile every time I get in it.

You never know when you will find that needle in the haystack, but they are out there for sure.

Dirk

[scot850]

Dirk it is getting harder and harder to spend the time/money on another car. I have a Toyota 4Runner that needs some love, but as I write this I am killing time until my emergency chiro appointment as my back and neck have gone bad again. Crawling around under old cars is getting harder and harder. There is a chance that a 'unicorn' may turn up that has been well maintained, but even with the now sold V70, I had to wait 5 months to even find a car of any sort that was even running! I still have the 'R' which has only been out of the garage once since Christmas, so buying another is highly unlikely. We also plan to down-size next year so the large 3 car garage and drive may not be available. We will see. I almost bought a 1959 Volvo PV445 wagon last year (1 of 12 sold in Canada) but it needed some welding and a full repaint and interior. Always wanted one, but with a planned move it was not to happen, but it did motivate the seller to get it running and back on the road after 35 years of ownership!

I got a text from my buddy that bought the V70 and he got the thumbs-up from his wife so that is the most important decision we all need!

Also, had a call from another local Volvo owner I know for help with his 99 V70 GLT. Helped narrow down the issue to a bad battery and aftermarket (Meyle) ECT/IAT temp sensor. Now running again, so there is always that.

I can also do PnP runs for fun and pull some parts that I know are rare/expensive for you other guys!

Neil.

[abscate]

Neil...you need to build your network of younger Volvo owners who can do the grunt work for you when Needed. I hope wcm isn’t reading this morning.....

I’ve told myself I’ll stop rolling underneath at 60 but maybe there is a lift in my future somewhere.

[scot850]

Just thought I would add a little update on this car. It has now been with a Volvo buddy of mine for 2 years. He has added over 20,000km to the mileage so it is now north of 300,000km (getting close to 200,000 miles).

He loves this car, and has just had tints added to the rear windows.

Car as it is today

2000 V70 SE May 2020.jpg (202.59 KiB) Viewed 829 times

He has freshened the paint on the front bumper and set off for Niagara to collect his son who got stuck in school in NYC.

He left yesterday morning and is already in Ontario, expecting to be in Niagara tomorrow morning. He said the car purred all the way.

Nice to know after all the work I put into this car it ended up with someone who really cares about it. Almost brings a tear to my eyes!

Neil.