What did you do to your Volvo today?

[bmdubya1198]

Spent the last two days cleaning the S60’s interior. It turned out pretty nice! I still need a driver door panel and a driver seat eventually, but everything else is in really nice shape.

Also received the upper torque mount today from FCP, now the strut brace is finally installed. The old bushing was completely missing when I got the car, so I couldn’t install the brace.
The new mount makes the rest of the engine bay look like crap.

Timing belt, cam seals, water pump, PCV, tires, control arm bushings, and more to come!

[matthew1]

Looks like new

[brunocerous]

Today, I took the project T5 for a spin to make sure everything still works. Engine sounded good warmed up, but there was a serious groan coming from the power-steering pump. The good times never end!

1998 V70 T5 odometer

[bmdubya1198]

Looks like new

Just need to find a black door panel and the interior should be good to go for now!

[brunocerous]

Today, I stared at the oil spot left by the '98 V70 in my driveway. It's back.

One of the few times I took it to an oil-change shop, years ago, they must've used an impact wrench to replace the drain plug. Even the repair shop that tried to get it off took a while to back it out again. When it finally came out, I had a brand-new oil leak at the plug. I've tried black RTV and different plugs, but the leak always returns.

[bmdubya1198]

Sounds like it may need to be re-tapped. That's why I never let anyone touch my car unless I give them specific instructions and I get to watch! And that's only for alignments and tire mounting... I refuse to let anyone do anything else.

So today was a miserable non-Volvo adventure. My dad and I took on the job of replacing the engine in his buddy's Durango. We got the old engine out yesterday in about 5 hours, not too bad. We went to replace the valve cover gaskets today on the new engine and discovered the timing chain had tons of slack on one of the banks. Not too big of a deal, since before deciding the knocking was in the bottom end, we went through replacing the timing chain and guides on the original engine (his friend already bought the replacement engine, but after discovering a loose guide on his engine we were hoping for a relatively simple fix). So fortunately we had the parts and didn't have to wait, and I really wanted this engine in and running today so waiting wasn't an option. Transferred it all over to the replacement engine and discovered one of the cam carriers where the tensioner guide pivot bolt goes had cracked... at which point I went and got a head gasket, then swapped the head over from the old engine. Quite the aggravating experience!

Now keep in mind, this was sold as a "Grade A engine" from a used parts supplier. $1,000 engine. It has so far needed a full timing chain job, a cylinder head, and a valve cover (one of those was cracked). Fortunately it's under warranty, so I'll certainly be sending them receipts for everything. If they even try to give me a hard time, I'll make sure to leave a bad review and spread the word! Totally unacceptable to spend that much on an engine that needs all this work.

As of now it's all assembled and ready to drop back in the truck. Man I hate Chrysler products! The truck only has 166k miles... meanwhile my cousin's newly acquired '91 Volvo 240 has just shy of 300k on the original engine with no problems! He also has the same year (2000) Durango, we put an engine in that at 205k. Why can't they get it right?

Once this is done I can get back to Volvos... I can't wait!

[brunocerous]

Sounds like it may need to be re-tapped. That's why I never let anyone touch my car unless I give them specific instructions and I get to watch! And that's only for alignments and tire mounting... I refuse to let anyone do anything else.

I like this kind of Volvo oversight!

And, wow, what a Durango experience. I haven't seriously looked at an American-made car since my parents bought a brand-new 1978 Ford Fairmont back in the day — and it turned out to be a lemon from Day One. It was one problem after another until a friend of mine bought it, despite a passenger-side door that didn't quite stay closed and a rusted floor that offered a view of the pavement below.

[abscate]

God, there were some awful cars in the 1970s, from everywhere. My college roommate went through a Gremlin, Pacer, Vega, and a Yugo. Engineering and building a time it’s finest. You could hear them rust,

[Ocelot]

Look up flash code reader in the repair data base -an LED, a push button and a few lengths of hook up wire.

20 valves are 10 too many anyway...

So today I'm at the diy garage and I soldered a flash reader with the info from the repair database on the website. No codes in the ecc nor in the "regular" section of the ecu. Checked the recirculation flap as Abscate told me and it works fine. Haven't gotten any flash codes from the ac for a couple of days now.

[brunocerous]

God, there were some awful cars in the 1970s, from everywhere. My college roommate went through a Gremlin, Pacer, Vega, and a Yugo. Engineering and building a time it’s finest. You could hear them rust,

Brilliant. I’m old enough to remember when the Ford Pinto was a rental fleet vehicle. Once my parents rented one from a major chain. It broke down and needed a tow, then was replaced with another Pinto. At least we didn’t experience the exploding gas tank — with me in the back seat.

Have you ever heard of the Mongol Rally? It’s a race from London to Mongolia with the catch being that the car has to be cheap (under $1,000) and tiny (sub 500cc).

https://www.teacaketravels.com/adventur ... gol-rally/

http://www.nbcnews.com/id/19855104/ns/t ... gol-rally/

Maybe we should start our own P80 rally!