Just bought 2006 S60 2.5T AWD, 212K

[kcodyjr]

Funny waves on tire sidewalls are ok, ones that push in like blisters aren’t.

I'll take a look after the rain stops.

Those rear top hats look past their “ use by “ date. Not sure even my angle grinder trick would work on those

I'm not sure they'd still work as ballast for a rowboat. That's not what I was illustrating, though. I knew the rotors needed replacement before I took them off. Look at what's inside the drum section, that should still be on the car...

I’m a TB risk taker so put my advice in perspective, but these belts rarely break, it usually the pump or idler which takes them out. On P2s, MTBF is well over 150k miles

I was thinking that the "chewedness" in the teeth suggests the belt has stretched longer than it should be, and that even if it doesn't snap it'll be slightly off-time; and anyway if the belt is iffy, the tensioner/idler can't be far behind. I'm not sure, though, because I've never tried to do timing myself before.

Can you pull the cover and look at the build date on the pump?

Good idea. Next not-rainy day, that'll be my next task.

[kcodyjr]

Can you pull the cover and look at the build date on the pump?

The pump plainly says "Volvo" on it, and nearby is a little graphic showing "06" "up-arrow" "08".

If that means 8th week of 2006 (February) then it would be the original pump. Date of manufacture was APR-2006 according to the sticker in the door jamb.

I'm going to put the kit in. If the water pump isn't reason enough, hile I was poking around in there, I saw clear signs of early stage cracking on the inside of the TB. I don't know how old it is, but it ain't fresh.

[abscate]

Time for a new one. Don’t sweat it though, I ran mine for 250k and it was fine.

[kcodyjr]

Time for a new one.

There's a brand new Aisin in a box behind me. Showed up just as the sun was setting today.

[abscate]

Time for a new one.

There's a brand new Aisin in a box behind me. Showed up just as the sun was setting today.

Delivered by boat, no doubt...one of my many Chappy memories...

[kcodyjr]

Delivered by boat, no doubt...

Yep. This one:

one of my many Chappy memories...

Where are you in that picture? To the north of the lighthouse, looks like?

[abscate]

Through the gut then maybe halfway up the Bay on the West side? The 26x keel winches up and its flat on the bottom, made for gunking

[EngineeringBloke]

I'm partial to the coated Zimmermans with the Akebono pads

Me, too. I put them on my FWD '06. Prior to that, brake dust would appear within hours of scrubbing the wheels clean. Now they stay nice.

I also did my e-brake as it was not holding the car and I was concerned about the MA inspection. Replacement went well, got the new shoes and springs on, although there was one part I did not use as I did not fully release the cable - was some years ago. The shoe linings were missing from my car when I got to them.

My prior car was owned by a smoker and it gave me headaches. I had it cleaned at a repair shop but that was not enough. I used a product called Nok-out and sprayed it on seats, headliner and into vents with A/C running - that worked really well. May not be an issue for you, but you mentioned dog damage. I've since used it on a damp basement and wet sneakers. Safe for kids, pets and in hospitals, which is nice. https://www.amazon.com/Nok-Out-Odor-Rem ... B000O0FBJQ

I like my Pilot Sport 4s but had little snow to test them this winter. The 3s were great.

I found the 'W' (Winter?) button on the transmission great for getting up a steep unplowed road. It appears to change the transmission so it moves a little slower (higher gears?) and I think uses the anti-lock brakes to control wheel spin. Your AWD may be all you need and not much chance of snow for a bit now.

I have changed the power steering fluid using a drain line connected to the return line at the power steering reservoir plus a plug on the reservoir. This was easy and clean. Used a similar approach to replace the ATF via the AT to AT radiator line. In both cases, be sure to use the right fluid and to keep topping up to ensure the pump and AT don't get low. Measure the ATF extracted in a large bottle, with levels marked (in quarts or liters) and add back in the same amount. IPD has a kit with instructions, a hose, clips and o-rings. https://www.ipdusa.com/products/4808/Au ... IPD-107945

There is some discussion about not changing the ATF if it has become very old. Perhaps the AT is failing and the old fluid adds friction that allows a bad AT to continue. With new fluid, that's lost and the AT may slip. Seems it would be failing anyway.

There is no AT refill bolt. Fill via the dipstick tube. The bolt on top of the AT holds the 3rd gear together!

[kcodyjr]

My prior car was owned by a smoker and it gave me headaches. ... but you mentioned dog damage.

My wife is a smoker, and I'm that ultra-rare kind of ex-smoker who likes the smell of a cig but isn't tempted by it.

It seems, actually, the previous owner was a non-smoker. There isn't a hint of smell or stain in the car.

When I said dog damage, I mean the little f***er put his teeth or claws through the rear seat bottom upholstery. It's either getting a patch like an old pair of jeans, or I'll find one in a junkyard.

I like my Pilot Sport 4s but had little snow to test them this winter. The 3s were great.

I had the 3+'s on my 2012 C70, and I loved them. They're a crisp and precise tire, that lives up to their "ultra high performance all-season" label. The real question is whether that's appropriate for a wifemobile... I'm thinking yes, but my only basis for that is that she wouldn't drive in the snow anyway unless her life, or mine, depended on it. By contrast, I'm an accomplished snow pilot, and I'm just fine with an all-season in 4" of fresh unplowed snowfall. Viva la Massachusetts.

I found the 'W' (Winter?) button on the transmission great for getting up a steep unplowed road. It appears to change the transmission so it moves a little slower (higher gears?) and I think uses the anti-lock brakes to control wheel spin. Your AWD may be all you need and not much chance of snow for a bit now.

The previous owner had it in "W" unawares when I test-drove it. At first, I thought there was a transmission problem, but then I realized that it was, indeed, launching in 2nd. This is a very useful feature, but it does demand understanding. Now, it was the actual owner's sister presenting it for sale, so hopefully its regular pilot wasn't quite that daft.

I have changed the power steering fluid using a drain line connected to the return line at the power steering reservoir plus a plug on the reservoir. This was easy and clean.

On my old 97 850 GLT (may she rest in peace) I did this by disconnecting the return line, putting it into a bucket, plugging the hole in the reservoir, filling it with fresh fluid, and then rocking the steering wheel stop-to-stop, engine off, while someone watched the reservoir level for me. Worked like a charm, and steered like butter afterward. I'll do the same thing on this one.

Used a similar approach to replace the ATF via the AT to AT radiator line.
...
There is some discussion about not changing the ATF if it has become very old.

I'll do a drain-and-fill for exactly that reason. If there's a developing transmission hardware issue, this approach will expose it while making minimal fuss of it and buying me the maximum amount of time.

Thank you for chiming in!

- Kevin

[EngineeringBloke]

Hi Kevin,
I hope I did not say too much that you already knew. I only noticed your 1100 odd post count after I had posted. Sounds like you have it all under control. Thanks for your response, it was fun to read.

Simon