Rehabilitating the T5M

[abscate]

Put some zip ties in that spring and run it. Two blue ones on each coil should hold, maybe an extra one for safety

[volvolugnut]

I believe you have the optional self lowering suspension, shown in the lowered position.

volvolugnutr

[FireFox31]

I started new threads to ask if the shocks/struts failed and how to deal with six years of sitting.

I went on a shopping spree during the FCP and usparts.volvocars.com Black Friday / Cyber Monday sales. If I had two more days to research, I could have bought double what I did. After hours of careful planning and shopping, lack of time reduced me to grabbing the most expensive (thus most heavily discounted) parts which I thought I might need. I should have enough to replace the alternator, battery, oil, PCV, and I got some parts for the timing belt and more.

I need to determine what else should be refreshed - plugs and wires, cap and rotor, air filters, mounts, wheel suspension (looks solid), spring suspension (bad?), brakes (seem ok), PTC (what is that?), turbo (I'm clueless), and even the clutch. The coolant hoses look decent and tank looks solid, intercooler needs cleaning but the pipes lack buildup, power steering tank and rack look dry. What else might need to be refreshed after 24 years and 178k miles?

[scot850]

Plugs need changed more frequently on a 98 but worth checking them first. Look at the wear on the rotor and cap as you may only need to clean them up for now. Leads I recommend are OEM Bougicord. I believe Volvo OE are no NLA on those. If you need to replace the cap and rotor Bosch OEM parts are just fine.

Air filter/cabin filter yes replace those, but again worth checking to see if they are needed. Cabin filter may be worth doing anyway as the work involved to check is too high, so just replace it.

Again mounts check them first. Torque mounts are easy to check, crank pulley needs the RHF wheel off and a floor jack and a piece of wood to see if it has separated. Cone mounts do collapse with age. Hard to check other than compare with new parts.

Front suspension, check the control arm ball-joint and pivot bushes for movement and rubber rot. Check springs for severe corrosion especially at top and bottom as well as the spring lower seat. Check upper spring seats for cracking.

Rear springs you have no option but to replace. Check the upper shock bushes as I believe the upper mount may be NLA.

Cooling system - Replace the thermostat if you don't know how old it is along with the coolant. Check the ECT for temp range and the connector for corrosion and wire breakage.

Power steering - suck the fluid out and replace. Make sure you are using the correct fluid in there. Volvo made a change in 98-99.
Check the tire rod ends boots for cracks/splits, the bottom bush for creaks on the column and play in the inner and outer tie-rods.

The thing is you don't know how well the car has been cared for as some stuff may not need replacing yet.

I have started a complete P80 check list on a spread sheet in Excel. Still got a way to go, but I can see if I can post it here and folks can feel free to add to it. I work on it as I get the notion.

Neil.

[abscate]

Unsuccessfully searched for the “ new to you Volvo “ video by GrandMaster Robert Spinner

Robert has been doing a lot of T5M work in recent videos, btw

Turbo is a Swedish word which translates as “ leave it alone , it’s fine. “ just watch the copper orings for seepage of oil and coolant, the hoses, and the paper gasket on the oil drain tube ( funny H5 bolts there) and the little ring gasket into the block…That one drenched my engine in oil for two years, story here

Complete cooling group. All hoses, clamps, flush for 30 minutes with water, new coolant, Thermostat. 1998 ECT wiring isn’t as good as 1999, inspect connector, clean.

You can use either ATF or CHF in the PS pump in a 1998

PTC is the small heated orfice in the bottom of the snorkel near the turbo. It’s a 50k clean service item. It is not a valve but is often erroneously called the ‘ PTC valve’ ; it’s just an open hole with a heater. Its purpose is to meter the vacuum suction on the pcv system.


**** Be gentle with that snorkel. It’s a tough piece of plastic but is NLA FROM Volvo for -1998

Crap. Forgot to tell you there is a chassis break on the 1998 on the timing gear. Make sure you have the right set. Later 1998s uses the mechanical timing tensioner

[foggydogg]

I've got synthetic ATF in all my steering systems - even the '99, works fine. I had the expensive green juice in it but after the second round trip, in went the ATF.
If you can't accurately determine date/miles on the last timing belt stuff move it up the list; Robert likes to do it immediately on any car he gets regardless.

[foggydogg]

The underside had more surprises. Along with have a nice looking catalytic converter, the car has a complete stainless exhaust by TME of Sweden which is in solid condition. Only the clamp at the tailpipe is cracked, easily replaced. I'll add a Bear River Converters flange to repair the cat-to-muffler break (and eliminate that awful stock connector).

...
Change oil
Repair exhaust flange and tailpipe clamp
Test compression
Replace rear spring suspension

Change oil reminder, some of the 'weeps' may slow down once the juice in the block is at the right level.
My Olde '98 had that same exhaust leak - from several failed motor mounts - and after treeshade repairs didn't hold up I pulled the the pipe at the turbo and at the band clamp, presented the pieces to a local muffler shop, and ten minutes later was headed home. I knew my welding skills were a bit rusty, so were the bits off the car, the guy didn't even blink. Your idea about the new improved clamp setup can be
a good upgrade.

[FireFox31]

Thanks for all of the input. My initial work list is quickly growing and rearranging as everyone here helps me to learn more and adjust priorities. Each new piece of info leads me to research more so I'm working to keep everything organized.

My top priority is to replace the alternator because I can't keep swapping batteries every 22 miles and charging them for 3.5 hours. While near the alternator, I'll replace PCV, clean PCT, change oil, get intake cleaned, and check turbo for axle play and leaks. I'll also swap on my good spare wheels and replace the failed trunk struts. On the way home, I'll have a muffler shop evaluate the exhaust to possibly replace the muffler piping while installing the cat/muffler flange.

Change oil reminder, some of the 'weeps' may slow down once the juice in the block is at the right level.

Last night, I sucked 1 Liter of oil out of the dipstick. It was the most dirty and smelly oil I've ever encountered. After removing that, the oil was STILL slightly above the max line on the dipstick. Now I'll feel better about driving it. Also with that oil removed, I can add the LiquiMoly oil cleaner immediately before the oil change. I don't know if it works, but it's worth a try.

This rehabilitation will be easier that my last one because I have a different daily driver I can rely on. It only need to drive to the Makerspace for me to work on it and must be reassembled to drive home at the end of the night. Not needing it daily leaves me free from worrying about the timing belt snapping or the broken spring puncturing a tire. Rehabilitation will take time but not miles.

[foggydogg]

If you don't need to turn in the old alternator for a core, hang onto it and watch for a reasonable priced regulator/brush assembly. Robert has been known to pull one from a junkyard car - without dropping the alternator, but he is a Magician. I cured my first 850 charging issue with that fix.

[FireFox31]

FCP wants the alternator back as a core. I chose not to get a voltage regulator for two reasons:

First, I didn't think I could easily determine which version I needed without taking out the alternator. Since I work in a shared space, I can't leave the car with no alternator until the VR arrives. Also, I was worried that the correct one was no longer available new considering that FCP only sells one variety.

Second, I read a post saying that a rebuilt alternator has more than a new VR. It also has new "bearing, VR, brushes, rings, etc". I don't want to fix one component and have another component break later, making me dig out the alternator again.

Maybe I will prioritize pulling alternators from junkyards. I keep thinking about that rather nice XC70 in VA which gave me the lovely front seats. After two months, it went to the crusher, removing who knows how many good and NLA parts from the world.