Rescuing Geronimo the 2000 V70

[abscate]

hanks for reminding me to apply heat to the threads and not the head. I'll try that when I do the other side, which I'm pretty sure is starting to fail. Hopefully my Makerspace will have its Miniducter inductive heating device by then. If not for the hub bolts, I'll definitely need it for the exhaust manifold bolts.

This gem brought to you by wisechtmgr

[FireFox31]

Geronimo went through the automatic car wash today, probably its first wash in years. Passing under the drying jets blew a bunch of water in past the sunroof seal. The whole front edge of the sunroof glass frame is rusted, fused to the rubber gasket which isn't sitting right. Maybe I'll give my good spare sunroof to the "G70" (green 2000 V70), then fix its and give it to Geronimo.

I'm going to inspect and proactively replace the left Centric rear caliper since the right one seized up. I could use the FCP warranty for them but don't want to bother getting another Centric which will fail in a year. I could pay the $130 difference to for each Volvo brand calipers, but I already got Cardone premium (NAPA Eclipse) black powder coated calipers. A Cardone was the only functional caliper on the car when I started the rescue, restoring some confidence in the brand. They have a lifetime warranty through NAPA.

Overall, the car still fires right up and drives confidently around town. I still have lots to do before I can sell it and I may use it as a learning platform for engine interior repair. No reason to scrap a car just because everything minor is wrong and all the bolt-on parts are rusty. It still wants to run!

[Oly850]

I’d definitely check each PRNDL position, does it go into gear fairly silently? I’ve replaced the PNP switch on my 850, but what was really wrong with mine was finding and eliminating the shorts in the right to left fat wiring harness (big as a $0.50 piece), is covered in black wiring loom which is up underneath and inside the radiator cross support. There are also transmission solenoids to replace and before I do anything else, change the transmission fluid with (only) Dextron III.

[454cid]

Geronimo went through the automatic car wash today, probably its first wash in years. Passing under the drying jets blew a bunch of water in past the sunroof seal. The whole front edge of the sunroof glass frame is rusted, fused to the rubber gasket which isn't sitting right. Maybe I'll give my good spare sunroof to the "G70" (green 2000 V70), then fix its and give it to Geronimo.

I'm going to inspect and proactively replace the left Centric rear caliper since the right one seized up. I could use the FCP warranty for them but don't want to bother getting another Centric which will fail in a year. I could pay the $130 difference to for each Volvo brand calipers, but I already got Cardone premium (NAPA Eclipse) black powder coated calipers. A Cardone was the only functional caliper on the car when I started the rescue, restoring some confidence in the brand. They have a lifetime warranty through NAPA.

Overall, the car still fires right up and drives confidently around town. I still have lots to do before I can sell it and I may use it as a learning platform for engine interior repair. No reason to scrap a car just because everything minor is wrong and all the bolt-on parts are rusty. It still wants to run!

I always appreciate reading your posts on Geronimo.

I've noticed that I can feel air intrusion through my sunroof on my S70 when going under the dryer at the car wash. I'm assuming the water is being handles by the drains.

I'm still driving my S70 (winter car) to work because I've been enjoying the sun roof (and the turbo) that my 850 doesn't have.

[FireFox31]

Sunroofs are great in theory but always leak, so I'd prefer not to have them. The gap in this gasket explains why I hear so much air rushing in at highway speed. I'll try to find another sunroof in a junkyard, but would likely have to patch up any slight rust that it might have. Then remove the headliner which means removing all the pillar trim just to swap it in. No, this car isn't worth this much effort, but it sure wants to keep driving.

I’d definitely check each PRNDL position, does it go into gear fairly silently?

Thanks for the note but I'm not sure what this is in reference to (I've lost track of all the work that this car needs). The car shifts rather well, though the gear selector is a little stiff going into 4, stiffer into 3, and quite hard into 2. Those positions in this shift box were probably never used, so may be full of dust. Maybe I can clean them out. But yes, a transmission fluid flush is on the schedule since I'm starting to feel the infamous torque converter drop-out at 44 mph.

[FireFox31]

I just bought $1150 of parts for Geronimo during the FCP Euro 10% off sale:
Parking brake system from the handle back
Transmission fluid for flush
PCV system
Air and fuel filters
Timing belt, accessory belt, and coolant pump systems
Engine mounts x5

Yes, I should have waited to see if I could get it through inspection before buying the filters, belts, and mounts, but I couldn't resist the 10% off sale. Would have been so much more efficient to sell it before doing any work, then have the new owner buy the parts to get the FCP warranty and have me do the work. But I doubt anyone would buy Geronimo with actually everything wrong with it so I'm making it turn-key (except for the A/C system, most likely).

In order to get the car through inspection, I'm going to live at the garage next week to do:
Parking brake
O2 sensor
ABS rings / speed sensor
Other front wheel hub
Clean the filthy engine bay
Other rear caliper
VVT solenoid
Transmission flush and front right axle rebuild
PCV replacement

I'm in deep enough with this car that it earned a place in my MVS signature. I still intend to sell it soon, but it's "mine" for now.

[FireFox31]

Last week, I tried to do a major push and get a ton of work done on Geronimo. I didn't plan well enough and wound up taking on too much work. I chose to do the two tasks with the longest lead times: PCV so I could get the intake cleaned for a few days and painted, and transmission so I could remove the axle and have the carrier bearing replaced. I ran out of time and couldn't finish my transmission work.

I learned to choose smaller projects for each day. I'll try replacing the front O2 sensor (which I sprayed with oil each day for a week) and the supposedly failed front left speed sensor. Then drive it a bunch to see if that has cleared the final codes.

I'll try some smaller jobs over the weekend, then try the parking brake replacement on Monday. That's going to be huge.

[scot850]

Parking brake is not too terrible. Hardest part is to try to remove the T30? Torx bolt just forward of the rear wheel. Really clean this with a wire brush and soak it both sides of the bolt (front and back) If you have any hope of extracting it if you are planning to do anything with the cables. Try cleaning the head of the torx with a pick if you can to clean the edges.

I know what the rust is like on the eastern side of the continent so removing the bolt is the biggest challenge.

Note: Those bolts are now NLA. Skandix sells and aftermarket bolt, but I would think it would be possible to find something here, even a regular hex head bolt.

Worst case, grind the bolt head off which will allow you to remove the cable, and then it may make removing the remaining bolt portion easier.

Neil.

[FireFox31]

Thanks for the tip. Maybe I'll go soak those bolts today in prep to remove it tomorrow. The Makerspace where I work has a Miniductor inductive heating device which I can use to try and free the rust. It didn't work on the transmission cooler top nut but maybe will on small bolts.

[scot850]

Be careful as the parking brake has a plastic location block around it the bolt goes through!!

If you can take a narrow scraper, a right angle pick and ideally a narrow round wire brush like for oil way cleaning or a <20mm diameter wire brush on a drill, you may need it to help clean the hole that the parking brake cable seats into with it's 'O'-ring seal. I found a little grease or silicon oil heled to get the new cable collar into the back of the hub. Don't forget the plastic collar and pop-rivet to hold the cable back against the trailing arm. You may have to wire brush to find the remnants of the old rivet and punch it into the trailing arm.

If your car still has the plastic air-guide or whatever it is on the back of the dust shield, it is worth drilling out the rivet and un-clip it to give you more access to the parking brake cable cover.

Good luck!

Neil.