Path to Restoration Glory for a 1999 V70 N/A

[MarinerMan]

Update y’all. While driving I started getting a nice grind squeal between 20-50 MPH. I figure it must be a wheel bearing. I had replaced the front drivers side about two years ago. And I think that is the one that is going. But I jacked the vehicle and did the shake and rotate test and got nothing. Might as well replace them anyways. Ordered the double kit from FCP. Installing this weekend once I shovel snow out of the way. Will update with pictures. Also replacing the wheel hub carrier on the passenger side. The dust shield had a few hogged out holes from a sloppy mechanic I no longer use.

I also picked up the IPD aluminum oil pan guard on Craigslist for $45. Sadly it came with no hardware. I don’t really want to spend $50 on four screws and a few well nuts. Anyone have any advice whether I should just do it, or source my own, probably better quality, hardware?

Thanks again for reading and the advice. Picked up a VIDA laptop and DICE clone unit. Don’t think I will need it a lot for this vehicle except for possibly ABS and SIPS clearing if I mess up. I don’t know if any good dealerships around to do it. So for $120, seemed like good insurance. I also have a friend with a 2013 C30 Polestar, so they will use it too.

[abscate]

Belmetrics in MA will sell you good quality hardware at decent pricing. Look around at other needed stuff to get your order up,to a decent shipping threshold.

Don’t get price anchored by Big box store hardware pricing st $1 a fastener. That’s all junk, and one of the reasons Volvos are fun to work on is hardware quality, especially in the rust belt.

[MarinerMan]

Sorry for the delay. I replaced the front wheel hubs. The driver side had failed in just two years. A shame. Luckily I had purchased it from FCP, so the new one was a cost of $7.63 for the change in price since purchase. I replaced both of them to be on the safe side, I know it used to be regular practice to do both at the same time, replaced the axle bolts too.

I replaced the rear rotors, pads, and shoes for the parking brake this last weekend. I picked up a C70 subframe brace and a strut tower brace from a junkyard pull in Hazelton, PA.

Next step is to address the exhaust issue. I have patched the exhaust pipe coming out of the cat once. I am looking for a shop to do a stainless exhaust that is quiet. The hard part so far has been looking for a new catalytic converter that is worth the squeeze. I don't want to get a cheap part that has to be replaced every few years. I have been told that the Volvo Genuine replacements are nowhere near as good as the factory installed units, which make sense. Anyone have any ideas on that?

[abscate]

Cats are hard since you have to buy a whole junk car to get them, yards won’t sell you a cat part, unless you are named Tony and have cash in a briefcase. I have a 1999 cat on my donor car I think still. Was running without codes until September when I compressed a Tesla into a Smart car with it

[scot850]

I contacted IPDUSA and asked what the hardware was to install the skid plate on my friends V50. The previous owner had removed it and lost the hardware after breaking one of the bolts into a threaded pipe in the subframe.

They replied and gave me a list of what was needed.

Only thing I suggest if it is the aluminum version and where you live, use stainless washers to sit between the bolt head and the skid plate to prevent corrosion. I prefer to use mild steel coated bolts in the 8.8 grade that Volvo uses over stainless bolts as they are more likely to fracture if you do ground the skid plate.

Is is disappointing to hear the front wheel bearing fails, but it does make living near FCP and their warranty worth having, but still disappointing it failed this quickly. Did you use or replace the rear dust shields behind the bearing? Often the rot and fall off and folk don't realise there is one and in corrosive areas or where salt and sand are used in winter can cause then to fail early due to water and dirt getting into the backs of them.

Good luck!

Neil.

[BlackBart]

Would love to hear marine tales if you don’t mind sharing. My only friend on here is a Sub -Mariner and I’m trying to move up from boats to ships

Y’know…like me he might be a NW baseball fan!

On re-painting at a high quality, most will tell you it should be sanded to metal or a very sound primer layer, then do any adjustments and fine skim coat filler, block sand, prime, sand, sand, sand……….

[MarinerMan]

I contacted IPDUSA and asked what the hardware was to install the skid plate on my friends V50. The previous owner had removed it and lost the hardware after breaking one of the bolts into a threaded pipe in the subframe.

They replied and gave me a list of what was needed.

Only thing I suggest if it is the aluminum version and where you live, use stainless washers to sit between the bolt head and the skid plate to prevent corrosion. I prefer to use mild steel coated bolts in the 8.8 grade that Volvo uses over stainless bolts as they are more likely to fracture if you do ground the skid plate.

Is is disappointing to hear the front wheel bearing fails, but it does make living near FCP and their warranty worth having, but still disappointing it failed this quickly. Did you use or replace the rear dust shields behind the bearing? Often the rot and fall off and folk don't realise there is one and in corrosive areas or where salt and sand are used in winter can cause then to fail early due to water and dirt getting into the backs of them.

Good luck!

Neil.

Thanks for the advice on the hardware for the skid plate. I contacted IPD and they sent me the listing for their replacement hardware kit. $50 for a few bolts, washers, and a few of the rubber expanding anchors. Ouch. However, I suppose it is still cheaper than buying the piece new. Part of me wanted to get the kit, measure the pieces, and then return it after getting cheaper pieces from McMaster or Fastenal, but that is a bit disingenuous.

I replaced the dust shields after doing the bearing swap. I had a hard time finding the foam gaskets that go between the hub and the shields, but I was able to get some 1/16th" foam and cut out my own with a knife. A bit of a PITA, but serviceable.

[BlackBart]

My Ipd skid plate came new without about a third of the needed hardware.

[MarinerMan]

Would love to hear marine tales if you don’t mind sharing. My only friend on here is a Sub -Mariner and I’m trying to move up from boats to ships

Y’know…like me he might be a NW baseball fan!

On re-painting at a high quality, most will tell you it should be sanded to metal or a very sound primer layer, then do any adjustments and fine skim coat filler, block sand, prime, sand, sand, sand……….

While I have spent some part of my life in the PNW, the name does come from my occupation. I am a modern commercial mariner. MSC, Moran, Foss, Crowley, Tote, and more than a few sailing vessels. I actually just finished a 5 week hitch on a modern made Viking Longship in New England, getting it ready to ship overseas to Norway.


I had thought about taking it to a local dipper to be returned to a rust free, bare metal shell. I contacted them, and they said that while they would be happy to take my money, they warned that modern unibody vehicles use a lot of sealant between the pieces since they spot weld them together. They said it would either require drilling out all the spots, filling with seam compound and re welding, or laying a bead on both sides and hoping for a good seal. They actually recommended taking it to a good blaster instead, but warned about the warping of panels from the heat buildup. Luckily, I don't have any gouges, dings, or dents in the body. It is just faded from the original gold to a sort of silver and gold fade. There are a few scratches from branches on the lower part of the door, but the only sustained damage is from the C pillars, where the clear coat has had some chipping and flaking. I don't think that buffing the paint would solve the problem, and having it repainted would be a bit tricky to blend the top and rear sides to match the hood.

[BlackBart]

Oh, I loved the Foss Marine tugs, and the annual SeaFair tugboat races were a highlight of the year!

I've read that about acid dipping. On old Alfas, there is an inaccessible aluminum spacer block inside the structure, and it dissolves in the acid bath. Also, it's hard to get the neutralizer into all those hidden cavities to rinse it out.

There are other media to blast with to avoid any heat build-up and warping - shells, dry ice.