What has failed on the PITA V70R this time?? - Update 17th Sept 2024 Topic is solved

[Clemens]

I wish there's something motivating I could say, like "it will get better soon" but at this point you probably won't believe it anyhow ...

[scot850]

Well today I took the original and the 'spare' axle to Volvo for a 2nd opinion on the CV joints and the carrier/support bearings on both axles. The mechanic said that it is hard to confirm CV joints off the car, but he did manipulate the joints and say that like me he could feel no noticeable play in them, and that they both felt smooth in operation. However, he also agreed that the original axle carrier bearing was bad. He checked the spare and said it was not so bad.

So my plan then was to leave the original axle and the new OE bearing with them to swap out for me and and take the other one home and fit the pare axle. I would run that until the car comes of the road for the winter and and then refit the original and then take the spare and have the aftermarket bearing I have to have that fitted.

However, I was only home about an hour and I got a call that the bearing was done. So, I decided to just go get that and take the spare to get that done. I took the spare into the service area and planned to leave it, but got chatting with some of the guys I know and was surprised when the same mechanic suddenly appeared with the spare done as well!

While I was there I was almost talked into going to see an 850R that needs rescued. Unfortunately it is a sedan. The owner apparently wanted $2000 for it when it has been off the road for some time. The body is supposedly in good condition and it is red. The price is too high although it supposedly runs and I don't need another project just now. Now if it had been a wagon................!

Anyway, back home I set to working on starting to re-assemble the R. First thing was with better access with the axle out of the way, I removed the tie-rod complete and fitted a new inner as it was loose. That took longer than it should as getting access to fit the oetiker clamp to the inner end of the boot is extremely tight with only one place I could get the pliers in.

Back in with the axle and a new OE dust seal on the outer end. Then the usual fight to get the control arm back on. These are the 4 bolt ones. I had to find a replacement temporary bolt as strangely one of the bolts was badly corroded, where the other 3 looked almost new??
I'll buy a new one at some point and swap it over. Again these 4 bolt control arms are a real pain compared with the 2 bolt versions as you have to disconnect the crank pulley mount bolts to the block and jack it up enough to be able to access the 2nd from front bolt as the oil pan and the unnecessary piece of sub-frame that juts out blocks access to that bolt for tightening.

Once that was back on the rest was fairly straight forward. Car is now back on the ground but as it was now 9.30pm I was tired and it can wait till later today now for a test run. Hopefully that is the end of this issue, but am I confident. No!!

So this simple repair has now ended up being: 2 front hub bearings, an inner and outer tie-rod on opposite sides, a heat shield repair and a carrier bearing.

Considering how little the car is used between breakages, I struggle to understand ho so many thigs can continue to fail on this car??

Neil.

[volvolugnut]

The technical measure of reliability is MTBF- Mean Time Between Failures.
Volvolugnut

[matthew1]

Neil, your struggle is noted. I feel bad for you. Question regarding your subjective opinion: how much of the headache of this P80 V70R would not have happened if it was FWD? 10% less? 50%?

[scot850]

To be honest, with the expensive exception of the rear subframe failure and rebuild of the whole rear end, the vast majority of the issues are the same as any FWD car. Front suspension and subframe, steering, dashboard and electrics, ABS unit and more. There have been more on the AWD stuff like the angle gear reseal, but that was done as part of the engine RMS reseal. The trans and axle seals were done at the same time along with the angle gear collar. Electrical issues like broken wiring harness in the door wiring, and more.

So really of lets pick an approximate number of $30k CDN (much of that when USD = CDN$), I'd say the AWD has possibly been about 20-25%. Also to be fair to the car, there was a lot of 'while you are in there' work done. So when the rear subframe failed, the total cost of repairs was around $6k. Most of that was parts like fuel pipes and pump + ejector. The cost of the used subframe was about $850 (new ones were NLA at the time but they were $2000).

The number of hours I have into this car and dealer time has been huge too.

Parts have mostly been OE Volvo where available, some used parts like interior trim and the replacement dash. Recently like this current rash of repairs has been mostly aftermarket parts. The front hub bearings are NLA from Volvo and were around $500 each. At $120 each for OEM SKF bearings made more sense based on the lack of mileage. Same with the tie-rods (TRW parts).

The only defense the car has is lack of use which we obviously control to a fair amount, but it constantly breaking is also a large part of the lack of use.

Today I had planned to take it for a run but it is throwing down buckets of rain outside so it can sit until tomorrow. My disappointment can wait another 24 hours! That 850R sedan is sounding more tempting..............

Neil.

[Clemens]

Maybe give that 850R a second thought. w/o that oddly roundish shaped rear spoiler it is not a bad car. Not as good as the wagons, but still worth saving.

[scot850]

All old classics like that deserve to be saved. But I have enough challenges to work on for now. I have work to do on the Toyota (trans filter and oil and rear suspension airbags and air tank), an still have to reseal the XC70 rear muffler joint. The 02 XC70 is taking up the spare slot in the garage. I have to finish identifying the correct front rotors and if it needs shock/strut boots and bump stops. An hour on the hoist will get that done.

Neil.

[abscate]

MTBF… mash this bastard flat

[scot850]

There is only MEAN time on this car as failures seem constantly one after another!

Neil

[abscate]

3 solid hours in Shagg stripping driveshafts , knuckles , assorted parts.

I think I’m going to pull the new cylinder head and junk the rest. No nibbles on engine and car has exceeded its shelf date