1997 850 GLT turbo removal (hacksaw in hand)

Dumas · Post by **Dumas** » 03 Jan 2009, 18:47

I'm trying to remove the low-pressure turbo on my 1997 850 GLT (140K miles; United States) so I can rebuild it. There is a check valve (VADIS refers to it as a non-return valve; VADIS p/n 9125623) directly above the turbo. On one side of the check valve is a hose that runs to the air pump (VADIS p/n 1270558) on the driver's side of the engine compartment. On the other side of the check valve is a metal tube (VADIS shows this tube in the parts catalogue but doesn't assign it a separate p/n; however, it is the tube that is sold with repair kit 9207988) that runs to the top of the exhaust pipe just below where the exhaust pipe attaches to the turbo. I need to remove this tube in order to remove my turbo, but--you guessed it--I can't remove the tube

.

The tube has a flange on one end that attaches to the check valve. On the other end of the tube is a 22MM nut. This nut fastens to a threaded fitting on the exhaust pipe. I can rotate this threaded fitting a little bit with a stubby 22MM open wrench, but I haven't been able to break the nut on the tube loose from the threaded fitting even after using plenty of PB Blaster and a propane torch, mostly because I just don't seem to have enough room to maneuver my wrenches and get leverage on them.

I'm ready to just cut this tube out of the way with a hacksaw and replace it, but I'm hoping one of you has a more elegant solution. I'm missing something easy, right? Perhaps a special tool? A secret technique? Help!

Thanks.

Dumas

Post by **MadeInJapan** » 03 Jan 2009, 20:27

Welcome to MVS.
As most of us here have never removed or replaced a turbo on our cars, you will probably get a faster and more accurate response if you ask your question over on the www.volvospeed.com forum where turbo replacements and upgrades seem to be the norm. I have VADIS too but trying to look at it, I'm stuck at the same place you are. Good luck with this. I hope you get it figured out.

Dumas · Post by **Dumas** » 03 Jan 2009, 20:49

Thanks, MIJ. I'll post there as well.

Post by **Volvo_240_Atari_2600** » 03 Jan 2009, 20:54

Sorry to hijack your thread.
I had a similar problem today.
My case was a 7/8 open wrench is what I needed to undo that threaded (double) nut/flange for my SAS valve that runs the (wonderful) metal tube into the exhaust manifold.

BE CAREFUL...

Be careful you do not try hard enough and slip... You may break a heater hose thing that connects to the firewall mike I did mine in today.

Good luck.

Post by **MadeInJapan** » 03 Jan 2009, 23:20

Maybe you'll find this helpful if you come back (dug this up from VADIS- should be the same for your 850 though it's from a '98 V70):

98 V70 Turbo Replacement.pdf: (298.28 KiB) Downloaded 1527 times

Dumas · Post by **Dumas** » 03 Jan 2009, 23:30

Just to update my previous post, I was finally able to remove the nut on the end of the tube from the threaded fitting on the exhaust pipe using more PB Blaster and a propane torch, but I still can't remove the tube itself. I can slide the nut up the tube, and it looks like the tube slides into the threaded fitting on the exhaust pipe, perhaps using some kind of compression fitting. I can't wiggle the tube out of the threaded fitting. Suggestions appreciated (preferably before the hacksaw comes out to play).

Dumas

Post by **MadeInJapan** » 03 Jan 2009, 23:31

I really don't know. Was the pdf file I posted up helpful at all?

Dumas · Post by **Dumas** » 03 Jan 2009, 23:56

MIJ, thanks for the pdf from VADIS. I actually have VADIS for my car, and you're right, it's the same as the one you posted. It's interesting that VADIS doesn't say to remove the check valve, hose and tube when removing the turbo, although these items do not appear in any of the related pictures, so what happened to them? Should they be removed and Volvo simply forgot to mention this step in VADIS, or is there a way to remove the turbo without removing these items as Aaron was able to do?

Dumas

Dumas · Post by **Dumas** » 05 Jan 2009, 18:43

I wanted to let everyone know that I finally was able to remove the tube and how I did it. After sliding the nut up the tube and away from where the tube entered the threaded fitting on the exhaust pipe, I went under the car with a propane torch and heated up the threaded fitting and tube. After they looked nice and hot, I got out from underneath the car, leaned against the fender on the passenger side of the car, reached into the engine compartment, grabbed the tube as close as I could to the threaded fitting so I wouldn't bend it (being sure to wear work gloves since the tube and fitting were still hot), and pushed or pulled on the tube as hard as necessary to pop it loose. It was only being held in place by some hardened crud (aka "coke")! The turbo is now out of the car and ready for the rebuild process. Thanks for your help, MIJ and Volvo_240.

chuckcintron · Post by **chuckcintron** » 05 Jan 2009, 18:48

Good going! Just out of curiosity, what prompted you to want to rebuild the turbo? Did it outright fail, or was it blowing a lot of oil? Or something else?

-Chuck