1998 S70 GLT TURBO questions

Post by **cn90** » 19 Nov 2012, 18:33

As some of you know, I totaled my 1998 V70 recently.

I am looking at a 1998 S70 GLT with 145K miles, well-maintained.
Car runs smooth, engine quiet.

I know my 1998 V70 N/A engine very well, but not turbo. So I need a quick lecture on Turbo before I pull the trigger on this "new" car.

1- The GLT Turbo: how reliable is it?
If it ever fails, what mileage does it fail?

2- If the Turbo ever fails, does it set an OBD code?
I guess in that case I can drive w/o Turbo?

3- The A.T., is it the same as the N/A car?
I assume the A.T. for 1998 GLT is reliable.

Thanks in advance!!!

Post by **Ozark Lee** » 19 Nov 2012, 18:59

The turbos are as reliable as anything else on the car. I just finished rebuilding one to replace the turbo on the Platinum (2.3 liter High Pressure Turbo). It was my fault more than the car's fault, I got it stuck in the mud in the middle of a field and revved it to red-line for a couple of minutes to extricate myself. In the process I blew the rear oil seal and it smokes. Other than that the turbo still works fine. That car has just a fuzz under 200k on it.

There are very few really catastrophic turbo failures but you won't need a code reader to tell, you can hear it.

The transmissions seem to hold up just as well in a turbo as they do in a NA car. The same stuff applies like changing the fluid. The transmission really doesn't start to get stressed until you get past 300 HP. With a low pressure turbo you aren't going to get anywhere near that.

I run premium in all of my turbo cars, even the low pressure turbo. With all of the corn country ethanol blends I really can't get real premium, what they sell as premium here is either 89 or 91. I drove to Kentucky earlier this year and they pumped 93 around Louisville - the car loved it.

...Lee

Jot · Post by **Jot** » 19 Nov 2012, 19:15

MAKE SURE YOU CHANGE YOUR OIL. Use a Volvo oil filter or Mann. I had a Midas shop change the oil . The filter they used collapsed and starved the turbo of oil. $900 later a rebuilt turbo.

Post by **cn90** » 19 Nov 2012, 19:36

Thanks for all replies.

I forgot to mention that I am buying this car for my sons to go to high school.
I will do my best to keep the turbo alive, but in the event that the turbo dies, does the car drive like a N/A car?

Post by **Pauloil** » 19 Nov 2012, 20:21

if turbo dies, you won't have ANY boost..... so, worse than NA car if turbo blows.

Post by **rspi** » 19 Nov 2012, 20:53

Other than what has been said, the best care besides oil changes is to properly allow them to warm up and cool down. You should NEVER put your foot in it before the needle gets to 3 o'clock. Also, before you shut the car off, the turbo should be properly cooled down. No racing to the door and turning the car off. I usually make sure I don't put my foot in it for the last 2 miles to home, or I let the car idle for at least 2 minutes before I turn it off. When the turbo is boosted and whines up pretty good, it can continue to heat up even after you let up off of it for a minute or so. If you race down the street to the house and park it real quick and shut it off, the oil in the turbo may heat up and burn the oil before it starts to cool down. So, always let them heat up and cool down properly.

On another note, those GLT's are very hot off the line. There isn't to many cars faster than them to 60 mph. That is a fast car for a kid to have. Make sure they are responsible before you cut them loose with it. Pretty fast cars.

We have a not had any problems with ours. Now have about 175,000 miles. I run synthetic in it.

Oh, the car will run REAL BAD if the turbo goes out. They are a serious link in the exhaust system and things will not go well if it goes out.

Post by **erikv11** » 19 Nov 2012, 21:27

I just recently picked up a turbo (an R) after many years of insisting on only NA models, so I also looked into this question in detail. The general answer is: the turbos themselves are incredibly hardy, very rare for them to fail. The rubber cooling lines that feed to turbo are a weak link over time, but the turbo itself is bomber.

The tip from rspi is a great one, not letting it overheat is key for longevity.

Post by **jreed** » 20 Nov 2012, 04:55

I've got a '97 855 GLT with the light pressure turbo at ~160K miles. I have replaced the coolant hoses to the turbo once and the oil return line gasket twice over the past 8 years or so. Other than that plus normal care and regular oil changes, no issues. I'm very pleased with the performance of the LPT.

Post by **cn90** » 20 Nov 2012, 05:28

Thanks guys.

I must admit that I am no turbo expert, so I have a lot of readings to do in the coming weeks.
Can someone be kind enough to link me to relevant Turbo maintenance DIYs (coolant hoses, seals etc.).
I'd rather do preventive maintenance upfront.

inlineframe · Post by **inlineframe** » 25 Nov 2012, 15:54

I've been working on my 98 GLT S70 and the one thing that stresses my car is heat. Over summer this car is like a fat man trying to run, but during winter it loves to be quick! I recently rebuilt my 13T for the first time, 172K miles on it! Seals definitely go bad, as well as the inter-cooling lines near the cooling tank. But if your looking into rebuilding it, it is a hassle getting it out, I spent about 3-4 hours prying that screaming turbine out. If you're going to be upgrading the car, might as well get a 16T and replace it, but if your looking to keep it stock and maintained a rebuild kit is good enough.