Just bought a Platinum Sedan off Ebay

msmcrae · Post by **msmcrae** » 26 Mar 2017, 20:57

Well, I bought it a couple of weeks ago but couldn't pick it up until this week. I got it for $275 because the description said it had a head gasket problem, but I was hopeful I could drive it to Atlanta. I've driven 850s with head gasket problems for years -- there are head gasket problems that stop you in five minutes, and others you can almost ignore for years. So, a $190 flight to Orange, CA and a $30 uber ride got me and my tools behind the wheel of a platinum sedan. I drove to the nearest Autozone trying to figure out how bad the head gasket problem was, but because water was pouring out of the heater core around my feet and out of the water pump, I just couldn't tell. Also, I could see the car sat too low in the back, I figured because it had regular shocks with nivomat springs. The tires were evenly worn, but I figured had enough tread to make the trip.
I swapped in a new heater core, and mysteriously the water pump stopped hemorrhaging water -- it had been gushing out almost as fast as I poured it in the overflow tank. I bought about a dozen gallons of water from Walmart and headed for Atlanta.
After about 300 miles, the rear tires had worn very unevenly and one blew. I got one new tire, but then after another 200 miles the other rear tire wore down to blowing. I bought another tire, tried to get a quick alignment (was told there was nothing to align) and headed out again. Something is definitely goofy with the rear end, because the slightest roughness in the road makes the back end try to fishtail, and you could smell the tires wearing. At any rate, by the time I got to Atlanta the two new tires were completely ruined (wore through a couple of steel belts on the inner edge of the tires).
So, two questions:
1) how can a water pump go from gushing water to not leaking? All I did was change the heater core and add water -- no stop leak or coolant and
2) can soft springs (nivomat springs are weaker than 'regular' springs, because they count on the nivomat shocks providing some support) be enough of an issue to just eat tires? The new tires were worn down to blowing in a couple thousand miles.

Post by **tryingbe** » 26 Mar 2017, 21:32

Or rear suspensions bushings are all shot.

Post by **rspi** » 26 Mar 2017, 21:47

Probably drove right past me or TryingBe. lol

The nivomat springs are shorter, I doubt that's the problem.

Volvo's are amazing. Crank it up and drive across the country? 2,200 Miles.

My soft numbers indicate that trip/car/misc. cost about $1,400. You couldn't find a platinum car closer for $1.500?

magna224 · Post by **magna224** » 26 Mar 2017, 22:02

Sounds like a fun trip. =P At least you got a platinum out of it.

Post by **scot850** » 26 Mar 2017, 23:08

I'd have the end mounts on the rear suspension arms checked for wear. The mounts on the rear axle can break so I would start looking there for the alignment to be that far out. Not sure on the FWD cars, but if you change the springs on an AWD to a different length it changes the rear axle alignment.

As to the water pump. Not sure. Could be the lack of pressure in the system allowed the pump seal not to work properly as it had no pressure behind it. It may also be the car had been standing for some time and the seal had dried out, and use has now made the seal flexible and with pressure behind it, it may be sealing again. Not sure I would trust it long term though. If you are planning a Stage 0 with a new timing belt I would fit a new pump as a precaution. Much cheaper than it seizing and taking the valves out.

Good luck moving forward.

Neil.

msmcrae · Post by **msmcrae** » 27 Mar 2017, 08:05

It WAS more money to get it to Atlanta than I expected, because I had to buy two tires and got towed once. Mostly, I got excited over buying a platinum for $275, and I just wanted a little adventure. Also, RSPI, I stopped at the the U Pull in Albuquerque to get an extra spare, and I started to call you but I figured you have lots of people calling you out of the blue. Pretty good tacos from the truck out front.

My plan for the tire eating problem is to put in the ICP springs I have (they're supposed to put the car at the original height), change the control arm bushing links on the rear support arms, new shocks, and go for an alignment.

I also have a new timing belt and water pump so I'll swap those in. That water pump issue was weird -- I literally couldn't drive more than a mile or so without having to stop, cool off, and put in a gallon of water. Then after I put in the heater core, the problem disappeared. Maybe I can cut open the pump after I swap it and do an autopsy.

Post by **abscate** » 27 Mar 2017, 08:09

You probably have really bad delta links on the back (if they use them on PLATS)

Epic road trip story - who cares what it cost - thats a tale for the ages..

SNA to ATL in a $275 car - well done!!!!

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Post by **ZionXIX** » 27 Mar 2017, 08:19

Did you have any trouble flying with your tools? Im looking into buying a vehicle thats far enough away to justify a plane ticket. Im trying not to check any luggage and the TSA website is pretty strict on carrying all the good tools in the cabin.

Post by **abscate** » 27 Mar 2017, 09:44

You won't get anything heavy enough to be useful through TSA if they are on their game. Ive lost a 15 cm sample of Invar as a potential weapon, and everyone is jittery right now.

Check it all - luggage doesn't get lost anymore (10E-5-4 event)

(No politics on this please)

Post by **rspi** » 27 Mar 2017, 11:43

msmcrae wrote: ↑27 Mar 2017, 08:05 It WAS more money to get it to Atlanta than I expected, because I had to buy two tires and got towed once. Mostly, I got excited over buying a platinum for $275, and I just wanted a little adventure. Also, RSPI, I stopped at the the U Pull in Albuquerque to get an extra spare, and I started to call you but I figured you have lots of people calling you out of the blue. Pretty good tacos from the truck out front.

Awe man, I'm never to busy to connect with a fellow Volvoite passing through ABQ. I always stop what I'm doing (usually not important) to connect with people passing through or visiting.

Just to let you know, I'm not beating you up about going across country to get a Volvo you really want, I've done it several times (lol). The yellow one I have now, I had shipped over 1,300 miles because I didn't think it would make the trip. I actually drove about 4 miles once here before it threw a rod. I'm into this car, cost, shipping, parts, engine, and my labor about $9,800.

Getting it home is only 1/2 the fun.