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Venetian Red 2000 V70R AWD Being Brought Back!

80K views 708 replies 62 participants last post by  CYB3RBYTE 
#1 · (Edited)
Hello All,

Usually I am posting on the 2016 XC90 Forum, but I think I will be more heavily involved here for a while.

I just bought a Veneitian Red with black, 2000 V70R. In 1998, I had a new, black V70R AWD wagon, and loved it. This will be my project car.

It spent the first 8 years in California. Not a bit of rust or undercarriage damage. No accidents.
The last 10 years it was owned by the owner of an Auto Service Shop, who showed it the love it needed. Timing belt replacement, synthetic oil change every 5K, coolant flushes, new camshaft seals, lots of other service.... HE sold it in pristine condition only because of personal health issues unrelated to the car.

The bad news is the last 8 months it was abused in some fashion, prior to being repossessed by the used car dealer. It now drives like a box of rocks without a steering wheel. According to both the local Volvo shop who did a pre purchase inspection (and the previous owner who is going to do the work for me (a Master Automotive Mechanic) it needs:

  • Replace both Lower Control Arms and Ball Joints
  • Remove and Replace Drive Shaft

    Ooch!

    Plus a bit of maintenenace:
  • Remove and Replace Upper Radiator Hose
  • Replace Cabin Air Filter
  • Replace Engine Air Filter

I am also going to Install Extreme Contact DWS Tires and do an alignment

I got it cheap as it was repossessed and I had the evidence of $3K in needed repairs. I expect it to be a great driver after this work is done. Alcantera interior needs some work, but all electrical, audio, and mechanical work fine.

The dent doctor is next, with a serious interior and exterior detail.

I'll be posting pics when I get it back with the necessary drivability improvements!

I may need some help along the way! I appreciate the info you guys share!

Fred
 
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#449 ·
Milwaukee has a few up and down hydraulic road lifts for the boats, they’re sort of neat!
 
#454 · (Edited)
Well, just before the road trip, the headliner decided to give way. Not fun to have a fine film of little orange particles all over the cargo area. :facepalm:

Having more time than money right now, I decided to give it a shot. How hard could it be, right?

Removal of all the trim pieces went pretty well. Because I've removed many of these pieces on separate occasions in my Emerald for various projects/reasons (adding a HomeLink visor/replacement of the hatch struts/etc.), it helped speed things along. I started at the back and worked my way forward.

When I removed the plastic pieces that cover the struts, I did discover the DS bolt that anchors the seatbelt for the third row to the ceiling was previously cross threaded and doesn't screw in all the way. Hopefully, if I can locate a new bolt, it will seat nicely. If not, it will need a tap and die, because the anchor appears to be part of the body. Not really looking forward to buying and learning to use said tool, but I guess it's about time.

The overhead grab handles, map lights, sun visors, and everything else were straightforward. The two parts that I struggled with were the sunroof trim and the B-pillar trim. I knew the trim around the sunroof was notoriously difficult to remove in one piece, but I gave it a go. Results can be viewed in the photo below. Let's just say I was a bit frustrated by the end. Curse words were used. Don't judge me!



Regarding the B-pillar, I've never had any reason to disassemble one previously and the metal retaining clips behind the small cover threw me for a loop. I watched one of Robert's YouTube video and it didn't show a closeup of that portion, so from a design standpoint I got it in my head they just released from behind the "ears" of the clip instead of the entire piece of plastic trim pulling past the metal tabs. Long story short, I broke one before I figured it out. Oh, well. Just add that part to the junkyard list!

All in all, it was only about an hour of monkeying around to get everything out. However, now that I've done it, I could probably cut that time in half. At the time, I left the sunshade in place as it was clean, had no droop, and I figured the color would be "close enough" to the replacement fabric. More on that later.





Sticker on the back of the headliner showed a production date of 1999. Made in France. "Jersey Papyrus". It was under the white, fabric tape that holds wiring in place, and tore when I pulled the tape off. It will be glued back in place with perhaps my own label next to it.

 
#553 ·
When I removed the plastic pieces that cover the struts, I did discover the DS bolt that anchors the seatbelt for the third row to the ceiling was previously cross threaded and doesn't screw in all the way. Hopefully, if I can locate a new bolt, it will seat nicely. If not, it will need a tap and die, because the anchor appears to be part of the body. Not really looking forward to buying and learning to use said tool, but I guess it's about time.
Small update: When I was returning the jack stands that I used to change the pads and rotors, my friend had the proper tools to clean the threads on the anchor point. I've never had a reason for someone to ride back there, so I wasn't really worried about the safety aspect of the seat belt being not fully attached. However, now that the metal bracket is tight against the body, it is one less thing to rattle around and make noise! (y)
 
#456 · (Edited)
Stopped by a pick-and-pull and purchased the replacement clips for the B-pillar. For everyone's future reference, they are not identical but side-specific.

And, drumroll please, pulled a sunroof trim without breaking it! Yes, it is possible. In addition to patience, the key, as has been mentioned by Jared and others, is to release the front portion first, then sort of twist the top of the rear section to get it loose. Check out price was about $7.00 total.

Stopped at a Jo-Ann Fabric near the downtown to buy the replacement headliner. They only carry black, tan, and gray. The tan is too yellow, and the gray is too dark to match the original "Jersey Papyrus". I considered special ordering, but ended picking up the gray. It's not the same but not terribly different. Plus, if I were to special order something online, it might look different in person and still not match. Cost for 3 yards was around $50.00 after taxes.

For people's future reference, here is a side by side of the Jo-Ann gray (left) and original headliner (right).



On the way out of the store, I spotted one of the ten V90 Cross Country T6 "neutral support vehicles" that are sponsored by Giant Bicycle, Liv Cycling and Volvo Car USA. There was someone sitting inside, but talking on their cell phone, so I didn't tap on the window. Not really a cyclist myself, so I don't know what event they were in town for, but still kinda cool to see.

News release with another, better photo here.

 
#457 · (Edited)
Well, with the color no longer matching "close enough", I decided that I had better remove the sunshade. Again, something I haven't had reason to mess with previously and was a little hesitant to tackle, but after watching another YouTube video from Robert on how to remove the glass, jumped right in. And, again, the smallest thing held me up temporarily... the black plastic clips that cover the sunroof screws. The sunroof was something I really didn't want to break. Google search. Watch more videos. PM'ed Jared. Ugh. Finally found this thread on Volvospeed with clear photos and instructions.

http://volvospeed.com/volvo_repairs_how_tos/volvo_trim_parts/sunroof_adjustment_removal.html

As I said to Jared, this is something that once you've done it one time, you could do it in seconds without issue. It's just discovering how everything fits together that takes time. Live and learn, right? Shade successfully removed, glass replaced to keep the car buttoned up. Sunshade fabric pulls off and no orange foam to remove. On to the actual gluing.

This is where things go downhill a bit. All the instructions I could find online said to use a 50/50 method, meaning place the new fabric over the headliner and then pull it back halfway. Spray the adhesive and work your way from the middle out. Great, no problem. I decide to start with the bottom section that is over the cargo area. The AutoZone headliner spray has a cool zigzag spray pattern that makes coverage simple. It says use plenty on both surfaces for good adhesion. Fine. Start to smooth out the new fabric... oh no! It sticks in places it shouldn't; at least not until I get to that section! I try to pull it up and it starts to pucker and loose foam. No, no, no! :facepalm:

Eventually, I get everything secure and as smooth as possible considering everything. And, once I finish the first "half" and move onto the top section over the passenger area, it goes fine. I only spray a foot or so at a time and then smooth it down, and repeat. As our Utah friend said in his thread, sometimes you have to show your mistakes as well as your successes. Incriminating photos below. :(





So....

Positives. No orange pieces all over the place. No drooping headliner. Cost was under $100.00 total. Learned some new things.

Negatives. Not a beautiful result and cannot pull the new fabric off this headliner without major headaches.

Conclusion. I will live with this for now. In most lighting conditions with it installed, you do not see the unevenness. I will eventually pull a headliner from another vehicle and do it again. It won't take very long and the results will be better. And I owe Jared and Robert a beer (or several) when I see them.
 
#460 ·
Epic!
 
#464 · (Edited)
I'm impressed. Nothing to be embarrassed about! I bet once it is up you will never think twice about the job "imperfections ".
equally impressed!
Thanks! It's already back in and it doesn't bother me too much for now. Not many people get into a wagon and immediately look at the ceiling above the cargo area. But, eventually...

Edit: Just realized that Jared might be referring to the jewel corners and not the headliner, LOL.
 
#468 ·
Headliner looks good to me. But i know where your coming from when you want it to be perfect to match the quality of your car. Corners are sweet !! Side question, did you car come with roof rails ? I'm gonna need some before winter as this wagon will take me up the mountain on ski days. Can i yank rails/trim from any 98-00 V from the JY ?
 
#471 · (Edited)
It was a smooth roof when I brought it home from Fred. If you go back to the beginning of the thread, you can see photos before the rails were installed. They are originally from my Emerald XC, and therefore the "beefier" style. Super easy install. Get the gutter trim and at least a few of the plastic anchors/metal clips in case you break one when removing your current trim.

Edit: Here's a stock photo with the "Euro" style rails.

 
#482 ·
yesssss
 
#484 ·
They need to ditch the touchscreen too
 
#485 · (Edited)
So... A MY99 VR showed up at a nearby JY. It’s the first time in years of looking that I’ve seen one near me. Managed to get there early and pull some things. (I’ll be listing a few items for sale soon.) The spark plug cover was in better condition than mine, so I'll save that and the timing belt cover. On the Venetian, it started to turn pale blue and crack around the bolt heads due to heat. I know we discussed leaving it off so the coil packs don't cook, but is there any danger to leaving all three pieces off all the time? Will the heat from the engine without the TB cover bake the hoses to the power steering reservoir or anything else? Any real chance of something getting caught in the TB itself? I'm not planning on being the guy with the necktie caught in the shredder? If not, I think I'll leave everything off and save the new ones for Cars and Coffee or similar "show"-type use only. Thoughts?
 
#486 ·
So... A MY99 VR showed up at a nearby JY. It's the first time in years of looking that I've seen one near me. Managed to get there early and pull some things. (I'll be listing a few items for sale soon.) The spark plug cover was in better condition than mine, so I'll save that and the timing belt cover. On the Venetian, it started to turn pale blue and crack around the bolt heads due to heat. I know we discussed leaving them off so the coil packs don't cook, but is there any danger to leaving all three pieces off all the time? Will the heat from the engine without the TB cover bake the hoses to the power steering reservoir or anything else? Any real chance of something getting caught in the TB itself? I'm not planning on being the guy with the necktie caught in the shredder? If not, I think I'll leave everything off and save the new ones for Cars and Coffee or similar "show"-type use only. Thoughts?
Where is this be located? I may need some parts. Can you PM? Thx
 
#487 ·
leave the belt covers on.
 
#495 ·
So, I'm thinking about pulling my dash to swap in the one from the JY because mine has a small scratch near the center speaker that annoys me somewhat and the JY one is basically flawless. Plus, I could plug in the JY cluster to check its mileage, check the working order of the amp and Dolby processor, and install my SC-901 with a new harness to replace the aftermarket unit Fred had put in, all in one go.

Other than disconnecting the battery prior to starting, any tips about the SRS system? I'm worried that, if I plug in the JY cluster temporarily to see the mileage without putting the dash back together, then connecting the battery will trigger a fault and the light. Which means pulling apart and reconnecting everything twice. Right? Also, are there any differences with MY99 vs. MY00 dash to be aware of?
 
#496 ·
I can't remember if you have VIDA, If so, you can use it to reset the SRS light. I don't think there is any difference between model years, but don't quote me on that.
 
#499 ·
Maybe something is wrong with my 901. My aftermarket Kenwood double din with stock speakers in moondust sounds better than the 901 in the VR . And my center speaker does work. Ill be curious to see your opinion after switching back to the 901
 
#500 ·
901 is where it's at

sedan also has more speakers
 
#501 ·
like 2 turntables and a microphone!!.....anything else in there looks like a Trabant Hi Fi unit or something off the set of Wargames...
 
#503 ·
Thanks to all for the feedback! I was pretty sure that I could do so with just the airbag plugged in, but I wasn’t 100% there wasn’t some out of sight pressure switch that I didn’t notice that would trigger if the dash was off when the vehicle was running.

Fred, I appreciate you keeping to my preferences on the Sonic, so it’s just the way I like when you sell it to me! 😜

And, yes, I agree that Beck Hansen is where it’s at! Saw him on the Mutations tour in 1998. Great show! Some of his work is a little self-indulgent, but when he’s on, he’s on!
 
#506 ·
72 Auto Crew, represent! :partywave:
 
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