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Meet my newest venture into the Volvo world. "Black Swede Steed"

12K views 131 replies 18 participants last post by  JaredR 
#1 ·
Hello all. I just picked up a car I talked about going to check out on the classifieds posts. I went back and forth about it and decided to take a gamble and either learn a lot of good things OR learn why there are not many P80 R's left on the road.

Specs...

2000 V70R, 175k miles. (How many are left at this point?)

The good: Dealer service from new in late 99 thru 2010. Lots of good details from the servicing dealer per the Carfax. I hope to be able to get more by giving them a call. 0 miles to 150k.

The bad: Car was in a hail storm and totalled out by original owners insurance policy. If you saw the photos on the Craigslist (I saved them) it's not that bad IMO.

As far as I can discover there is not any other reason why it was totalled out.

Second owner (Indy Volvo shop) purchased in May 2010 at an Insurance auction and then later that summer in July, a reconstructed title was issued.

The medium/good. After the reconstructed title the shop owner had the car in his personal fleet that currently includes some p2r and a nice p80 c70 HT. Based on receipts he gave me, in 2016 he did timing belt and water pump, brakes and tires. At the time the car had mid late 160k. After that it looks like it hadn't been driven much and he decided to sell it. Less than 1000 miles driven since June of '17. I got a good feeling about the situation but I know there may be some Gremlins hiding.

I just drove it about 100 miles home on mixed roads. Well behaved. Trans shifts buttery smooth and seemed to have a nice program.

My plan is to drive the car as I think it deserves. I have another car I can use in case I have trouble with it.

I have a local Volvo specialist scheduled to take a look at it on Friday to give me some more guidance. No specific plans other than a "Stage 0."

Looking to get some honest advice and encouragement with this project. I am basically a Volvo novice but am not afraid to tackle a project if I have the right equipment.

Any advice short of "terrible decision" is welcome. Or at least that will motivate me to prove you wrong.

Located near Reading PA (Philly) for any locals.


(Apparently I don't have permissions to attach photos and I don't remember how I did it on my last "meet me")
 
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#114 ·
A deadblow hammer will pop the bushings out in one or two blows if you have the subframe out already. Kinda the reason to go through the work to remove it.
 
#115 ·
Yeah definitely no need to cut up the bushings if you got the subframe out already.

I flipped the subrfame over and installed my last set of delrin with a hammer, too.
 
#116 ·
Definitely wasn't planning on dropping subframe. Not equipped for that. Have read that a hole saw can get them out without too much difficulty?

Unless it's way easier than I expect to do that?

Have 2 Jacks and jackstands. Was planning on one corner at a time.
 
#117 ·
just need an engine support bar then

and make sure those jackstands aren't in the harbor freight recall
 
#119 ·
Got parts to do engine mounts while I'm tackling subframe bushings. Put some on blaster on some bolts to learn the lay of the land as not much was cooperating. Will revisit another day.

Top mount is definitely shot. But couldn't get bolts to break loose today.

Put in a poly trans torque mount, decreased some nvh slightly in R+D that's been annoying. I assume it'll go away fully once I replace top.

Unrelated, not that I'd expect anyone to remember, but I discovered there is an unreported rear end hit.

I pulled the trim between the tailgate and glass. And discovered the gate used to be blue. Looks like a junkyard replacement and repaint. No prep, just right over the top of the blue.

Same color on the other panel above the tailgate. Nautic? Apologies to the Nautic lovers that my R titled R stole a tailgate.
 
#120 ·
your engine mounts are super toast if poly torque mounts are REDUCING NVH. Should be increasing NVH.....

Wow that is an atrocious repanit
 
#122 ·
Yeah I'm aware it is supposed to increase nvh. So like you said, everything else is likely trashed at this point. Carfax says engine mount(s) were replaced at about 100k, but doesn't specify which.

I'm wondering if it just changed the frequency of what I was feeling/hearing.
Yeah, it's that kinda stuff that makes you wish there was a solid, documented history of, not only, what people did, but why they did it. Crazy that they couldn't even be bothered to remove the trim by the window. Disappointing to say the least. We'll just assume it was a Nautic non-R that supplied the replacement hatch. It was an actual Nautic R, I don't think I could handle it, LOL.
That's what is weird about it, it was dealer serviced from new to 145k. As far as I can figure, it was totaled because of hail in 2010, but I guess it could have been hail first, first owner drove it as is, then got rear ended to total. I emailed the seller, maybe they'll share more details now that I've had the car for almost two years.
 
#121 ·
Yeah, it’s that kinda stuff that makes you wish there was a solid, documented history of, not only, what people did, but why they did it. Crazy that they couldn’t even be bothered to remove the trim by the window. Disappointing to say the least. We’ll just assume it was a Nautic non-R that supplied the replacement hatch. It was an actual Nautic R, I don’t think I could handle it, LOL.
 
#123 ·
Gradual progress today. PB blaster and a few choice words broke loose the bolts for the top engine mount.

Removed and replaced. Old part likely was already a replacement. Looks like a Hutchinson like I put in. Evidence of ground off Volvo logo. Rubber wasn't terribly torn, but stiffened up compared to new part. Fixed most of the annoying nvh I was experiencing.

Im gonna try and tackle the passenger mount again tomorrow.

Still getting up the courage to do delrin. Need to get my spare car back in action so I won't be screwed if I can't get everything out in one day (or a weekend) Shop I use that is convenient to my job declined to even quote me on the R&R.

Beautiful weekend here in PA.
 
#124 ·
Tacked the passenger mount this morning.

Bolts to frame were rusty and watery? Oil+water frothy. Maybe thats normal, but I definitely have some evidence of old leaks around. Forgot to photograph what I saw. Pics of old mount in place. Didn't photograph new.

Only real difficulty was working on gravel and making absolutely sure I had solid jack/stands. I think that's a big hesitation for me working on it. Nothing I've done was terribly difficult. I don't think I can safely do subframe bushings in my driveway. Anyone paid for that job know what a reasonable ballpark is? 1hr per corner?
 
#125 ·
Just shy of 189k...

Was doing oil change on the lady's car and did the Volvo while I was sweaty and dirty.

Also replaced filter housing. It was cracked

Need to keep better track of oil level. Drained 5qts...so burned 1.1 qt over 4k miles. I'm thinking some leaks and some burn. Not horrible I guess...but don't want to get too low between oil changes.

 
#126 ·
Forgot to post her that I had delrin put in a week or so ago. Did front motor mount as well while it was at the shop.

3.25 hours labor for both. Got annual safety and emissions while it was there.

Definitely like the tightening up of the front end. I need to push things more to really test it.

Only negative was the Poly torque mount didn't play well with the delrin. Swapped that out for an aftermarket rubber this morning and that fixed the problem.

Still have a mysterious chirp in the front end. Its not consistent enough to figure out. It happens sometimes just shifting from park, and other times coming off throttle at slow speed. Mostly under slow left turn.

Hope everyone else is finding a way to enjoy your cars this summer despite 'rona.

Sent from my moto g power using Tapatalk
 
#129 ·
190k. Pic 1

Discovered rear exhaust cam seal leaking.

Regretting not taking care of PCV sooner. Lesson learned. Not bad for original PCV!

Getting that taken care of next month.

Turkey decided to block traffic. Pic 2

Found this at the beer store and had to get it. Nice dry cider. Good way to start my weekend. Pic 3


Sent from my moto g power using Tapatalk
 
#131 ·
It has been quite a while since posting. Just rolled 197k yesterday. Recently inspected, everything in great shape other than a front Cam Seal that pushed out this spring (replaced).

Had a vvt solenoid code pop up a few times. Replaced that and did an oil change (maybe it just needed oil change). Also noticed a pinhole leak in the coolant expansion tank so that got replaced with blue box part.

Got a fresh alignment, toe was way out (forgot to get realigned after delrin) and had some toe wear. Definitely feels lighter on it's feet now.

I think I am getting ready to pass on "The Steed" to its next stable. I still enjoy driving it, and it is likely pretty well sorted, but I just don't have the desire to keep fixing little things. I learned a good amount, and if I was going to do this again, I probably wouldn't have gotten a hail damage R-title car.

Just took a day trip to the Baltimore area and over to Havre de Grace yesterday to look at a possible replacement vehicle. It really is a great car for highway driving.

Regarding a possible sale, I reached out to the person who was going to possibly buy if I didn't. So they have first dibs. After that, I'll make a post specifically for the sale.
 
#132 ·
An engine out service to refresh EVERYTHING is really the way to do it with these cars. Knock everything out in a couple days vs have the car nickel and dime you forever. It does get annoying if you don't. My maintenance situation/attitude has improved dramatically since I adopted this philosophy.
 
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