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Dasgaswolf's 2000 V70 R

28K views 159 replies 32 participants last post by  JaredR 
#1 · (Edited)
thread for 'Heidi', my 2000 V70 R

After 15 years of driving and tinkering with Land Rovers, I purchased a 1993 Volvo 245 from BaT last year. I've had a blast driving it -- however I needed a vehicle more capable of comfortable interstate travel.

I ironed out a modest budget with my wife and began hunting for a wagon. My taste has always trended towards the esoteric and so the field quickly narrowed down to V70R wagons. Other candidates included Acura TSX Sportwagon, BMW E39 wagon, Audi C5, and the XC70.

Maintenance intensity was not really a chief concern of mine, as I'm fond of working on my cars and motorcycles, but service history and provenance were essential. The P2s don't scratch the itch for me in the way P80s do -- and so I began my search in earnest.

Following 6 or 7 weeks of searching, it was clear that the 2000 V70R posted here was the best example of any make meeting my criteria, other than this 535i. After it became clear the Bimmer would exceed my budget, I went to see the V70R and it was in remarkable condition -- even areas that typically belie the age of a vehicle such as seals and stripping looked new. It was a close to a brand new car -- on the inside -- as I've ever seen, and my 245 is pretty minty itself.

The PO is an enthusiastic Volvo owner himself and knew the car back to front. There was a brief negotiation & I took her home the next day. Unfortunately the car's maiden voyage was a little bumpy and she arrived at my garage on the back of a tow truck.

After a brief diagnosis it appeared the ETM was the likely culprit -- in this case I decided to let an R expert in Rockville, MD already familiar with the car sort it out before officially welcoming it home.

In a flash of serendipity, Jalopnik featured the car a day later. Its readers, egged on by a member here apparently both shocked at its asking price and delighted with its ETM failure, excoriated the PO, the car, and myself in the comments: they delivered a "Crack Pipe!" verdict before graciously steering me to the door-dinged 145k P2 I should've bought instead for, um, $2k less. Ah, the internet.

Immediate plans include finishing off the Stage 0 with new pads, rotors, and a bleed. Then I plan to address the only aesthetic sore spot: the hood. It has 2 or 3 noticeable imperfections and some mild chicken scratching. I'm either going to find a new hood or have it professionally repainted.

Look forward to getting to know you guys & thanks for the warm welcome and help so far.
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#74 ·
Hello Heidi !!!! Sounds like your in good hands. And FYI, most people here including me are photos junkies. So post pic's as you do work or modifications to this beautiful girl !
 
#87 ·
Did you get the ETM?
 
#89 ·
Wow. What the F are they doing? I send parts to the US regularly and have never had an issue.
 
#91 ·
So.

While the ETM was on the fritz, it was not the proximate cause.

Tune in tomorrow to find out if I really did take a rip off the Crack Pipe and bought a car with a bad ETM and a bad fuel pump.

The good news is I hear fuel pump swaps on P80s are super easy and I can knock it out in my garage this weekend, right before my 38 week pregnant wife goes into labor.

 
#92 ·
The good news is I hear fuel pump swaps on P80s are super easy and I can knock it out in my garage this weekend, right before my 38 week pregnant wife goes into labor.
That only applies to FWD P80. With AWD, you have to drop the entire rear suspension assembly to get access to the fuel pump.
 
#96 ·
Or refresh it from the ground up like I am doing with my 850R. Only downside is the upfront costs are just a tad higher with that approach. LOL.
 
#99 ·
Felix, your first post here suggests a good working relationship with the PO of this superb example of a wagon, one who knows the car back to front. Why not seek his valuable, probably valid advice on what’s wrong with it? He certainly does not need to be expected to fund repairs, but he absolutely should be retained on friendship to honestly help you help the wagon. Seems odd you’re troubleshooting in the dark. Gorgeous car, sir. Absolutely awesome wagon.
 
#101 · (Edited)
I fully appreciate the age of the car and the mathematical realities of failure. (Although sometimes I find myself disagreeing with Richard Dawkins -- who pointed out the absurdity of considering the will or desires of inanimate objects.)

Everyone in the car hobby operates with the assumption that maintenance history, provenance, and condition will more often than not mitigate future calamity. This is just a particularly tragic example of when such fragile maxims fail. At the price I paid you don't expect a project. But such assumptions are dangerous and only ever clear in hindsight of course.

The car is not being diagnosed in the dark. It has been at a very well-regarded specialty shop in the Wash DC area after I executed some basic triage at home. The tech was very apologetic for assuming the ETM and not checking pressure first -- they've already cleared the labor for the ETM off the bill. I'm frustrated with myself because I checked the fuel pressure at home on the rail, and it was low in hindsight but I was fixated on the ETM and foolishly assumed the system just wasn't fully loaded. The PO is very responsive but ultimately his ability to troubleshoot and repair my car ended at his driveway.

Beyond some silly memes, there's no real hand wringing or hard feelings here nor am I trying to garner sympathy -- I'd just like to offer the community a chronicle of this well-known and well-regarded vehicle. Unfortunately thus far it's proving to be more of a horror show than a romance.

vincevolvo hit the nail on the head. Just sucks not to be able to enjoy the car while it's still nice out.

There is still a chance that the fuel pump is fine & that it's just a fuel filter.
 
#102 ·
Jumper the fuel pump relay to rule that out also.
 
#103 ·
Check IMM and fuel pump check valve. While the pumps do eventually fail there are many examples with 250k+ on them so I wouldn’t just assume that.

It’s time to actually diagnose with VIDA and stop guessing and throwing parts at it.
 
#104 ·
Check IMM and fuel pump check valve. While the pumps do eventually fail there are many examples with 250k+ on them so I wouldn't just assume that.

It's time to actually diagnose with VIDA and stop guessing and throwing parts at it.
I'm assuming the shop is using the appropriate tools and procedures on their way to a diagnosis.
 
#109 · (Edited)
One data point, my 2000 V70XC has one of the fuel pumps replaced around 210k miles. The other one (for the saddle shape fuel tank) went bad a few years later in my ownership. I am just running without it repaired, using only 12 gal of the gas tank.
But your fuel pump is only 80k miles age. So maybe still good to run some years.

Another aging thing is radiator and the whole set of coolant rubber hoses (big or small), regardless mileage. My car has been at warm NW area all the years and mine was replaced in the 18th year around 220-230k miles.
 
#110 ·
Despite the widespread belief that these cars have 2 fuel pumps, it’s not quite that simple. They have a traditional electronic pump on the passenger side and an “ejector” as it’s called in Volvo parts catalogs on the drivers side. The ejector does not use any electronics to work, but instead uses the the fuel pressure regulator return feed to transfer fuel to the other side of the pump by generating a Venturi effect. The only wiring on the ejector is for the fuel level sensor.

Dropping the rear subframe isn’t too bad, I did it a few times on my 99 R. There are photos in my thread on Volvospeed. Due to photobucket being a pain, you’ll have to click each photo and view it on Photobuckets site.

I haven’t touched the factory pump yet on my 00 R but I want to install my DW300 upgraded pump this winter.
 
#112 · (Edited)
Despite the widespread belief that these cars have 2 fuel pumps, it's not quite that simple. They have a traditional electronic pump on the passenger side and an "ejector" as it's called in Volvo parts catalogs on the drivers side. The ejector does not use any electronics to work, but instead uses the the fuel pressure regulator return feed to transfer fuel to the other side of the pump by generating a Venturi effect. The only wiring on the ejector is for the fuel level sensor.

Dropping the rear subframe isn't too bad, I did it a few times on my 99 R. There are photos in my thread on Volvospeed. Due to photobucket being a pain, you'll have to click each photo and view it on Photobuckets site.

I haven't touched the factory pump yet on my 00 R but I want to install my DW300 upgraded pump this winter.
Anyhow I have no idea why I can only pump 12-13 gal into my tank at most. The gauge only shows between 6 to 16 mark. If it goes below 6, the refill light will be on.
It looks like the driver side tank is not used somehow.
 
#113 ·
a month and a mortgage payment later, this Sniglar is sniggled back in my garage awaiting its WA plates. for some reason Volvos just look "correct" with PNW plates, so I'm fortunate to have access to them.

it's an incredibly fun car to drive. i love the character of the 5 cylinder... so unrefined compared to the relative high end fit/finish of the interior. i think the modest power is perfect for this car, and the turbo lag adds a perfect bit of nuance. handling is superb.

now that the drama is behind me, i can enjoy one of the best looking wagons ever made:



this car is so clean and so sexy.

PS I don't think I care for the anthracite Comets. They're a little "boy racer" for an old dad like me. What do you guys think? Does anyone want to trade me for normal Comets? or clean Pegs? The PO had 17" satellites but I was too ignorant on Volvos to think to work those into the deal. :(
 
#114 ·
a month and a mortgage payment later, this Sniglar is sniggled back in my garage awaiting its WA plates. for some reason Volvos just look "correct" with PNW plates, so I'm fortunate to have access to them.

it's an incredibly fun car to drive. i love the character of the 5 cylinder... so unrefined compared to the relative high end fit/finish of the interior. i think the modest power is perfect for this car, and the turbo lag adds a perfect bit of nuance. handling is superb.
LOL wut. I thought you lived in Maryland?

Sounds like your wastegate may need adjustment.
 
#118 ·
Volvo's have never been best at NVH but my vote would also be motor mounts - the lower ones often are overlooked and if the top one is poly then there you go.

And Volvo's definitely have turbo lag.
 
#119 · (Edited)
I mean, by definition, you're going to have vibration and lag from engines and turbos, but the impression I'm getting of the situation from your description doesn't sound normal. In a car with fresh mounts, you don't feel it. In my T-5R with tired mounts, I definitely feel it.
 
#123 ·
Actually, I thought dasgaswolf's description of the car was perfect (with SB's clarification re: the "lag"), but maybe his mounts deserve a look.

As for the wheels, I think they look great; especially in that lighting. Almost makes them look subtly two-tone. Not boy-racer to my eye at all.
 
#125 ·


put some good miles on it this weekend. unconvinced the MMs need attention -- car goes smoothly down the road and I think the rumble I'm describing is typical. Anyway, not something I plan on addressing at this point.

What does need addressing is the lower part of the driver's door card; it has come loose. I can't see any clips (?) -- it looks as if it's glued down there? I didn't want to pull too hard on it until I can get my hands on a service manual or something that will better orient me.

Motor sounds and pulls fantastic. The automatic transmission is really a shame. Volvo's CD changing system is absurdly complex, even for 2000. Definitely need to get a GROM or other aftermarket solution, preferably one that doesn't involve splicing in an auxiliary cable.
 
#126 ·
Hidden clips behind the door cars. Super common. 3M trim tape works well to reattach them.

If you get a GROM get the aux input version not the Bluetooth one. Sound quality is significantly better with line in, groms Bluetooth audio quality is less than acceptable.
 
#127 ·
Even with new motor mounts my AWD V70s have always been a little worse in the NVH department than my FWD S70. I think the deletion of the rear hydraulic mount to make room for the AWD stuff is the likely culprit.

I like the anthracite Comets. Glad you're finally able to enjoy the car. :)
 
#129 · (Edited)
USB streaming with the grom also sounds good. BT is indeed trash.

Does your CD changer not work on you just don't like it? Could add the 6 disc changer in the cargo area but that occupies the extra input. However there are ways to switch between that and a grom with an adapter harness and a switch. I use both CD changers and a Grom in every car we have that is equipped as such.
 
#130 ·
I just don't have CDs anymore -- and the changer is such a silly and overwrought mechanical system that I'd prefer to just leave it be before it breaks.

Unfortunate that the Grom's BT is no good. Are there other well-known options? A lot of the car audio services and websites just seem kind of sketchy.
 
#131 ·
Not really. Grom is the best option

I can't bring myself to give up CDs; they just sound too good
 
#132 ·
Oh, so you're the dude who bought the car from my buddy! I never was able to see it in person when I visited to pick up some parts, but I saw his M66 Saffron R and we met up at Carlisle this year. I've been hoping for a while that he'll be willing to sell those satellites that he originally offered with the car... I really want to upgrade from the stock 16s and titans just don't quite do it for me.
Anyways, it looks awesome man, and I hope you can enjoy it for many years to come!
 
#133 ·
not much to report. car is at about 84k now and drives wonderfully. in fact my wife admitted to me that she prefers driving it to our SUV.

we had a nice day today here so I did a quick wash/light wax.





and of course an important addition (magnet, not a sticker -- they hold up surprisingly well)

 
#134 ·
That's awesome on the wife comment. Its a testament to how fun these cars are when non car people (not saying your wife is) drive them and are amazed at how well they drive for 20yr old vehicles.
 
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