Quest for the Least Reliable Vehicle for MontuckyFried

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Originally Posted by Timberridge

Ok great. Yow, that's hot.
You've ordered head bolts and the gasket? Sometimes parts are hard to get now.

I would suggest once you have the head off to take it to a pro before bolting things back on. They'll check it's not warped.

If it were mine and I plan on keeping the car it for a while, I'd have them refit new valve stem seals, check the seats, etc. while it's there. Or you can do it yourself.

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Good tips. Will get those ordered for sure. I got a line on a good machine shop here in town who knows how to machine these T5 heads back to specs. I'm counting on a warped head for sure but will need to make sure the blocks not fubar. If the block and pistons are all in good shape, I'm gonna go ahead and shim the sleeves while I'm in there. Would love to resleeve but that's a whole different (and much more expensive) can of worms. Probably not going beyond a Polestar or Elevate tune anyway so shims should more than do the trick for my purposes I'm thinking.

I called multiple shops to get estimates on the head gasket job and only one was confident in his abilities, and even still wasn't familiar with the shimming. I'm thinking I'm just better off tackling this one myself since I have so many other little things to do while I have it all torn apart, even if it's gonna take me forever to do it. I hope. Fingers crossed I don't screw this thing up even further! Gonna save many thousands if I can pull it off tho. Guess we all gotta learn SOMEHOW. Perfect excuse for me to learn engine repair. :)

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Jeebus.

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Originally Posted by riser4

Jeebus.

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What could go wrong?

Good luck, Austin. Please keep a running spreadsheet of money spent on parts/quality tools and your time spent on labor for those of us following at home.

Did I miss something? Has MF's "new" Volvo crap out?

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Originally Posted by skaredshtles

Did I miss something? Has MF's "new" Volvo crap out?

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Lol yup! Head gasket. I honestly just had to laugh about it at that point. Cracked open a cold one, and said "oh well." Guess that's life. At least I have a garage and tools to work on it, so things could be far worse. Had a friend whose car got stolen last week and thieves totalled it. Poor guy. At least I still HAVE the car, so I'm happy.

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Originally Posted by ghosthop

Good luck, Austin. Please keep a running spreadsheet of money spent on parts/quality tools and your time spent on labor for those of us following at home.

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Will do! All the parts I need are cheap. The hours however are going to add up to a LOT no doubt. Being a head gasket virgin, it's going to take far longer than it would with people who actually know what they're doing. Especially since I plan on taking my time and being really meticulous. Wanna get the internals all spit shined up and purty. I'm OCD about that stuff. I take pride in my squeeky clean engine bays.

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Austin, look on Swedespeed.com. I am certain you can find lots of helpful repair info and maybe a video or two to help you along.

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Originally Posted by liv2ski

Austin, look on Swedespeed.com. I am certain you can find lots of helpful repair info and maybe a video or two to help you along.

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Oh yeah. For sure. PLUS I have a full blown "dealer" setup, ie an old Panasonic Toughbook loaded with VIDA (which has TONS of instruction guides, diagrams, part #s, etc) + an actual Volvo brand DICE unit. Been pretty rad for diagnostics. One of the reasons I'm all in on the brand now. I'm pretty invested now at this point.

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In the same vein as this thread…

On a scale of 1-Fucking Stupid where does a 2001 XC70 fall? 185k miles and an admitted electrical issue affecting turn signals. Price is right. Just looking for something with a decent ride that gets better mpg for day ski trips than my big van (16hwy mpg on a good day)

Is 2001 the first year for that body style? If it is run away because with Volvos you need to buy the third or fourth year of a body style, not the initial one, as it will be full of gremlins.

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Originally Posted by liv2ski

Is 2001 the first year for that body style? If it is run away because with Volvos you need to buy the third or fourth year of a body style, not the initial one, as it will be full of gremlins.

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It is the first! I read a bit more and apparently the electronics took a page from the a British and the transmissions are made of glass. I’m gonna pass. Those XC70s are sexy though

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Originally Posted by Falcon3

In the same vein as this thread…

On a scale of 1-Fucking Stupid where does a 2001 XC70 fall? 185k miles and an admitted electrical issue affecting turn signals. Price is right. Just looking for something with a decent ride that gets better mpg for day ski trips than my big van (16hwy mpg on a good day)

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Haha. Better not ask for MY opinion. My judgement is questionable at best. But uhh.... How much?

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Originally Posted by Falcon3

In the same vein as this thread…

On a scale of 1-Fucking Stupid where does a 2001 XC70 fall? 185k miles and an admitted electrical issue affecting turn signals. Price is right. Just looking for something with a decent ride that gets better mpg for day ski trips than my big van (16hwy mpg on a good day)

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Maybe the transmission has been rebuilt already ?

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Originally Posted by MontuckyFried

Haha. Better not ask for MY opinion. My judgement is questionable at best. But uhh.... How much?

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$1750. There’s some Volvo forum posts from 2014 saying a 2001 with those miles isn’t worth $1800, and this is now 8 years older!

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Originally Posted by Falcon3

$1750. There’s some Volvo forum posts from 2014 saying a 2001 with those miles isn’t worth $1800, and this is now 8 years older!

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True but back in 2014, used cars were way cheaper. But yeah, it does seem kind of high for a 21 year old car however it kind of is the state of the market these days. For an even G, it could be super worth it.

My CL searches lately have been depressing. A grand or two might buy you a 94 Cavalier with 300K, shot paint, completely smashed on the right side, trash and ashes all over the car, and completely beat to hell. "NO LoWBaLLerZ! I kNOw wHAt I gOt!"

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Originally Posted by MontuckyFried

True but back in 2014, used cars were way cheaper. But yeah, it does seem kind of high for a 21 year old car however it kind of is the state of the market these days. For an even G, it could be super worth it.

My CL searches lately have been depressing. A grand or two might buy you a 94 Cavalier with 300K, shot paint, completely smashed on the right side, trash and ashes all over the car, and completely beat to hell. "NO LoWBaLLerZ! I kNOw wHAt I gOt!"

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what is shop estimate for hg replacement on the c30 ? You mentioned shimming but I's sure no shop that values their time and sanity will want to offer it due to potential return after some ass hat over tunes it and cracks his block in a week.

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Originally Posted by fatnslow

what is shop estimate for hg replacement on the c30 ? You mentioned shimming but I's sure no shop that values their time and sanity will want to offer it due to potential return after some ass hat over tunes it and cracks his block in a week.

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$2500-3000 assuming nothing else wrong and that doesn't include all the coolant hose swaps and stuff I wanna do while I'm in there. I'm fairly certain I'll need to get the head machined if it's not warped beyond specs so there's another cost. I totally understand a shop not wanting to shim for precisely the reasons you said, but it something that's (supposedly) a piece of cake and helps prevent your cylinder liners from going oval on you. So I figure I might as well do it if I have the engine all torn apart anyway. IF the block's in good shape that is. If I do that, I'll make sure to post pics in the wrenching thread. Should be a good time! Looking forward to busting this dude open already! Time to start accumulating the parts and the few oddball specialty Volvo tools I'm gonna need for this one. It'll be a couple months...

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Attachment 422632

Austin, I found you a sweet Caddy, just like the old days when I first met you. Bonus is you get free firewood, as much as you can load into the trunk and back seat. It’s about a 3 minute canoe paddle from my island.


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And at least the tip of a Volant ski.

edit: that sign's been bugging me. They started by writing "Fore" and then wrote "Cadi". So close, yet so far.

Fore Sale: reliable Caddie. Born in 1992. Make a fairway offer on this driver, and you'll be at the clubhouse under par.

Looks like a solid rust free rig from here, Austin.

Good work Harry.

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Originally Posted by Harry

Attachment 422632

Austin, I found you a sweet Caddy, just like the old days when I first met you. Bonus is you get free firewood, as much as you can load into the trunk and back seat. It’s about a 3 minute canoe paddle from my island.


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OOH! Daddy likey! I used to have a '96 DeVille. I freaking loved that old hoopty. Ssssooooooo smoove floating down the highway. Crazy good mpg for it's size too. Had the Northstar V8 and I'd average around 28 hwy. Solid car til rodents chewed up the wiring under the hood and it caught fire. Little bastards. I loved that car. RIP.

As to that beauty you encountered, unfortunately an old Caddy is a hard no from my wife unless it's a CTS-V with a stick. Still wish I could get that in wagon form in my price range. FML.

Update on the broken S60 tho. Still for sale (of course) and seller reached out to me saying a buyer flaked out. It's out of town so will see if I can go up there tomorrow with a fistful of cash rocking 1's like a broke guy going to a strip club and will see what I can make happen. If I succeed, then I'll have TWO sweet broke down cars out of 3. Haha.

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Originally Posted by MontuckyFried

OOH! Daddy likey! I used to have a '96 DeVille. I freaking loved that old hoopty. Ssssooooooo smoove floating down the highway. Crazy good mpg for it's size too. Had the Northstar V8 and I'd average around 28 hwy. Solid car til rodents chewed up the wiring under the hood and it caught fire. Little bastards. I loved that car. RIP.

As to that beauty you encountered, unfortunately an old Caddy is a hard no from my wife unless it's a CTS-V with a stick. Still wish I could get that in wagon form in my price range. FML.

Update on the broken S60 tho. Still for sale (of course) and seller reached out to me saying a buyer flaked out. It's out of town so will see if I can go up there tomorrow with a fistful of cash rocking 1's like a broke guy going to a strip club and will see what I can make happen. If I succeed, then I'll have TWO sweet broke down cars out of 3. Haha.

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It'd be easier and cheaper, but not any less painful, to slam your dick in your desk drawer.

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Originally Posted by riser4

It'd be easier and cheaper, but not any less painful, to slam your dick in your desk drawer.

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Attachment 422637

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Originally Posted by riser4

It'd be easier and cheaper, but not any less painful, to slam your dick in your desk drawer.

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Originally Posted by skaredshtles

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Yeah. I guess I am a bit of a car masochist. I DO kinda ask for my mechanical woes sometimes.

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