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Been around since the beginning on the RWD side, venturing over here now.
The good:
Torque converter/transfer case (bevel gear?) replaced.
New cat
New brakes
Good tires
It needs:
timing belt
O2 sensor(s)
brake booster
both rear hubs
I'll have my indy do the timing belt, everything else I think I can tackle in a weekend. I'd do all the other maintenance items to be on the safe side - hoses, filters, PCV, etc.
I know, I know - don't buy a 2001. How cheap should this car be for me to want to ignore the typical advice?
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Jonathan Knauer - 94 945Ti, 215K, and a 91 245 project car with 218K.
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It is surprising that it need a brake booster. If anything, the vacuum valve needs replacing.
If you get new rear rotors, get new shoes and hardware at the same time. Most people seldom use the Ebrake, relying on Park, so the cables could be sticking a little.
Depending on mileage, the O2 sensors could just be dirty. The rear O2 sensor seldom fails, there is a code for that. But I would look for vacuum leaks and a plugged PTC valve at the turbo intake.
Price? Get it as cheap as you can. Remember, the Tbelt is good for 105K miles and the tensioner is replaced with the belt. You also will want to invest in a backup coil to keep in the trunk. Do NOT run with regular gasoline.
Klaus
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Praying for Cynthia Amendt, heaven bound
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Klaus,
Thanks for the reply. It hisses whenever the brake is released. I'm being conservative and assuming the whole booster needs to go.
On the transmission front, do you think I'm safe with having the bevel gear and torque converter replaced, or is the trans a time bomb too? What is the weak link in that system?
Vacuum leaks look to be common on these cars.
Its got 125K on it.
Good news on the O2 sensors, will try cleaning first.
The guy is being reasonable about the price given work needed. I think I can get it for $3,500 or so.
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Jonathan Knauer - 94 945Ti, 215K, and a 91 245 project car with 218K.
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The "weak link" in a 2001 is the stop-neutral function. There was a software update issued for all models to disable this feature, but it wasn't done by most dealers unless the owners requested it (since they could get more money by replacing your transmission when it blows up).
If you notice a slight thunk, jerk, or hesitation taking off from a dead stop, take your car and have this update applied to it and you may yet save your transmission for many miles to come.
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Since you have some knowledge of this, could you please describe the 'stop-neutral' function for those of us with less info on the subject?
What was it intended to do and why does it cause failure?
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1998 V70 AWD->FWD Turbo 200k+
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Don't you just love computers controlling logical functions of your car?
The AW55 was designed to run with the TCU in control of everything, unlike older trannies that relied on pumps and solenoids. One of the 'upgrades' was to have the tranny shift to internal neutral or out of gear when the car came to a stop, rather than have the torque converter slipping.
The computer software relied on the speed sensor, throttle pos sensor, and a couple of other unreliable pieces of junk. So the tranny that was supposed to go to N, didn't. Then it would take a good push of the throttle to get it to re-engage 1st gear. All sorts of banging going on.
The "fix" was to remove the shift to N when the car came to a stop. That solved all sorts of other potential problems and the torque converter is still just as happy as ever.
Klaus
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Praying for Cynthia Amendt, heaven bound
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haha great explanation!
So this feature was designed to provide a small bump in fuel economy and a small reduction in stress on the Trans fluid - sound right?
Do they have a feature like this working on newer cars/trans?
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1998 V70 AWD->FWD Turbo 200k+
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Of course! All new cars have much better software, thank you. The software in Toyotas will be even better in 2011 models :)
Klaus
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Praying for Cynthia Amendt, heaven bound
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+1 to Klaus for the first swipe at Toyota on Brickboard!
I'm impressed we restrained ourselves this long.
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1998 V70 AWD->FWD Turbo 200k+
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Couldn't have said it better myself, Klaus!
I think the future of the "efficient" transmission is in the use of CVT's, which employ a similar kind of function when stopped, and infinite gear ratios. We will see how long they actually hold up...I have driven a friends Altima with a CVT, and I can't stand it. The future of the "performance" transmissions are in the dual-clutch paddle-shift designs that can change gear faster than you blink, and as we've already seen, many automakers are beginning to phase out the good old-fashioned manual trannies at both high-end and common-place ends of the car-buying spectrum. You have no idea how hard it is to find something as common-place as an Accord in a stick shift. I also drove an Infiniti G37 that had either a 6-speed or 7-speed automatic. It was constantly futzing with gears, and it just made it downright annoying. Maybe I'll just have to live with my older car forever!
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Don't worry about the durability of that trans. It is used in many other platforms and no one seems to be complaining about them. Stay on top of your fluid maintenance and that trans will last a long time.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aisin_AF33_transmission
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1998 V70 AWD->FWD Turbo 200k+
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The tranny is not "weak" but does need to be flushed. Remember, a 5 speed autobox requires 3309 fluid and you will need at least 10 quarts to do a good flush.
Bevel gear flushing is a requirement, at least every 50K miles. Sooner if you travel a lot of slippery roads. What takes the biggest toll is when wheels spin and then hit dry pavement.
Do not be overly concerned with the braking system making a wheezing sound when the engine is off and you pump the brakes. I have heard this sound from 850s and V70s of all ages and does not appear to be a problem. Do replace the vacuum valve if the idle changes when you push on the brake with the engine running.
Vacuum elbows are a pain, but they do need replacing. The PTC valve does need cleaning, they all do. Using synthetic motor oil, 5W30 seems to make that less of a problem, but it is still a problem.
The addition of more electronics was the real problem in 2001. There are 2 or 3 fuse boxes in the car, one in the rear IIRC. If the battery is in the trunk, read the directions on how to replace the battery before you replace it.
In regards to the O2 sensors, I would first check for any leaks around the manifold. Then take it out for a good warm up drive. Once warm, ease the engine rpms to 3K+ and hold it there for a bit. Then do it again at 4K+. Second gear is usually good for that. Then 'blow out the carbon' at 5K+ for very short impulses.
O2 sensors do not last as long when the trips are short and the engine not producing enough heat to burn off coke. If you get a P0nnn that has a bad pre heater text, then you will need to get a new sensor.
For best climate control, leave the AC on, recirc switched off, blower on auto, and vents in auto and temps at desired location. The only time I ever moved the dials in my cars was to engage defrost, but cracking the driver's window 1 inch usually worked better than the blower.
Klaus
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Praying for Cynthia Amendt, heaven bound
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Klaus,
On the topic of O2 sensors, you are saying that a manifold or other vacuum leak could be causing the code?
Thank you, this is great info!
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Jonathan Knauer - 94 945Ti, 215K, and a 91 245 project car with 218K.
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Unmetered air in the intake causes the ECU to enrich the mixture which then coats the plugs with too much gasoline and the resulting bad burn coats the O2 sensors.
Over on Volvospeed, or was it the UK Volvo site, someone demonstrated how to clean off an O2 sensor with a blowtorch. They cannot be cleaned by rubbing with anything, rubbing destroys them. So, I suggest running it hot after finding the cause of the rich burn. If it works, it saves a few hundred bucks.
Klaus
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Praying for Cynthia Amendt, heaven bound
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Hi Jon!
Here in the Connecticut/Rhode Island area the ’01 V70XC’s seem to be listing on Craigslist for anywhere between $2500 for a high mileage one to $7995 for a dealer car with low miles. Of course it’s hard to tell what kind of ills any of those cars have and need fixed right away.
Your prospect sounds odd to me. Seems to me that 125K is a little early for needing a bevel gear or rear hubs. The cat should last at least twice that long and really, the O2 sensors should last about the same. What has happened to this car that led to these ailments or potentially even the false diagnosis? Being an ’01 doesn’t scare me, but a questionable past or maintenance history does.
My parent’s have been very happy with their ’94 960, a car “to be avoided” in these parts. Yes, it’s had its fair share of issues, perhaps more, but it’s also been a great, very comfortable car. I see no reason why an ’01 V70XC should be different.
Why let your mechanic do the T-belt? If you can handle the other stuff then the belt ought to be a piece of cake.
How's your 240 treating you? I've about had it with mine. It's a great car but I think I've finally moved on. All the oh so common issues are nickel and diming me and taking up all my time.
-Will
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854 / 244 / Mini
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Will!
The 240 has moved on. I sold it to a friend of mine about 6 months ago. It runs like a champ, mechanically is actually much better than my 940, but just felt...old.
On the XC70 front, I suspect the car needs a thorough going-over in the vacuum hose department. I need to press for more service records. My indy mechanic says the transmission issues on these cars usually cropped up around 100-120K.
The car definitely has some deferred maintenance, but I think it is priced accordingly. I've looked at a few of those $7995 cars on dealer lots that don't seem much better.
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Jonathan Knauer - 94 945Ti, 215K, and a 91 245 project car with 218K.
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