Hi,

I picked up a 2006 XC70 a few weeks ago with 145K miles. It checks out fantastic except for one item. My mechanic checked the AWD at my request and said it is not working. According to him, the drive shaft to the center differential does not even spin.

His solution was a rebuilt Angle Gear from Volvo for $2,000 plus $1,000 labor to install. Whew! My frustration with mechanics today is they simply replace parts, they don't diagnose the problem and fix.

What are my options to fix? I'd be willing to spend $1,500 but, not $3,000.

I did some searching on here with a few take aways:

• A large percentage of AWD on these XC70's has failed and the owners don't even know it
• More often than not, the failure is the splined sleeve in the angle gear connecting to the drive shaft strips and can no longer engage the drive shaft - not a failure of the angle gear itself
• The sleeve is a $185 part vs. a $2,000 rebuilt angle gear https://www.ipdusa.com/products/1191...it-aw50-51-awd
• Can I test or confirm that my issue is the splined sleeve and not the angle gear itself without removing the angle gear from the car?
• Last, can the splined sleeve be replaced with the angle gear still on the car, or does the angle gear have to come off?

Sorry for lots of questions but, I really appreciate any help or info you can provide.


Thanks


Bob

 

How much did he charge you to diagnose this? To check the sleeve, you have to remove the angle gear. Removal and reinstallation pays 3.5 hours I believe, well beyond the standard 1 hour diagnosis. Sounds like he doesn't have much Volvo experience since he is guessing the whole angle gear. And overcharging the labor ($1000 install for a 3.5 hour job? What's his labor rate?)

You are correct though, it is most commonly the sleeve. I have seen one where I went to replace the sleeve and the spines on the angle gear were also flattened so the angle gear needed replacement. The customer elected to install a used one at that point.

 

Thanks ES6T

No specific diagnosis. Immediately after purchasing the car I dropped it off for oil change, brake fluid flush and complete inspection. I also asked him to verify the AWD was functioning. He came back stating the AWD was not functioning and the driveshaft to the rear was not spinning. Thus, recommended remedy was to replace Angle Gear with a rebuilt unit from Volvo - for $3,000 as above.

He is a highly trusted Indie shop specializing in Audis, BMWs, Porsches, MB and Volvo. But, my trust is waning. Charges $123/hour.

My feeling is to go back and have him inspect the AG in place for the following:
-leaks or if the AG is dry inside?
-is it noisy or binding?
-is there excessive backlash or play?
If the answers are No, No and No, then I would be 99% certain it is a stripped collar sleeve. In such case, I'll tell him to pull the AG and have an AG Collar Sleeve Service Kit on-hand ready to go. I let him know he should be able to turn the job around in 4.5-5.0 hours.

Curious, why do these collar sleeves fail in the first place? Are the new sleeves upgraded/ improved? If not, what can I do to keep this from happening again?

Thanks

Bob