All righty...I have a 740 GLE 1986 Volvo (who would have guessed?) station wagon. And if it matters the car is blue...?

Anywho, this is my mothers car. She was told, mmmm, over 7 years ago that the transmission needed repair, and that the rear axle needed ball bearings. Nearly a decade latter, neither get fixed. The transmission is without 4th gear, and we were given an essimate of about $200-$400. 7 years ago she was given an essimate of $270 for the ball bearings, and the now recent essimate is $300-$500.

Last but not least I've notice with the car, when I'm in the passenger seat, I can just feel the front right tire vibrating and shaking, as well as a knocking sound when turning the wheel. And someone looked at it and said that we need the inner ty rods for both front tires. Anddddd the essimate for that was $300-$400.
((Jesus, old Betsy is racking up quite the bill!))

I don't know about everyone else, but to get all of that repair at once is near to impossbile. Just in anyones opinion, which of these 3 repairs should be made 1st??? For safety and the cars sake.

Also, how hard would it be for me to replace the ty rods on my own???

Thanks,
Barb

 

Well, if it's impossible, then what's your point? All the stuff you mentioned needs to be seen to if you're planning on driving the car. Without 4th gear your mileage will suck. Noisy wheel bearings will drive you nuts after awhile (although it could be the differential, which is also not good). Tie rod ends are probably the most compelling problem, safety-wise, and probably the only thing you could fix yourself, in the driveway. This is assuming you have basic tools, jackstands, and some mechanical knowledge. If just replacing the inner tie rod ends cures your problem, consider yourself lucky; sometimes it turns out to be a worn out rack, which is also do-able in the driveway but adds another couple hundred bucks to the expense list.

As to your last question, ("how hard...") that's a tough one for any of us to answer, since we don't know you. Most of the people on this forum would consider inner tie rod ends about a three on the one to ten scale of difficulty, with ten being a bitch of a job, and one being changing a bulb. YMMV.

If you're just looking for cheap transportation cuz you're on a tight budget (and we've all been there) you may be better off just getting another car; this one may not be cost effective. (Another Volvo, of course, but in better shape). Consider investing in a Chiltons or Haynes shop manual and looking through it to see what's involved; it may help you with your decision. Best of luck..



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Well I didn't mean it would be impossible to get everything fixed. I just meant I can't just go drop the car off at the dealer and be like "Eh, oh...I need two inner tie rods, 4th gear, and now a whole rear differential assembly." And pick the car up in a week and pay for everything in cash. I'm not married to Donald Trump...unfortunately. I figured I'd get one thing done on as I can...starting with the most important.

Just found out last week that the whole rear axle differential assembly needs to be replaced. I saw when it was on the lift you could just move and shake the whole...pinion(?) around. 0_o What luck!!! At the junk yard their only $30 but I don't think pulling out a whole rear would be a one person job.

Oddly enough...still driving the car. 2 people said that when the axle finally goes, er...while driving it the car would just stop. So would it just go from 55 mph to 0 in a matter of seconds????
Yesterday the car starting sputtering going up a huge hill. I thought at first it was the rear dying. But it was acting like the way it would when running out of gas. I'm no mechanic, I would assume that the car would lock up, rather than wanting to stall if it was the rear finally dying. This sputtering happened back in Feb. and the car stalled. And I put a bottle of that, ummm, fuel cleaner? (haha, no)...whatever it is that you put in the gas tank. And it ran fine after that.

I have a chiltons book...is the haynes the same or better???

 

Sounds like it's time for the crusher! Unless you intend to do the repairs yourself, the car has been neglected far too long. What you mention are only the "squeaky wheels". There will be quite a bit more as soon as the car is driven regularly. So...unless the car had deep sentimental attachment, cut it loose and move on.

 

Tie rod ends would be most important. Why does the differential need replacing? Does it have oil in it? Is it making noise? Differentials can start making noise with low fluid, but they are durable, and I really can't see one malfunctioning if it has oil in it. If it does fail, you will only loose the ability to go, and the car will coast until you put on the brakes.
As for the thing they were shaking around under the lift was probably the drive shaft. Depends on what kind of play it has. I don't deal with that stuff, so I would not know for sure. The pinion seal they mentioned might be leaking, which may be why they want to replace the whole thing instead of replacing the seal? Is this a Volvo mechanic or a shop?
Injection cleaner (your fuel cleaner) can clean up a poorly acting car, but if you say it acts that way when you are low on gas, it might be your in-tank pump hose that is going bad or improperly fit. Keep that tank full to avoid that. Have you ran it on empty after the injection cleaner? Might have to look into fixing that...
I hear Chiltons is a joke, I have Haynes. It's okay, but most of the procedures are poorly depicted and explained.

 

The crusher??? Haha, OH NO! Actually a few years back, I was dying to send Betsy to the junk yard...but now? No way! It wouldn't matter if 10 grand had to go into this car. This car is part of the family. (LOL)
Taken it to 3 mechanics...First to a guy that mainly works on Mercedes, and he said that the car needed the tie rods, 4th gear, and a whole rear axle. Second to a guy that work pretty much only on Transmissions, who said we needed 4th gear. And third to a guy who said the tie rods weren't too bad, and also said that it needed a rear axle. But, mehhh, it is soooo hard finding a GOOD mechanic. 0_o I think the thing to do is just bite the bullet and take it to the dealer. It will cost $75-150 just to have it looked at. Gah! Called a few days ago...for the tie rods, 4th gear, and a rebuilt rear, I think they said 2,200.
I don't know if there is even gear oil in the rear axle. 0_o (LOL, I know, I know...I'm a horrible person) It barely gose up hill. You have to floor it, then it kicks into what I call "Volvo turbo mode" . One day I was sitting in the back seat (or middle row, whatever) and it sounded like I was in a train, the humming noise from the differincal was SO loud.
I also thought it was the drive shaft...but heh, what do I know. 2 of the mechanics said that the pinion was shot, not leaking.
And I think I will get one of those Haynes books, cause the Chilton that I have doesn't even have anything to replace the tie rods, very odd.

 

Volvo rear axles are notoriously over built. Mated to the stock 114 hp motor, they very seldom fail unless run low on oil. Bad pinion seals, pumpkin seal or even rear axle seals at the wheel ends will cause it to run dry eventually. I've had a stock Volvo rear end behind my 400hp V8 for 4 years now...To swap one yourself is actually quite simple. As for taking it to the dealer? Trust me, the techs do not know much about rwd Volvos. They're all 20-29 years old and know nothing about them. Techs who do know are anywhere from 45-65 years old now. The good ones either run their own shops or are lead mechanics and seldom get dirty.
I always say to get a long list of independent shops and go for a drive. Find a shop that has a dead 240 or 2 out back. If it looks picked over all the better. They know some new parts are scarce.

 

Hmmm, yeah, I read in that Chilton book that the rear axle oil should be checked twice a year. 0_o
So to take one out of the junk yard would be easy???
Two places said that if I BROUGHT them the used rear, they would put it in for $300. Call me crazy, but why wouldn't the mechanic take the used one out and put it in? The engine was replaced on this car, mmmm, 10 years and well, lol, that mechanic didn't ask us to bring him the engine. I would love to do it myself, but...I don't want to, I dunno, break my little self in the process. 0_o
I would rather take it to an independent shop. But, no way...not around here. I live kinda up in the mountains, and most mechanics here work on fords, and Subaru cars. LOL, all of the ones we've been to were like "Ah, go get a Japan car, they're easy to fix". I love Volvos, thank you very much.
Can any Volvo rear go on my 740 GLE???

 

Well since I ask the most silliest questions...I have one more to add. :P

Took the car to yet another garage, not to the dealer yet, and BAM! Something else comes up. The frame is rusted and rotted out, mostly by the left control arm. And 4 out of 5 people told me that it is basically not able to be fixed (welded) and just to sell the car for parts/junk it. *Sad face*

Regardless of a price, can something like that be welded back together? I don't know much, but I personally don't think so. It seems that the side off the car would have to be off, and the engine out...

Any input would help.