My friend has a 98 S70 GLT. His mom has a 98 S70 with no trim designation on the rear right under the tail light. Okay, so I know it's a 1998 model because of the three tranny modes (S,E,W as opposed to just W), and with no trim level designation had assumed it was a model without a turbo. His family also said it had no turbo. Well, he let me drive it today and I could've swore that I heard a turbo. I didn't drive it hard because it wasn't my car, but I definitely heard a the turbo whirrrrr (insert better sound here). I took a look under the hood, and sure enough, there's that big ol' pipe leading to the back of the engine bay from the rear of the engine. (I have a 96 850 that lacks a turbo, so I've never seen one in a volvo). There was what looked to be a metal sheet covering what I thought to be the volvo. Is there any explanation for this? Am I missing something? It's been racking my brain all night. I'm sitting here, thinking I know everything in the world about this model (my personal favorite) and this slaps me in the face. Can someone post a pic of the S70 turbo to see if that's what I saw? Thanks!

 

Yeah I will tomorrow. I have a 1999 model s70.

This what you saw?

 

That's it! The curved metal thing that under the two copper colored pipes in the second picture is what I saw. It had a few holes in the top though. I actually just sent you a PM not knowing you put the second pic up. So I guess it was a turbo. It still baffles me. I guess the rear badge got ripped off at some point. I wish Volvo had kept the boost gauge in between the fuel and oil temp gauges that were in the 850s. Oh well. Thanks a lot S70driver!

 

No problem

Mine is a turbo and the second picture I posted is my engine bay.

 

The 98 GLT is the Low Pressure Turbo which produces 198 HP.

 

Yeah, that what the friend in question has. I've known it was a turbo, it's just his mom's S70 didn't have a trim designation, so I assumed everyone thought it was a base model without a turbo. But it definitely has a turbo, so the only conclusion I thought of was that the trim badge got knocked off at some point.

 

Well that doesn't make the mom's s70 a GLT it could be a T5.

 

Could be. That would be a nice surprise

I'll have to weedle my way to the keys again. Maybe I can go on a serial number quest...

 

You can tell by the VIN #.

Also if your able to see the tag on the actual turbo you can tell if it is LPT (GLT) or HPT (T5).

 

Will I have to remove the heat shield to see the LPT/HPT label?

 

Sorry I should have explained more. It wont say LPT or HPT. It will say 13g which is the LPT turbo and I believe 15g or 16T forget which turbo it is, but either one is the HPT turbo.

Yes you have to remove the heatshield.

 

Oh... it will be checked...

 

or u can save ur self the time and just looka the engine # if its a turbo it will end with T. The engine # should be somthing like B####24T. I dont know the exact # but it will end with 24T = 2.4L Turbo(if its 98 GLT, if its the T5 it will end with 23T). The tag can be located in the engine on the underside of the hood, or if you see another spot.

 

Oh haha. That does seem easier. I'm going over there tonight so I'll be sure to check. Thanks!

 

Well, I wasn't able to find the engine number in my limited time under the hood (I imagine it's awkward having your friend poking around your mom's car), but using my crazy awesome powers of deduction I've come to the conclusion it's a GLT. Using the clues at hand (three tranny mode selectors, visible turbo, no trim badge, and a non-leather steering wheel), I've decided it's a 1998 GLT.

Okay, so it wasn't that big of a mystery but kept me busy. Thanks for all your help guys!

 

A) the mode selectors are on all the 98 s70's
B) no trim badge, would mean that it would had to have fallen off, which is unlikely.
C) non leather steering wheel, not sure on this one, but I dont think the standard s70's came with them either.

Try and take a picture of the engine

 

I don't have any trim badge and it means that I debadged my car. Someone could have debadged that car.

 

well i guess thats possible, but if they had debadged it then wouldnt they have know it was a GLT? Even if they bought it from someone who ahd done it, I am sure it would have come up.