My trusty '82 265 reckons its time is nearly up, with 450,000km behind it, so I looked at a '97 V70 today which seemed incredibly cheap at A$7000 (=US$4500?). Its done 280,000km, exactly what my Brick had done when I got it 10yrs ago, so there's some nostalgia creeping in here. The car is brilliant except for the auto transmission, which seems to shift a lot when just pottering along, and about 3 times in the 45mins test drive there was a thump like we drove over a snake, each time when just rolling at about 40-50km/h. Under power it shifts fine. The dealer's mechanic said he suspected the clutch. At this price, I'm game to take a gamble that a tranny flush or new CVs might do it, or worst case, get a boneyard gearbox like I did for the Brick, for another $2000. Q: Am I kidding myself that this is a bargain? All other V70s hereabouts (Tasmania) are 3 times the price (but with half the kms.) The other option is keep looking for an 850 but the only one I've driven so far didn't feel different enough to my 265 to motivate me.

Thanks in advance.

two bricks are better than one.

 

Were you hitting a bump when you heard the clunk?

I would have it inspected by someone that knows Volvo's. Someone different than the guys mechanic.

Most places will charge 1 hour to inspect the car good.

 

No, it was smooth road, and fealt the same the three times. More of a slight shunting feeling than a sound, as if the transmission was seizing for the briefest of moments then releasing.

I know the trannies are the archilles heels of these babies, but just wondering if these symptons might also be something else. CVs? - no sound on turning. Suspension bushes? - not related to road surface. Which leaves diff, tranny, or engine mounts. Perhaps the tranny electronic controller not sure what to do when coasting?

I found a thread saying extra tranny oil coolers are what these cars need. So why don't IPD stock em? I'd want to add a trailer hitch anyway.....

 

I don't think they started making the V70 until 98. In 97 it was still the 850 Wagon. So it's either a 97 850 or it's newer than 97. Am I wrong here?

 

Europe and Canada I believe started the V70 in 1997. I was shocked when I heard it as well but it is true.

Just like I was supprised to find out the S40 came out in like 1995 or 1996 or something like that. It didn't come here to 2000.

 

The car was built and bought in 1997, but the handbook says 1998. Its a 20valve V70 no doubts about it.

Getting back to the original thread - I drove it around some more today. No more big clunks but plenty of times it got real confused about whether to downshift, or maybe those revs were just the clutch letting go. I think the clunks are if it decides to drop the clutch with the revs raised a bit. The ATF was fairly clear, ie pink not brown so I decided What the Heck and took it home after haggling the owner down to $5700 (remember those are only $Aust=70c US). I'm hoping its just the PNP switch, but at this price I can afford to swap in a reconditioned tranny if I have to. Anyone care to lay a bet? There must be someone who wants to be as stupid as me.

The tranny arrow warning light started to blink as soon as I paid my money. Then the engine lambda light came on, which I assume is the dodgy Oxy sensor the mechanic reported.

The shifting is so erratic we went out tonight in the 265 rather than our lovely new car. Wife not overly impressed so far ......

 

Is it a manual gear box or an Auto?

 

Its an auto.

 

Get the codes pulled And maybe a trans fluid flush and then take it from there.

 

OK I've had the codes pulled and its pointing to the gearbox speed sensor. On a scope its spiking occasionally, which I can imagine would confuse the computer and cause downshifting. Seem sensible to you? A new sensor is $170 which is better than a new box but more than I want to throw away.

We also did an experiment of taking out the transmission computer (which has "blue wagon" ie not my car, written on it!. I've now heard that the previous owner got sick of trying to fix this problem). It stayed in 3rd without any erratic revving, indicating, to the proponent of that test, that the tranny is good. The tranny shop says my 1st and 2nd gear clutches could still be shot even if 3rd was OK.

Crossing fingers its the speed sensor. It looks like the PNP switch has already been investigated, from all the scratches.

 

Sounds liek you migth have it figured out.

Let us know how it goes.

 

ITS FIXED yippee. There was a couple of bad wires in the loom between the box and the computer. This was causing the computer to keep changing its mind about what gear to select. The clunks were due to inappropriate gear changes. The tranny works really well now. I flushed it out for good measure and put in a oil cooler for good measure. The spiky speed sensor was tripping the warning lights but not doing any real harm, it seems.

 

CONGRATS!!