Neighbor has '99 V70 AWD (turbo I-5) with (probably) a bad valve. Local shop refuses to work on it, best machine shop in 40 miles refused to replace valve if handed the head. So. The machine shop says that that engine is the last year for mechanical valves, 00 and later hydraulic. They have some kind of problem with Volvo shims, or buckets or something.

Was wondering if I could go to pick-n-pull and get a good 00-03 head with hydraulic valves, and just bolt it on. Will all the bolt up stuff bolt up? Head gasket the same? Square vs. round tooth timing belt?

Neighbor fixin' to take the whole thing to pick-n-pull..

Yes, I know I could probably do the same with a '99 mech. head, but why not upgrade when possible?

 

why make things complicated? the newer models introduced variable valve timing so there's a bit more changes involved between model years and I'm not sold the hydraulic valve is an "upgrade". Used heads should be easy enough to find (try car-parts.com to search for yards), even better is you should be able to find a shop that will work on a Volvo head. Not sure where you are located... The shop shouldn't complain about rebuilding a head with mechanical tappets, all they need to do is mark which tappet came from which valve and reuse, then measure up the valve that was replaced to see if its in spec - otherwise they can replace the tappet with another size (they come in .2mm increments or so for about $15/tappet).