Volvo question - before I go rolling around on the garage floor...

"Carl (@stuffcarlsays)" (carllevine)
12/06/2014 at 23:16 • Filed to: None

So as it turns out, upon closer inspection the driveshaft to the rear wheels on my recently acquired '98 Volvo V70 XC is long gone. There is a distinct roaring sound coming from the front of the car, dead nuts in the middle of the engine bay. Both wheel bearings are in good shape. Haven't checked the oil in the angle gear case, but my hunch is that either that's toast, or the support bearing on the passenger side axle shaft is worn. There is no leak coming from the angle gear assembly, but I would think that in the absence of lubrication that the car wouldn't move nearly as well as it does. The sound really gets pronounced north of 15-20mph.

Insights?

DISCUSSION (20)

m-b-w loves his SUBAROO > Carl (@stuffcarlsays)
12/06/2014 at 23:21

The Oppo Volvo P80 curse strikes again.

Carl (@stuffcarlsays) > m-b-w loves his SUBAROO
12/06/2014 at 23:24

Ah, the sacrifices I make to drop the debt-to-income ratio ;) Still happier in a $700 Volvo than a Mini I was making payments on and hating. I'll take the P80 curse any day over soul-crushing depreciation.

m-b-w loves his SUBAROO > Carl (@stuffcarlsays)
12/06/2014 at 23:25

Wow, $700 seems like a decent deal. I'm selling my 850 tomorrow for about $500 to a scrapper.

Carl (@stuffcarlsays) > m-b-w loves his SUBAROO
12/06/2014 at 23:26

Good to know that end of the market is still being generous ;-) That may come in handy come spring, who knows. I told my wife I'd drive this thing into the ground while she gets a shiny new lease every 3 years.

m-b-w loves his SUBAROO > Carl (@stuffcarlsays)
12/06/2014 at 23:31

I'm just happy to be getting enough for a shiny new PS4. Considering that I got the 850 for basically nothing, and put about $600 into it, I think I'm coming out pretty good. It was tons of fun while it lasted, and was a great car at the mud pit.

gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee > Carl (@stuffcarlsays)
12/06/2014 at 23:32

I don't know how the Volvo's AWD setup works, but if it's an open center differential, you wouldn't get movement without the rear driveshaft, so I'm assuming it's a limited slip of some kind... and it'll be doing a LOT of slip limiting with no driveshaft. I also don't know much about the setup of the rear driveshaft, but on my Jeep, pulling the driveshaft would release some of the transfer case lubricant.
Either way, running around with no rear driveshaft probably isn't doing anything any favours.

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > m-b-w loves his SUBAROO
12/07/2014 at 00:16

I got a low cash offer on the R today.. May just take it to get rid of the damn thing. I hate it so much

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > Carl (@stuffcarlsays)
12/07/2014 at 00:17

Fuck P80 Volvos!

(Angry depressed 2000 V70R owner here)

I hate mine with such a passion. You can have it for parts for $2200. Perfect R interior and AWD still working! Make a V70 XCR!

Redbulldidlo > Carl (@stuffcarlsays)
12/07/2014 at 00:25

Driveshaft long gone as in legitimately not there, or not doing anything? There's a sleeve that hooks up in there that actually makes the driveshaft move, it's a part that's made to fail instead of having different, more expensive ones go.

m-b-w loves his SUBAROO > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!
12/07/2014 at 00:29

How much?

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > m-b-w loves his SUBAROO
12/07/2014 at 00:33

$1800.

$2000 was going to be my bottom dollar though because that's what I borrowed to get the car in the first place. $1800 Leaves me with about $500 loss not including gas, insurance, or two nearly $350 in parts...

Here's the bad thing.. Its worth more to the insurance company. They would give me like $4000 if something happened to it....

I just feel like shit because of this and personal issues. I've thrown up twice tonight from it and my head is splitting. Fuck me... I'm so miserable

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee
12/07/2014 at 00:46

I'm not fully sure how Volvos work because Im not that mechanically knowledgeable but I was talking with one of the local Volvo indie shops and he said that tons of people run their AWD Volvos as FWD since these driveshafts break all the damn time. It does no real harm and improves gas mileage!

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > Carl (@stuffcarlsays)
12/07/2014 at 00:47

Just think of all the MPGs you're gaining being only FWD!

gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!
12/07/2014 at 01:02

That's... interesting. I suppose it could be the type of AWD system where the rear only gets power when front slip is detected. I have trouble believing there'd be a noticeable improvement in mpg simply not spinning the driveshaft. My Jeep originally came with a disconnect in the front axle to prevent it from spinning the front driveshaft in 2wd. This was done to improve mpg, but it's a problematic unit that prevents your front axle from being driven in 4x4 when it fails, so most people lock them permanently, and don't notice an mpg hit. I didn't notice the hit either.

Dusty Ventures > Carl (@stuffcarlsays)
12/07/2014 at 08:55

Kinja'd!!!

He might want to go have his back/neck looked at

44444444444 > Carl (@stuffcarlsays)
12/07/2014 at 09:58

It's the angle gear. Go to Colorado Driveshaft and buy a new one for $450... P80 AWD actually works acceptably.

44444444444 > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!
12/07/2014 at 09:59

P80 Volvos are great!

44444444444 > gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee
12/07/2014 at 10:01

The P80 cars have a viscous coupling in the rear diff that detects wheel spin and 'tightens' (not the right word but whatever, there's plates in the diff in a non newtonian fluid that becomes hard when there's a difference in rotation)

44444444444 > Carl (@stuffcarlsays)
12/07/2014 at 10:01

You'll get 24.4 mpg without the driveshaft!

m-b-w loves his SUBAROO > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!
12/07/2014 at 10:55

I'm really sorry. If that is the best offer you can get, I'd take it and run before something else breaks. About 10 years from now you'll probably look back at this and laugh at your teenaged self. If you want it totaled, just go out driving any time this month near a shopping center. I've had 3 near misses since yesterday morning. It sounds like you have a bunch of stuff going on. If you want someone to talk to, you can either hit me up on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mwebb97 , or email me at mwebb97@me.com.