2004 PCV and couple general questions

[roninwarrior]

Hey all,

First off, just wanted to say that this forum is a wealth of information and I appreciate everybody making it easier to take care of Volvo’s. It’s great to see.
After a long history of Honda’s and Subaru’s, I’ve decided to delve into the Volvo world. Always loved the look of Volvo wagons so I took the leap and purchased one. (After much research here of course.)

2004 Volvo XC70, 155k miles. History of this car looks fairly good. Here is what the Carfax showed before I purchased:

01/27/2004 - 7,788 - 7,500 mile service performed
08/24/2004 - 16,501 - 15,000 mile service performed
12/05/2006 - 31,022 - 30,000 mile service performed
Oil and filter changed, Maintenance reminder reset ,Wiper(s) replaced, Front brake pads replaced
07/14/2007 - 39,976 Brake fluid flushed/Changed, Air Filter replaced, Oil and filter changed
08/05/2008 – 48,692 Oil and filter changed,
06/05/2009 – 57,888 – Inner tie rod replaced, Oil/filter changed, fluids checked
11/11/2009 – 66,143 – Oil/filter changed, fluids checked
05/01/2010 – 71,459 – Oil/filter changed, light bulb replaced, fluids checked
09/10/2011 – 91,217 – Oil/filter changed
08/01/2012 – 99,884 – Oil/filter changed, front brake pads/rotors replaced
02/15/2013 – 104,436 – Oil/filter changed
05/01/2013 – 106,239 – Engine mount replaced, Timing belt replaced
11/16/2013 – 111,849 – Oil/filter changed, maintenance inspection
10/02/2015 – 122,286 – Oil/filter changed
08/01/2016 – 130,037 – Oil/filter changed, front brake pad/rotors replaced
12/27/2016 – 136,603 – Battery replaced, spark plugs replaced
01/16/2019 – 154,478 – Oil/filter changed

When I purchased this car last week I had it inspected by a great local Volvo place and had the following done per their recommendations:
- Rear cam seals replaced (leaking)
- New drive belt (cracked)

Here are my questions:
1. Gonna replace the PCV system myself with the help of my research. Looks fairly straightforward with the right tools etc
- Looking at this kit, should I just spend the extra money for the kit with the engine coolant hose assembly? (Adds an extra $189)
- If I have to drop the oil pan, is it a huge pain to do that? Could I replace the PCV myself and have my shop drop the pan and clean that part out for a reasonable cost?

2. Trans shifts like a dream. Doubt the fluid has ever been changed.
- Should I still go ahead with the Gibbons flush? Looking at this link it warns that messing with the fluid might make the trans more likely to knock things loose and mess it up. (Safety warning in the PDF instructions for that kit)

3. When should I think about replacing timing belt again. I have no idea if they replaced the tensioner/water pump etc when they did it at 106k miles.

I’m trying to extend the life of this car as much as I can. Anything else I should be looking to check/replace that I’m not thinking about?

[pbierre]

The timing belt change included the idler and tensioner replacement. Water pump is NOT part of that repair.

Look at a sample of tranny fluid. If it's brown, it needs Gibbons flush. When you do it, you need to have the transmission control module (TCM)'s shift counter
reset to zero. You need someone with a VIDA system (Volvo dealer, most indie shops) to reset this software counter. This tranny was declared "no lifetime service"
based on hype from Aisin & Volvo, the theory being that the software adapts the shift points as the fluid ages (based on shift count). Only works up to a point, then fails.

Spark plugs and coils were supposed to be changed at 100K.

Brake fluid about ready to be changed.

AWD fluids service is recommended. You need a small oil pump tool. YouTube video available. This is changing

the gear oil in the angle gear (where propeller shaft "T"s into front axle), Volvo pn 1161648 (oil) , pn 30681138A (filter)
the special AOL Fluid in the Haldex (at rear end of propeller shaft), Volvo pn 31325136 (fluid), 30787687 (filter)
the gear oil in the rear axle differential, Volvo pn 31376941 (oil), pn 30681138 (filter)

[roninwarrior]

Thanks for the reply. I will check out the trans fluid and go from there, just did not want to start mucking with it if I did not have to. (And after seeing that warning with the flush kit.)

Spark plugs/coils should be easy enough to do at the same time as I do the PCV stuff which I will be ordering soon. Should I just go ahead and change the engine coolant assembly or save that $189?

Thanks for those part numbers. I am going to work on getting the AWD fluids done.

I am installing VIDA as we speak and browsing ebay for a decent DICE module.

[FirstVolvo]

Hey all,

...
Here are my questions:
1. Gonna replace the PCV system myself with the help of my research. Looks fairly straightforward with the right tools etc
- Looking at this kit, should I just spend the extra money for the kit with the engine coolant hose assembly? (Adds an extra $189)
- If I have to drop the oil pan, is it a huge pain to do that? Could I replace the PCV myself and have my shop drop the pan and clean that part out for a reasonable cost?
...

I just did the PCV job and also the oil pan drop to replace seals and check PCV passages.

Here are my notes (post #1)

http://www.volvoxc.com/forums/showth...-service/page3

The oil sump job wasn't too bad and went pretty smoothly but the PCV job was more than I expected, primarily because of the difficulty getting the new banjo bolt started. Highly recommend getting a stubby ratcheting 17mm box end wrench. Get the new banjo bolt if you don't have the latest design with check valve. If you don't buy the total PCV hose assembly at least get the banjo bolt fitting with the attached hard vaccum hose since the original hose will likely be brittle and breaks easily. There's link to this part in my post.

The oil leak I had after the PCV job was a cam seal going bad so I also replaced all the cams seals.

[vtl]

Long expensive PCV hose is a must, otherwise your entire PCV job is throw-away. This is a part of the second PCV contour that works when intake is under boost. No way on Earth you can really clean it.

Use Volvo ATF 1161650 if you want same happy transmission. You need two jugs.

[FirstVolvo]

Long expensive PCV hose is a must, otherwise your entire PCV job is throw-away. This is a part of the second PCV contour that works when intake is under boost. No way on Earth you can really clean it.

Use Volvo ATF 1161650 if you want same happy transmission. You need two jugs.

I agree with this advice, it's best to replace the long expensive PCV hose assembly to be certain everything is clear and clean and it also adds future reliability to the car because all the rubber hoses are replaced, which includes the coolant hoses. The larger hose going to the PTC can be check for any blockages with air and even flushed if necessary so I don't agree the PCV job is a throw away if not replaced though. The smaller vacuum hose going to the intake manifold should be replaced just because it's brittle from age and easily breaks but it would be better just to replace the entire hose assembly. With my car I found no PCV hose, openings or passage blockages anywhere after 192K miles although if I did this job again I would have replaced the long expensive hose assembly just for the future reliability of the new hoses.

[howardc64]

Long expensive PCV hose is a must, otherwise your entire PCV job is throw-away. This is a part of the second PCV contour that works when intake is under boost. No way on Earth you can really clean it.

The larger hose going to the PTC can be check for any blockages with air and even flushed if necessary so I don't agree the PCV job is a throw away if not replaced though

On a 180k mile 2000XC I worked on, the aluminum tube air channel in this big expensive L hose looks about 1/4" ID. I kept flushing some carb cleaner through it and it kept on coming out dirty. Channel wasn't blocked but I'm guessing the passage narrowed a bit from ID walls coated with gunk. Later designs looks like larger ID? I think Volvo kept on sizing the boost vent path bigger from 850s to P2s as they learned from the high mileage PCV issues.

BTW, 850 guys replace this hose with 5/8 ID heater tubing. Given this path is a pressure vent under boost and one may consider the embedded coolant heating pipe design over kill for milder climates, I wonder how the 5/8 tubing trick would work on P2s? Just a thought, never tried it on P2s. I did retrofit the 2000XC with the 5/8 ID tubing (made a Y tap for IM vacuum circuit of course), didn't run any different afterwards haha. Although I didn't observe the car for long term effect.

[vtl]

BTW, 850 guys replace this hose with 5/8 ID heater tubing. Given this path is a pressure vent under boost and one may consider the embedded coolant heating pipe design over kill for milder climates.

The coolant cools the tube, so the oil film inside the tube is not turning into carbon deposits.

[howardc64]

The coolant cools the tube, so the oil film inside the tube is not turning into carbon deposits.

Interesting, just contrasting the the boost pressure vent design with a couple of Audi Turbo engines I've been working. Audi runs the whole PCV system in the head (filter out oil, route pressure to IM vac or pre-turbo air vent) with an integrated plastic assembly (has its own failure modes haha) This placement results in a boost vent design with a short (~8") fat (~3/4"+ ID) and relatively straight metal tube without any coolant circulation around it. No clog issues in this design at high mileage. I guess Volvo's challenge is long narrow pipe (probably runs about 3 feet?) that takes a 90 degree turn for this vent path. The hoses around PCV have no coolant jacket but their ID are much bigger.

[NTXC]

I just did a Gibbons flush last week but my VIDA wasn’t working and couldn’t be bothered to troubleshoot it at the time. I didn’t do a TCM at the time but everything is running great.

Does anyone have a link of how to do this in VIDA once I have mine running again?