Crazy but logical- XC90 purchase

[NMB]

Hi everybody,

It’s been sometime since I posted, but on Friday I purchased a 2010 Volvo XC 90 D5 active with 185k miles. It cost me a grand and it had no MOT but I have been looking out for a cheap fixer up motor and this just ticked all the boxes.

Inside is very clean as is the bodywork.

So I bought it blind and it arrived on Saturday.

Because it was a non-runner when I bought it, I expected that the serpentine belt would’ve failed, causing the cam belt to jump off and destroy the engine. However, on inspection, there was no obvious issues with the engine so I put in 2 gallons of fresh diesel, charged the battery and I started the car up yesterday and it runs absolutely fine. Im really chuffed as I don’t need to rebuild the engine (win!!) but although the engine is a little bit Tappity, all in all the engine sounds really good.

However, there is a nasty and significant oil leak from the back of the engine. I have the car up on the ramps and the oil leak appears to comes in above the bevel gearbox. So I have just sprayed lots of brake cleaner in the hope that I can clean up the area to work out where the leak is coming from. I have checked the crankshaft seal and it looks dry. So I’m thinking that with better light, I can look further and maybe find the issue.

I’m wondering whether it could be a turbo return pipe (I know this is going to be an absolute pain!)

Of course there needs to be more investigation, but I just wondered whether there was an obvious go to part of the engine to chase down this oil lea?

Amazingly, from the short trip up and down the road, I took, other than a few unusual noises from the front suspension. The car drove really well and the gearbox appears good.

There are also no fault codes at all on the display. I’ll see what VIDA said but it’s all looking very positive.

There are plenty of other jobs to do on the car as there is a grinding noise coming from the front driver-side, which I think is probably a driveshaft or perhaps the front strut as I think the spring is damaged as the car is slightly lower on the driver-side front. Again, this needs further investigation

With a rear silencer and a full inspection all around the car. I think it should be a good runner – depending on how significant and difficult this oil leak will be to track down and sort.

Any comments would be most welcome.

Thank you so much.

Nigel.

[Moomoo]

Good luck with it bud!👍😀

[Constantinos]

Originally Posted by NMB

Hi everybody,

It’s been sometime since I posted, but on Friday I purchased a 2010 Volvo XC 90 D5 active with 185k miles. It cost me a grand and it had no MOT but I have been looking out for a cheap fixer up motor and this just ticked all the boxes.

Inside is very clean as is the bodywork.

So I bought it blind and it arrived on Saturday.

Because it was a non-runner when I bought it, I expected that the serpentine belt would’ve failed, causing the cam belt to jump off and destroy the engine. However, on inspection, there was no obvious issues with the engine so I put in 2 gallons of fresh diesel, charged the battery and I started the car up yesterday and it runs absolutely fine. Im really chuffed as I don’t need to rebuild the engine (win!!) but although the engine is a little bit Tappity, all in all the engine sounds really good.

However, there is a nasty and significant oil leak from the back of the engine. I have the car up on the ramps and the oil leak appears to comes in above the bevel gearbox. So I have just sprayed lots of brake cleaner in the hope that I can clean up the area to work out where the leak is coming from. I have checked the crankshaft seal and it looks dry. So I’m thinking that with better light, I can look further and maybe find the issue.

I’m wondering whether it could be a turbo return pipe (I know this is going to be an absolute pain!)

Of course there needs to be more investigation, but I just wondered whether there was an obvious go to part of the engine to chase down this oil lea?

Amazingly, from the short trip up and down the road, I took, other than a few unusual noises from the front suspension. The car drove really well and the gearbox appears good.

There are also no fault codes at all on the display. I’ll see what VIDA said but it’s all looking very positive.

There are plenty of other jobs to do on the car as there is a grinding noise coming from the front driver-side, which I think is probably a driveshaft or perhaps the front strut as I think the spring is damaged as the car is slightly lower on the driver-side front. Again, this needs further investigation

With a rear silencer and a full inspection all around the car. I think it should be a good runner – depending on how significant and difficult this oil leak will be to track down and sort.

Any comments would be most welcome.

Thank you so much.

Nigel.

Have you checked the vacuum pump for the leak.
If it is the vacuum pump seals, then there is probably oil on the top of the gearbox as well

[SnineT]

A rio isn't a lot for a car so even if you spend another on it you'll still have something nice to royal wave out of.

Check the rocker cover for the oil leak.

[Harley Dave]

I had to think about that for a bit - rio?? - Rio Grande

Cheers

Dave

[Tannaton]

I love projects like that, cars where you can add value, just bought a C70 sight unseen (except a few pics). Sounds like it wont cost too much to sort, assuming you have plenty of time….

[NMB]

Originally Posted by Tannaton

I love projects like that, cars where you can add value, just bought a C70 sight unseen (except a few pics). Sounds like it wont cost too much to sort, assuming you have plenty of time….

I love saving a car that would have been scrapped otherwise. These are good cars and with some TLC they can be brilliant if looked after.

My expected / budgeted spend on this so far is going to be:

£125 - Service Items (including new oil filters etc)
£300 - Volvo Parts (Misc items required to repair/replace bits from breakers)
£100 - Leather bolster repair (Car seat trimmer)
£100 - Battery
£50 - MOT

Bugeted Spend = £675 + purchase @ £1,000 = £1,675

Optional ones at a later stage once the car is running are:

£140 - Cam Belt -(No record when done - belts look good though)
£90 - Swirlflap kit - (need to see if this is required once the poil leak is fixed)

So If I can get this done under budget and have this MOT'ed and running for then i'll be a very happy bean!!! Even if I have a £800 unexpected spend it still will be worth top spend as with an MOT and as clean as the car is its go-t to be wortth £3,000 as a minimum.

Finders crossed that it plays out as I hope.

Will feed back my findings once I sort the oil leak.

[Tannaton]

Originally Posted by NMB

I love saving a car that would have been scrapped otherwise. These are good cars and with some TLC they can be brilliant if looked after.

Me too... but there lies my problem... habit... addiction... etc.

Just bought a 2003 C70 project, needs a power steering pump and found a chap breaking one locally, it's a used car lot and he's got about a dozen "breakers" in his back yard. Stepping over some junk to get to the C70 at the back - there's this complete, dark blue, 2004 XJR... dare I ask him???