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I'm considering a '94 940 turbo wagon that reportedly "needs a headgasket and heater core". 175K miles, cloth interior (unfortunatley), $800. I have asked for more info on the specifics and how the diagnosis was made. I hope to go take a look if I get reasonable and believable answers.
I did the headgasket on my '83 245 NA about 40K ago, and also replaced the heater blower. I'm not afraid of the work as much as I am afraid of the unknowns: head turning out to be warped beyond machining, scored pistons from a bad overheat/seize, unknown turbo problems, etc...
I've had the '83 245 for 10 happy years, but feel the pull of more comfort/quiet and a few more safety features. I figure I'll end up with a 94 turbo wagon eventually. The question is whether or not this is the one.
thanks
Joe
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Thanks for all of the comments.
I was planning to come back with more info and/or questions after taking a look, but it was sold before I could get over to see it.
I did talk to the shop that diagnosed the headgasket and heater core but they weren't much help. He said "we must have found coolant in the oil, or maybe leaking out the side, or..."
I am surprised at the $1200 figure suggested here for head reconditioning. I paid about $300 to have my b23f head surfaced and checked. I don't remember what that included but I know there were no valves replaced and no grinding.
Guess I'll have to keep looking for a good deal.
joe
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Chew him down under $500. Too many variables, it is a crap-shoot. That said, 940's are tough and you may end up with deal. At best, you can do the work yourself, not find any other problems (not an unlikely scenario), and get away for under $600 if you have the head freshened and milled. New valves will raise the cost. Don't let them grind the EX valves, you will lose the Stellite facing. If they need to be ground, buy new ones.
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Bob K
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Beware here, when a turbo loses water very bad things happen. I lost the water in my turbo and before I realize what had happened the engine was running rough due to a stuck exhaust valve. Shut the engine down and took off the head and found a melted piston in No1 cylinder. Head gasket never blew, just lost the water due to a failure of the coolant reservoir.
91 940SE sedan and wagon
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That's a fair price for that situation if it's solid? I'd buy it.
"Park"
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Even if that is all there is, which I doubt, you are looking at $500 in parts. For another $200, you should be able to find another T that has not over heated. Besides, I wonder what the turbo looks like?
Klaus
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(V♂LV♂s 1975 164, 1995 854T, 1998 V70R)
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It sounds like a $50.00 car to me. I just came by a 16 valve in near identical condition. I offered the guy $100.00 because the car was otherwise emmaculate, he countered with $500.00 labor (I own a Volvo repair shop), we agreed on $250.00 labor only on any Volvo he brought through the door. If it wasn't labor only I would not have made the deal and truthfully I think he still got the better end of it. I realize that you may be able to do a large part if not all of the work on the vehicle yourself but I have to ask you, what exactly does that have to do with the price or the worth of that car? The answer is, absolutely nothing. Have you ever done a heater core on a 700 series car, not fun at all, in fact they are a pain in the rear to say the least. A valve job done right on that car could run as much as $1200.00 in a shop and as you pointed out, what do you do when you pull the head to find that the pistons are melted or you put it all back together and it has a bottom end knock? These are all things I have seen and experienced myself, not internet rumor. All of your concerns are very viable and aside from a thorough inspection (and that only goes so far too) the only thing that you can do is get the car for as cheap as you can, $800.00 in my area for the car you described is a pipe dream at best.
Mark
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Man I dunno who's doing $1200 valve jobs for ya but I want a piece of that action.... that's $150 a valve! Hope they're gold plating them at the least...
With any luck, and it would have to be looked at in detail, it's not a heater core but the much more common heater control valve that failed on the 945T... which would DEFINITELY lead to dumping coolant, overheating, and then a head gasket failure.
Personally I've seen dozens of heater control valves, quite a few blown head gaskets, and zero heater cores on 7/9 series cars, not to say they do not occur...
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Rob Bareiss, New London CT ::: Roterande Fläkt Och Drivremmar!
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$1200 is cheap. Around here they get more like $1500 and even then they don't do the job right.
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-------Robert, '93 940t, '90 240 wagon, '84 240 diesel (she's sick) , '80 245 diesel, '86 740 GLE turbo diesel, '92 Ford F350 diesel dually
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