Folks, this is getting heart breaking seeing the ol' Volvo deterorate with lack of a true mechanic's touch but I've done everything on this mostly reliable beast in last year due to avoiding overcharging local mechanics and out of necessity.
I did the water pump myself, changed the selfdestructing Alternater, and pulled hairs over the simple, but expensive Air Meter Fiasco. And the car's been great on the other hand. Good compression, only minimal oil use and rust is mostly under control... but this time something major is needed..

It is still my daily driver but not for long if I don't get the things fixed. Oil is coating the front of the engine and everyday the performance is affected. It's needed a new timing belt for a long time and a local mechanic did check under the car and he is too busy but said I definitly need new seals in front of engine too and he thinks that's bad for timing belt... when I change the belt..(he is only 'affordable' only on weekends and he's not interested in my ol' beast and the dealership he works at charges way too much..)


hey, I paid 500 hundred for this car and put in over 1500 for new brakes and assorted other stuff in two years but I see newer inspected Volvos going for less than a thousand and they Run and have less rust. I really don't want to part with my DIY mostly project and daily driver... but I don't know if I'm up for the major seal repairs, timing belt etc needed to get this car running reliably and inspected (parking brake no longer works too...). 190K. and with significant but not too-hard-on-the-eyes rust... (just floor and rockers and rear hatch all patched...) I could maybe get 4 or 5 hundred If it was inspected and cleaned up.. but I've let the sticker lapse for avoidance of more bills and risking our state's hundred dollar fine...(which is less than what'll cost to fix parking brake if mechanic does it...) So this is an Scofflaw car on it's last legs UNLESS heroic treatment comes along. .. and I'm the only one likely to save the beast.

First ? Why do the mechanic's want to charge so much for what seems for them a simple timing belt change...? one said a 6 hour maybe job another said 3 or 4 hours and a Volvo specialist said maybe 2 (but they then need to tackle the front seals....on top of that) and whatelse...? I could see a 6 to thousand dollar bill coming my way if I allow them to fix everything. And I can buy a just inspected Volvo of newer vintage for less... but with UNKNOWN problems that could come with another car. I know most of the one's mine has>>

Second ? If I can change my waterpump... which wasn't that easy due to the fit with a prystick required... with some cussing on my part... Can I change my timing belt for a little more time and money with waterpump skills? But more important can I change the seals on my own? And what if the cam seal is the culprit and cam needs fixing... ah oh. and oh brother, and etc. etc...

I guess their are just too many problems. Heroic treatment maybe necessary...but then again all in all none of the problems seem too serious in themselves but soo many? (not even talking about overdrive never working, continue hard clutching at start... perhaps due to rear seal leaking too (it does drip out of clutch area), no AC etc... and new tires on top of it coming sooon///)

The other thing, everybody likes my car even if it's messy inside. My dog loves it.....

okay, this is more of a whine than anything else. I'll get on with cleaning up the oil, checking plugs etc.. but have to go work on Sunday for a few hours and the part's stores aren't going to have everything tomorrow anyway.. even if I was so ambitious to tear into the timing belt and seal job. Do others do this job in one day of amatuer mechanic time>? But I have my doubt's it'll make it through the week with the engine seeming to stall more and more with more oil leaking. Cam's affected perhaps with wet timing belt perhaps? plugs getting clogged... or is it a headgasket??? Just enough to think about .. another car? gulp.