C70 Prepurchase Questions

Howdy,

I've got an 87 740 GLE 175k miles. I am looking at getting a 98/99 C70 coupe as an upgrade. Considering that most of these should have some mileage by now, I'd like to get a few questions answered to tighten up my shopping list.

What is the timing chain replacement interval for this car?

Does the engine have to be pulled to replace it?

If you've owned one, what were your experienced maintenance issues/costs?

Anybody swinging their own wrenches on these things? The engine compartment looks like a real knuckle-buster. Is that the case?

Were there 2 turbo options these years, (high pressure and low pressure) or just one?

I want the 5 speed box. Doesn't look like there is many out there. Can anybody comment on the manual transmission in regards to responsiveness and gearing?

Kudos to this group BTW. I had the oil light flicker problem the other day. This groups old posts allowed me to troubleshoot and replace the old frayed wiring for nearly nothing.

Thanks!

-Matt

Reply to
psyshrike
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Its different for 1998 and 1999. For 1998, the timing belt and tensioner have to be replaced every 70,000 miles. For 1999, every

105,000 miles.

Not to my understanding.

For 1998 the C70 coupe was offered with the HPT, and the convertible with the LPT. For 1999, the coupe was offered in HPT and LPT models, and the convertible in just LPT.

Beverly

Reply to
Bev A. Kupf

The timing belt interval is 70000 miles or 6-7 years, I think.

No you can DIY it in your driveway -

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My 98 C70 T5M has been very good to own, no repairs other than maintenance - hoses, plugs, etc. The 5 cyl like new plugs every 30000 miles or so, but thats easy to do as well. I had the rear side windows replaced under recall for water leakage - seems to be good after many car washes since. I try to apply rubber treatment to the weatherstrip too.

The engine bay is tight, but seems like a NYC apartment after looking at the new V70R. I would replace the serpentine belt and the water pump while doing the timing belt, and also the tensioner, if it looks iffy. Might as well take care of all that stuff while you're there and be set for another

70k miles.

I have the high pressure turbo and the 5 speed. I think the manual allows the HPT to be fun to drive, where the auto sucks power away, shifting before the boost/rpms build up. The car has enough grunt to do top gear passing, when its in its happy space (2500-3200 rpm) Mileage is good on highway, I've seen 27-28 and 21 in the city. I use premium or at least midgrade fuel and synth oil. I put a K&N filter in as well. I think its also good to let the engine idle a bit before shutting down to cycle oil thru the turbo, if you've been running hard. Just a little while, since the turbo gets hot and the oil pulls away a lot of heat.

I also bought the undercarriage guard to protect the cast aluminum oil pan. The car is low, and some driveways are steep. Also, hitting a rock at speed could ruin your day.

Jeff

Reply to
Jeff Lesperance

Thanks for the great information.

I've seen alarm systems with delayed engine shutdown after key release for precisely the turbo cooling issue you've mentioned.

How is the turning radius for this car? Do you find it tight enough for city driving? How about body roll? I expect she stays planted pretty well, but haven't got a chance to drive one yet.

Are the LPT and HPT basically just a different boost map for the waste gate? Or are there mechanical differences?

I am more interested in longevity and touring comfort than raw performance. But it would be cool to be able to reprogram up to the HPT boost map when you get the urge to "get all up on this thing".

-Thanks in advance

-Matt

-SNIP-

-SNIP-

Reply to
psyshrike

I have a 98 V70 T5 (bought new), and a 98 S70 T5 (bought used), so you can see how I feel about the 98s. They're the same car underneath as the C70. Note that in 99 the fuel injection is completely different, the throttle cable goes away, replaced by a very unreliable electronic throttle.

They're harder to work on than a 740, but not impossible. I've had no major issues with either car. However dealer service can be a problem, so if you don't have a good independent (or do things yourself) I would suggest you not buy one unless you have that rare, good dealer locally.

The LPT engine is only available in North America with the auto trans, any manual you find will be HPT. The LPT engine has higher compression ratio, bigger pistons (thinner cylinder walls) and a different (smaller) turbo.

I found the manual transmission quite disappointing - in fact I preferred the automatic and the V70 was my first ever automatic car.

The turning circle is quite good compared to other, similar cars, but not anywhere near as good as your old 740.

Reply to
Mike F

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