I make fun of it but I do actually like square cars.
Here are a couple of 850Rs with the nicer wheel/tire package:
Given the choice between square and round like this:
I'll take square! (Check out that rear window, it's almost a circle.)
I make fun of it but I do actually like square cars.
Here are a couple of 850Rs with the nicer wheel/tire package:
Given the choice between square and round like this:
I'll take square! (Check out that rear window, it's almost a circle.)
ken,
GREAT deal and find! i'm going ot let you buy my next used car and i'll kick a commission down for ya
i was always envious of my classmates back in the days who had volvo turbos. always liked them. i dont know if it will be the same as my biodiesel mercedes, but replacing every single vac tube seemed to help. if they are secured by hose clamps, make sure they are clamped down. Also, if you see any T-junctions that are made with plastic, replace them. often times they're broken and cause weird vac problems. I liked that mercedes used plastic tubing inserted into common rubber hose pieces that you secured w/ hose clamps. Was a pain to fit, but you only do it once and you know its leak proof.
try leatherique for the leather seats. the shizzle really works.
This car has that style vacuum lines as well. It seems much more durable than straight rubber, not to mention they can be routed inside wiring looms because they are a fraction of the size.
Thanks for the tips, I will inspect the lines when I do the pcv and egr cleaning.
The car is quite fun to drive even though its an auto.
Volvos are hardy cars! Not only are they really good at protecting passengers in an accident, but they're really good at getting to high mileage. Where do you live? I know there's a guy in Atascadero who specializes in Volvos.
[b] -Bekah <br />.=. It's not the fall that hurts, it's that stop at the end .=.
I am my mechanic, but thanks! And I agree, this thing is a tank. Weighs almost as much as the 4runner.
Made a few recent improvements.
-fixed a malfunctioning brake light switch
-replaced the burned out instrument lights (Volvo can't make bulbs to save their lives)
-replaced the burned out switch illumination (Volvo can't make bulbs to save their lives)
-replaced burned out corner marker lights/license plate lights (Volvo can't make bulbs to save their lives)
-replaced trunk struts (a Volvo trunk lid is so thick and heavy you can't open it without the gas assist!)
-leather lotioned the seats (front seats need new skins though)
-cleaned door jams and started engine compartment cleanup
-fixed broken ECU lid and replaced ECU vent tube
-stripped roof rails and coated with Plasti-Dip
Half of the instrument and switch lights were non-op:
After re-bulbing the lamps. Bulbs are $14/ea at the dealership or can be re-lamped with RadioShack parts for $1 each.
So far this car has performed flawlessly on the jackstands it has sat on since purchase. That's a slight exaggeration, although it does happen to be on jackstands at the moment undergoing a CV boot repair.
I finally managed to finish the big repairs that this car needed.
Replaced a bad driver's side CV joint boot:
And I replaced the entire Positive Crankcase Ventilation (PCV) system. PCV systems collect crankcase gases (along with oil) and routes both back to the intake, which is why you constantly get a gunked up throttle body. This car has an oil separator in-between so the oil collects in the can and is routed back to the oil pan while the vapor only is introduced back into the intake. I had installed a similar aftermarket system on my turbo Supra and even though it helped emissions, it had to be removed prior to smogging because it was considered "tampering with the emissions system." Turns out this car has it from the factory, however oil can coke in the can and partially block PCV flow. This results in oil venting out of the oil dipstick, which was starting to occur on this car. Best course of action is to replace the entire system.
Here is what the system looks like:
1.Oil trap
2.Cylinder head inlet hose
3.Cylinder block inlet hose
4.Oil pan return connector
5.Crankcase ventilation hose
6.Turbo-one way valve
7.Vacuum hose
The oil separator is the black box to the left of center, conveniently located under the intake manifold in an abyss of hoses:
The battery, airbox, sparkplug cover, intercooling plumbing and intake manifold must be removed, but luckily you just have to disconnect the fuel supply and return lines and swing the entire assembly aside with everything still connected.
The intake valves were surprisingly clean, only the intake valves on cylinder 1 had junk on them, and that's because cylinder 1 is the path of least resistance for PCV vapor drawn in by engine vacuum.
What's really fun is doing this job twice. I was told by Volvo forum members that aftermarket hoses were garbage and to use OEM Volvo hoses, so I did. As it turns out, the non-OEM oil separator had a defect--the lid was not properly sealed, so as soon as the turbo boost would come in, oil vapor under pressure was spraying everywhere in the engine bay. That meant going to the dealership and buying an OEM part and doing the job all over again.
Failed non-OEM oil separator and oil mess:
While I was in there I cleaned 18 years of grease off the engine, now it's looking fairly good. Sparkplug cover could use some paint.
Overall, this car is pretty reasonable to work on for a front wheel drive car, despite having 5 cylinders and a turbo in there. I must say, the electrical connectors are way easier to use than on Toyota products but the German style oetiker hose clamps take some getting used to.
I did a little work on the commuter car this weekend. I think the previous owner used the rear spoiler as their kitchen cutting board. There was a sizable dent in the trunk lid below the license plate as well.
I came across a pristine white trunk lid and spoiler combination for $150, so I bought it. The cost to repair both items on my car would have far exceeded this price. I probably would not have spent the money but if I were to sell the car, its value is much higher now with a straight body.
Junk in my trunk; and that junk was a trunk:
Saw a nice 850 while I was picking up my parts:
The trunk lid was straight forward to replace, it just took a bit of time to get it aligned correctly. Here I cut double-sided tape to fit the mounting points on the new spoiler:
The spoiler mounts with double sided tape and a bracket on each side of the spoiler that clamps to the trunk lid. Luckily no holes need to be drilled. The spoiler adds at least 10 horsepower.
The trunk lid and spoiler came from two separate cars and this particular trunk lid had no spoiler, so I had to carefully measure my old trunk for proper spoiler placement. I marked the trunk for proper placement, then attached it.
And here's the result, a pristine trunk lid and spoiler combination.
I need to stop improving this car because I really don't want to care about it.
If caring about it will be a problem I can fix that for you. Bill does have first dibs but I'm fine with that.
I think your next $150 mod should be some window tinting.
You next $1 mod should be mounting your old spoiler on top of your new one.
A double spoiler had not crossed my mind. Too bad it's cut in half and in the trash.
Tint would be nice, but I'm too cheap.
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