[By Frank, taken from this fuel tank leak thread]

Here is my experience:Two days ago I took my ‘96 850 turbo wagon to the dealer for the same fuel tank leak problem. When I filled the tank, fuel would run out of what appeared to be the filler tube. In reality the hose on top of the tank was cracked and leaking.

The leaked slowed as the fuel level in the tank dropped. The technician looked at it and said that the cracked hose is not unusual.Question: Could this hose have been replaced by removing the plate under the rear seat to get at the top of the tank?

The total cost to replace the hose was $425! When I asked about the cost, the service advisor said the job takes four hours as the tank needs to be dropped to get to the hose. I asked about the recall and he said it was not for leaks, it was to replace the pads that keep the tank from rubbing on the body and frame, and that it was not related to the problem in any way.

However, it took the technician only two hours to do the whole job. When I asked the advisor about that he said that they use the Volvo Flat Rate guide and that is what they charge, no matter how much time the repair takes. He said it was for “my protection.”

The labor charge was $380 (3.9 hours per the “guide” at $98 per hour), the part $20 (fuel hose) and an extra $25 for supplies. And they didn’t even put on new hose clamps; they used the old ones. (Maybe that’s good as they might have cost $50 each!)This is what drives customers like me away from a dealer.

I don’t need this type of “protection.”

Overview: How to change the distributor cap and rotor on a 1997 Volvo 850 GLT.

This job requires removal of the battery and then the bottom half of the air filter box in order to reach the bottom screw on the distributor cap. Including taking the photos, the whole job of removal and replacement took 2 hours (first time).

1) Common tools: a standard screwdriver for the distributor cap screws and a wrench or socket to disconnect the battery terminals.

Less common tools: You will need a 3mm hex key (pictured below left) for the rotor and a slim ratcheting driver with Torx bit (pictured below right) for the vacuum switch.

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Just woke up at a hotel in Boise, Idaho. So far I can summarize the 850/trailer combo as this: I’m pulling a house.

I’m getting 13.5 MPG at an average 59 MPH. The trailer is VERY heavy, and braking is difficult. The brakes simply don’t “bite”. It’s a good thing I’ve only had to do a full stop only a half dozen or so times.

The roadways are clear and the weather is good. I’ll have pics of the car in a day or so. Not only do I have the trailer but I have a bunch of furniture and goods on the roof/roof rack.