1995 Volvo 850 Engine & Transmission Removal

Astoundingly well-documented, excellent write up on engine removal. One-hundred and sixty photographs detail this procedure, with captions for nearly every one. You can use this for almost any inline 5-cylinder Volvo.

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Things Needed

• Parts: my dealer charged me $140 for all the below including tax; FCP Groton didn’t sell the bolts (you can try calling) but with shipping buying from them would’ve saved me $35 on the seals alone. They sell OEM seals I believe. You will need :
  • SIX (6) torque converter to flexplate bolts (Part #979671)
  • Rear Main Seal Volvo Part #9458178
    TEN (10) flexplate to crankshaft bolts, needed if replacing RMS (Volvo part 1275375)
    TWO (2) Transmission output axle shaft seals Volvo Part #6843112
    Transmission pump seal sealing the torque converter Volvo Part #9495017
  • O-rings for oil-cooler (transmission) lines Volvo Part #6842413 2x and #6842414 2x
    O-rings for heater-core lines 3545586 2x or kit #3545662
    Oil-pan o-rings and gasket compound (if replacing the oil pan o-rings) Part #30637867 1x, #8642560 1x, #8642559 1x, & #1161059
    Axle nuts #3546510 2x or #9157371 2x (according to VADIS, VIN 121429 and above)
    Upper torque bar boltsIn addition I replaced the followingIn addition you will also most likely need to replace (for good measure)• Engine Hoist/Cherry Picker – Harbor Freight foldable 2-ton unit. The reach of the 2-ton unit is longer than the 1-ton for a given weight. The foldable hoist is much better suited to a garage setting as it folds to about a 2’x3′ area if you decide to keep it. On sale for with coupon – $144 + tax.
    • Load leveler. Also a Harbor Freight item, get the 2-ton unit, w/ coupon $34 + tax.
    • Upgraded chains and attachment pieces, two of them (called “Quick Links” item #T7645136, 5/16” I believe) from Lowe’s Hardware (didn’t trust the chains from Harbor Freight’s load leveler, they looked flimsy). I bought chain tested for I believe 1300# and the attachment pieces were rated at 1700#. Buy enough chain, I measured out how much the load leveler came with and added a little bit extra. All told around $20.
    • If you don’t have a transmission jack or other similar jack you can use the engine hoist with an additional one or two quick links of the same size as above along with about 14′ (two 7′ sections) of chain (for safety; I used one 7’ section and it was doable but unsteady). I bought slightly smaller chain, it was around $1.50/ft to save on cost, just make sure the Quick Links fit into it. If you buy the Harbor Freight engine hoist the quick links will fit into the hook making it a good match. Around $25.
    • Some sort of wedge tool, I ended up using an air hammer chisel however if I were doing it again I would try to find some type of wooden wedge like a door stop. See step #14 under Removing the Axles.
    • Besides that you need the standard stuff, sockets/extensions/swivels/torx bits (I bought mine from Harbor Freight as well, the set was around $7). You’ll need a torque wrench and an angle gauge for some of the bolts, namely the flexplate bolts.
    • The Haynes Manual and the Volvo Service Manual for your car is also a good reference. In fact I primarily used the Haynes, I don’t follow the exact order but this is meant more as a supplement to it, in order to help locate the items mentions in the steps.

Obviously this is a “do at your own risk” procedure…I don’t claim any responsibility for you hurting yourself or your car!

Section (A) Prepping the car

The objective of section A is to get the car ready to be taken apart.

• 1) Loosen lug nuts and jack up car and place on jack stands. Note: if you don’t have an impact gun you will need to loosen the axle nuts first, momentarily skip to step #7 to crack them loose then come back to step #2. (1, 2)
  
  
  
  
  
  2) Disconnect negative battery cable
  3) Drain all fluids – oil, coolant, and transmission oil
  4) Remove the heater core hoses from the firewall connection point. I used vice grips to hold the plastic clips in while tugging backward. You do this now because there is still fluid in the lines and it will drip down on the open transmission axle holes if you wait till later. (2.5, 2.51)
  
  
  
  
  
  5) Remove the accessory belt, and accessory belt tensioner (2 bolts)

Section (A) Prepping the car is complete.

Section (B) Removing the axles
The objective of section B is to remove the drivers and passengers side axles from the transmission.

• 6) Remove front wheels
  7) Remove axle nuts holding axle to wheel. 36mm I believe. I rented an axle nut set at Advance Auto instead of buying the socket (free with return). (3)
  
  
  
  8.) To do it the “right way” Volvo says to remove the ABS Sensors however I found that isn’t necessary. To remove, you must undo the bolt holding the sensor to the steering knuckles (top of steering knuckle) undo the bolt holding the wiring on to the sidewall. Also release the wiring from the strut (rubber grommet). (4, 5, 7)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  9) Volvo has you remove the ball joint however I found it was impossible unless you have a ball joint spreader (FCP sells them, as well as Harbor Freight, I believe for $15). I didn’t so I removed the two bolts holding the control arm to the sub frame: Passengers side (8)
  
  
  
  Drivers side (8.1, 8.2).
  
  
  
  
  
  Once removed one side was stuck (bad bushings) and had to be pounded out (9) but the other sides just fell down.
  
  
  
  10) Release axle from steering knuckle. To release the axle tap it inward with an extension (that’s what I did) about 1/2″ or so (it will move inward). Pull outward on the steering knuckle and the axle will “pop” out. (10, 11)
  
  
  
  
  
  11) Remove the “right drive shaft intermediate bearing cap” on passenger side. Two bolts hold the attachment that holds the axle in place. (12, 13)
  
  
  
  
  
  12) Next pull the passenger side axle out of the transmission holding the highlighted area while underneath the car. Pull it outward toward the wheel well. (14)
  
  
  
  13) Cap off the transmission. I stuffed a paper towel in. (15)
  
  
  
  14) The drivers side is similar however I couldn’t pull the axle out. I tried but ended up doing this: (18).
  
  
  
  This is because the boot clamp failed, it wasn’t designed to be pulled on. Even vice grips wouldn’t get it out of the transmission, and later discovered there is a circlip holding it in. Anyway, to get around that you must use a fat chisel or wedge tool and hammer it lightly in to separate the axle from the transmission. Remember to cap off the passenger side as well. (19, 20)
  
  
  
  
  
  I then reconnected the control arm bolts and put the tires back on so you can lower the car and move it around if needed. Note if you do this you will need to reinstall the axles into the hub and torque down the axle nut or you run the risk of ruining the wheel bearings. An alternative, if you need to move the car around, is to place the wheels on dollies.

Section (B) Axle removal is complete.

Read the rest, there’s much much more: 1995 Volvo 850 Auto Engine and transmission Removal

Volvo 850 General Info

Volvo unveiled an entirely new model series in June 1991, the Volvo 850 GLT. The Volvo 850 GLT was launched under the banner of “A dynamic car with four world-beating breakthroughs”.

The four new features were: transverse 5-cylinder engine driving the front wheels, Delta-link rear axle which combined the dynamics and ride comfort of independent suspension with the security of a live rear axle, the SIPS integrated side-impact protection system, and the self-adjusting front seat belt mechanism.

The exterior design of the 850 bore a strong Volvo identity, and its 740 and 940 heritage was immediately apparent.

Volvo 850 GLT received a tumultuous welcome; seldom has a new car reaped so many awards as the 850.

Over the intervening years, the 850 series has been expanded with additional variants, among them turbocharged petrol versions and a direct-injection turbo-diesel.

The Volvo 850 was also the first car in the world to offer side-impact airbags, which were introduced in autumn 1994.

In model year 1997, the S70 replaced the 850 Sedan car.

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