I have pulled the 5x8 trailer behind my 97 850 wagon several times. It does feel like a lot of weight, but if you keep your speed down (less than 60 mph) and maintain safe following distances you should be fine. Also, if you have an automatic, leave it in "3" instead of "D" as recommended in the ...

So what happens if you just remove it? You get a little more pollution for the first 2 minutes after you start the engine? Check engine light?

I read somewhere that you can just remove the air pump and get a new engine control unit (ECU) that does not need it. The thing only runs for a couple of minutes, so I wonder how badly it is needed. Is the air pump necessary to prevent damage to the catalytic converter, or is it just to reduce ...

I agree, Craftsman is fine for home mechanics. Stay away from the cheaper Sears line, companion. The snap-on tools are better than Craftsman, but they aren't really worth the money unless you are using them to make a living.

I would suggest:

torque wrench
combination wrenches, metric (6 point is ...

I have a 97 wagon, non-turbo. I like it fine, but it is pretty slow. I don't think that the turbo will use significantly more gas unless you have a lead foot. I would recommend getting a non-turbo if you have the choice, but it depends on how you like to drive. The turbos have to have the oil ...

Do you have a button on the dash (left of the steering wheel) that unlocks and locks all of the doors?

I have an 1997 850 wagon and it has been great. I bought it with 140K miles and I am up to 165K now with no major problems. As to the 850 or V70, I don't think they are that much different, so go with the nicest car you can find.

I have a non-turbo and it is fine but it is kind of slow. A turbo ...

what they said. Unless an elephant sat on your car there is no way the original springs would "go bad".

Take a look at this thread:

https://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/chat/p ... php?t=2994

I hope the link works. Anyway bottom line is that someone's tensioner broke, repair cost was $4000

I say bite the bullet and get the tensioner also.

Do you know anything about the history of the car? If all three things started at once then my guess is that there is really only one problem, and it is electrical. Bad connection to the main computer board, or a bad board (ECU)? I am just guessing.

I think you need an experienced Volvo mechanic ...