98 V70 Travel Pac

[rmmagow]

I am planning a spring trip from RI to Alaska, returning by way of CA and the southern route. The trip will probably be close to 10K miles. I want to have on hand critical, show stopping devices that would be hard to come by without ordering and waiting for parts.
My List so far includes a good set of tools, oil, oil filter, fuel filter, air filter, radiator hoses, coolant, cell phone, cap, rotor, plugs and wires and transmission fluid.
This is a 98 V70, early model low-pressure turbo AWD.
What electrical/mechanical things are worth bringing along? Does this car have cam and crank sensors?
Should I bring a spare Mass Air Flow sensor? Any other recommended hard parts I should consider?
Car has 161,000, new timing belt ans water pump, new strut caps.
I doubt that I'll be totally far from all civilization but I'm sure some of the stretches through Alaska and the southern deserts of Arizona and NM would be nasty for a break-down.
Obviously any break-down will need exactly the part I don't have

[jblackburn]

Holy crap, that's a big trip.

JUMPER CABLES (or one of the battery jumper things I'd very much like to have).

I have a portable air pump that plugs into my cigarette lighter. Either one of those or some fix-a-flat stuff. Or both!

A good lug wrench and jack - the Volvo ones are crap and you'll hurt yourself or your car trying to use their pathetic tools. Many (myself included) have had their cars fall off the Volvo-included jack.

I'd head to a junkyard and pull a cam, crank, and mass airflow sensor for cheap - or 2 of each. They do work on most junkyard cars, but it's not worth investing in each new if yours still work and you won't need them anytime soon. Grab a fuel pump relay as well.

I'd change all coolant hoses (ESPECIALLY THE TURBO ONES!) before you even set out.

[fazool]

bah. I wouldn't bother.

Seriously. Its not that you are driving a long trip. You probably put 10000 miles on your car in 6-12 months (average US driver) so are preparing fot that kind of breakdown during normal use? Probably not.

Yes, if it does happen, its a major inconvenience but probably no worse than getting all those just-in-case parts gathered up.

If it was me, I'd give it a nice prep-work (oil changes etc) bring along tire pump, good tools, fluids etc. Bring along some repair materials that are more generic :


Baling wire (to tie up a loose exhaust or tie down a broken hood latch)
Spare key mounted outside the car
A variety of hose clamps and rubber sheet for makeshift hose repairs
Tow rope so someone can pull you out of the rhubarb
Jumper cables
Spare light bulbs, wiper blades, fuses, lock deice, starter fluid, contact cleaner
Lots of washer fluid
Stuff to do two two oil and air filter changes along the way (0mi before leaving, 3500mi, 7500mi and 10,000 upon return)
Check your treads and such

[rspi]

Well, when I stick my key in the ignition, I don't plan for it to break down. I believe a car really don't know how far it is going, the only thing that does it the tires. So, if it's going to be a 30 day trip, I'd expect the same things to happen on that trip as has happened the past 30 days. That's just me.

This is what I would take, pretty much the same thing I have in the car all the time. These cars rarely leave anyone stranded on the side of the road. Extra things will have the * mark.
- Fuel pump relay.
- Oil filter.*
- Jumper cables/box. (likely for other people)*
- 1 Quart of oil.
- Flash light.
- Small tool kit.
- Bottle of octane boost*
- Cell phone.
- Gallon of water*
- Add road side assistance or get AAA.
- OBD-II Code reader.

I use to drive 4,000 miles per month and really never had any break down issues. When I purchased this wagon with a known transmission problem my one condition with the seller was for him to drive the car to the airport to meet me. My theroy was, if he could drive the car to the airport which was 38 miles from him, I could drive it 1,500 miles home.

Before you leave check everything out, hoses, etc. and you should be fine. If something breaks on the way, make a stop at a parts store and take care of it. No big deal.

[Kirby J]

Put the V70 on a trailer, and tow it the whole time with an 18 yr old 940.

Kirby J
93 940 428K

Seriously, enjoy your trip, I am already envious!

[rmmagow]

Wow, this is perfect, just what I was hoping for. I'm going to pick up one of those battery things and carry some jumper cables too. I've got a Gorilla wrench I'll put in the back now. The jack, would a bottle jack with a metal plate or hefty block of wood work OK? I'll bring a jack stand too. It's just me and my wife traveling and the V70 is perfect with a lot of room for lots of stuff. This car is fast becoming my favorite. I'm even looking for another or a 96/97 850 to become a cream-puff car in retirement.

[Faheyk1981]

For safety a yellow high vis jacket is always a good thing to have. So if you do need to make a tyre change etc at night, you'll be seen by passers by. I also have in my car a 'flare light', (like what the cops have) which you can put on the road near your car should you break down. Its a good thing to have if your battery is dead and your stuck at a bad corner. At least then you have a beacon light attracting attention to your breakdown. But you drive a Volvo so that wont happen!!!!!

[jblackburn]

A bottle jack may work - but test it out first to see if you can get it under the subframe. My S70 sits so low to the ground that I had to get a low-profile rolling floor jack to get under it.

[erikv11]

A common failure part that you don't want to go out during the trip is the fuel pump. Has it been replaced? They have a finite life, usually go out about 150k. Real PITA job on the AWD models, I wouldn't want to try to find someone qualified to do it in the middle of nowhere. Now I don't own an AWD and I never have so I am outside my familiarity here, but I would consider changing it preventive measure if you plan to keep the car for a while. It is going to go out soon anyway.

[rspi]

I wouldn't waste space with car junk that you likely will not use. I would pack more fishing stuff, camping type stuff and things that will help me have fun.