1996 850 Wagon Service Light On Topic is solved

[PeteB]

It seems that the older service records for the car are lost. I've seen videos
that show a tag on the timing belt cover with the date and mileage for when
the best was last changed. This car was probably serviced at the dealer and
I'm assuming that this means that the timing change was never done. There is
a dark label so far down on the cover that I can't read, but it seems to have
some hand written numbers on it, could this be the label? Anyway to find out
if the service was done?
It did have the fuel tank recall done in 2005.

[abscate]

If the dealer can't find the records you pretty much have to assume it's an 18 year old timing belt.

That's a 1000usd job waiting like a hand grenade to blow up your nice new car. Price has to reflect that of course. Maybe you and friend split it on purchase?

[PeteB]

The owners lost the paper work when it went from the daughter to her dad.
The dealer says that they only keep records for 3 years.
They have dropped the price and either a local mechanic will do the belt
or I will do it if I can find the time.
What I'm thinking might have happened is that once the very expensive
service came up and it was time for a new car anyway she gave the car
to her dad. They hardly used it as a second car and so only did very basic
service, oil changes etc. So I doubt that any of the major services were
done on the car.
I'm thinking of doing the timing belt and brakes ASAP, then doing the PCV
if it needs it in 6 months or a year.

[erikv11]

Sounds like a good plan. I'd try to do the PCV ASAP (but third) to avoid causing a rear main seal leak. If needed, of course. You can do it pretty cheaply.

[PeteB]

There was a hard to read label on the cover, and we brought it
to the dealer where actually my son read it. It said that the belt
had been done in 2003 at 72,000 miles. The dealer claimed a ten
year limit on the belt and we are at 100K miles, estimated. It is
due but only over by one year as far as time goes. I said in the first
post that the daughter probably maintained it perfectly and this
supports that theory. If there was a 30 or 60K mile service that was
also probably done.

Is there a preferred spark plug for the 2.4 liter engine? NGK?

[erikv11]

My favorite plug is the Volvo one. A close second is Bosch coppers, number 7955. They only last about 20k but they are very inexpensive, less than $2 each. Gap them at 0.028.

[rspi]

Did you purchase the car? As explained, if you can DIY, and you like the car, you will likely be happy with it.

Most code readers will read error codes.

I wouldn't panic about the timing belt, I've seen them over 14 years. I'd replace all parts and do it when you can, within 6 months. I'd test the PCV and if needed, replace it ASAP.

[PeteB]

Thanks again everyone for all the help!
Yes, we bought the car and registered it today, my son is very happy.
We changed the oil, and did the glove over the oil filler hole to test the PCV and it passed!
Is that a good enough test?
We considered changing the plugs and took one out, it was a Volvo with 3 electrodes
and looked fine. Considering that it starts and runs perfectly we didn't change them.
Are these made by another company anyone know who, I'd like to just put in the
same thing.
We are planning to change the transmission fluid and coolant next, thinking that they probably
have not been done in over 5 years. Are they worth doing? We really want to get maximum
life out of the transmission.

[erikv11]

Both are worth doing.

Transmission fluid the standard recommendation here when you do not know the service history is to do 3 or 4 drain and fills using the drain plug on the pan. Measure the amount of fluid that comes out it will be very close to 3.5 quarts, put the exact same amount back in. Drive like 500 miles between each one. This way you gradually change over to clean fluid. Then next time, 25k down the road or so, you can do a complete flush.

For coolant Volvo recommends HOAT which means they do not recommend the green stuff. Plenty of people on the forums use it anyway and will swear by it, but I don't. I use Zerex G-05, it is much cheaper than the Volvo coolant and is HOAT and phosphate free. Whatever you decide, make things simple by not mixing different coolant types. Flush it out really well with distilled water like 3 times, then drain the system down, add 1 gallon of undiluted coolant, top off with distilled water.

The three prong plugs are made by Bosch, but I have never come across a number we can order them by. The single prong factory Bosch plugs for turbos yes, but not those NA plugs.

[PeteB]

Thanks very much, good to know.
I was thinking of doing a few drain and fills in one day using inexpensive ATF
and then doing a last one with something a bit better, but I will follow that
advice if it is better. Does it depend on the current state of the ATF?
Next question is what to use? Is Valvoline Maxlife good enough? The guys
on bobistheoilguy seem to like it:
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ub ... /2946952/2

They seem to like Valvoline Maxlife engine oil also:
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ub ... s/890828/1
I've been using Mobile Super 5000 for quite a few years now.

After doing the 3 or 4 that you suggest we'd only do them every 30K miles
or so as long as the transmission is working fine.
I'd like to get another 100K out of the transmission, at least, and I don't mind
spending a bit more if there is something worth the money.
It shifts like a new car now and I'd like to keep it that way.