High mileage parts failures: What should I look out for?

[cmblackburn]

Hey all,
I've been the owner of the famous PCV system writeup S70 T5 for 5 years strong now. I'm really starting to have some strange failures with it, and was wondering if some of the high mileage guys could pitch in on what I need to keep my eye on or keep in my spare parts stash.
Car has been rock solid reliable since I put a new cylinder head on a year ago after suffering 2 burnt valves up until about a month ago. Since that, my throttle position sensor, 3rd cylinder injector and J-hose have all failed within 1000 miles of each other in the last month. The car is currently sitting at 253,000 miles and waiting on a set of blue injectors I ordered to show up.
I plan on going to Volvos at Carlisle in a couple weeks, about a 1300 mile round trip total, and I'm somewhat worried about it.
In the car I keep a spare coil, fuel pump relay, heater hoses and a bypass loop, and spare fluids- Anything I should look out for, though?
TIA! I just don't want to be the guy on the side of the road for some stupid problem

[obayha]

I have a MAF from my old '98 T5, with very few miles on it. Bosh, I believe. You can but that in your stash, doesn't take up much room. If you are in the Salisbury area, stop by, or I can send it to you.
Shane
Maybe wires and cap.

[scot850]

At the age and mileage anything can go wrong, but a regularly used vehicle that you take care of as you do is less likely to have an issue. I did a lot of work on a 97 850 base last year (car only had 100,000 miles on it), and then drove it 1500 miles in 2.5 days to California at speeds up to 80 mph at elevations of up to 7000 ft and temperatures when we hit California of 38-40C! The car had been sitting for 6 months before I bought it and then another 10 weeks or so on axle stands while I stage zero'd it. Although the car is now with my niece, my brother and she use it for longer trips over his 1 year old Hyundai Sonata as the seats are more comfortable!

So old cars with high mileage and regular use are often a better bet in my mind than cars that are regularly parked up in garages (like my 'R' with 165,000 miles on it and 5,000 miles in the last 4 years).

I think the guys have covered the obvious choices of spares, and with a good PCV system, the only other thing is to check all the rubber hoses and brake flexible hoses. Maybe consider an ECT and engine fan relay.

Always carry coolant for a long trip and maybe some brake fluid and ATF.

Good Luck!

Neil.

[kahl]

With 6 P80s in the family and 3 that live in the driveway. The lowest mileage is 183 and the highest is 218. All of the cars have had all rubber hoses replaced. On the 98 XCs this would be all the coolant hoses, oil lines, upper and lower transmission hoses, brake hoses and all the Evap flexible rubber connections and hoses. The list of what to replace on a 20 year old high mileage car can be endless. My thought was what can fail and leave a person stranded or fail and cause catastrophic damage. I won't even go into the scheduled maintenance program. We have no plans to replace these cars in the foreseeable future.

[cn90]

Assuming you do routine maintenance such as spark plugs etc...Stuff that can catch you by surprise at high mileage in the middle of nowhere:
- Fuel Pump, buy a Bosch 69693 and keep in trunk for long trips.
- Turbo coolant hoses x2
- IIRC, you already replaced the heater hoses.
- Rad hoses x2
- Thermostat
- Carry extra oil, coolant, distilled water in the trunk.
- Alternator: go to junk yard and get a Volvo OEM alterntor for $25, have it tested at local autoparts store to be sure, then throw it in the trunk for long trips.
- Brake hoses: make sure no cracks! Brake overhaul is in forum as you know.

Other than those listed above, very few things can leave you stranded in this 1998 S70 T5 car.

[MadeInJapan]

Carry an extra radiator over-flow tank cap- the green one. I've been stranded before with one cracked on more than one of our Volvo's. It's cheap insurance! Oh, and a short piece of wire to jumper the fuel pump relay!! A real size spare is also very nice to have!! And...I second a spare MAF sensor. We go to the beach every year in our '04 V70 and even that car carries one! Hate to limp home from far away. Btw, my '98 S70 T5 is at 257K miles now. Still runs like a top but A/C quit working on the passenger side of the car (I'm sure it's just vent flaps)...but I'll have to figure that one out when I have some time after my "new" '99 S70 fixer-upper repairs.

[rspi]

Well, you already know I'm a bad source to ask. All I take is a spare tire and a fuel pump relay jump wire (in case someone else needs it).

I just drove across country with a bad transmission. I had nothing in the car other than a spare to help me if I had issues. I believe you seen the post on VS. The car was loaded to the ground with stuff for others and my manual swap.

Kick the tires, gas, spare and go! 342,000 and rolling.

I rolled into LA last year and my MAF took a dump. I think these fuel pumps last about 175,000 miles so if that is old, just change it. I believe my car still has original heater and lower rad hoses.

[erikv11]

I remember a couple years ago rspi started a thread titled something like "REPLACE EVERY COOLANT HOSE ASAP" (yes including the all caps), funny how times change.

Lower rad hose takes a beating (oil, heat). I do like to change that first chance I get on an old P80, along with the turbo coolant ones. The heater hoses can last a very, very long time.

[abscate]

Rather than carrying all this stuff , box it up at home neatly, take a picture, and on a longer trip, have some send a part if you need it. Very few places you can't get something shipped overnight.

We don't have that much room to carry parts, these aren't VW Busses...

Use the Volvo network here to find a place to work.

[greg850r]

Fuel pump relay would be at the top of my list (or a jumper wire). While you're at it a cooling fan relay (try tapping on this one) has left me stuck in a parking lot before. Also a cam position sensor. All 3 are small and easy to carry/change. I also carry 1 old plug wire with a spark plug in it so I can check for spark quickly without removing one. Spark - change fuel pump relay, no spark - change cam position sensor. I put these 3 things along with the torx tool to change each in the spare tire well with the jack (and a real spare) in every car and I show every one who drives them where these items are and how to change them. My family members and friends are owning and driving my past 850s which means I get a call when someone is stranded. This practice has cut the calls to near zero. I don't bother with any fluids unless it's a test drive after a repair.