Volvo 850 R Project. Need advice on repairs.

[bugs11]

Timing belt and radiator first with new coolant hoses included. Do the glove test to check the PCV. Then R&R other items as funds allow (which is pretty much what I'm doing on my 96 850 T, she get new torque mounts this weekend).

FWIW - I'm no mechanic by a long shot and I was able to replace the head gasket, timing belt and a bunch of other stuff. If you have the time, tools and space you can do a lot on these cars yourself. The generous help from this wonderful forum is the difference maker for me.

[rspi]

#1 Coolant leak, coolant roulette will end in disaster.

#2 Timing belt, if it breaks for any reason (i.e. bad roller, water pump, old belt, etc.) you'll be looking for a replacement engine.

[pkc303]

Welcome to the forum,

Timing belt should be the first thing you change, followed any issues with the radiator. We bought a 1997 850R, and have brought it back from the dead. It had 32 codes when we started, and now 0 codes, but it was long and expensive. It runs well, but needs even more maintenance to bring it up to something we would take to a meet. Not sure if I have the energy or time to do so.

Good luck, you've got a great group of knowledgeable people here to help you.

They've helped me tremendously.

[Clemens]

Do yourself a favor and do the timing belt. You might get away with the old pump. On an interference motor I hate playing TB-roulette.

Other than that: If it´s not rusty, electrics seem fine and it runs good: This is an excellent car to Keep. It´s fun to drive and prices will only go up from where they are right now. Not saying it´s an Investment, but if you like older cars there are way worse you could tinker on.

[theWIFES_S70]

but if you like older cars there are way worse you could tinker on.

Truer words have never been spoken!

Good luck and keep us posted with what course of action you decide to go down! And put up some pictures. I've gotten great advice and help from photos I've posted on here. There's a lot of collective knowledge here and with just a glance, the gang can help point out another (couple of thousand!) things that need to be addressed!

[Clemens]

yeah, whenever you think you´re making progress on the Stage 0 list something new appears. I wish I could like to afford new cars. But then they go wrong too and Fixing them is just a real pita.

[ACarmona]

Hey guys, thanks for the advice! Ill definitely take it and prioritize my list of repairs. I recently went to another shop and they did a look-through of the 850. They said cleaning up the engine bay as much as possible will make it easier to find the oil leaks, and then have the coolant system pressure tested to see where there might be coolant leaking. I visually inspected the heater core under the dash and it doesn't have any leaks or anything out of the ordinary, so should I just replace that as well as the radiator and appropriate hosing/tubing? My Thermostat seems to be working fine so I'm ruling it's replacement out so far. Would I still have to get the a/c recharged after replacing the radiator and hoses?
I keep weighing the pros and cons of doing the PCV and cam seal service at the shop because I don't necessarily have the confidence yet to remove the intake manifold and fuel lines/rail. Although I feel alright about tackling the TB and water pump etc under my neighbor's covered driveway. Am I just overthinking the job?
So once the PCV and the cooling systems are 100% I was thinking of tackling the turbo's leak. How hard would it be to take apart the turbo to determine which seals were leaking and check the health of the turbo? or do I have to get a rebuild kit and not bother looking for the source before? Honestly, I haven't noticed a loss of power, and seems to boost fine, just letting in/out oil under high pressure. I'm worried that the internal bearings are bad because that's what the first mechanic said, though I don't think he actually took it apart and looked at it, I would be set back a little more than previously anticipated because I'd have to get a whole new unit. Right?
Still have to do: Right motor mount, right inner tie rod, both sway bar link rods, fuel pump, fluid drain/fill, (?)fuel injectors, and then probably an alignment to check most things off the Stage 0 List. About the power steering; when I am parking or u-turning, and the wheel is all the way to one side, I hear a distinct continuous squeak/groan from inside the bay until I stop u-turning. The fluid is at a good level, so does this just mean the fluid needs to be changed? or is that an indication of further damage somehow, and how much of a problem could this be?
Anyways, I would like to ask if there are any special tools ill be needing besides the normal ratchet/wrench set and I know a few torx screwdrivers/heads but I can't seem to remember the sizes I need. I would also appreciate any links to any trusted sources for the PCV, TB/SP & WP, Turbo Rebuild Kits and any other Parts ill need to replace for good measure that don't come in the kits. There seems to be a myriad of places I've looked at but I'd like to know what's recommended here for sway bar link rods, tie rods, motor mounts and the heater core if I need one.
I have taken some pictures of the outside, bay, and some close ups of oil leaks from top and bottom angles I guess will serve as "before" pictures. Let me know what you guys think. Thanks for reading! I anticipate constructive feedback

[polskamafia mjl]

As you mentioned the radiator is leaking so that should be replaced soon. If you're up for it you can save quite a bit of money doing this yourself. If the heater core isn't leaking then you can leave it alone for now unless you have the extra cash to replace it. The ebay Estonia heater core comes highly recommended.

I'm not sure what you mean about the AC. The AC is actually separate from the radiator so one has no bearing on the other.

[Clemens]

The radiator job is fairly easy if you like to wrench on cars. Just takes some time (approx hours). Be careful with the 2 screws that hold the radiator itself. They have no nuts but round fake-nuts that are welded to the raiator-support-frame. Soak them with WD-40 or PBblaster or something. Otherwise they strip easily.

Be sure to buy the 4 clips that secure the tranny and Turbo oil line going into the radiator. You need to get new ones, they are dirt cheap.

The heater core usually starts smelling like coolant (duh) once it starts leaking and you will see fog on the windshield (rising from below) when the heater is on.

[polskamafia mjl]

To address your edits:

The PCV is much easier than the timing belt in my opinion. So if you feel ready to do the timing belt you're ready to do the PCV.

For torx drivers just get a large set from like a T10 all the way up to a T45.

Recommended parts vendors include the sponsors at the top of the page as well as FCP Euro, tasca, and viva performance. For used parts you can also use Erie Vo-Vo, and volvosalvage.com

For each of the items you asked about: timing belt, PCV, end links, motor mounts, etc there are write ups which review which manufacturers are recommended and which ones to avoid. Take some time and read through these write ups. You will learn a lot that way. The heater core I already mentioned that the ebay Swedish Car Parts unit is highly recommended. Its cheap and comes with a lifetime warranty. Just be sure to use OEM O-rings from the dealer.

And you've gotta do something about those wheels.