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

[jblackburn]

Things I can think of that haven't (yet) been replaced on that car that were mentioned:

Fuel pump relay (this would be wise to have in the summer heat)
Cam/crank sensors
MAF is ~8 years old - wouldn't hurt to have a spare.
Cooling fan relay
Green overflow cap has burst multiple times.

And bring, of course, a good assortment of clamps, tools, and a knife. Make sure the spare's inflated and the don't get a flat on a hill - the Volvo jack is freaking useless.

[erikv11]

My little box of traveling parts has cam and crank sensors, a TPS, ECT, both fuel relays, fan relay, a coil (why not, they are small ...). Plus the tool bag. I figure the MAF I can just unplug if it goes out though I do have extras. I don't carry hoses because they have all been done within the last 4 years but a green cap is a good idea to add, I will do that.

[mecheng]

Do you guys buy the OEM Volvo Cap?

[cmblackburn]

Things I can think of that haven't (yet) been replaced on that car that were mentioned:

Fuel pump relay (this would be wise to have in the summer heat)
Cam/crank sensors
MAF is ~8 years old - wouldn't hurt to have a spare.
Cooling fan relay
Green overflow cap has burst multiple times.

And bring, of course, a good assortment of clamps, tools, and a knife. Make sure the spare's inflated and the don't get a flat on a hill - the Volvo jack is freaking useless.

Cam and crank sensors were preemptively replaced around 25k ago. ECT and TSTAT about 15k ago. ECT wiring was replaced with a connector I chopped out of a junkyard car's door as mine crumbled apart. FPR, I have 3 spares in the glovebox (Had 5, sold 2 to people that had broke down with a bad one)- Overflow cap exploded a few months ago, replaced and have another spare in the trunk.
Took the jack (and lug wrench) from the 01 Escape... they're much more sturdy than the crap Volvo jack and wrench which I threw out.

[cmblackburn]

So it sounds like the basics are covered in my little kit. Gonna stop by a yard and get another spare coil (mine ended up in a friend's car), cooling fan relay and MAF.
Thanks for the quick replies, everyone!

[SonicAdventure]

This post has me thinking...

I've got 243K on my non-turbo '98.

Makes me think I should take a trip to the junkyard to track down some of these parts for my car.

Would the cam and crank sensors have to come out of a 98 only or would mine be able to use non-turbo parts from 93-97 850's?

I'm trying to find a decent running 98 non turbo either S or V model to keep as an extra runner. Between the main car and the backup car - whichever one breaks down first will be the donor car and the other will be the recipient of any "transplants". I'd strip everything salvageable off the dead car and store it in crates in my storage room. I've already got a mounting pile... I'd then probably sawzall the carcass and haul it to the scrap yard piece by piece

[cmblackburn]

This post has me thinking...

I've got 243K on my non-turbo '98.

Makes me think I should take a trip to the junkyard to track down some of these parts for my car.

Would the cam and crank sensors have to come out of a 98 only or would mine be able to use non-turbo parts from 93-97 850's?

I'm trying to find a decent running 98 non turbo either S or V model to keep as an extra runner. Between the main car and the backup car - whichever one breaks down first will be the donor car and the other will be the recipient of any "transplants". I'd strip everything salvageable off the dead car and store it in crates in my storage room. I've already got a mounting pile... I'd then probably sawzall the carcass and haul it to the scrap yard piece by piece

Trek around the yard and find the cleanest ones you can. 850 parts, turbo or not, work fine.
Try and keep these things on the road, they're falling off the road in rapid succession Most people wouldn't have kept mine on the road after it burnt two valves last winter, I did.

[obayha]

AAA card.

[abscate]

There is a huge spectrum of risk aversion and ergo parts strategies also span the globe. We do live in North America where an AAA card and a cell phone are hugely powerful.

[sleddriver]

In addition to others, I'd check insulation on ECT, camshaft & crank position sensors. If it's crumbled-with-age and the wires short on the first, you'll get a CEL and your MPG will drop. On the later two, Motronic won't know where the engine is. It may suddenly BUCK at speed due to vibration/heat or be hard/impossible to start.

Reminds me that both my crank & cam wiring needs some work. They're pretty bad as both sensors are original and now 19yrs old.