We've just purchased a '96 850 turbo wagon with 125K miles. I realize that by all accounts this car will not be as trouble-free and inexpensive to operate as our '86 740 non-turbo wagon has been (310K miles & counting). I'm aware of the excellent 700 series FAQ; is there something similar for the 850 series? Also, having never owned a turbo car before, what should I do to insure the longest life possible for the drivetrain? Is the (expensive) synthetic oil usually recommended? Any problem areas I should be aware of? I'd appreciate your input, thanks!

-Kevin Meek, Santa Cruz, CA

Thanks for the info!

Hi kevnmeek...

Congratulations on your new purchase. I drive a 96 turbo wagon.... :)

I'd like to make you aware of a few things. First, it is recommended that the timing belt be replaced on 850's every 70,000 miles. At 125,000 I'm hoping that the original owner had that belt changed at around 70K. Assuming that was done, you have another 15K to go before it's time to do it again. Not that they just go "poof" at that mileage, but it is important for you to know that these are interference engines... if the belt were to break, the valves will hit the pistons and you're in for a major job.... to the tune of 3 or 4 thousand. Did you get the maintenance records with the car?

High quality oil is always best. And turbos (the turbocharger itself) run very hot. If a turbo car is shut off immediately after a hard run, the oil that remains in the turbo bearings is no longer being circulated, and can "coke up"... essentially, the oil sits and cooks. Not good. For that reason, it is recommended that you let the car idle down for a couple minutes after high speed operation. A couple minutes of slow speed operation is quite sufficient. Just don't come off a highway into a rest stop, and shut it off. Otherwise there is really no major difference. Other than the rush of power which is part of the turbo's appeal.

Changing the oil in turbo models every 3500 miles is the key to keeping things in order. If you don't like using synthetic oil (it is indeed expensive) just change it regularly, and use high quality oil.

Follow the links that NHPete offered to help you to learn more about your car. He is a regular on this site, and knows what he is talking about.

Please post any questions or observations you have. Everyone here will try to help.

Good luck

Marty
'96 855T

Yes, synthetic oil is an excellent idea when you have a turbo.
There's a lot of information at Turbobricks.com about turbos
http://forums.turbobricks.com/index.php

And you can find 850 enthusiasts and information here at Brickboard as well as at:
Volvospeed, especially Bay 13 http://www.volvospeed.com/bay13.htm
Ozbrick http://au.geocities.com/ozbrick850/