Thanks, everyone, for your input. I went ahead and got both the bracket and the filter (the 2 parts are no longer available from Volvo as a "kit" ... now separate parts). They are close to the lowest price at Volvo of Houston and always genuine Volvo parts. (I suggest always checking w/ their price (Miguel) before going w/ IPD or others.)

One tip on the pollen filter bracket:
I would take out all 5 screws from the cowling. Volvospeed.com has pictures w/ just 2 screws, but that is to replace only the filter, not installing the big ol' bracket.
More importantly, there is a black plastic "non-bracket" (ie, shaped & sized the same as bracket) in the opening that must be removed before slipping in the actual filter bracket. After that, it's piece-o-cake w/ just replacing filter every 10-15,000 miles.

Slightly off topic, but there is a lot of comment to the effect that the filter is a "big" help in reducing evaporator failure. Is this really borne out by a reduced failure rate in the 70's as they reach the same age as when the 850's fail? It seems to me that there are a lot of 70 owners on here that report failures.
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Mike Sullivan ('95 855T (88k), '98 V70XC (92k), '95 855 NA (135k). Past Volvo's: '85 744 (256k), '86 245 (165k), '86 245 (195k), '88 745 (208k), '91 745 (196k), '93 965 (147k) .

My '95 850 came with a cabin air filter. My mechanic told me that they started using these filters during the '95 model year, so earlier '95s did not have them and the later ones did.

It was introduced with the S70 line, and that filter happens to fit the 850's. So it's marketed as a retrofit for the 850's now. Lack of a filter from the factory greatly contributed to early A/C evaporator failures on the 850's.

www.FCPGroton.com has them in the tune up section for about $35 for the kit.



Mike
'95 850T

1995 did not. I believe 1997 did. Even if you buy him a filter, and he doesn't have one, springing for the additional holder later will benefit the car.

Klaus
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(V♂LV♂s 1975 164, 1995 854T, 1998 V70R)

Don't know if it was available from '97 or not...or if it was a '98 S/V 70 item that was then rhetrofitted to the older models. Anyway, it's easy to check:
Under the passenger side windshield with the hood up, you'll see the black plastic cowl right below where the windshield wiper is. You'll see a couple of screws in the plastic. Unscrew them and the entire cowl from the edge of the car lifts up. Under there is where the intake fan is for the cabin. If you don't have a filter, you'll be able to see all the way down to the fan blades. If there's a filter, you'll see it right there under the cowl. If it doesn't have one, you can buy the rhetrofit kit and the filter from www.fcpgroton.com Buy the charcoal activated one if you do...these take more odor out of the in-coming air. While you're in there, see if you can reach down with a vacuum cleaner tip and suck up as much of the fur balls in there as possible. If your cabin is smelling, you can also spray lysol in there with the fan blowing full blast. Adding a cabin filter will keep the gunk out, prolonging your A/C's Evaperator, which as you might know is an expensive repair when it goes. Good luck!
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1998 S70 T5 Emarald Green Metallic, 2004 V70 2.5T Ruby Red, Previous Owner of Black '94 850 Turbo Wagon. My cars have been running so well lately they've got me worried.

Same place, same filter, as on all years of 850's
Go to Pep Boys or your local Volvo Dealer.

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Imagine all the people...