I have a 1996 850 Wagon-B5254S and I am trying to get a serpentine belt. There seems to be two types of belts available for this model, 6PK1743 and 6PK1748. Does anyone know why there are two types and which is the correct one.
Thanks.

Thanks to all of you who helped me with this subject. I changed the serpentine belt and it took me all of 15 minutes.

I purchased the belt, Part Number 6PK1743 from (http://www.autohausaz.com/) for $ 17.74. Excellent service by the way.

As far as tools, I bought a 3 Pc Air Impact Socket adapter set for $ 1.79 at a local store and used the 1/2"x3/4" socket which fits perfectly into the tensioner and attached a 3/4" open end wrench to part of the socket that protruded from the tensioner and that was it.

I saved $ 65.00 by doing this myself (The local shop wanted $ 85.00 to change the belt)

You all have been great help.

JB

There are two methods of routing the belt on the 850. The longer belt will wrap further around the alternator pully than the shorter one. It depends on the position of the idler pully. I just installed the longer one on my 96 850 and another on my step-daughter's 94. A little tricky but it is doable.
I'll send a routing diagram to you.

--
Tom 69-1800S, 72-1800ES, 96-850T,2000-S70 GLT-SE

Thank you for the routing diagram. Looks simple

I think it has to do with whether your car has A/C or not. With A/C the belt will be longer. Since A/C is an option (people in Canada and northern Europe not always springing for it) it makes a difference which belt you get. Be aware that on some models (my 97 R and GLT), Volvo changed the configuration of the belt. The new configuration is just a smidge longer than the original. Instead of going around the alternator and back up it goes down and makes a 90 degree or some such change. The very important point to remember in changing the serpentine belt, is which pulley you slip it over last. There were a lot of posts about people swearing up a storm and trying to stretch the belt a sixteenth of an inch, etc., to get it to slip over that last pulley, but when you install it, make note that all the pulleys have a tiny flange on them. The idler pulley on the inside does NOT. It's smooth shouldered. Thread the belt around the bottom, around over the top, and then make your little loop and slip it over the inside shoulderless pulley. You won't have any problems. If you get your belt and there's a drawing inside, it's because Volvo changed the route the belt runs. You can tell, because if you install a new belt and then release the tensioner pulley and the belt is still loose, it's because you installed it the old way. Dick

Thank you for your input. I will check the A/C configuration. Also thanks for the tip on which pulley to slip it over last.

JB.

The Swede's had a problem with belt slippage on the 1748 so the shrunk it to 1743 and have no more problems. There might still be some out there but the 1748's have been kind of tough to find. I just run the 1743 and you have to jump them back on like the old "V" belts on the red engine a/c compressor. I simply route it around everything and have it about 1/2 way around the left side of the p/s pump, hold in place with a screwdriver and hit the button on the remote starter and it will pop right into place, remove the pin from the compressed spring tensioner and crank it around a few times to makes sure that it is aligned and running in the pulleys as it should. Should you try to jump the belt on, be careful and remember the p/s pump will spin clockwise so feed the belt up on the left side and it will spin to the right and pull the belt up and on.

Mark