850-R anyone ever played with them??

[XRQTR]

Hi all, just bought an 850-R that I plan to use as my daily to and from the new shop, the Z chews through way too much fuel to justify using it from Deer Park to Geelong every day.

The car isn't currently going, it's possibly got a blown motor, that's not a problem as I have already sourced a couple of long second handies for under $2K.

My dilemma is this, I want to fiddle with it :

As many here know I can't leave a car as its maker had intended it to be, so I need to know if anyone here has ever had a play with one or knows someone that tweaks them real nice. It's the 5 cylinder turbo that the XR5 gets, same engine but different electronics otherwise I would have a heap of bits to bring over from the US, but why would you when these things came out in 96 with 180kw standard as opposed to the XR5's 150 odd. Oooh maybe I can use aftermarket XR5 FMIC though, hmmm just thought of that.

So anyone at all know someone that might know someone maybe??

They are a wolf in sheeps clothing even in standard form with low 14 high 13 1/4's from what I know when they're running right, but that's just not going to cut it really. I've already hit a number of websites and forums but not alot of info, heaps of aftermarket shops in the US but not alot here, well none that advertise prices here LOL

Anyone ever owned one or even driven one, they were the follow on from the T5-R in 95 which was only produced in 95 as a special model then became the 850-R from 96 (which mine is) to 98, then from their it was the V70-R I think.


thanks in advance
Stef
Phoenix


p.s. these were the cars that got the whole "bloody volvo driver" thing with the coppers using them as chasers at the time in Europe and chasing down many exotics with no problems.

[blackwood]

DVS Performance sell an upgrade chip that give an extra 37kW & 73nm.

They also have stuff like spring upgrades, blah, blah, blah...

http://www.dvs.net.au/ecu.html

[Fev]

you buy cuz the Devil-z uses too much fuel yet you wanna modify it? you got the bug hard man :P

i really like them, i wanted to buy one before the no turbo's on your p's came out because they're fairly cheap but ahwel.

For mod ideas definately just hit up the europe forums, there'd be heaps of videos on youtube too

[SpoolMan]

Stef you buy some weird cars...but this one you can drive on a Sunday....
owners manual.
http://new.volvocars.com/ownersdocs/.../96850_000.htm

AU prices when new. Sedan (manual and auto): $79,950
Wagon (manual and auto): $81,950
nrma review
https://www.mynrma.com.au/cps/rde/xc...car_review.htm

[Tribal]

Originally Posted by SpoolMan

Stef you buy some weird cars...

Agreed.

But here is a forum and thread to get you started...

http://forums.eurocca.net/showthread.php?t=27070

[Polyal]

They are an awesome car, I too was looking at them but hard to find a really nice example that doesn't have heaps of k's.

[XRQTR]

Mark here is a quote from that NRMA link

SummaryIt mightn't rate highly in the glamour stakes, but Volvo's 850 R certainly commands attention with its driving capabilities and levels of performance.

Purists may still prefer the ultimate handling capabilities of a rear wheel drive sports car such as the BMW M3, but the 850 R represents a practical alternative for the enthusiasts with family responsibilities

Now this makes me think, and this is scary, am I thinking about finally trying to con, hehem I mean convince someone that I'd make an ideal sperm donor for there own maternal needs and requirements??

Does this mean that I may actually be capable of thinking of someone other than myself when it comes to comfort in a car, well actually the front shocks need replacing and I'm thinking Koni so maybe not LOL.


And another

NRMA Car Review

Pluses -
Outright performance
Overall handling and braking
Safety and luxury features
Occupant and load space

Minuses -
Performance characteristics at low engine revs
Harsh, bumpy ride at low speeds
Limited ground clearance

They obviously haven't been in my Zed, the Volvo will feel like a Rolls, the first time I drove one I was looking at trading the XR6 ute when it was less than a year old, maybe coz the ute was lowered but it felt dammmm smooth in the 850-R.

Originally Posted by Tribal

Agreed.

But here is a forum and thread to get you started...

http://forums.eurocca.net/showthread.php?t=27070

Ah yes the young Taswegian with the dilemma, already joined up and have a couple of posts in that forum, do a search, my first post may have come off a bit, well, the first line anyway.

Originally Posted by Polyal

They are an awesome car, I too was looking at them but hard to find a really nice example that doesn't have heaps of k's.

The one I got was cheap, as for k's it doesn't matter as they cooked the motor anyway, so I'm looking for some ideas on whether to go standard with a Turbosmart eBOOST2 set up and maybe a FMIC with piping reshuffle kit, or do a bit of a build in case I end up doing more. I rekn I might just go the basic, waiting on a mate to get back to me on a new price from Volvo for a short motor, they will handle up to 300hp in auto form which mine is, that should be plenty for a 13 second Volvo, maybe nudge a 12 in the gramps mobile :




p.s. I just realised my old plates XRQTR will go well seeing as it's an 850-R

[GT450]

Thats a bike isnt it??????????????????????
Just joking.They were a great performance car in their day.
Cheers
GT45o

[Romulus]

I bought one as a demonstrator back in 1996, a red 5 speed manual. I paid $69k for it with 3000kms on the odo. It was a big purchase for someone who was 24yo, but I winged it nevertheless. Back then Peter Brock and Jim Richards were racing them, I had both of them sign by leather bound log book.

The car was certainly a killer in a cardigan, it would comfortable keep up with 215i Senators and GTS HSV's. In fact, I remember numerous times outrunning my mate in his brand new VS GTS. The 850R certainly had legs and would reach it's speed limit of 250km/h @ 6100rpm in 5th gear. It handled superb and braked very well.

I had two issue with the car. One was an ABS malfunction caused by melted ABS hub sensors. You see, I had a habit of braking so hard the rotors would glow red and the radiant heat melted the sensors. Volvo were kind enough to replace the sensors under warranty, twice The other problem was broken top engine mount - a $50 part to replace.

I'd have no hesitation in recommending one, but would seek one with a full service history, and perferable a manual. High K auto's can require a transmission rebuild. I also hear airflow meter faults can occur on them.

TMR does pcm reprogramming for them. I never bothered, I just pulled the boost actuator line off the turbo and ran it at 14psi on a PULP and Toluene fuel blend I mixed up at a mates place. We used to buy 200ltr drums at a time for his GTS and my 850R. I never took it down the drags but G-Tech'd it many a times - 13.9 was the best I managed, with an average of around 14.1 400m time.

I feel I've just had a trip down memory lane

[XRQTR]

Ye I was kind of thinking about a tweed jacket to wear on Sunday drives.....to Heathcote LOL.

This is an auto, with a stuffed engine, possibly just a cam belt after cranking it today after picking it up so could well be another bargain buy for me.

I wanted it mainly coz it's auto as it will end up being my daily commuter for some time, the trans will get a beef up as I'm owed a favor or 10 by a workshop. The boost will most likely go to eBOOST2 with a 3" dump pipe and exhaust, reverse inlet piping kit from the US and maybe a bigger cooler, although volvo motorsport in the US have some nice turbos LOL.

She needs a good clean as she's been sitting around for some time, I'll get some pics up soon enough.

[SpoolMan]

Originally Posted by XRQTR

Ye I was kind of thinking about a tweed jacket to wear on Sunday drives.....to Heathcote LOL.

.

Start with a hair cut and shave....

.

[Redrum]

Steff, you going to put one of those silly orange stripes on it?

Not a volvo fan but remember seeing a vid on internet one day with one in Europe, worked, but still looked like grandpa's car and was mad as.

[XRQTR]

Geez I hope that's not how you see me Mark. :


They are pretty undercover aren't they. :

[whiteELXR6]

My old man's got a S60 T5 same engine I think 190kw i think tho, gee wizz she gets along very well. Unfortunately I do not know anyone who mods them. Bloody good cars tho.

[XRQTR]

They're out their, I just gotta be patient, hope to suss it out this weekend and have it going by the end of the week.

[ajwilson999]

I have been modifying volvo's in particular for over 4 years. go to www.turbobricks.com
currently we have a twin turbo 3.0 6 cylinder volvo s80
960, 740, 740 turbo that runs 13's.
I can give you all the information that you need.
There is a contact of mine working in sweden that sells chips for whiteblocks (we call the FWD volvo's whiteblocks, older rear wheel red blocks)

I have many contacts that modify 850's and have custom parts for them. Obviously you can do the standard bigger cooler, injectors, chip, exhaust, and a common upgrade is the turbo - a friend of mine from the states doug also fabricates custom built exhaust manifolds and wastegate housing to bolt on bigger turbo's i.e. garatt GT's etc. it really all just depends how much money your willing to throw at it. Currently your car is using a mitsubishi 15g or 16T turbo which is small in these standards but they have quick boost onset

I just pulled at 16T from an 850, reclocked the turbo, fabricated a wastegate bracket and put it on a 740T actually.

It's very easy to push these cars into the 12's.

Is it a FWD sedan? they only made the AWD in the wagons for a limited time.

I could not offer you better advice than to go to www.turbobricks.com they have offered me much information and the guys on the board are great - probably the only car forum i've been on with more brains than money haha.

you can also check out:
www.turbobricks.com
www.brickboard.com

those two sites are mainly for modified older rwd cars but a great one for 850's is:

www.volvospeed.com

PM me if you need any more help, i love getting people into the volvo scene!

oh and one other thing iv always loved about my 740 turbo - nothing beats the look on peoples faces at the lights when they're in their WRX's or V8's getting blown off by a 22 year old volvo

haha anyway good luck with the project im interested to see how it goes

[waggaclint]

i can remember peter brock used to race one there used to be a good add on telly for them with brocky smoking up the front wheels

http://wwwrsphysse.anu.edu.au/~amh110/volvo_racing.htm

[XRtowcar]

Do you still get a free membership to your local bowls club when you buy one second hand???

[MRJUCY]

Originally Posted by XRtowcar

Do you still get a free membership to your local bowls club when you buy one second hand???

No you're confusing Volvo with Toyota.

[XRQTR]

Ye thanks AJ, I have already joined volvospeed and you're right they certainly know alot about the 850s in particular, turbo brick I've heard quite a bit about but haven't as yet ventured in. The guys at ECCA don't seem like a very friendly bunch though, I have 3 posts in their already with 2 of them threads that I have started asking some simple questions, so ye not sure about them.

I wouldn't mind some more info, in the US they seem to have everything, even the kitchen sink, they use later model S60 exhaust manifolds with GT Garret 3076 at volvo motorsport. So easy enough to just throw on a manifold and get something like a T3/4, the auto can't really take more than 300hp so not much point going overboard if it's just going to have problems. It'll be a fun daily commuter, that I can still take out to the track and do some straight line stuff.

Not sure yet but from what I saw today, I think it may already have Koni yellows, well I saw some yellow shocks in the back when I loaded it but wasn't sure as I don't know what color the factory stuff is. Anyway, I was giving it a clean just before at the workshop and noticed a Koni Equipped label on the back side window, you know the bubble enamel like one. So ye might have saved me a crap load as well if they're in the front as well as the front seemed a little soft when you push on it and I already got the boys at the suspension shop to get a price on Koni LOL, so ye maybe now just a rebuild which is much cheaper. :



Ye the bowls club said they'd misplaced my membership, strangely though over the phone it was all good then when they saw me they kind of hid under the bar, he said he was looking for it but I'm sure he was holding a gun. :

[XRtowcar]

My apologies, i forgot the most popular bowls car is a Camry.
But you will need a tweed jacket with leather arm patches.
Or is that for Peugeot 504 owners???

[XRQTR]

Just had the first fitting today, I'm getting mine tailor made with Volvo embroidery through the lining, silk lining of course only coz they ran out of moose.

[XRQTR]

[drew`SEVNT5]

Originally Posted by XRQTR

Ye thanks AJ, I have already joined volvospeed and you're right they certainly know alot about the 850s in particular, turbo brick I've heard quite a bit about but haven't as yet ventured in. The guys at ECCA don't seem like a very friendly bunch though, I have 3 posts in their already with 2 of them threads that I have started asking some simple questions, so ye not sure about them.

Stef,

As one of the guys that has been around ECCA, well, since the start (ie: DTM Vic/GCCV days) Id say you would be hard pressed to find much help in a short period of time with anything that isnt a BMW or Benz on there...its best use is for keeping intouch with the other euro car owners, but marque specialist stuff your best off keeping to the ones mentioned on here (like I do with Alfa's)

We generally are a friendly bunch, tho...

[XRQTR]

LOL I'll take your word for it, although I did make a friend on VWwatercooled, he seems like a nice enough fella, just moved from Syderney to Melbourne recently, might come down to the new shop for a look at the car.

But ye I kind of figured that about ecca with there banner LOL.

[Justin@]

some vids of the 850R
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ew6YwIN2IQc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkP2LMmQ9PE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RWm7PL-eJQ

Still think the wagons look better stef......

[XRQTR]

Well figured out today what's wrong with the Vaulavaunt, man did they do a good job too never seen anything like it, they cooked the motor so hard they actually melted the ignition lead plastic insulator (heat resistant my big fat wheels) right down over the plugs. I couldn't even take the leads off without breaking the plastic insulator that goes into the plug cavity, removing the plugs well that's tomorrows challenge.

I priced a new motor through the dealers and retail is kind of scary, but on the plus side even if I did pay the $5K+ for a complete short motor (rocker to sump) I'd still be well (and I mean welllllllllll) below a good second handy with a second hand motor LOL. But good news is I am spoiled for choice at the moment, 3 of them so far from $1200-$1900, not sure of k's on all but the dearest one is around 120k's.

So the journey continues and my pledge to have it running by the end of the week may be extended to early next week haha, but we'll see what the other guys say tomorrow about the other engines.

Just incase you're not following the other thread about the moving of Phoenix here is a pic for you to enjoy, yes it's black, hmmmmm where am I going to put the stripe on this one. : : : :

[XRQTR]

Some fresh news on the vaulavaunt front, head looks to be f'd good and proper, tried starting it today with about half a can of Aerostart and got nothing except for a couple of big bellows of smoke just behind the inlet runners. Then whan I cranked it after that it actually pumped smoke from the header tank, so I can only assume that it's pushing through a crack in the head gasket, but I think the head is warped to the point that it actually sits away from the block in sections. The plugs did have water on them when I removed them.

Life goes on.

But some really great news now to cheer you all up (I know you're all feeling a bit let down after the head disaster) but anyway I can't remember if I mentioned the fact that I thought the car had Koni Yellows.

Well it does : and I am quite stoked about that as I know the front strut tops need replacing, this explains why now as they're stock rubber, so on top of the strut brace it could actually be turned into a bit of a weekend lion tamer, with a sideline in Falconing :evil3:

Well if anyone knows how to get the rocker cover off (I actually think it's fused to the head LOL) I was trying this afternoon for a couple of hours with no success. They have a heap of bolts for the rocker cover, probably around 60+ and no I'm not kidding, I'll post a pic up a little later showing what it look like around each plug recess. They seem to have some kind of dowel on either side but I'm unsure if it's maybe something that screws out through the underneath as their is enough room for it if it did.

So tomorrow I'll give one of the local Volvo guys a call and see what they say about getting it off, I want to take it off to get it checked and be able to have a look down at the bores to see what they're like.

Tally ho chaps, tataa
Stefano
Phoenix

[XDV800]

Yeah man, a good overheat will cook most of the seals throughout an engine. This is usually firstly noticeable in trying remove the rocker cover because the rubber gasket has turned into a bakerlite type substance.

Keep this thread alive champ as I was toying with the idea of going down the same path as you are. Thats a fine example you've acquired there mate, mmm tuxedo black.
Had a look at a sinful looking red one but it was auto, not what i wanted, the manuals are rarer. Made the choice they were going to be too hard to live with in the long run after researching owners feedback on parts atainability.
Your living my dream!

P.S. can somebody describe their ownership of a Seat Cupra GTi 98-99.
I need help...

[brett4777]

for your suspension stuff definately speak to Ashleigh At DVS his brick handles like its on rails and im fairly sure he has some good stuff to suit yours as well

He is a good friend of mine so tell him Brett sent you