850 AWD Rebuild thread/documentation

Rory · 2022-05-11T23:23:25+00:00

Sounds good, looking forward to the thread.

Rory

Ex850R
https://ozvolvo.org/discussion/comment/212739#Comment_212739
Only difference (apart from fack ends changing whenever they felt like a different supplie) is there's no rear engine mount on awd car.

Yeah ok, I suppose that would make them not ideal for high performance builds, especially considering the AWD system is basically dead weight when on road.

Ex850R

Rory
https://ozvolvo.org/discussion/comment/212741#Comment_212741
Yeah ok, I suppose that would make them not ideal for high performance builds, especially considering the AWD system is basically dead weight when on road.

Have a look at Turbobricks , Look for Joe. He built a V70R from a 1998 iirc, massive power, M66 manual.

My V70R auto with worn out motor was still epic as awd....much more so than FWD.

The rear independent suspension is proper.

The deltalink in FWD cars gives you squirrelly feeling at speed in very fast sweeping bends that just ain't right.......

If I could have kept my first 855R manual I would have converted it to awd and M66 as the FWD and 5spd combo was useless on my favourite roads on and around The Great Ocean Road.

The awd steering rack is a much nicer steerer as well as without the motor sitting on it it gets to do its job better.

Philia_Bear

I doubt there were only 58 in aus

I have personally owned 3 of them in aus and have turned down ownership of 5+ others

I still own 2

Rear diff is not a limited slip

One of the 2 has heated seats but might be a retrofit from a dealer as they are easy to swap in

Neither has nivomats (unknown what they had from factory)

Also all the ones I have owned were 1996my vin with prod dates of 95 or 96

Rory

Philia_Bear
I doubt there were only 58 in aus
I have personally owned 3 of them in aus and have turned down ownership of 5+ others
I still own 2
Rear diff is not a limited slip
One of the 2 has heated seats but might be a retrofit from a dealer as they are easy to swap in
Neither has nivomats (unknown what they had from factory)
Also all the ones I have owned were 1996my vin with prod dates of 95 or 96

Huh ok, that makes me even more confused, since most of the other claims are that less were made, maybe just coincidence? Or possibility since they were so expensive brand new, most of them might've been well taken care most of the 58 survived till today?

Ill fix the factsheet with that info.

I'm fairly confident they had the nivomats from the factory, maybe the early ones didn't last and they were replaced? ill do a bit more research and double check.

Ex850R

Rory
https://ozvolvo.org/discussion/comment/212765#Comment_212765
Huh ok, that makes me even more confused, since most of the other claims are that less were made, maybe just coincidence? Or possibility since they were so expensive brand new, most of them might've been well taken care most of the 58 survived till today?
Ill fix the factsheet with that info.
I'm fairly confident they had the nivomats from the factory, maybe the early ones didn't last and they were replaced? ill do a bit more research and double check.

Volvovic, Mark Richardson , Iceton. They know the numbers as does Volvomike.

Like around 70 855R manuals here, I reckon I chased a quarter of them around Australia trying to buy one in the 1990/2000s.

Philia_Bear

Rory
https://ozvolvo.org/discussion/comment/212765#Comment_212765
Huh ok, that makes me even more confused, since most of the other claims are that less were made, maybe just coincidence? Or possibility since they were so expensive brand new, most of them might've been well taken care most of the 58 survived till today?
Ill fix the factsheet with that info.
I'm fairly confident they had the nivomats from the factory, maybe the early ones didn't last and they were replaced? ill do a bit more research and double check.

Yeah, the nivos were frequently replaced with standard stuff in everything they have ever been in because of cost and availability of replacement parts and ease of swapping so I would not doubt they all came from factory with them

Further

Afaik the my96 cars were exclusive to Australia... Every non R 850 manual wagon I have seen has ended up being a conversion or factory my96 850awd

I've never seen a my97 850 AWD in person this could explain the numbers differences...

Side note... My personal data only goes back to 2011 when they were already 15 years old and in peak cheapness

DarthVol_AWD855

Rory
Information and facts about the 850 AWD I have discovered through research (I will be putting unsure info in asterisk):
Volvo's first AWD car. 2011 total made, with 309 being made in RHD, *with all but 58 of the RHD cars being sold to the EU, meaning only 58 would've been distributed to Australia, New Zealand and Japan* (there is a lot of conflicting information and argument about this, but from my research, this is the information that seems to be correct, and the source for this specific info claims to be directly given from a Volvo dealer in Gothenburg 2016-ish.)All were built as manual wagons (m58 variant), with the 2.435L low pressure 13G Turbo engine (B5254T), *about 8.5s 0-100kmph*Had 14mm raised suspension (independent), *with an non-electronic active leveling suspension system in rear (nivomats), which manually leveled the suspension whilst driving to prevent sag when towing or with heavy items in boot.*Came stock with a tow bar and metal luggage cage.Had a identical AWD system as the all the other P80 AWD cars, including V70xc and V70R.Came with the similar features as other high spec 1996/1997 850's, but did not come with boost Guage like sport models did.About $85,000 msrp in 1997 not including inflation. Something like $150,000 after accounting for inflation.Weighed 1575kg, a bit more then the FWD, which weighed 1385-1520kg.https://www.volvoclub.org.uk/volvonews2.shtml

Hi Rory, It was me who got that information direct from Sweden during the rebuild of my own Irish Reg'd 1996 Volvo 850 AWD so that data is correct wrt markets/numbers produced. We've been in contact I believe via Instagram where I have my project rebuild on the go. (Also, up on volvoforums.org.uk).

Best regards

Sonic_Blue_ST220

Rory

Ended up having to replace the steering rack. The process involved lowering the rear of the subframe and loosing engine mounts to get it down enough to slide the steering rack out the side.
Got Rego, driven probably 1000klms by now with no major issues aside from a vibration and a shaking, I suspect the RHS strut tower I swapped in was no good. Already used it as a people mover with 7 people, as well as a cargo van, and it makes an absolutely awesome sound in the process. It pretty much all you need in a car, as a Volvo wagon should be.
(Also, if anyone in Sydney has black panels, specifically RHS fender, bonnet, bumper and headlight eyelid trim. Would be interested in buying, saves me having to paint over the really high-quality Volvo paint.)

Ex850R

easier to replace rack on AWD than FWD as no rear mount on steering rack......

Rory

Ex850R yeah was fairly straightforward, for some reason I couldn't get it to slide out the back like the manuals/guides suggested, was far easier to slide out the side.

Ex850R

Rory
Left sied ? I never got to do it but i lay under there many times dreaming of it.....
Was a 97 V70R that hadbeen 4WD in red dust SA...

Rory

Ex850R I slid it out the drivers side, (right), not sure if the other way would've been better, the main obstacle was getting the steering shaft out through the small gap, had to loosen the engine mounts to make a few more millimetres of space.

Ex850R

Rory WELL DONE ( wht the fck with this caps key its got mind of own!!!_)
You better do a video channel!!!!

Ex850R

Or take fotos ffs!!!!

Ex850R

Pix or it bever happened!

Rory

Ex850R damn haha, never took any photos, never really thought about it till the job was done, will take photos next time. Wish I could say I did the job perfect, the car has formed a power steering leak since I made the replacement I'm still yet to narrow down, and I've got the hoses that run from the steering rack to the power steering pump floating in space as I cant seem to find how they are supposed to be secured from factory. I've tightened the hoses so hopefully that fixes the leaking fluid, and ill probably just throw a bash plate on rather then worrying about the loose hanging power steering hoses. Also nearly had the car topple over as it was sitting on some sketchy jack points as well haha.
Another issue I faced was putting back on the steering spline, spend honestly half the job trying to get the nut that locks it in place through the groove in the spline, ended up using the threads of the screw to force it through. Wasn't ideal but it worked, couldn't find any way to get it to line up and go through better.

Ex850R

Rory
Dirt floor garage engineering at ist best.
You do us armchair 'mechanics' proud!!!!!!!!!!

Ex850R

Now , go outside and take some pix , please.

Ex850R

*see Pole barn garage on YT for inspiring knowledge

Rory

Ex850R will send through some photos next time I'm under the car. That YouTube channel seems interesting, I like the xjs they have.

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