Tank usable capacity is 20.6. Total capacity is like 21.5 gallon. You can get the specs here.

 

I agree with Henry about the production numbers. However, I have owned both and I know the RWD cars have a lot less issues.

Another thing, the 960's were mostly purchased/owned/serviced by a more mature group of people. I'd guess the average age of the initial owners was something like 55. While 850 owners age was likely more like 35. I would guess that most 960's never had DIY owners until the late 2000's, likely around 2008 before their ownership started falling into the hands of the foolish young. Many still have not. My daugther and wife would not let me give my 17 year old daugher a 960. When I gave it to a college kid and left her with NOTHING all the sudden she wanted it. Well, about a year later I got her the S70 GLT that she now has but that was a long year for her.

Yes that 960 has a large tank. I use to shock the gas station attendants when I was filling up last time super was close to $4 per gallon. I was able to pump about $70 in there some days. I was also able to get about 550 miles with a tank of gas while on the highway doing about 63 mph. I drove from Albuquerque to OKC one day. I usually stoped at Amarillo TX to fill it up but that time I was a little over 1/2 tank so I kept on going. That was fun and a little scary. I may have went all the way to Shawnee OK, about 30 miles past OKC.

 

BTW, The 960 has a high compression motor so you really should use 91+ octane. I was once told that using the lower octane gas can cause burnt valves in the long run. Not sure how true that is.

 

Oh well before I follow thru on that one...I'll ask my Volvo guy. Just got back from having him replace the fuel rail and he cleaned the throttle body as well. Can tell an immediate change in the way the car is driving. Motor takes less throttle input but accelerates better and engine is running even smoother than it already was.
Thanks Henry for the link to the specs...will be delving into that shortly. Without looking yet... my Volvo guy says the tank capacity is 21.1 gals and that the engine requires 7 quarts of oil.
The only other issue I have is the cold driver's seat...its supposed to be heated but the heating pad//element is dead...making the leather cold and hard as a rock for the first 10 mins...depending on how cold it is outside. My Volvo guy says these parts are still made but a new one would set me back something on the order of $367...like whoa...maybe someone here would know where I could find one a bit cheaper?

 

Here are the specs on Volvo's site:
1997 Volvo 960

Oil is just under 6 quarts. I've changed it about 30 times and it's about 6 quarts. Fuel tank is 21.1 gallons.

 

Do not know of any seat heating pad source. Maybe you can fix your pad. Others have...

 

I've run my 960 on 87 octane since new. No problems.

 

Good to hear. That means your knock sensor system is working well. There are a lot of 960 with burnt valves. A lot more than 850 with basically the same motor.

What kind of gas mileage do you get?

 

Yeah - 300k miles is a pretty good test on the quality of a car. I too had the issue with the power seat. Turned out to be a Dixie cup wedged between the floor and the bottom of the seat. Apparently the motor has little power so it took that little to prevent the seat from moving. Other than that the car had been very solid.

 

Motor oil is close to 7 qrts if cooler is disconnected and cleaned. Just motor and filter it's a little less than 6, just like Rspi said.

 

A dixie cup??? My seats bend coins. Would take a finger off no problem. Just short cables.

 

Common problem...when I got mine the drivers seat would only move forward and back on its left track...turned out to be the cable on the right side which my Volvo guy fixed...my only remaining complaint is that cold hard driver's seat...Can someone point me to any threads on how to fix the heating pad/element??? TIA ;-)

 

I just don't know of any. There is a write-up on fixing the pads in the 850. I can't imagine it would be much different. There is two main things;

1. The thermostat wire comes loose. They reach under the seat and plug the wires back in. It will be hard with the 960 because of the large seat motor system.

2. The heating pads get a broken wire from people putting their knee in the seat. They take the seat apart, pull the skin off the seat cushion and solider the broken wire.

If you search the seat thread that Lee did in www.MatthewsVolvoSite.com you will find how he has fixed heated seats in the 850's.

 

Yeah, the hard plastic kind. I had to cut it out from where it was jammed.

 

I find plenty of bent pennies when I clean mine.

 

LOL, he made it sound like it was a paper cup.

 

Thanks...I had it traced to the pad itself for sure but the seat was not dis-assembled just cheked electrically...everything from the switch to the pad was good.
I really wish i could stick the 850 seats in there...they are so much superior in comfort and bolstering...oh well

 

I hate to say that any Volvo seat is less than perfect since they brag about them being orto designed but I do agree. It may have something to do with me being less than 5'-6". My 740 seats were awsome as well. Maybe I'm getting old.

The S70 seats are the most comfortable seats I have ever traveled in.