Hello all,
I am the owner of a '96 850 t5 who was recently looking to buy a '97 850R wagon. I decided to keep teh car I have and spend the money i was goig to spend on the other car on my own.




My goals for the car are modest, i guess, I dont drag race but i'm a fan of auto-X and VIR is pretty close so a trip there may be in my future. I know she isn't a "race car" I just want her to be fun. 270-280whp is my ultimate goal but for now i would like to take care of the supporting mods before i get to the big ticket items (turbo, ECU tune) but I'll get to that later.

I've done a lot of searching here and even found a post similar to this I just wanted yalls opinion on my setup. I'll insert questions as I go. (BTW i'm rounding up) Ok here we go...

Performance
$200 - for my stage 0. I've taken pretty good care of her but I figure i'd over estimate on this one.
$188 - for FMIC kit i saw here, sold on ebay.
$60 - for transmission cooler. (which brand do you suggest? / Trans fluid too?)
$400 - for OBX exhaust. Can't argue with the price, so might as well get it toss some hi temp anti rust coating on it and call it a day. (objections? any drone?)
$108 - Stainless Steel brake lines (is IPD the only place i can get these?)
$??? - Slotted rotors (i see much discussion but no real answer on which to get. any input is appreciated)hope to keep it under $200


Suspension
$240 - for Bilstein Touring Shocks front (can I use my stock springs? / disadvantages?) The stock rear is ok for now, disagree?
$400 - for IPD anti swaybar, gotta have that.
$70 - for ebay strut tower bar, had one on a previous car and i liked the feel of it. price isn't too bad either

Interior
$55 - 3 gauge a pillar pod (which gauges to get - i'm thinking boost, egt, what else???)

Only up to $1721 so far. And then...


Allright big ticket items...

Turbo
Reading posts it looks like I'm going to go with the super60. I spoke with shawn @ turbochargeres.com and he gave me a good price ported and clipped. The only problem is...if i get this now wont i need to get an ecu tune, larger injectors and some sort of boost controller? This brings me onto my next item..

ECU Tune - I know there aer a few options i just don't know OF any. I hear great things from ipd but damn they are expensive! When the time comes for my super60 turbo upgrade who else can i/should i turn to?

Injectors - we have plenty of boneyards around here so if the logic is 1cc per hp then the 350cc white injectors are what i need. I 'm sure i can get a hold of them stupid cheap. Should i wait for my ecu tune to get these?

E/MBC - get this now or later?

R bumper - who here sells them?

Lastly...

When i dive into the turbo i figure I might as well do the s60R manifold swap too. Where can i get the best price on this?

Thank you guys. I hope i didnt overwhelm you with old questions but you guys are a Godsend and i really appreciate it.

 

Remember by adding a bigger turbo you run the risk of bent rods and what not. I'm not sure how large a super60 is, but even with the 19T, it is questionable to run one of those with stock rods. And if it's not a TD04 turbo, you're going to have to do a fair amount of mods to make it fit.

IPD sells a the R manifold, they're pricey though. and an R bumper you can get from a dealership I'm pretty sure, I don't see why they wouldn't, or just search FS threads and what not.

A lot of that stuff you can get from FCP too. Otherwise it's a pretty good list, should be a different car after that.



oh yeah, and if your going to be running more boost, I would look into a set of SAMCO silicone hoses. and the intercoolers on these cars are already pretty efficient, so unless your doing some serious mods, which none of these really are, you probably wouldn't need to do that.

 

- EuroSportTuning might sell the SS brake lines as well.
- Slotted rotors will be fine.
- Personally I'd go with Bilstein HD's or KONI's all around
- IPD sways are a must!
- No on the EBAY strut bar. Get a real strut bar... OMP if you can find it and or EuroSportTuning.
- Get your three gauge A-pillar pod from Gaugepods.com and what you want in the pod should be something like Boost/vacuum, EGT, maybe a Wideband meter or Oil pressure.

As for the turbo you ever think of just putting a 16T on there?

Do your ECU tune last, after all your other mods are done. IPD USA sells a tune, Viva Performance sells the RICA tune. These are the two best tuners out on the market for Volvo. If you want to cheap out and go with a lesser quality tune then check into Inmotion, SpeedTuning USA and or Upsolute. But with the mods your planning I wouldn't go with these I'd go for the IPD and or RICA.

You really wont need the bigger injectors with the mods your doing.

Once you get your ECU upgrade a MBC is pointless IMO. Others will say run both, but a ECU upgrade is a lot safer and better then any MBC.

Viva Performance sells the R bumpers and you can check Erie VoVo and or your local dealership.

Other then a dealership the only other place I know to get the R manifolds is IPD USA and or Viva Performance.

 

i did a lot of research and the 16t is not much better than teh 15t. The super60 is a 15t with a larger compressor wheel and housing. It's more stable than the 19t and doesnt pose as much of a threat to your rods.

Thanks for the ECU info, I needed it.

 

$10 for two cans of flat black paint for your plastic molding. Can't forget that. Good call on keeping your sedan. I think the wagons look better but most have serious rattle problems (and not just the rear hatch). I feel like driving mine into a telephone pole sometimes! Jumping out first of course.

I'm not sure if you mentioned how many miles your car has. At some point that has got to be a consideration. I may be reaching that point already and possibly trading up for a lower mileage car before I seriously consider any real $$$ on parts, especially performance parts.

 

Tint will set off the car.
boost, wideband, and oil temp or pressure.
16T turbo is good for 280hp. a guy I know has that and some other fun mods, pretty quick... he has about 270ish...

BTW...custom 3" turboback. some have the OBX system, but it is only 2.5"

 

I think the 2.5" will suffice if your not doing any high output upgrades, I think you'd be fine with the OBX, and for 400 bucks, you can't complain.

 

With his upgrade plans a full 3" will benefit him more then the 2.5" will.

Also a 16T isn't much bigger then the 15g, not 15t. That is correct. However it will hold boost more efficiently then the 15g will. I think a few people on some other boards have done the Super60 and have been pleased with it.

 

Thanks for your input and compliment. I really wanted teh wagon but decided to get this instead. You are the first person that ever put the sedan over the wagon and you've truly made my day. Right now i have 188k on teh clock and she runs very well. Since the performance things i'm looking at are bolt on i feel pretty good about getting them. If the car tanks i'll just take them off and sell or reapply to another volvo.

 

You're welcome. One thing I love (but also hate) about my wagon is the cargo area. I love it because it's like a tiny Nissan truck. In my side job I actually need a truck but have gotten by without one by using my wagon. About the only thing I wanted to haul that I couldn't was a water heater. The box was just too big. Other than that the cargo area has been very handy. But... I also hate the cargo area because it makes it very difficult to go shopping unless you have the pull out cargo security cover to hide your shopping bags. Problem is hardly anyone has the dumb security cover either because their wagon didn't come with it or because it broke long ago or whatever. And they are hard to find used and like $300+ EOM. Take Christmas for example. I could not use my wagon. Hit one store and get some packages. Throw them in the back of your wagon and then...? You can't go to another store. You have to drive all the way home and drop off what packages you have. But let's say you do have a security cover. Then why is it mysteriously pulled closed? What are you hiding that is so valuable it needs to be covered? It's like a dead give away you have something expensive under there. Anyway, my long winded point is that there have been many times I wished I had the trunk of a sedan. Many times.

 

I'm gonna say I agree with you guys. I really don't prefer the wagon look at all. The trunk space is adequate in the sedan, and if you need that space to haul something, get a friend's truck, lol. I'm all about the sedan, I would never ever get a wagon.

 

All you guys hating. Haha. JK. I just think the Volvo Wagon is so unique and it's like a trademark. Just a giant brick.

 

One day I will build a nice turbo wagon I like it for the uniqueness of a modded wagon.

 

Agreed. Personally, I just don't think you can beat a modded wagon. I can't wait to get started on mine.

 

It's like, 'why do you need the extra space?' 'So you can get your groceries home before the ice cream starts melting?' LOLLLLLLLLL I just dont get it. I would think a sedan handles better or am I mistaken? I guess its all up to the driver in the end.

 

It's kind of funny the arguments people get in over which is more attractive, the 850 wagon or the 850 sedan... because they are both so butt ugly they are children only a mother could love. No one will ever come up to you and compliment you on how nice your wagon looks, unless they are a Volvo enthusiast or just trying to flatter you. One of my gigs is graphic design. I'd say the wagons did not actually start looking good until the 2001 (North America) P2 platform came out. About the best compliment I've received on my 850 by a noob is that it looked 'stately' or something to that effect. lol I def do not expect to impress any younger women in my 850 wagon. Not in the year 2009 anyway.

Unfortunately, the designers at Volvo have fallen into the design abyss with the new 2007 wagon. It is so hideous it makes the 850 look like a Ferrari.

 

+1 on the butt ugly 07 wagon.

Thanks for all the sedan love, just yesterday i was contemplating selling it for a wagon. I think i'm settled now.

 

I don't like them because of the room, who cares about that? I don't really use my trunk, I don't like keeping stuff in my car, if someone really looked inside my car it would look like it's been vacant for ten years because I don't like clutter. I like the clean lines on the wagon, and once again the uniqueness of it. I'm not driving Volvo to get laid in the first place. And this is like the first forum where the wagon is actually disliked, Volvospeed and and Turbobricks is all about the wagons, gotta give em props over there.

 

Only soccer moms drive wagons!!! Would you buy a minivan just cuz its got a turbo!? LOLLLLLL

 

I'd probably give it a whirl. ha.