Volvo Forums - Volvo Enthusiasts Forum - 850 Wagon radio antenna and booster and odometer queries....

I searched the forum for info on these items, only finding one thread where the reply was "you should swing by the dealer and ask them to view their picture..."!! C'Monn guys!!! I'm sure SOMEONE in here knows about the antenna booster they put in these wagons! I.E. its location, serviceability, troubleshooting, wiring pin-outs, etc.. Also, is it more feasible to eliminate this rather bogus antenna setup and just install an aftermarket antenna on the fender where everyone's grandfather had their antenna for 40 or 50 trouble-free years?? It seems to me that that might be the easiest way to accomplish getting descent (or even ANY) radio reception in this car.

Some background... the wife came up with the brilliant idea to ship her 1998 Explorer from here in NorCal to the daughter for her final 2 years of college in Poughkeepsie, NY, and bought the daughter's boyfriend's mother's 1997 850 wagon for $500 bucks!! Other than a significant transmission leak (nice firm shifts w./no slipping, tho... I think the leak is from the cooler lines, but haven't had it up onna lift as yet) and it being absolutely the DIRTIEST CAR I've EVER seen (I spent 4 whole days detailing the grunge outta every crack and crevice in the dash, console, carpets, seats (cloth), the headliner looked like a case of Dr. Pepper exploded in the car!! ... not to mention the exterior with brake dust and grime so thick on the wheels I thought they were the matte black wheels that came on some Sport Wagons... but they came back with a bit of Sonex) it's a pretty descent ride. With 142K miles and a non-operating odometer, it starts, runs and drives 9.5 outta 10. BUT... the damned radio (an aftermarket replacement Kenwood head unit) barely gets any FM reception, and absolutely NO AM reception. All the wife listens to is the AM news stations while commuting, so this must be resolved.

Also... on that odometer... the only threads on here refer to 1996 and earlier model 850s, stating that they're running odo gauges. Every car I've seen w./odo gauges (my bud's '70 911 included) say odo near the bottom of the gauge faces... on her 97 they do not. Also, up under the hood, currently wrapped around the brake booster, there's a cable about 20 inches long, wrapped in plastic wire-loom, with what appears to be a magnetic pick-up with a plastic threaded connector around it. It has a rather heave gauge (8 or 10 gauge mebbe) insulated red wire inside the loom.... I believe this is the pickup for the odometer. It cant be for the tach (camshaft end connection) as the tach works fine... I believe it's electronic anyway. I attempted to drop the cable down to the transaxle area to see how far it reaches and if there are any connections available to connect it... no luck. Can someone tell me what this cable is and where I need to connect it to?? Everything on the car sans the 2 odometers works fine, so I pretty sure this is what it is. I think I'm gonna pull the airbox outta there to get a better look down there.... for the life of me, I can't see anywhere it should connect.

SOMEBODY in here has GOTTA know these answers. Is there mebbe another Forum that I need to try?? I mean... who has upgraded the radio in their wagon? Did ypuo experience any issues with the reception/antenna/booster at all?? And wh can tell me FOR SURE that the odometer is a electronic odo brand and has bad gears, hence that's why it's nott working???

Thank you in advance, and please give me your thoughts/ideas even if you're not absolutely positive as to the solutions to these 2 issues.

Mark D.
NTrails

1997 Volvo 850 wagon - 142K miles - Dark Green (Bone Stock)
2008 Pontiac G8 GT - 72K miles Panther Black Metallic (many mods-check the G8-GT forum!)
1998 Ford Exploder XLT - Eddie Baur Edition - AWD - 150K miles - Dark Green