Hey all,
My daily driver has been a 96' 854 GLT for several years now, my mother has a 97' 855 GLT. I've done most of the work on both our cars this last year. I've been lusting after getting a 855 Turbo for some time now.

I've been watching craigslist for ones with problems that I could pick up for cheapish.

Well, last week I bought a 95 855 Turbo with about 179k miles for $400. Right now its burning oil. I did a compression test on the engine, they were all within about 5psi of each other. There is also a giant hole in one of rubber elbows on the PCV system. So my plan is to replace the entire PCV system, as it looks like its never been done before. I have done this procedure twice before, so this is not a huge job for me.

Here's a picture:


Two Questions:

Question #1
The radio harness had been butchered by the previous owner and the aftermarket unit in there didn't work at all. I went to the local junkyard and got the two original radio connectors off a 97 850, and a SC-815 CD player and spliced them on to the 95' harness. I noticed there was ONE wire on the 97' plug that didnt match up with my 95' harness. That must be the speed sensor. I checked VADIS, and it agrees; speed-radio-voume control wasn't introduced until 1996.

I'm wondering if anyone knows if its possible to tap a speed signal somewhere else in the car, and use it for radio volume control on a radio like the SC-815.

Question #2
This 95' doesn't have a door lock switch on the dashboard next to the headlight switch like other 850's i've seen. Is the wiring connector still behind one of those blanks? Can I just get a lock switch from the junkyard and connect it up and have it work?

Thank you.

 

You sound as bad as me, wanting to get the little things just the way you want them. I'm going to try to install front door window switchs in my 850 when I get time.

1. I don't think it would be worth the trouble trying to get the speed volume to work in that car. Those things get jumpy at times and usually cause problems. None of my cars have the feature.

2. I don't think they started wireing for door lock switches on the 850's till after '95 if then. I have never seen a door lock switch on the 850's or S70's. I could be wrong but I do not even see the option in the on-line manual.
https://www.customers.volvocars.com/...50_201.htm#ch2

Does your other 850's have power door lock switches in the dash?

 

I was at the wrecker yesterday looking for stuff and found a 850 with two blanks next to the headlight switch. Just for kicks I pulled the blanks. Both blanks had a harness attached to the back of them. I recognized the first one being the fog light harness and thought to myself...good info to know, if you are prewired it will be attached to the blank. The second one was a mistery, I didnt know what that harness was. I then found on another 850 with the door lock switch, I pulled it and it was the same harness that was in the other car. So the story goes like this, if you are prewired the related harness will be attached to the blank where the switch goes.

For myself, I bought the door lock switch and harness since I want to add this to my car at some point.

 

rspi: Both my 96 GLT and my mother's 97 GLT have the door lock switch directly next to the headlight switch. I'm going to have to replace a few bulbs and the odometer gear in the cluster when I get a chance... i'll let you know if the connector is already there.

 

Well, I'm going to check my yellow R. If it has a blank there, I will be installing a switch TOMORROW. I will take the switch out of the S90. :-P