I have a few questions about modifications I've thought about my 1994 NA 850...

1. Can I get interior switches from 95+ model? Will they fit/work?

2. My dashboard display shows time and ambient temperature. Can I install one that has instant MPG?

3. I know the four rear speakers are connected in parallel. What about the front? Are they 8 ohm as well?

4. My transmission is not in perfect condition. It's shifting hard in Reverse...I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it stays alive (thought about pouring some Lucas in it, good idea?). But in case it doesn't...can I put a 95+ model transmission in the car? Most of the transmissions on ebay and the forums are 95+. What do I need to make it fit in a 94 model, what are the differences?

 

1) In theory yes.

2) I don't think Volvo's had any of those for any model year of the 850. Best suggestion, light foot and cruise control on highways

3) Unknow sorry.

4) Check the transmission fluid level. Could simply be low and adding some fluid could help. If its black (like mine) may just need a flush and refill

 

1. Yes they will.
2. I've heard of people that have done it, but I am not sure of what they had to do to make it work.
3. No, your rear speakers are 8 ohm because they are wired in parallel which brings them down to 4 ohm. Your front dash tweeters and door speakers are separate, both being 4 ohm.
4. No, you need to either put in a 94 or 95 transmission. In 94 and 95 the speedometer receives its signal via a speed sensor that's plugged into the tranny casing, in 96-97 they use the ABS module.

 

Do you have the info switch? That usually lets you lets you read your MPG, average MPG, Average speed, miles till 0 and a tripometer.

 

Some base 94 models came with nothing more than clock and temp on that screen, the screen is even smaller too.

 

Ooo so he might have gotten the other dash. I know VDO makes one, but i forget the other one.

 

With the MGP, if you are able to find a trip computer from a GLT or a newer 850, you can take the one out and upgrade with one that hass all that info. That was an option on the 850's. You have to take out the instrument cluster, take the old one out and drop the new one IN! http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/93-94...Q5fAccessories

 

Since you have a 94, the cluster needs to be either from a 94 or 95.

 

I guess I have a loaded 94 then, I have the trip computer and such.

 

Most of them have the full cluster, I've only seen a couple that don't. I'm guessing it was the real early 94's.

 

+1, I have everything in my 94 850 also. He would need to swap a lot of stuff over to get it to work.

 

I think all turbos were loaded. Some 94 NA's were loaded as well.

Mine is a April 94 model and is kind of mid-range. I have the power, heated seats (well, only the driver seat is powered) and the sunroof.

I don't have cruise control, traction control. I don't have the fancy display with the instant consumption (but it could've been worse - I've seen 850's with just a clock).

You guys didn't say anything about putting Lucas oil in the transmission? Is it risky? I know that if I do a complete flush there is a chance that I can really mess it up, so I was thinking of just putting the additive that is supposed to fix hard shifting.

 

I'm not sure about the lucas thing. Is it transmission specific or something? Like supposed to help with hard shifting?

 

I was under the impression that the trip computer is Plug and Play!?!?

 

It says that it stops slipping and hard shifts, by controlling the overheating of the fluid. I'm going on a 400 mile trip this weekend, if I notice any signs of transmission failure, I will buy some of that Lucas oil and see if it will improve it. (Hopefully the transmission will not fail completely on my trip)


In the meantime, I've decided to top my coolant. It's now sitting about mid-level, kind of leaning towards LOW. I bought a 50/50 mix (green) but now I'm wondering how much should I put in...should I fill it up all the way to the MAX sign?

 

I'd highly suggest taking a look at your transmission fluid. You'd surprised what kind of stuff gets in there over time. I remember in my s80 I had rough shifts for sometime until I flushed the transmission oil finding little metal shaving in there (yuck).

 

No Info display= Yazaki cluster. Info display= VDO cluster. The Yazaki cluster is simpler in design, and has no microprocessor in it. However, you CAN reset the service light yourself on those.

 

Don't use Lucas... or at least, not by itself. Do a fluid change or better yet, a flush. If you change the fluid, drain it, refill it, drive for 15 minutes or so, then drain and refill again. Repeat once more. To flush it, IPD makes an excellent kit to allow you to do that. However, these cars are very sensitive to dirty, burned fluid, and an otherwise- sound transmission will frequently act up simply because of dirty fluid, and will go away with a simple fluid flush or change. I've seen many cases where transmission complaints go away with a simple fluid flush on these cars, which is quite unlike most cars. And since fluid changes are so easy on these cars, there's no reason not to do it. I would definitely do it before your trip. It'll only take about an hour, and it very well could save you a lot of grief on your trip, and thousands of dollars. If you want to add lucas with the final fill, go ahead, but frankly, I don't think there's much benefit.

 

I've heard many stories, even from my local Volvo dealership, where they've flushed their ATF and the transmission would give up completely after that.

I need to clear up that I just bought this 850 less than a year ago. I have no idea when the transmission was flushed before. I took a sample of the color and showed it to my trusted mechanic, he said it's definitely older than 30k miles, but it didn't look that bad.

A while ago I took a chance and did a partial ATF change - I changed 3qts by sucking it out through the dipstick. Nothing really changed after that.

 

I have heard that if the transmission has never been flushed on a regular basis, it's best to leave it alone unless it's giving you noticeable problems.

My 1988 Acura Legend had the same fluid from June 1988 - May 2006 (107K miles). I had it flushed after a friend looked at the fluid and said that it was in dire need of flushing. It did eliminate some of the harsher shifts but the car really didn't feel all that different after that. Your mileage may vary on an 850, but keep this in mind if you're thinking it will help performance.

I can't say I've ever used Lucas. My fluid was flushed around 45K and was changed at a Volvo dealer. When my friend flushed my Acura, he used Honda ATF (I still have a bottle of it left over; send me a message if you've got a Honda or Acura and could use it). I've heard mixed reviews about non-OEM transmission fluids and have typically heard that the best fluid is the brand-specific fluid the dealer uses and sells.

ALL Volvo 850s seem to be pretty well-equipped. I've got a 1996 base model with the leather seat package and aside from a CD player there's really nothing it doesn't have that a newer car does. A lot of people who have been in my 850 have been surprised that a car of its age would have features such as heated seats and side mirror defoggers. SIPS is a great feature that hopefully none of us will ever have to use, but the peace of mind of having it on the car is a good thing.

From my experience, traction control really isn't a "must-have" option on an 850 as long as you've got good tires on it. I've gone through three typical western PA winters, which are known for icy conditions, and have yet to have a problem. I highly recommend buying a good all-season tire for your 850--I just replaced my Michelin Energy MXV4+ with the updated model, which is called Primacy, yesterday. (As I recall the tires that came out before the MXV4+ were the original equipment on the 1996).