I need to aquire a bag of elecrical parts to keep with the car.
Can anyone make suggestions as to what to put in my emergency kit...
and where to get them?

Joey

I carry flares, a first aide kit, a flash light, and a big fire extinguisher. On long road trips, I carry a tool box. I've never used any of these things on my own car while traveling. The original Volvo tool kit was all I ever needed.

I also carry a case with assorted fuses in it, but I have never blown a fuse on any of the bricks.

I have replaced alternator brushes (at around 150k miles)
I have replaced several water pumps (75-150k miles)
I have replaced two crank position sensors and one distributor.
I have replaced two plastic radiators.
I have replaced two clutches and one 5-speed transmission

Then there is the usual maintenance stuff like brakes, timing belts, ignition wires, cap and rotor, but thoses aren't things to worry about on trips.

Our bricks ('87, '90 and '91) have 225k+ miles each, and the ONLY things that have EVER left us stranded are a failed plastic radiator in the '91, a failed RPM sensor wire in the '91, and a failed distributor sensor in the '87. Replace the crank sensor and radiator before they fail and happy bricking!!!!!!

The other posters mechanic is answering the query like a moron, no surprise there. You should have an AMM, 561 or 951 ECU (sorry, for a '90 yes), spare alternator brush pack, fuses, fuel pump relay, maybe a fuel pressure regulator. That will do 75% of your repairs.

Add to Bob's list a cap and rotor, power stage/ignition module amp, assortment of fuses, fan belts and tools to change them out. A small box of stuff will cover alot of potential problems. Dan

With eight of them to keep running, I have all those things you and Bob mention on hand, mostly because you don't want to be in a bind for finding them when the need arises. And the need for every one has arisen at one time or another. But they're not in the trunk(s).

Oddly, the only tows I've suffered have been non-electrical and due to my own poor maintenance (and therefore avoidable); a coolant pump paper gasket 800 miles away, and a timing belt lots closer to home. In neither case would it have been safe to attempt the repairs on site. We just used the cell phone and considered the towing as making a "car payment".

By the way, if that 25A fuse under the hood is ever actually blown, you probably are not going to fix it just by replacing it.

But, to be helpful to Joey, prepare by making sure that fuse holder, fuse, and red wiring to it, is pristine where it is exposed to the fender splash and battery acid. Spare inside fuses go in the extra holes at the bottom of the inside fuse panel. And either replace or resolder the fuel pump relay now or carry a spare; it is cheap and small. And start collecting Bob's and Dan's list at low, used part prices.
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Art Benstein near Baltimore

Mine seem to fail in my driveway, what a deal! But it makes you feel good carrying all those spares around. Dan

Having a spare handy seems to great way to guarantee you'll never need it. Just loan your spare tire once, you'll find a nail.
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Art Benstein near Baltimore

Want it to rain? Wash your car! Dan

It did! Both times.
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Art Benstein near Baltimore

Thanks for all the advise...

Now how do I get to the fuses inside the car?

Also... my interior light don't come on, ever.
A bulb change doesn't help.
The seller told me it may be a dimmer.
What do you guys think?

Hmmm. Sounds like you might benefit from finding that fuse panel built into the driver's side footwell kickplate, just out of reach of your left hand.

Here's a link to an on-line owner's manual: http://www.volvocars.us/_Tier2/Owners/Library.htm. Also, there's a printed list of what fuse does what on the inside of the access cover.

I don't recall if the dome light on a 90DL is equipped with a delay relay-- that was a GL feature on '89. But if it does, the relay looks amazingly like a fluorescent lamp starter and is clipped to the brake pedal support bracket above the knee bolster-- about 12" above the driver's shins, I guess-- if you have one.
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Art Benstein near Baltimore

What a great site this is Art!
I found the loaction of the relay...
And the wire was dalgling with no relay.
Then I remembered I saw a relay in the glove box.
Sure enough that was it.
I plugged it in to see if it would work.. nope, it's dead.
Where is a good place to buy a relay?
I checked out http://www.ipdusa.com/ but couldn't find relays
Can you help? Can I get this relay at any auto parts store?

I would get one at the junkyard. It is not listed on my favorite internet parts site, and I'd rather spend time looking through a lot full of discarded automobiles than stand at a dealer's parts counter.

But, since I posted last, I looked in the wiring diagram manual to think of a suggestion for bypassing the delay relay. It turns out, a dangling empty socket should not keep the courtesy lamp from working.

The green wire feeding the lamp should have battery voltage coming from fuse 8 - all the time. Try to prove that voltage is there, or make sure the switch on the lamp itself is making good contact, before going to the work of tracing the wiring.

Because someone pulled the relay, it sounds like you are following up after the PO gave up, and you may find the wire is pinched or shorted, or just fell off the fuse panel in back.

Anyhow, you've reminded me I have a wagon with a dead rear dome light that needs similar attention.

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Art Benstein near Baltimore

Hi Joey,

My independent Volvo mechanic told me that you could fill your entire trunk with Volvo parts and you would still never be able to anticipate the potential break downs that you would encounter.

For my part, I just keep a 25 amp fuse in the glove compartment in case I happen to pop the fuse on the wiring harness.

Other than that, the only other part I carry is my AAA Automotive card in my wallet. It has gotten me through a number of disasters.

Cordially,

Amtrak