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phillman:
I have a 1985 745t, basically the wagon version of the car you drive. First point to make is that I have concluded the 1985 has some layout differences than the later model years, mostly in the area of electronics and wiring. This includes relay layout alterations, a different door locking relay located in the door on the actual switch rather than on the relay board, etc.
Unfortunately, I am not one of the MASSIVELY mechanical folks on this board. I don't do major engine work, and I avoid brake work if I can help it. However, I can safely say that this IS the board for any and all volvo questions, ESPECIALLY on the 700 and 900 series volvos. My take on the turbobricks site is that it is really more of a performance oriented site than an owners/workman's site. You'll see guys ovr there talking about upping the turbo pressure, aftermarket performance, dragracing, etc. Its great for what it is, but if you are more interested in making your brick work right as it was meant to, etc., you want to be here. No judgement eitehr way, just a different focus. There are a number of SERIOUS folks on this board who have probably performed EVERY fx in the Haynes manual (which you should get) at some time or another, so I'm sure you'll get plenty of solid input.
Since I have the same model as you (mine was made in Sweden), allow me to give you some suggestions on additional items to look over:
1) Check all the wiring in the engine compartment. When I first inherited my 745t from my father I had a number of issues with the lights, etc. Turned out that almost all the wiring outside of the black plastic sheathing was rotting and falling apart. This is a known issue related to Volvo's use of ecofriendly wiring protection in the early 700s. My fix involved a wire brush, pair of wire cutters, and some electrical tape. I just went around and patched everything I could find.
2) Transmission. I have the manual m46, but I think the AW70 (yours) is fairly reliable. The Z is the model to avoid (everyone seems to agree that it is cursed). I had my m46 replaced about 2 months ago (it was original, at 17 years if that indicates the reliability of these things) when it died on me with a used one left over from a conversion my mechanic had done for a client who wanted his daiughter to have an automatic instead (money to burn I guess). The m46 had sat outside his garage, exposed, for about 4-5 years! He went over it a bit, put it in, and it runs FLAWLESSLY. I guess it really depends on how much mileage was on the tranny and how the previous owner ran it, but these things are pretty indestrictible IMHO.
3) Turbo. As you no doubt realize, the early turbos in the 700 series are oil cooled only. If I had to pick one part of the car that STILL makes me nervous it would be the turbo. If it dies its prohibitively expensive to fix (I'm on my 2nd at 204k, the first failed at about 160k) and the car cannot really be run without it. You might want to pull the intercooler (really easy... just disconnect the two main hoses off teh top and clip it out) or the drain plug and check for massive oil deposits. A couple tablespoons is normal, but anything approaching huge amounts might indicate turbo problems.
4) Blower. Unlike the 200 series, the 700 blower is easy to replace. Get the haynes and follow the instructions, its right in front of the dash compartment and is accessed by removing the black panel above the front passenger's feet. While your at it, you might want to pull the cowling in front of the windshield and check the plastic protector that sits over the blower hole. The deign of the blower intake system is considered one design flaw oin these cars since iut allows water to leak down into the motor where it can freeze and short the motor. The plastic protector is only attached with some gummy junk that deteriorates with age, so you may want to reinforce teh hold with some epoxy or silicone based sealant.
5) Pre-pump. Depending on the mileage, you may want to do the pre-pump check described in the 700/900 FAQ section. The man pump can operate the car without teh pre-pump, but the strain is pretty high and will affect the main pumps lifespan. Easy to check and see if it is working. While you are at it, I would probably replace the Fuel Filter under the car on the driver's side between the front and back seats. Only $10 or so for the part, and I don't think most people ever think to replace this (mine was near ORIGINAL).
6) Radiator. Check it for leaks, etc. The original plastic radiators can fail pretty easily, swo its a part to be wary of if yours hasn't already been replaced. If you think it might be weak or have a small hole dump in some patching stuff (you can buy it at any auto store) and it will plug teh holes from the inside for the time being.
7) Hoses: check all the hoses, especially at the ends where the hook up. They have a tendency to break after the clamp and can be fixed by just cutting the bad end off and moving the hose up.
I guess thats pretty much all I would offer in terms of what to be aware of. Hopefully a more mechanical individual will pipe in with advice on your other questions. If you want parts for your brick I would suggest buying online from:
http://www.importeccatalog.com
http://www.thepartsbin.com
http://www.alloemvolvoparts.com (same as partsbin I think)
I find they offer the SAME parts as any volvo dealer at a FRACTION of the price. Importec seems to have better prices in general, and they ship much faster (free ground over $50, usualy arrives in 2 days), but its wirthwhile to compare prices. The parts are all broken down into model/year/make groups to make it easy.
good luck,
rick
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