After years of service, the starter motor in your Volvo 850 is bound to give you some problems. The starter may slow-crank the engine, make grinding noises or just refuse to turn the engine. It is time to get your toolbox and change the unit. Hiding next to the engine and transmission down inside the engine compartment, the starter is fairly accessible.
Lift the hood and detach the negative (black) battery cable with a wrench.
Locate the starter motor by standing in front of the engine, driver's side, and looking down where the rear of the engine meets the transmission. You will see a cylindrical component with a smaller cylinder, which is called a solenoid, mounted on top. Use your new starter as a visual reference.
Reach down to the rear of the solenoid and unfasten the nuts holding the cable and wire in place with a wrench.
Loosen the upper and lower starter mounting bolts with a ratchet, ratchet extension and socket. Remove the lower mounting bolt, hold the starter firmly with one hand and remove the upper mounting bolt with your free hand.
Pull the starter motor away from the bell housing on the transmission and maneuver the starter out of the engine compartment.
Position the new starter in place and align the starter mounting holes bolts with the holes in the bell housing on the transmission. Install the upper mounting bolt finger tight and then the lower mounting bolt finger tight.
Tighten the lower and upper starter mounting bolts with the ratchet, extension and socket.
Position the cable and wire on the solenoid studs and tighten the nuts with the wrench.
Attach the negative (black) battery cable with the wrench.
Start the engine to test the new starter. Turn off the ignition and close the hood.
