What spares do you carry with you?

In the last year my '90 244 "sturdy girl" (or the Volvo formerly known as "sturdy girl") has broken down while out of town 3 times. 2 times I was able to mend it on the road and keep going, the other time it was a gallon of coolant in the oil and a 100 mile tow. Clearly this has impacted how much I trust it, so my plan is to keep a milk crate of spares and a toolbox in the trunk when I travel. I already keep a known good maf, an overdrive relay, a fuel pump relay which got me out of a pickle on Monday, another EZK, some fuses and bulbs, a quart of ATF, the factory jack, and a toolbox in there.

I am thinking to replace the original spare tire with new rubber, and start packing an alternator, starter (I can't bump start an AW car), crank position sensor, some wire and connectors, an LH module, a gallon of 50/50 coolant, and quart of engine oil.

What has helped you in a pinch, or what did you wish you had when you didn't?

I didn't carry major components (paid for AAA instead and planned to tow if necessary) but I had the small stuff in the back of the wagon:

- Socket set and briefcase of miscellaneous tools
- Gallon of 50/50 coolant
- Little HF bottle jack and jackstands
- Set of spare accessory belts (had an exploding water pump belt kill all 4 of them on one road trip...)
- Wire, wire stripper/crimpers, box of crimp terminals and a cheap multimeter
- Full size spare wheel and tire. Fits in the 245 spare well no problem - not sure about the 244. I threw away the space saver.
- Fuses

When I last commuted in an 89 245, I made damn sure I carried these items (some which are LH2.4 specific):

1. Power stage
2. Fuse 6, because fuel
3. Fuel relay (OE or German "known good")
4. Injector relay located under hood (not 100% sure on this, it's been 10 years)
5. Full size spare tire on steelie

DET17 said:

When I last commuted in an 89 245, I made damn sure I carried these items (some which are LH2.4 specific):

1. Power stage
2. Fuse 6, because fuel
3. Fuel relay (OE or German "known good")
4. Injector relay located under hood (not 100% sure on this, it's been 10 years)
5. Full size spare tire on steelie

Click to expand...

Power stage, good one. There's the injection fuse under the hood but no injection relay there. LH relay is the "fuel pump relay".

Fuel pump bypass wire, although you already have the extra relay. One qt oil. WD40 can insulate a bare wire for a few hours. A ratchet strap can hold up a fallen exhaust or secure a broken motor mount, idk, just a few ideas.
And this is TB, if you don't have a few zip ties well...

When my muffler broke loose in Norcal I hung it back up with some of the 18ga electrical wire I had in the back. Ratchet straps I don't think I ever had to use for fixing stuff, but they were lovely for securing loads in the back of the car.

hmm...
fuses, bulbs, relays, air meter, power stage, crank sensor, old v belts, main fuel pump, enough tools to install the parts, always keep a jug of oil, TP, a nice tire thumper, a knife or two, some rags

Radio suppression relay, fuel pump relay, bulb-failure relay. I usually just snag them from junkyard cars and have a pile of spares in my garage. I've needed a fuel pump relay exactly once, and for a friend's car. My car has needed a bulb failure relay once; driving at night with no brake lights is no good! Never needed a radio suppression relay, but you never know.