Good evening everyone!
I just wanted to introduce my 1987 244 2.3! Overall, a beautiful car; but it’s definitely giving me a run for my money while restoring parts and trying to get it running optimal again.
(This picture is from a month ago)



Some history!

2nd owner - got it from an old lady who passed away at some california vineyard. Car is in Las Vegas now.

odometer stopped working at 255k Miles, Geico estimates 300k+ miles.

Repairs/New Items:
new timing belt, AC belt, Alternator belt. Front cam seals. Tensioners. Water pump. Thermostat. Coil. Red top Optima battery. Fuel relay. Spark plugs. Plug wires. Distributor rotor. Distributor cap. Fuel filter. Fuel pump (in-line and tank). Flametrap relocation kit. Brakes. Rotors. Calipers. Braided lines. MAF. Fuel Pressure Regulator. Fuel lines updated. Fuel fuse relay holder updated. Master cylinder. Brake booster. Speedometer. (Misc new interior items.)

when I first got the car, the timing belt broke in the first 5 miles of driving it lol. Became my first major repair but was able to do it with relative ease (I was very proud!). That was about a year or so ago, and car ran pretty damn well the second I replaced the timing belt.

since then, I’ve replaced miscellaneous items for updating and some that broke (like my brake booster, one of the few items that actually failed and needed to be replaced. Same with intank pump, that failed as well.)

overall, every time after repairs, it ran just fine. But one day I started having major trouble getting the car to turn over. it cranked and cranked. Wasn’t a dead solenoid, wasn’t the starter not engaging.
I suspected ignition items and replaced everything I could. After replacing all those items, it turned over per normal and idled great. But then when I went to restart the car, it just wanted to crank. So I checked the fuel pumps, hoping the fuses to activate them singularly and that’s when I discovered my in tank pump was dead as a doorknob.
When I replaced the fuel pump the car would turn over every time making me feel like I truly never had an ignition issue; I had a fuel issue!

so now; the car turns over every time . But runs ROUGH! I mean, 2 cylinders rough!
I bought a Noid tester to test signal to my fuel injectors and all 4 seem to be firing just fine.
Today I did a compression test and
Cyl 1 195 psi
cyl 2 195 psi
cyl 3 195 psi
cyl 4 187 PSI.



which to my understanding, is good compression.
so, since the car is running rough on what sounds like 2 cylinders; I’m thinking still fuel/ignition. I pulled the intake off my MAF And BAMMM a ton of gas comes out of the intake and spills on the drive way (Great!) So I pulled the plugs and found all 4 were carbon fouled.
I cleaned the plugs, and re installed them.

the car ran all 4 cylinders and started billowing white smoke out the back! I sat and let it idle (not sure what I was hoping for or anything…) and when I finally went to give it gas, I could tell it was running rich and when I let off the gas, it had trouble catching up from stumbling on itself and started choking and bouncing violently lol. I stopped the car. Pulled the plug again and yup, gas/oil on the plug (definitely more gas then oil…)


so I’m running rich… but I’m at a loss on how to fix/adjust or even trouble shoot this. I own the Bentley book, 2 Chiltons books, and the Haynes for the 240. I’m never opposed to reading to find my answer but I am truly dumb founded as I’ve been troubleshooting this current issue. If anyone has any tips or tricks, or if there is any info I can provide to help with understanding or my troubleshooting; please just tell me lol.

I physically work alone (one of my best buds is a great mechanic and we spend countless hours troubleshooting remotely lol), I rely on internet information and my courage to persevere. I’m determined to fix this car as it’s truly my piece of Sweden in USA (and I miss home!)







also;

2021 XC40 - Newest edition - Daily Driver
2015 S60 - Daily driver - New engine (free from Volvo) @10K Miles - BC racing coilovers and suspension brace kit
2007 S80 - Daily Driver (major tune ups and maint done)
96 850R - Parkes for now
87 244 - Restoration project
84 245 - LS swap