Hi all,

In the past week my 240 has developed a puzzling issue relating to the starter. Sometimes when I turn the key to the start position I am getting nothing from the starter motor. It is intermittent and driving me nuts..heh.

I have verified that the starter is good by leaving the ignition in the -run- position and putting 12 volts on the spade terminal of the starter and it engages everytime and she starts right up. Also, when it acts up like this I am not getting 12 volts on the wire that connects to the spade terminal.

Is there a relay between the ignition switch and the starter terminal, or is it a straight shot from the ignition switch to the starter?

 

Not sure but maybe the ignition is going bad.

 

I would suspect the neutral safety switch that sits next to the shifter if this is an auto ...

 

Neutral safery switch Or the ignition switch.

 

Thanks guys. This starter issue occured again this morning and I was able to isolate the neutral safety switch as the culprit. I held the key in the start position and wiggled the shifter and she started right up.

Can the switch be taken apart and cleaned or repaired? I havent actually removed the shifter cover yet to have a look at the switch.

 

I've only had the nss go bad on one car and I didn't bother to try fixing it. Just used a new one. The 240 actually has a test connector on the driver's firewall. A red wire with a female spade connector. If you make a jumper wire from 10 or 12 ga. wire and run it from this connector down to the solenoid spade connctor where you were testing previously it will circumvent the nss. You just leave it connected in place of the o.e. one. Keep in mind, it will start in any gear just like a manual but it sure beats a tow truck. I drove that way all winter until the weather got decent enough to work on it!

 

In my experience, the problem isn't in the switch. It is usually the nylon bushings in the shift linkage are shot or entirely missing. What happens is that the shifter is real sloppy and even though you may be in park, the safety switch thinks it is in reverse.

If your shifter can move forward and backward a bit while still in park, this is most likely the problem. Replacement bushings are easy to find online and cost less than a buck.

 

Hi everyone, I appear to be having a similar problem with my 1991 240.

I posted once here before about returning home(after a few yrs) to find my volvo in pieces, thanks to my kid brother. Apparently the car stopped starting properly, so he added a toggle button which seems to be wired to the ignition switch....

What I know:

1. Pushing on the brake and turning the key, while in park, no longer starts the car.

2. Shifting from park requires pressing down on the button with a good deal of pressure.

3. My brother is an ***.

4. The car will start with his...southern engineering, but I would prefer it back the way it was.

Would anyone be able to tell me what needs to be fixed in the shifter, and where I might find the parts required?

Thanks for the help!

 

Oh, btw, with help from the last time I posted...my car actually runs again!

Apparently he let it sit for awhile, though, because I am having all kinds of problems getting fuel. She starts, I can hear the fuel pump in the tank hum for a bit, and half the time I can get up to speed/start and stop etc, without any problems. The other half of the time the car chugs and seems to get some fuel and I pull over, turn the car off and let it sit for a minute, then start it up and it will run fine again for awhile.

I've changed the fuel filter twice, and it has gotten better each time. Should I just keep replacing fuel filters until all of the crap in the tank is gone or will that actually ever happen? Been driving it around the area to try and work it all out.

But, it runs, a bit at least. :P I'm just a long way from having the car that I remember and loved. Everyone thinks I should sell it and get a new car, but I honestly love the damn thing and would rather restore it. I just wish I had left it with someone a bit more reliable.

 

could be shift link bushings causing the car to be in a different gear other than Park or Neutral thus causing it not to start...I shift car into neutral and see if it will start there then move back to park and try. If car starts in neutral most likely cause is worn shift link bushings or linkage not aligned correctly..see if the gears are lining up by seeing the color on the selector fill each one...if it's not filling it in just right, it means your linkage needs adjusting(forward or backwards) or bushings are bad and linkage is sloppy... If it does not start while akligned in neautral...then its's the switch and must be replaced not cleaned etc..fairly simple fix..would not recommend hot wiring it to start in all gears if you have small children....