84 240D LOVE car just started acting up
 

HI! Im new to this but here goes. I bought this 1984 240D (NOT diesel). and it is in like garage kept condition. TOTALLY CLEAN INSIDE AND OUT Just kept perfect!!!! All original and spotless. Fluids were clean plug wires new..it was kept nicley I changed the wire harness du to it was looking a little rotted. Oil is changed ever 2500mi I use premium gas. I thought my idle control was going out it stared reving up and down for no reason but that wasnt it. (not just like a warm up thing) Changed it and same thing happened... Like Im reving the gas, in park or at a stop. For nooo reason. - Any ideas? Gas milage hasn't really suffered it was pretty good. Its a little bother some but nothing serious. Now it sounds bogged. When I give it gas it looses power. I heard a little back fire and had the timing done, and it lost even more power and back fires quite a bit more. The mech who did the timimg said he has no idea why but is it specs. I changed the fuel pressure regulator because I heard these cars are built to last but the regulators go bad. It DOES run a little better but still lacks power and still sounds muffled like bogged. I love this car its so safe to drive built to last looks fantastic and got really great milage....now it just sounds sick. PLEEZ HELP:o

Why would you buy a 29 year old car? I'm genuinely curious. There are so many decent 10 year old cars out there for really short money.

First of all the car is only 28 years old as of today and not 29 :-)
And secondly,the 240 has character which many other cars lack!!!! Its as simple as that,migbro.
Barbra,your car could give you such kind of problems for many reasons especially if is 28 years old. Is yours a fuel injector or a carburettor?
Have you checked all the vaccum hoses so none is loose or cracked? The intake gasket is not leaking? Try a bottle of .STP Complete Fuel System Cleaner in you tank to clean upp the fuelsystem,maybe it will help you.
Are the sparkplugs and ignition wires changed? When was the gas filter and air filter changed? maybe they are clogged upp.
What about distributors and the rotor? Also change the fuel relay. Common problem in Volvo 240/740s. Changing fuelregulator isnt enough
And also see if the pump and the connecting pipes not rusted. Could be a leak there because of rust and that may give you these problems. Change/check one thing at a time and see if it helps. And if these things are not already changed its high time you do it as your car is old and needs love and care to run many years more. By the way your mechanic is not good if he cant help you with such a basic car. Get another one.

You say you changed the wiring harness? Was that related to your troubles? I imagine the car was running well when you bought it, or else you wouldn't have bought it based on appearances alone. When did the problems start? Some owners do too much, changing and "improving" things which leads to problems. And, you don't need Premium Gas, or changing the oil every 2,500 miles--regular gas is fine, as changing the oil every 4-4,500 miles. Or, use Synthetic oil changing it at twice that interval. At any rate, your engine block will be the last thing that will go out in the car...

Oh, and what's a 240D? The "D", if it's not a diesel?

There was a Volvo model called 240 DL (Deluxe). Maybe her L has just fallen off :-)
And yes,oil change every 5000 miles is more than fine.

That would bug me... I think I'd have to hit up ebay for a replacement emblem... just say'n.

or take the D off so its just 240, which is how some of the final year 240's were sold in the US, after they stopped the DL/GL designations because they weren't really very different (our 87 240GL has the sunroof that was optional on DL, has the leather seats with seat heaters that were optional on a DL, and has .... oh yeah, Corona alloy wheels. big whooop!).

Volvo 200 Series - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ther is L,DL,GL,GLE,GLT and GKW (God Knows What!)

afaik, L's were never sold in the US. the US didn't see any GLE or GLT once the 740 came out, just DL and GL, and I never heard of the GKW

US got GLE and GLT....

early on, yeah, 240 GLE and GLT. BUt once the 760/740 was established by the mid 80s, the 240 GLE/GLT models disappeared as that was the slot that the 760/740 was being sold into...

A 1984 model year car was manufactured between July 1983 and June 1984 and is anywhere between 28 years and 5 months and 29 years and 5 months old, give or take. This car was made in Europe so might conceivably be older.

29 works for me.

Yes,but where the hell has Barbra Ann disappeared with her problem. 4 days gone and still no news from her!

That's why I've come to dislike attempting to solve the problems of one post wonders. 99% of the time they disappear without any feedback or thanks. This forum is particularly bad for that behavior, imho. If you post a problem you should also post the resolution.

Yes,its strange they enroll as members,take time to put forth their problem in a thread and then they just vanish without any comments. Strangely enough,they are not curious to know what people say about solutions even if they had solved the problem on their own.

Wow...what a tough bunch of people. I figured after the question of why would I buy a car that old? Why would come back? But the responses after did get much better. Only then to be hammered about bad behavior? That is just a little crazy. Its the holidays and I work.

That was very helpful thank you. YES changing the vac hoses is a must! They are hard and cracking. Not to where they are split but probably could be alot more secure. I checked the mass air flow censor and it seems to be working VERY odd. Im thinking that might the reason..
The plugs and wires are all new.

From what I can tell from researching...The DL was the wagon version of the D. Its raises many questions when looking for parts. The L has not fallen off. The paint and the interior are all original and all VERY WELL KEPT. There is no missing letter.

The fuel relay was changed.

Very good to know. Thank you very much! I was told to run only prem gas and change oil much sooner then what your telling me.The harness was very badly cracked and looked as if it was too rotted to be safe.