I was driving home about a month ago and suddenly my 1976 240dl completely shut off and started coasting, which is strange now that I think of it because I didn't push the clutch in or put it in neutral. Anyway luckily it happened right at the off ramp and I coasted off the freeway to an empty parking lot. I got the car started with some help from a pedestrian. when it started I had to keep the RPM's high and I could hear an extremely loud rattle, a piston I'm sure. I limped it home about a half mile and I parked it. I haven't moved it since.

Here is my question should I be looking for an engine? I don't have hardly any car knowledge I know how to turn a wrench I can take things apart and put them back together and they still work. I feel confident I can work on my Volvo.

I guess I'm just looking for some input.

 

No ofense...but I'd get a second opinion before I started swapping the engine. I've had folks swear they had a bent rod and have it turn out to be a loose heat shield. I'd like to hear the rest of the story. What exactly was going on when the engine just died? Was it running hot? Were you low on oil? Any warning sounds at all prior to the motor cutting out?

 

Well I was straining the engine. I was low on oil. The temp gauge doesn't work in the car it wasn't out of water. No warnings at all. Just suddenly nothing I was coasting.

 

Coasting made no sense to me because i didn't take it out of gear and I didn't have the clutch in I guess it could have gone out of gear on it's own idk

 

You mean coasting like the engine wasn't being dragged my the car, but like it was disconnected? Wouldn't suspect the motor at first, but I'm not getting the full picture.

 

Well the engine wasn't running anymore but the car was rolling. I though in a car with a manual trans when the engine stops turning and the trans is still engaged the tires will lock up because of the compression in the engine. Unless you have it in neutral or the clutch is pushed in.

 

No. The engine will indeed slow the car...but it won't lock up. Especially on old engines with lots of miles and run low on oil. The engine wears, becomes looser and will slow to a stop...but certainly not lock up. It's called engine braking...although in your case (we hope not) it may be engine breaking.

 

Well It didn't slow at all it maintained it's speed. Anyway what steps should I be taking to determine the problem?

 

Make sure you have oil and coolant and fire her up! If it sounds bad shut her off, and investigate further... Take a compression test, etc. It's a process.

 

I still am having a hard time understanding what happened. So the engine quit and acted like it wasn't connected to the road. But later it started up and ran with a rattle? Pistons would make a nasty clunking and or engine is convulsing type of deal. And it would never start again. A rattle is normally from that air heater thing if your can is so equipped. I would do what Lev suggested, but if you really think it's something internally broken in the engine, take a wrench to the crank and turn it over by hand and feel if anything is interfering. If so, then pull the engine and tear down to find out what went wrong. I really don't think it would run if something let go in the engine. One thing I would also look at it your timing belt, maybe it slipped a tooth and makes it run badly. When was the last time that thing was looked at?

 

Well it runs extremely poorly. It took a lot to get it started again and it barely made it home about a half mile from where it coasted to. It wont even sit and idle i have to pump the gas and keep the RPM's up. I'll try turning it with a wrench like you suggested. I have no idea when it was last looked at I know that it sat for years before I bought it about 2 years ago. I can't afford to get it looked at by a professional.

 

I just found an engine from a 93 245 How difficult would it be to swap that engine with the original?

 

Harder than I expect you wish to do. Your car has a B21 while the 93 has a B230. Your engine has mechanical KJet injection, the 93 electronic injection. It can be done but I'm guessing a bit beyond your skill set. It involves using your old 160 cylinder head and tossing the 530 on the 93 motor. You'd want to swap all the existing accessories onto the new motor along w/ the accy. brackets. It's a lot extra work. Finding a decent B21 these days for a reasonable price is tough. I happen to be sitting on a complete B21 as we speak. Figured some one would need it by now locally but I've given up. I'll be parting it out soon.

 

Does anyone have any recommendations to sites for ordering parts?

 

The forum sponsor: FCP Groton is a good place. Compare prices with local places (NAPA and CarQuest). IPDusa.com has stuff, but I don't really like working with them. Rockauto.com is pretty good. They sell OEM and aftermarket parts.

 

Thank you.