Well..I'm new to the Volvo forum as this is my first one. I bought a 86 240 manual OD...Wagon

it def has some issues. Milage doesn't work and quit at 240K. :-/.. I would like to learn to work on this myself as i won't be able to afford shop prices so i'm hoping it's somewhat feasable for a complete rookie!

A few major things i'm wondering about.

First off, is it normal for these clutches to feel like i'm driving a truck? It feel somewhat scared to get the rpm's up past 3000. I think the clutch may be going bad but i'm not sure since i've never driven a volvo. Always older mk11 Vw's, but always a manual.

Also, temp gauge doesn't work, neither does the heater blower. Brakes seem to feel like a 'grab and stick' if that makes sense. Can feels like they may be rubbing on metal through the brake petal itself. Probably needs new pads and rotors i'm sure.

Anyway, sorrry for the long post just hoping some of you may be able to help a super exited NW girl out who wants to get her car ready for the snow season. Yes i'm aware it's real wheel drive. i do have 4 studs, perhaps that won't help much either!!

Thanks thanks thanks!!

 

There's a bunch of guys on Turbobricks that are from the Portland area that would probably help you in person, tell'em I sent ya. Actually my name is different there...

 

You've bought the right car for a rookie, that capacious engine compartment and minimalist RWD design makes for a very easy to service car. Expect electrical problems though, no car can go 400,000 miles without the electrical system deteriorating but Volvos are known for their crumbling electrics because they're the only cars that ever make it that far. Buy some spools of multi-colored 12-gauge wire and some spade connectors, you'll be using them a lot.

The clutch and brakes on my '75 are still very smooth, I don't think it's supposed to be like that. It couldn't hurt to replace the pads. The odometer, thermometer, and blower are totally normal, those three never work on old Volvos. It's unlikely your car will ever overheat if you keep the coolant topped up and replace the thermostat occasionally (real easy, right on top of the engine) so I wouldn't worry about the thermometer. Remember Volvos run cold, so a thermostat that's stuck open can be as detrimental during the winter as a thermostat stuck closed in the summer. The blower is impossible to fix so I wouldn't bother unless you have some other reason to remove most of the dashboard, though I heard somewhere that a strategically drilled hole and some WD-40 can sometimes revive the old bearings if those are indeed the problem. The heat will still work very well without it the blower, Volvos have strong heaters and good ventilation. If you develop a coolant leak the heat will stop working when the radiator falls below one gallon.

Oh and inspect your engine mounts, Volvo engine mounts are designed to fail in the event of a crash so the engine is not pushed into the firewall, but that means that they fail by themselves pretty often, particularly when being soaked in motor oil.

 

Priority one is brake rotors and pads, at least up front. They're not hard to do. If you plan to do these yourself you will need a few tools. 2 jack stands and a floor jack for starters. But unless you're going to be using those for other jobs it isn't cost effective to buy them just for a brake job.

 

Thanks!! Just had Alamo do a quick initial look over her...She came out good. Will need to do front brakes soon rear they said in within the year, get tires, but figured i'd just put my studs on here soon and get tires this spring.

They fixed and adjusted my clutch with a new bearing (i think)..it would only engage on the top half, but now if feels like less clutch but seems to shift better if that makes sense.

Need to fix the temp gauge and odometer(maybe).. Also eventually the heater motor. Can't belive how much that is going to cost. uhg.

Also, was wondering is it still normal for it to smell 'hot' after driving? it doesn't overhead, i'm guessing it's just a old car and that's just what she is going to smell like?

Also, what kind of oil do you recomend? and should i get the tranny fluid changed? 4sp manual with push buttom OD.

Thanks so much..i'm sooooo exited about this car. I love love her.

 

It's normal for it to smell like that, old cars leak oil, and that oil covering the engine will smell like that when it heats up. Honestly I recommend skipping fixing the blower motor if you aren't going to do it yourself, it's not really worth it. At speed the ventilation is pretty good in these cars, and there is a kickout vent in your footwell you can open up in the summer to keep your feet cool. For the odometer you can either buy a used speedometer on eBay for like forty bucks or if you feel like taking it apart yourself, there are instructions online about how to fix what always goes wrong with Volvo odometers.

In a Volvo standard transmission the fluid is meant to last for life, but with a car whose lifespan is best measured in geological epochs you wonder how long life is. I just changed mine for the first time and my car is at 600,000 miles whereabouts. Yours is probably okay for now.

And Volvos 240s take 10W40 in the engine, ATF in the power steering reservoir, and I think ATF in both automatic and manual transmissions.

 

Ghia- The odometer repair is really pretty simple. Type "240 Volvo odometer repair" in a Google search, you'll find a page with everything step by step. There is a little gear (3/8 dia) that needs to be replaced. the page has a link to the place with the gear. 25 bucks i think for the gear.

Does the blower do anything or just dead? Mine made a LOUD screech sound. It's kinda a project, and it seems like your whole dash is in the hatch. but you can replace that blower yourself. motor is about 35 bucks. check the fuses first, though.

Enjoy! Dave