Hi all, I'm excited to be a part of the 240 club. I just purchased an 85 4spd manual w/OD from a family friend. They took really great care of it and have all of the service records from day 1 (the folder is as thick as a phone book!). I plan on going thru the records to see if any of the common Volvo problems have been rendered.

I have only found 3 problems so far.

1) The overdrive won't always engage. I'm hoping its the button or the connections within the shifter.

2) When i'm on the throttle hard and push in the clutch to shift into 2nd & 3rd, I feel a bit of a thud or thump in the driveline. It only occurs when engaging the clutch. Perhaps motor/trans mounts? U-joint?

3) Runs a little rough when cold, but seems to clear up after a minute or two of driving. I will try to clean the MAF and run a few tanks of injector cleaner thru it, but it already has new plugs & wires.


I am planning on installing a tow hitch to pull a small camping trailer that weighs 1000 lbs fully loaded. I read that the vehicle is rated to handle well over 1000lbs, but does anyone else on here tow with their 240? I'm curious since its only a 4 banger non turbo and I have a couple of big hills to climb on my usual drive


Any advise appreciated. Thanks!

 

2) could also be the driveshaft center support bearing and/or the rubber donut said bearing sits in.

no problems towing with these. just stay out of overdrive, and use a lower gear on grades. they are rated for 3500 lbs tow capacity when suitably equipped.

 

Thanks, I didn't think about the center support bearing. I'll have to get under there this weekend and check it out.

I also have to start hitting up wrecking yards to find a tow hitch for this thing. All the ones I've seen online are expensive! Don't wanna spend more on a hitch than i did buying the car

 

i've used the drawtite ones, they are about $100 last time I looked. of course, you also need a hitch ball (not supplied with the hitch) and a trailer light wiring kit


oof, gone up to $225, guess its been awhile since I bought one. its the drawtite 36440, bolts right up to the factory mount points, only mod you need to make on the car is to cut a hole in the plastic underskirt/trim piece.

I do suggest running the bolts up the holes before you fit the hitch as they are likely very gummed up with undercoating.... I used a blowtorch on low to warm the gunk up last time I did this. also, you NEED to use high grade hardened bolts for this, like what come with the kit.

 

Thanks for the tip on where to purchase, If I cant find one at pick-a-part or another wrecking yard by xmas, I'll have to bite the bullet and order one.

Thats a good idea to run the bolts thru first to make sure the threads are good and unobstructed.


I'm guessing I have to use a 4-pin trailer light wiring adapter and can't just tap off of the existing wiring?

 

yup, and yup. the volvo has discrete parking, brake, and turn signals on seperate bulbs, while the standard trailer just has a dual filament bulb on each side for all 3 functions. any attempts to wire the trailer directly to the vehicle lamps will set off the bulb failure detector, overload the circuits, and quite possibly fry the blinker.

I have used this kit on several Volvos...
Tail Light Converter with 4 Wire Flat Extension