So this is my first post on here, this is also my first Volvo.

I picked up a 1985 non-turbo 244 and it was not running, well it still isn't running, but that will be fixed in a few days if the weather plays nice. First issue was ignition, got that sorted out and my friends arm says I'm getting a good spark. The next issue I'm tackling is fuel delivery, it gets zero pressure at the rail with both pumps jumper'd on. The Relay is working fine and I'm at least getting power to the lifter pump, but not 100% on the main pump.

So... on to the questions. I ordered new pumps for both, and went ahead and dropped the tank and got both pumps out of the car. After looking at the in-tank assembly, it looks like it should probably be replaced too(lots of rust and broken bits). Has anyone had any success with aftermarket solutions for fuel delivery and/or the fuel level sender? The stock setup just doesn't inspire confidence and I'm leaning towards getting rid of the in-tank pump all together and just running a main pump on the frame rail capable of self-priming and maintaining pressure.

The second aspect of the fuel system I'd like to revisit is the fuel lines for the rail and return... they were pretty nasty and trying to get them off the pumps ended in lots of broken line. I'm not sure I feel great about having the plastic lines there and was contemplating bending my own hardline from the main pump to the firewall, as well as the return line. Has anyone done this? Are there aftermarket solutions to this?

Thanks for your patience and I hope I'm not asking the same questions that get asked over and over again, I couldn't find any pertinent answers in the last few days.

-Zach

 

I have used the aftermarket fuel sending unit sold by FCP and must warn you that had incorrect wiring when it arrived. Fortunately I had been warned of this after reading about this on the web and checked it against the original unit. I corrected the wiring, installed a new pump and its been running like a champ since. Sending unit works fine too.

I would stick with the original setup rather than second guess the engineering that was originally put into the system. It is self-priming and is a very reliable system that, last I checked, allowed your car to run 25 years.

The main issue with your model year is the biodegradable wiring. Perhaps that is the reason you aren't getting good voltage to you main pump. I would start by looking there. Also, you can replace the fuel line (I haven't done it myself). One of the reasons plastic was used is that it doesn't rust.

 

I'm going to make sure the wiring is in good order before installing the pumps, I know for a fact the wiring was messed up between the sending unit and the in-tank pump, but that is easy enough to work out. I should be getting power to the main pump with fuses 4 and 6 jumped together correct?

 

later cars went to an in-tank only pump, but I think they did this out of cheapness more than anything.

the operating fuel pressure of a LH2 system is 43PSI +/-2psi, so the fuel pump(s) need to be able to deliver about 60PSI static pressure if completely blocked, at whatever flow rate is required (not sure how to calculate this offhand).

the stock setup was fine in my daughter's 87 240 for 400K miles, although her fuel sender has finally conked out, and we did have to replace the main fuel pump last year.

 

You can re do the lines yourself...I was contemplating doing a custom line were I have the main pump and fuel filter at the engine bay for ease of access...including a permanent gauge. I got 4 years of plumbing experience and have done Sch 40 pipe, stainless steel with compression fittings etc etc....and you don't need much

pipe cutters
pipe flaring tool
tape
small tube bender and can get all for about 50 dollars....
pipe and fittings will be the hardest....aluminum and mm threads. right diameter of pipe and preferably anodized fuel lines/fittings

All said...I figured that going to the junk yard and snatching a vinyl(plastic) fuel line was so easy and gave me more time to work on other stuff.

 

I actually have most of the stuff for doing a hardline already, I've done the clutch line on a few other cars but never anything as long as that fuel line.

I decided to stay stock with the setup and now I'm just waiting on one more part and for the spiders to die so I can get the rest of the fuel line out. I think I'm just going to take sections of that fuel line to different shops and see if anyone has anything close... if not I might just buy some braided SS line and make my own.

One more question though.. THe banjo fittings on the fuel filter are really really stuck on the old one, would it be ill-advised to just find some threaded fittings with barbs to go in the new filter?

 

that fuel system has to handle 60PSI or more (*) ... barb fittings wouldn't cut it.


(*) the operating pressure of LH2.x systems is about 44PSI but the fuel pump can create a surge over 60PSI if there's line blockage

 

I agree with Pierce....with the banjo fittings

BUT....I HAVE A K-JET system and I DO HAVE ******(BANJO) FITTINGS AT THE FUEL FILTER AND MY FILTER IS IN THE ENGINE BAY....

PS: I HAVE HARD LINES FROM PUMP TO THE FUEL FILTER AND VINYL LINES FROM FUEL FILTER TO THE FUEL DISTRIBUTOR.....GO FIGURE...

 

Good to know about the pressures, I didn't realize this system was that high. So does anyone know the proper size for those banjo fittings since I can't get them off the old filter to size them? I also picked up a 25ft spool of 3/8 hardline, so that's the plan from the filter to the firewall, then a short(12in or so) section of braided SS to the fuel rail. I this thing is gonna be bulletproof.

 

M12 M14 banjo bolts are the numbers flying around the web...

Volvo 240 fuel filters and banjo fittings

this guy sells them....ebay

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NLA-Volvo-24...item1e5135900b

 

Alrighty, so I got all the fuel issues figured out and now IT RUNS!!!! It even drives kind of as well.

Now I'm tackling it leaking from everywhere, the wobble and erratic steering from the front end, and sorting out the electrical, which brings me to my next questions...

If the key is in the run position but the car is not running, all the electronics work. If the car is actually running, certain things quite working, such as the trunk release, blower motor, power windows, and a few other things. I assume that this is any issue in the ignition switch itself and that would explain why there was an extra steering column in the back seat when I bought the car.

The real question is... will the ignition switch out of a RHD steering column work in a LHD car without any issues? The spare steering column is all backwards. On that note, anyone need a good condition steering wheel, steering column dash surround for a RHD 240, or any steering column components?

 

not sure thats an ignition switch problem, but hard to say. the 'run' (II) position of the ignition switch is the same whether the engine is running or not. the difference is, if the engine is running, the alternator is recharging the battery, so your system voltage is about 1.2 volts higher than when its not running.

I'm more inclined to suspect a bad ground causing the erratic behavior of those subsystems. also, 1985 was right in the middle of the bad wiring years (83-87 for volvos) where the insulation had a tendancy to fail early, causing all sorts of gremlins. with an unknown history of what hackery has been done to fix the sorts of problems that may have happened in the past, its really hard to say whats going on now. I'd be in there with the greenbook wiring diagrams and my digital volt meter, trying to make sense out of some of those circuits, like the blower motor.

 

Thanks for the quick reply, the fact that the positions are the same whether it's running or not is something I thought of, but I was thinking that the ignition switch could still be the issue because the car is setup primarily without relays, and I know in older RX7's this same setup was used and tends to lead to interesting shorts within the ignition switch due to higher voltages running through it than is a good idea.

I'll look at the circuits more closely as soon as I have the engine/trans back together. The wiring seems to be in decent shape inside the car, with most of the sketchy stuff going on in the engine bay and under the car. I plan on pulling the wiring harness and running all new wire for the engine bay harness once I have all the rest done.

What could be causing the front end to wander while driving down the road, along with a wobble felt throughout the car. All the wheel bearings seem to be in decent shape, I was thinking it might be a steering linkage issue, but they all look good, as well as the control arm bushings on the front. What're the chances it's a bad universal somewhere in the steering column?

 

For the wobble issues, jack up the front end and do the push pull test on each wheel to check for play. Do this test at 12/6 o'clock as well as 3/9 o'clock. If you have any play when push/pull at 12/6 o'clock, its wheel bearings. If you have any at 3/9 o'clock, most likely it is tie rod ends. Also, check each wheel for bent rims. Just spin the wheel and check for wobble. If you have any play in the steering u-joints, you should be able to tell by inspecting them while someone turns the wheel back/forth.

 

How much play is normal? I spent a decent amount of time pulling/pushing/jiggling stuff last night and nothing jumped out to me as broken.

 

on the steering rack, there's inner tie rod ends behind the bellows on each end, those are muhc less obvious when they are badly worn, but can have as much as 1/2" of play which totally messes with the wheel alignment.

the steering rack rack-and-pinion can wear out, generally fixed by replacing the whole rack, but frankly, its easier to just find a newer car. the U joints on the steering column are the least likely to do what you describe.

the lower control arm inboard bushings (2 on each side) wear out and cause the control armt o shift a bit, knocking the front end out of alignment, and/or making it very hard to adjust the alignment as it won't be repeatable.

 

Thanks for the info, getting into the steering stuff is a bit out of my general knowledge, but that's half the reason I bought this car.

I'll check on all of that and attempt to get some of the electrical sorted out today, I'll post updates if I figure any of it out.

 

Any amount of play is too much. Everything should be good and tight. Regarding the steering rack, it isn't too difficult nor that expensive to replace. I replaced mine this past winter and it tightened up the steering quite a bit. Symptoms of a bad rack are play in the steering wheel.

 

symptoms of bad inner tierod tips are also play in the steering wheel, but also wheels that have significant play in the 3-9 o'clock

 

So I couldn't find any play in the front end by trying to wiggle the spindles, but then I found that one of the steering tie rods was loose, as in I could turn it by hand, on the passenger side. So that will get fixed.

But the main project for today(after killing all the spiders yesterday) was dropping the tank again to figure out why the in-tank pump and level sender weren't working, turns out the ground was badly connected internally on the sending unit I bought, fixed that though. I'm still not getting power to the pump with the key on though, if I jumper it at the fusebox, the pump runs, so I know the wiring to the pump is fine, and the left side of the fuel pump relay clicks over and has 12v on the output side, but there is 0v at the fusebox for fuse 4, but still 12v on fuse 6 at all times. I think there may be wiring issue between the relay and the fusebox, sound about right?