I just bought a 1989 Volvo 740 GL B230F with 256,116 miles on it.
I'm a novice with car's but I learn very quickly.
It had oil ALL OVER the motor and chassis. I cleaned it off and almost immediately oil started dripping from the filler cap. I thought this was the main source of the "leak" anyways. I bought a new gasket that is in the mail because, nobody local had them or would order them..

I have to get a new wheel and 2 tires so it's on jack stands right now.

Next I'm trying to find a repair manual for this vehicle and failing..
This is all i can find so far:
Ebay Repair Manual
If anyone knows an alternative to this I would greatly appreciate it.
I need to repair the non-opperational temperature gauge and I know it could be a sensor or just a loose/broken wire/gauge.

The car has some NASTY oil in it and I plan on doing an oil change this weekend. I was just wondering if there is any specific brand or viscosity I should invest in (Southwest FL mind you it doesn't get that cold)?

Anyways Thank you very much!
I can't wait to get this started!

 

Go to any autoparts store and buy the Chilton guide for your volvo. Mine was $20 when i bought it a few days ago and its actually really handy.

Thats all I can really help you with. All I know about working on cars is what I have had to do to mine. If you have *ANY* trouble with an alternator on a 1991 240, I'm your man. hahaha

 

If oil is blowing out of that cap, you likely have a plugged flame trap. Take that thing out and replace or clean it ASAP. You should see a fat plastice air scoop/diverter that comes off of the MAF. There is a hooked hose that comes off that which plugs into the motor under the throttle body I think (hard to remember 6 years ago). Anyway, there is also a smaller vacuum line that comes off of it. All plugs into a little plastic housing a little smaller than a golf ball when sitting in your palm. The bottom of it, the part that plugs into the motor or hose at the bottom, is about the size of a dime and it holds the flame trap. It's really a white plastic piece that cost about $7 at the stealer. When they get plugged up, they can actually cause the crank case pressure and blow a rear main seal.

I put over 400,000 miles on my 740 GLE and I use to clean that thing every 5,000 to 10,000. I tried not to let it go over 7,500 miles.

Just put 10W/40 in it. You can look at the owners manual here: http://www.volvocars.com/us/top/comm...yourvolvo.aspx

I just had a Haynes manual. You can always get stuff from FCP & iPd.

 

Thanks, I looked for a Chilton's but they only sell Haynes around here. I just ordered it from half.com expedited shipping hope it gets here before the weekend.

Will cleaning the flame trap be in one of those manuals? I had actually heard this before and was planning on cleaning/replacing it before driving it.

Noggy; heh maybe a ways down the line but for now the alternator was JUST replaced.
Thanks for the quick reply!

[EDIT]
This is the list of what had just been done to it (From the craigslist post i bought it off of).
"New alternator, plugs, wires. distributor...cap...rotor...computer relay, brake rotors and pads, external fuel pump and the fuel pump in the gas tank"

When I turn the key to the ON position, not start the motor, There is a whine noise under the car near the mid-rear section of the car, which I believe is the fuel pump. Is this supposed to happen?

I was looking around last night trying to find the flame trap and noticed that the fan in the front of the radiator(s?) was not plugged in and the wires were horribly dry rotted.. I took the wire apart and applied 2 layers of heat shrink tube. One to each individual wire and then one around both combined. I got it all cleaned up and plugged it in. Then when I turn the key to the ON position again. The fan turns on immediately. Is this regular?
Also there was another wire disconnected up near the coolant reservoir, on what I THINK is the AC condenser (not really sure just guessing without a manual). It was the plug at the top of the metal cylinder (about 8-10" long/tall 3-5" in diameter). The prongs were bent and the plug was unplugged. I unbent the prongs cleaned the connectors and plugged this in. No noticeable difference after this although i never tried the AC anyways..

 

most likely a clogged oil seperator or what newbs like to call a "breather box" check it when you pull your flame trap hose off it's at the bottom of that hose...get a flash light and look dwon the nipple...does it look like a clogged artery? If so, change it NEVER try to clean it just will make it worse! ...lAlso, chwck on www.ipdusa.com or www.amazon.com and buy a Bentley guide if they make one for the 740... Chiltons and Haynes are a waste of $$....or go to your local library and use ALL DATA online for free...

 

I never like the All Data but I only have 1 experience with it.

No the fuel pump is NOT suppose to come on as soon as you turn the key. It usually doesn't come on until you hit the starter. I think that could cause the car to flood. You may have a bad relay.

No the fan is NOT suppose to come on as soon as you turn the key. Only when the car warms up to a certain point. You likely have a bad temp sensor somewhere.

Sounds like a heck of a lot of work was done to that car and someone decided that they didn't want it. My daughter passed up a 960 like that once. I don't think she'll do that again. Took me a year to offer her another car. LOL

 

Hah yeah it definitely needs some work. What do you expect for $500? But that's part of the reason I liked it. It's a Volvo so the motor is strong that's just a given. But it has issues and I need to learn. Currently the only thing's I can currently do is change oil filters, oil, brakes and rotors..

You must be right about the temp sensor because the temp gauge did not move at all on the 7 mile trip home from where I bought it. Does that help to narrow it down at all which one is dead?

So.. as you probably saw I'm going to the junkyard this weekend.. Is a temp sensor and relay something that I can get there? If so what am I looking for? (I wish I had my chilton manual It SHOULD be here tomorrow).

I'm at the Bentley web site they only sell manuals for the 240. Are the 240's and 740's similar enough to warrant purchasing this? I thought 200's were FWD and the 700's were RWD.. Wouldn't that make a big difference? I've already got a Chilton on the way...

Just curious.. Why are there two "radiators"? One clearly has coolant lines going to it and the other all I can see going to it is air lines? Is this motor dual cooled?

BTW. This is the car and the Craigslist Post for it. (I removed the emails and phone#'s)
My Volvo

[EDIT] I started taking the taillights and markers off of my car last night so I know what I'm doing at the junkyard in the 100F weather here in S.W. FL. I got all of the lights but one off.. The driver side marker... There is a mass of wires and the windshield washer tube in the way... I can remove the light but it will take some fancy maneuvering.. Is there a way to move the wires or the tube? I dropped two nuts down there by the washer fluid tank so now I've got to get one of those magnet wands to get them back.

 

I know you're probably not supposed to double post but I needed to attract attention to this and did not want to start a new post.

The manual came in today. 2 DAYS! $6 shipping! WOW.. anyways.. I have started to take everything off the car that I plan on getting tomorrow at the junkyard so I know what I'm Doing in the hot sun..

I took some pictures.
This is a picture of what was disconnected and I just want to try to identify what I plugged in..
Was Disconnected

This is what I think is the flame trap and oil separator. Can anyone confirm? [UPDATE] This was NOT the flame trap. I found the flame trap and oil separator (or as the Chilton calls it the oil trap). I'm going to assume I need to replace the oil separator(Picture). I'm just guessing but, I need to take the intake off to replace that don't I? Do you think Autozone would have that?

This is my relay and fuse box. I just want to make sure that I'm not missing anything..
Relays and fuses

This is the bottom of my fuel pump relay. Just want to know if everything here seems OK. (the connectivity tests OK on the repaired wire.)
One Two

These are just pictures of the motor in general.
Left Right

After I got the damn drivers side marker off i figured out i can just pull the windshield washer fluid tube right out.. Well that's why I was taking mine apart before trying it in the hot sun..

Is there a way to test the fuel pump relay? I may just grab one while i'm at the junkyard just for good measure.

Thanks for all your help guys and gals. I really appreciate it!

 

I replaced the fuel pump relay and It still turns on when the key is turned to the on or accessory position.
I'm going to probably take it to my mechanic see if he can figure it out.
Also I read that exhaust knocking towards the rear is probably motor and transmission mounts. How hard of a process is it to replace these? I may or may not do this myself.