Hi guys, I'm new here, but not to cars or forums. My name's Alex and I bought a '92 940 GL 2.3L from a friend who was going back overseas. It had a few things wrong with it so I decided that this would be my project car (I'm not a mechanic, but I'm mechanically inclined and I took auto shop in high school and have performed tune-ups/oil changes on my previous cars). It reports it has 130k miles, but since the speedometer works sometimes I have no idea of actual mileage and mileage is exempt on the title. I fixed some of the problems with the 940 just by Googling things. There seems to be plenty of material to keep these old cars operating!

I've always had a soft spot for old Volvos because of the boxy look. This is my first Volvo (and first RWD sedan) having coming from owning and driving FWD American cars for the last 11 years (my first foreign car is my daily driver: a 2012 VW Passat 2.5L 5MT). The Volvo actually drives quite nice for a 22-year-old car. It's surprisingly quiet and really comfortable. It also has the original owner's manual and work receipts from when the car was new (it has missing paperwork from 2002 to 2011). I learned it was originally purchased in Houston, TX and stayed in Houston until the late '90s/early 2000s when the car made its way to Austin (where it is now).

There were a few things that needed work when I got the car:

• Trans would not shift into overdrive. I replaced the relay and it's good.
• Passenger side strut mount was broken on my friend's watch. He drove it broken for a couple months at which time it impaled itself through the hood. I drove it like that for a month before I replaced both the shocks and strut mounts on the front with KYB strut mounts and Bilstein Touring shocks. The new struts make it handle bumps very well and I'm impressed with the results.
• There is a hole in the hood from where the strut broke through. I pounded it out with a hammer and duct taped it (with color matching duct tape!) to keep it dry. I am on the lookout for a white hood.
• Power antenna was bent and inoperative. I replaced with a unit from a 960 and it works great.
• Changed the oil (10W-30 Pennzoil conventional and AC Delco filter) and power steering fluid (Mercon V).
• Speedometer works sometimes. Odometer works when speedometer works. When it doesn't work it either gets stuck at 90 MPH or just drops to 0. I cleaned the harness and speed sensor on the rear diff and it did not help. I'm guessing the problem is inside the cluster.
• The sunroof doesn't work. I hear clicking and it moving about 1/4 inch when I press the switch in either position. Not a big deal, but it is stick slightly open (about 1/4") so I duct taped that shut after I got dumped with a gallon of dirty rain water on the first left turn after a rain storm.
• Spark plugs, wires, air filter, and flame trap were replaced in February 2012, two owners ago. Accessory belts look new. Haven't looked at timing belt yet.
• It idles pretty low (~600 RPMs). I cleaned the IAC with TB cleaner and that didn't help too much. I replaced the dizzy cap and rotor (whoever decided to put that at the back of the engine should be castrated!) and that made the engine not shake as bad, but it's still at low RPMs. Fuel filter is next on the list to replace considering the IAC is a pretty expensive part and it probably needs a fuel filter anyways (the dizzy cap and rotor definitely had a good amount of carbon).
• It also needs a coolant flush and brake flush (pads look good, but handbrake needs to be cranked to 11 to do its job).
• Gear indicator on the shifter seems loose and doesn't match what gear the trans is in. I'll probably look into that when I get the chance.
• It needs endlink and sway bar bushings. That's next on the list of stuff to tackle.

I also have a few questions about the car:

• There are lights burned out on the switch panel on both sides of the steering column and in the HVAC controls. Are these lights replaceable?
• Does this car only have one fog light in the back?
• It doesn't appear to have a steering lock. I assume it's broken? Not a big deal to me, but just curious.
• I can turn off the engine and take the key out of the ignition in any gear position, but I can't start the car unless the shifter is in Park. It won't even start in Neutral. Is this normal? Again, curious and probably won't fix it.
• Turn signals don't turn off when the wheel is reset to center. Broken?
• I can't lock the doors from the driver's door by pushing on the lock stick. I can lock the doors using the key in the outside lock on the driver's door (the driver's door lock stick moves up and down when I use the key in the keyhole). Passenger side door works normally (by pushing and pulling on the stick to lock that door). Is this normal?
• The radio didn't work, but it was just a fuse. It will blow the fuse if I move the fader off rear so I just listen to the radio with the rear speakers. Is this a common problem? I'll probably replace it with a better stereo after getting the engine problems done.

Anyways, here are some pics of my ride:

 

Nice car! Welcome to the world of old Volvos.

There is only one fog light in the back wired in. I'm pretty sure everything is there for the other side, but it's not wired up. In 1990 I think that they went for a single fog light design. My 2004 has only one. My brother's 1991 240 only has one, but my 1989 740 has two.

The lights are replaceable in one form or another. I think older cars had some non-replaceable bulbs (they came with a proprietary base that all had to be replaced). Just dig in, find the bulbs and they should pull out.

It should have a steering lock, but with the key funkyness, it should like it's a little messed up.

You are probably right on with the turn signal cancelers.

The driver's side door lock should be mechanically connected to the lock. You'll probably have to pull the trim to look. It's pretty easy after the first time to pull. The cover of the marker light in the door pulls out and is one of the door clips. There are a few clips on the bottom, but the tricky part is the hand grab area. Just work around it carefully.

Just for when you need help with your car, it has the Regina Fuel injection and a Rex ignition system. That means it uses a temperature sensor and pressure sensor to detect the amount of air entering the engine (as opposed to a mass air flow sensor in cars with a Bosch setup).

I like it back there. I worked on a BMW where it was right in the front and sandwiched up against the radiator. Trust me, that was the worst to extract. And it's right in the front. Too bad the hood opens the wrong way. Also on this car, you never need to mess with timing using the distributor, it's all computer controlled.

I'm not sure about the radio problem. Maybe that speaker is shorted. I'd unplug it and see if it will still do the same thing. Or better yet, does that speaker even work?

If you are feeling ambitious, you could patch that hole. You'd need fiberglass, resin and a bit of Bondo. Then you'd just need it painted.

Good luck with your Volvo.

 

re the handbrake, its a completely separate drum brake inside the rear disk rotor. most cars have an adjuster on the drums.

 

So, a rescue? Good job!

Sunroof is probably OK. Take it apart, lube it and align it-they rarely need much.
Speedometers are bad on '92s especially, a pain to replace the capacitors...
The lights are bulbs which cost around $12 ea from Volvo. The ones in the HVAC panel are less, just need to take the unit out, the bulbs are on top under some tape.
One Fog Light only.
You can replace the ignition switch and that should fix that problem--not hard and the part is cheap, $40... new, much less used.
Non cancelling turning signals are a part of the steering "non" lock in your case.
Handbrake can be adjusted from under the car or may be the pads are just worn...
Locks should work from the driver's door, the plunger must be off. Easy fix.
Good luck saving the beast! I just did one myself...

 

Thanks for the welcome, guys. Yeah, I guess it is a rescue car (just like my cat). It's good to know that Volvo still sell small parts for this car. I was surprised my local dealership would have the information to make the key after I lost the one and only key to the car.

 

I don't know if there are any Pik N Pul type junk yards in your area but this is the way to go for cheap Volvo parts. I couldn't save and maintain all the Volvos I have without those places. Running to the dealer for parts will kill your budget quick... A white hood for example can be had for $40 and you can't even get it painted for that.

 

There is an independent Volvo shop here in Austin that has their own Volvo junkyard. I haven't asked for pricing yet. The other junkyards here don't have many Volvos according to their inventory list on their websites. I found a Pick and Pull in San Antonio that has two white 940s, but they don't have any pictures of the cars.

Does anyone know if a hood from a model without fog lights will fit a model with fog lights?

 

nope, different hood lines where it meets the grill.

 

I finally got a new hood. It came off a '94 940 without foglights. It fits perfectly and it was only $35.




It was slightly bent at the cowl, but whatever, it doesn't have a hole over the strut and it's white so I'm happy. 940s are slim pickins at the junkyards around here.


I also picked up a few other small items from the junkyard to make it more complete:

A new dipstick (old one had a broken handle):


New seatbelt buttons:


New instrument panel blank panel:


New lenses for the dome light:


It's going back together pretty nicely.

 

those seat belt buttons are sold by the likes of IPD, they are consumables, I've replaced them every 10 years or so.

best thing I did to my dome light is put these in it...

this, in warm white goes in the main dome light,
6451 LED Bulb - 6 SMD LED Festoon | Festoon Base LED Bulbs | LED Car Bulbs | Super Bright LEDs
(also fits in the rear light in a wagon)

and 2 of these go in the reading lights
194 LED Bulb - 1 SMD LED Wedge Base | Miniature Wedge Base LEDs | LED Car Bulbs | Super Bright LEDs


but they didn't have these when I ordered those.
194 LED Bulb - 1 x 1 Watt SMD LED Wedge Base | Miniature Wedge Base LEDs | LED Car Bulbs | Super Bright LEDs