Hey everyone. I'm looking into picking up an older240 wagon from a guy at my work. He believes it an '89, but he's not sure. I'm mainly just looking for it as a good daily driver and Point A to Point B car. I've already got my toy with an older Camaro project i'm working on right now.

Anyways, I was just sorta joking around with this guy I work with and he somehow he brought up his brother has had an older 240 wagon sitting in his driveway for about 2.5 years now. He said if I gave him $100 for it, then it was all mine. He used to drive it daily about 40 miles, and then they just sorta parked it when they moved into their newhouse and it hasn't started since then. I told him that if he can get it started and moving, then i'll take it. I already plan on going over the whole car and changing all the fluids and anything else that needs attention.

I have a few questions regarding maintenance on these cars. I'm a capable mechanic (I'm a technician at a Subaru dealership) so I have no problem tackling almost anything myself. Are there anythings that go notoriously wrong on these cars that I should consider lookinginto right away? Are these carbureted or fuel injected?

Also, when are timing belt changes reccomended? I'm not positive of the milage, but i'm sure it's up there so i'd most likely be doing it. Is it a difficult job on these cars or does it require any special tools? It looks fairly easy from pictures due to the engine not being transversely mounted like on some newer volvo's (or most cars in general).

Finally, it's an automatic 240. From what I understand there were some years where the cars had a 3 speed auto and some where it got a 4 speed (or was it 5 speed?) auto. Could anyone tell me what years had what? I'm just curious of what i'll be getting.

-Thanks, Brandon

 

There should be a manufacturer's label, a steel plate, on the right fender near the shock tower.

The tranny should be an Aisin-Warner AW70 or 71 four-speed. Use Dexron III ATF.

Electronic fuel injection. Probably LH-2.4 for the '89. It has a self-diagnostic unit and you can access fault codes.

Timing belt is 50k miles.

 

And is the timing belt something that's hard to do or that I need special tools for? Will I have to jack up the motor or anything?

 

It's about the easiest TB you'll find, and it's a non-interference engine, if it breaks or you put it in wrong, no damage will occur to the valves... No special tools needed.

 

Changing the timing belt is not a tough job on the 240. The B230F engine is non-interference so, even if the belt is off, the valves won't take the same space as the pistons when the crank is turned.

You need some way to hold the crank stationery when you remove the crank pulley bolt. It's handy to have a crank pulley holder wrench (Volvo tool 5284). There are other ways of doing it but I like using the special wrench. IPD sells it for $48. I hear some AutoZones have them and you can rent it.

http://tinyurl.com/ytrhje

If that link don't work just google IPDUSA and look for the 5284, they use the same number.

IPD also sells the timing belt kit including tensioner. 'Course while you're in there it's good to check the front oil seals.

That's about it for special tools. Remove fan, shroud, water pump pulley, and V belts. Then the timing belt cover. Then you need to put a socket on the crankshaft bolt and turn the crank clockwise until #1 piston is TDC. Probably best to get you a Haynes or Bentley service manual for the detailed procedure. No need to jack up the engine or the car. All work from the top.

Here's a nice diagram from threefattigers on the timing marks. You're looking at the B200/B230:

http://www.threefattigers.com/Protoc...imingMarks.htm

Good luck.

 

Allright, thanks for the links. The guy got the title in hand today, so i'm going over to check it out tomorrow. It turns out it's a '92 240, in case that changes anything.

Since the car hasn't started in about 2.5 years, would you suggest anything? I'm bringing a battery and i've got a jump pack, but would some starting fluid be good also? I'm not looking to do anything major right now (no draining the tank, etc) I just wanna get it home then i'm gonna go over the whole car.

-Thanks, Brandon

 

Thats a really sweet deal,
the older 240's had engine wiring looms that degraded and had to be replaced but you're safe with 1992.
Methinks the volvo will become your #1 toy.

Heres the 240 greenbook.
https://blarf.homeip.net/greenbook/gallery/bymodel/240
You may wanna save it to CDrom.

I'm a chef and I can do a timing belt in less than 1 hr ( ok I have practiced doing it once).

 

Well that job sounds plenty easy then. The link you put doesn't work however, i've tried it a few times.

Anyways, i'm going over to this guys house in a few hours, any last tips before I go over and try to resurrect it from the dead?

 

The link just worked for me. odd....

Try this one, choose 240 from the drop down menu at the bottom of page.
https://blarf.homeip.net/greenbook/gallery/

 

Thanks, the link works now. Well, it turns out the car was actually a '92 740, not a 240. No difference to me, althoughI think the 240 looks better.

Anyways, I went to get the car started today and my buddy's jump box **** the bed while we were trying, so we couldn't get it. I have a question though, off the positive terminal, there's a wire that goes to nothing. I assume it's supposed to go to something, but I couldn't figure out what. It's actually integrated as part of the terminal, so it doesn't look like anything that was an add-on or anything. Does anyone know what this could be? It's a black wire and it's about 5 inches long and just sorta sits there, I checked the fenderwell for possible plugs, and there wasn't anything. Does anyone have a wire running off their positive terminal and could they tell me where it goes?

Also, how loud is the fuel pump in these cars? like should I hear it as soon as I turn the key on? I just wanna make sure it's working before I waste more time trying to get it started.

-Thanks, Brandon

 

Allright, that last post isn't important, I can figure it out later.

Anyways, I went there again today, and we got it to run.... for about 5 seconds. It died and we haven't been able to get it to start since then. I checked for spark and it's getting that, and there's plenty of fuel in the tank. I can hear the fuel pump turn on, and the spark plugs were moist, so there was fuel or something on them. The car cranks over great and it sputters and is so close to starting most of the time, but it never does.

Does anyone know what it could be? Ifilled the tank up to about 1/2 way(it was only about 1/8 full) and still can't get it started. Is it possible there's gelled fuel in the lines, and if so, is there anyways to remedy that? I can get some dry gas and dump it in the tank, do you guys think that would help?

-Thanks, Brandon

 

Fuel pump noise FAQ,
http://www.brickboard.com/FAQ/700-90...uel_Pump_Noise
http://www.brickboard.com/FAQ/700-90...FuelPumpBadFPR

Just a quick test first.
On the coolant overflow tank bracket there is usually 2 relays, one is for injectors , the other is aux cooling fan, they are identical, swap them and see if thats the problem.
Check fuse #11 (fuel pump) , they can overheat and become loose, intermittent.
Fuse #1 is also related (ECU / Pump)
Fuse panel is behind ashtray.

Otherwise, with an unknown car... probably firstidentify whether its regina ignition or bosch.
Regina has a big square coil in the drivers shock tower, bosch is the normal looking cylindrical type.
My 1990 740 is Regina.
Bosch uses 2 fuel pumps, regina has one in tank pump only.
Bosch has AMM, regina uses a different system. (MAF)

It could probably use a good going over anyway, look for cracks in air intake bellow hose, spray AMM w/ cleaner, ditto for throttle body plate TPS, throttle position switch on side of throttle body should click just as throttle plate starts to open and close. I'm sure you're familiar with most of this anyway.
Theres an RPM sensor which also controls the fuel pump, its located on top of the tranny bellhousing, you can reach down (lean over) and feel the wire, it tends to fall apart after a few hundred thousand miles and cause no starts, the location is hostile , the insulation gets damaged etc. Its like an emergency fuel pump shutoff, if the engine isn't turning over (or if the computer THINKS its not turning over it shuts the pumps down)

Pull the vac line off fuel pressure regulator(FPR) on front of fuel rail and see if its leaking or smells of gas.
A squirt of ether into this vac line (reconnect it) ought to fire up the engine for a few seconds
watch the tach when it dies, if the tach needle collapses instantly its ignition related, if the tach tracks engine speed as it dies its fuel. A fuel pressure tester would save a lot of time here, its supposed to be around 40psi.
The fittings are not standard though, they're 14mm by 1.5mm pitch.

I'd start by pulling the on board codes, the reader is next to the driver side hood hinge, in rear of the shock tower. Codes are different between bosch and regina. You don't need a code reader, its right there already.
This link shows the setup more clearly.
http://autorepair.about.com/library/faqs/bl661g.htm

Heres the codes.
http://www.swedishbricks.net/700900F...nostic%20Codes
Print these codes out and take them with you.
Ignition on, engine not running.
Pop the cap off, the probe is in the cap, insert into socket #2 or 6, press for 1 second and count the pulses, refer to code list (after identifying whether you have regina or Bosch.)
#2 tests the fuel injection and related circuits.
#6 is ignition.

If you have the radio security code, codes can be cleared by disconnecting battery for a few minutes.
Code reader stores up to 3 fault codes.

I just replaced my regina fuel pump, the symptoms looked a lot like elec sensor related and lacking a pressure tester I replaced most of the sensors. I changed the pump when the only thing other than that hadn't been changed was the registration plate. The pump was still working but couldn't produce sufficient pressure.