Hello to everyone.
I recently bought a 1988 Volvo 240 DL with a 2.3L non turbo and a automatic transmission. I have never owned a volvo before so I am completely oblivious when it comes to these cars. I saw that there is an overdrive button on the shift lever but I accelerated gradually up to about 60mph and only counted 3 gears and it seemed like the rpm were kinda high. Is this tranny supposed to have a 4th gear? Because I pressed the button on the shift lever about 5 times but nothing happened and it didnt click or anything just felt like spungy, And if it does have a 4th gear how can I get the overdrive to work? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

Normally the 4th gear (the overdrive), will emgage automatically. The button locks out the OD so then you have just 3 speeds...

You shouldn't hear a click when the button is engaged, just an RPM increase, if you are in fact already in OD... Also an arrow should light up.
The RPMs should be in the high 2,000 at 60mph if you are in fourth gear (OD)...

 

yeah, in OD(4th), cruising at 65mph, it should be just about 3000 rpm. if its closer to 3500 or 4000 rpm, you're in 3rd.

the button toggles the OD relay (I think its behind the dashboard near the glovebox on a 240)... and the relay controls both the OD light and the OD solenoid thats on the side of the transmission. when the light is ON, the solenoid is OFF and OD is disabled. when the light is OFF, the solenoid is supposed to be powered, and automatic OD is enabled.

if you're not the type of driver who regularly downshifts for hills and such, then you can permanently enable the OD by dremmelling a notch in the bottom of the OD solenoid, see


for a solenoid modified like this...

here's where the solenoid lives...



(thats the left side of the transmission) ... absolutely critical, clean up the whole area around it before removing it as you don't want ANY grit or flug to get into your transmission.

 

Thanks for the information. I really appreciate it. I use my Volvo for a newspaper route that I picked up. Yesterday 08/02, I did the route and OD never kicked in, I picked up 60 and i only counted 3 gears, when I got home I decided to check the oil level on the transmission and it was fine, this morning I got in the car started driving and OD suddenly kicked in at about 45. But the problem now is that the transmission started to neutralize itself when i stop. I pressed on the gas but nothing then suddenly the gear kicks in. I stopped and checked the oil and it was completely dry. I ended up towing the car home. Could it be that i pulled out the dipstick tube out of the transmission the first time I checked the oil? Or is there another seal that might of come off? I am gonna get under there today and would like to know where I should start looking.

 

I'd be looking for wherever the oil is coming out of. never heard of a dipstick tube getting pulled out.

note you should always check transmission fluid level with the car idling after its fully warmed up.

 

Ok. I got under the car and yes the dipstick was not pulled out. I looked and looked bt can't seem to find where the oil is coming out from. The thing I did see was that in the bottom of the tranny right where the turbine is there are like 2 plastic vent things that you can take off and actually see the turbine, well it seems like they were both full of oil. Now, I am no mechanic or anything but I have heard that there's a seal somewhere in the front of the tranny and one in the back where the drive shaft goes in. Can someone tell me what seals this transmission has or if someone has had leaking problems? And ill add that it's not a small leak but a big one. All the oil drained in about an hour.

 

I found the leak. Its the cooling hoses that run thru the bottom of the tranny. Any pointers on how to fix these?

 

You will need to replace them. I had to do mine a few years ago and I was not able to find any suitable replacement parts online. Don't know if Volvo still stocks them or not. I ended up buying some steel brake line and fashioning my own.

 

the volvo part numbers are...

2 each 'fittings' (right angle things that thread into the transmission) - 1239669, each with o-ring 1233071

2 each 'cap nut' that thread onto these fittings, 954322

pipe #1 (upper radiator to rearward 'fitting') 1306839
pipe #2 (lower radiator to forward 'fitting') 1306840

Unbelievably, those 'pipes' are listed as available and are like $70 each list. shipping will be stupid expensive due to the size and shape, and are probably best ordered through a local volvo dealer if you want new. the 'cap nuts' are like $3 each.

 

Thanks to everyone for all the help. I ended up just cutting a 4-5 inch piece of each hose or cooling line and replaced it with a piece of 8mm "oil resistant hose" or thats according to the autoparts store guy and i replaced the cut off line with that hose and installed some clamps and 200+ miles later there is no sign of any oil leaking. But now I have another issue with this old car. Seems like all the motor mounts are bad and the engine looks crooked but i will start a new thread for that. And again thanks for all the help