Hi guys,

heres my question, i test drove a 89 240 automatic wagon today and noticed that i couldnt feel the car engage past 3rd gear, i hit the overdrive button and saw the arrow on the dash go on and off as i hit the button on the shifter. like i said when i hit the button on the shifter the arrow on the dash comes on until i hit it again but i dont feel the car going into 4th at all. I know there are multiple threads about the overdrive not working but i guess what im asking is does this sound like a relay problem?

matt

 

if the arrow doesn't stay on at all times its not the relay...
The case you described is the solenoid itself on the transmission.

You can either get a new solenoid, or get a block off plate from IPD.

If you get the block of plate the button will then do nothing... accept make that pretty arrow show up. Then your car will have 4 gears all the time.

(side note: it can be a little tough to get at. an offset wrench, or a flex wrench could help. I still couldn't get it and laying in the snow didnt make me happy, so i paid an indy Volvo shop 1 hour of labor to do it. And it was still cheaper then a new solenoid.)

 

The first thing to do is park the car somewhere that is quiet. With the key on engine off, lean out the driver door and toggle the OD switch. If the solenoid is energizing you will hear a very faint but distinct click as the button is pressed. If you don't hear it, before you go replacing solenoids check the wiring from the solenoid to where it enters the body. It is a single white wire, originally inside Volvo's ubiquitous black sheathing. After this many years, the wire gets oil soaked and often the sheathing is completely absent. Often, the wire is broken...solder and heat shrink will put it back in business. On one occasion, I could not find the break. I spliced in a wire from solenoid into car and spliced into the wire under the passenger side drive tunnel where it was heading to the OD button. Worked like a champ so I just went back and removed the remains of the original wiring.

 

Not true...if the light goes on and off but car does not engage into overdrive could be a weak relay. 8 out of 10 times it's the relay, 1 time solenoid, 1 time melted wires underneath. I have only seen 1 bad overdrive out of thousands of 240's that I have worked on and maybe a couple bad switches. in this case it's not the switch, most likely the relay...

 

[quote=swiftjustice44;236321]The first thing to do is park the car somewhere that is quiet. With the key on engine off, lean out the driver door and toggle the OD switch. If the solenoid is energizing you will hear a very faint but distinct click as the button is pressed. If you don't hear it, before you go replacing solenoids check the wiring from the solenoid to where it enters the body. It is a single white wire, originally inside Volvo's ubiquitous black sheathing. After this many years, the wire gets oil soaked and often the sheathing is completely absent. Often, the wire is broken...solder and heat shrink will put it back in business. On one occasion, I could not find the break. I spliced in a wire from solenoid into car and spliced into the wire under the passenger side drive tunnel where it was heading to the OD button. Worked like a champ so I just went back and removed the remains of the original wiring.[/quote

Better toi have 2 people while doing this. One person above in car other down under can even put their hand on solenoid and feel a click but if relay is not strong enough obviously solenoid will not click...once again you have a 99% chance that's it's just a weak relay.

 

So how's that work in a one man shop?

 

Ok... I must of had one of those 1 in a hundred cars then...

Also i gave the easiest, not need to diagnose anything, do it with one person, fix.