I put my '86 - 240 wagon up on jacks and had a buddy start the engine and put the car in gear so I could watch from below what was going on. I expected to see the driveshaft wobbling off center because of 1. bad universal joints 2. bad support bearing. But the driveshaft was centered and seemed fine. But when my friend first engage the gear the TRANSAXLE MOVED forwards in an arc of about three inches. This can't be normal! The only thing I could figure was doing this was worn rubber bushings inside the torque bars - or stabilization bars. But the width of the bushings is less than half an inch . . . so how could the transaxle move that much???

Also - please - why does my engine flood when it's rainy and cold? What is supposed to prevent this that could be malfunctioning? Even when it's not wet and cold, if I don't fully warm up the engine, it stalls when first taking off in low gear. ??? Is this a gas feed problem? An injector problem? ( checked the sparkers and they're fine - and now readjusted)
Bosch makes a four element spark plug. Would this help ignite gas better in cold wet weather? THANKS!

 

These cars don't have a "transaxle". I assume you mean the transmission moved? Three inches is too much back or forth. Any big "clunks"? How are the U joints? Transmission mounts?

I don't like Bosch plugs and I doubt they will help you wet problems. I use copper NGKs, and change them often. What plugs do you have now? Condition? Mike sure your wires, rotor, cap etc. are good, basic "tune up" things...

 

the correct plugs for a red block are old fashion COPPER core plugs, like Bosch Super+, or the equivalent NGK's, not bogus 4 point rocket plugs.

if it stalls when cold, I wonder how well your idle air control valve is working? but yeah, what lev says, get the tuneup stuff to a baseline, good distributor cap, rotor, sparkplug wires, plugs. best wire set for these cars are the bougicord sets made specifically for them, sold by places like fcpeuro, ipdusa... the aftermarket wires sold in the big parts chains are all junk.

 

Check all the bushings on your rear axle. They probably are all worn out if the axle moves. The frontmost part of the axle where the driveshaft enters is supposed to move up/down when accelerating/decelerating. If this is the movement you see, then it may be normal. I've never measured the amount of shift but I would guess an inch to inch and a half is not abnormal.

 

Your info is reasuring. The axle moves about three or more inches in the arc. But if up to an inch and a half if normal, then the cumulative wear on the bushings might account for the rest. Any idea where I could find the bushings? Can a mere person replace those or are they pressed in? Or glued in? New torque limiter rods cost $140 a piece and all you're buying really is new bushings! Thanks!

 

the bushings are all sold by Volvo. there's the 2 main pivot bushing [2] for the trailing arms, the 2 pivot bushing [5] where the axle connects to the trailing arms, 2 bushings [16] on each torque bar, and while you're at it, change the 2 bushings [9,10] on the panhard rod.

these things require a massive bench press to get out and install, but when you're done, the car will ride like new (at least in the back, then you'll want to do the front too, hahah).





Volvo 240 (late) Rear suspension

(oh, [5] is on a different page for some unknown reason, its PN 1229165 or 1229628 per my Vadis catalog, depending on year and differential type).

 

Nice! Thanks Pierce! When you say the bushings are all sold by Volvo does that mean I can go to a volvo dealer and order them? Or is there some online market?

 

yes and yes there's a bunch of online volvo parts dealers, catch-22,t heir websites don't index older cars so you need to know the PN's ,,, places like IPDusa and FCPeuro also sell both real volvo and aftermarket rubber and poly bushings. I'd avoid poly on a street car for most locations, it just makes the ride harsher, and oft as not, they'll end up squeaking in a few years.

 

Thanks!

 

I meant the rear axle - it pivots and the wizards are saying it's normal - to a point. Maybe it's the cheap spk plug wires I used . . . anyway thanks for info.

 

My brother is all poly in the rear and I haven't heard any funny noises, but that stuff only went in about two years ago. The nice thing about poly is it's easy to install and oil does not make it mushy. I haven't noted any harshness, but I'm probably a little insensitive to that stuff.