Worth the Time?
 

Hey, I'm stopping by to ask about whether or not I should look into an '89 740 Turbo Wagon I found locally for $400 on Craigslist. I know that turbo Volvos can make great sleepers for relatively little to no cost, so I figured I'd look into it since it's so cheap. According to the listing, it doesn't run and the owner doesn't know why it won't run, but says he/she's pretty sure it has some engine/transmission problems (I'm glad the owner narrowed it down for me :rolleyes:). It's also a 210k mile car. I know the problem(s) are vague, but are there any typical engine or transmission problems that occur with these cars? If so, are they worth being fixed (both cost and time wise)? I'll try to get a little more information out of the owner, if possible. Thanks ahead of time!

Hard to say. Try and get some more info from the seller, and maybe have an indepent party to look for what the problem might be.

Here's what the owner said:

BHG....i'd pass

Sounds like you could drop $600 into this in a heartbeat which means you'd have $1000 car with 215k. I am thinking of upgrading one of mine so I've been looking at the market and from a sellers prospective, there are better buys out there with less miles, no rust and don't smoke.

Well, I already have a truck and ran across this steal on craigslist just browsing around. A grand is cheap, but more than I'd want to put into a second car for messing around in. I was hoping it could possibly be a cheap/common fix. Could the AMS sensor be a pretty likely problem?

ask him what color the smoke was.

Yeah, I just emailed him again asking that, as well as if it was burning coolant and/or oil. I'll post the response.

Here's what the owner says:

So it sounds like a coolant leak and maybe a bad fuel pump and/or turbo. :confused:

Well, the guys over at Turbobricks Forums say it's a bad head gasket and will need to be machined, and said that a valve job wouldn't be a bad idea, either. That's more costly than I was looking to spend since I can't do that stuff myself. :( Anyway, thanks for the help, guys! Maybe I'll come across another cheap Volvo some time. :)

My wife and I once had an Alfa Romeo that was blowing out white smoke. Turned out to be a pinhole in the crankcase or cylinder head (can't remember which) where coolant leaked into the combustion chamber, blowing out white smoke through the exhaust. Engine had to be dismantled and then welded. Not cheap and no fun! We sold that sucker quickly!

I would pass.

word.

white smoke = coolant
black smoke = oil

I've read more than a few posts regarding white smoke from old turbo Volvos. They always end with a BHG.

you may have a defective mass air flow sensor, as far as adding water, etc. the heate core is leakin like mine is, i don't care, i just drive it & keep adding coolant.

also had to idle up our car due to stalling, i think the throttle position sensor is going bad