Fred's 1991 Volvo 240 Wagon

[Fred]

And the results are in! No parts ordering required:

https://twitter.com/FredCookeNZ/status/ ... 6678509570
https://twitter.com/FredCookeNZ/status/ ... 7530044416
https://twitter.com/FredCookeNZ/status/ ... 2913512449

:-)

Interesting to see the different numbers at different temperatures and engine speeds.

• 88psi rev limiter coolant fully warm, but oil not fully warm
• 80psi hot auto shifts gears WOT highest I saw
• 75psi hot auto shifts gears WOT lowest I saw
• 60psi hot cruising 2500 RPM or so (guessed)
• 55psi hot cruising 1500 RPM or so (guessed)
• 55psi cold neutral idle
• 50psi hot neutral idle
• 47psi hot in gear idle
• 45psi hot overrun after rev limiter in neutral, RPM falling a little low before being caught

This is with a hydrocracked group III penrite oil at 5000km of usage ready for an oil change and kinda dirty, filter equally old. Engine has 300,000 on the clock :-)

A lack of time and that crappy idiot light sensor/switch cost me some weeks of enjoyment and use! Damn thing!

I guess I do have something to order: A fresh switch from Volvo! :-)

Fred.

[Fred]

Pulled the pressure sensor out of the B234F from the caravan and installed that. Hopefully that one works OK. If I see the same symptoms later I'll have to try to reproduce with the gauge again. I never saw the gauge even hint at bad behaviour, though, it was straight up, and stayed up. Need a correct battery for this thing, though. The 940 one is a tiny touch too tall.

[Fred]

Took it for a decent drive up into the waitaks today, lots of sustained throttle up the hills/mountains, very pleasant drive. Engine starts, oil light is on strongly for a fraction of a second, then goes off completely and stays off completely. Win! I will dissect the old one at some point and learn about the failure mode I was experiencing. It's still possible that something was going on in the engine that sitting for a couple of months solved, perhaps temporarily. If I see the new sensor cause a flicker, I'll know what's up.

The view from near the top: https://twitter.com/FredCookeNZ/status/ ... 4115895296







Great drive! :-)

Fred.

[Fred]

Took the mrs out to dinner in this the other night, and thoroughly enjoyed the ride! Love this car so much.

Took it for a more practical mission today, and it did some hard work:

https://twitter.com/FredCookeNZ/status/ ... 1875889152
https://twitter.com/FredCookeNZ/status/ ... 7280057344
https://twitter.com/FredCookeNZ/status/ ... 3876610048

Scraped the rear mud guards on the road a few times, woops.

Could do with some stiffer springs in the back IMO. The existing ones just fall flat on their face with the slightest hint of a load. And some stiffer shocks, too. It's all too keen to fall off of something and keep going instead of recovering and stopping the decent on landing. Will have to have a measure up and see if any of the springs I have from other things will work and be an improvement.

Fred.

[Fred]

So, she's out of action again, with the same fault that she had just after I bought her! Won't turn over! I "rebuilt" the starter way back then, so not sure what's going on now, probably the brushes are past their best. Fortunately, in the mean time, I have accumulated several spare B23XF starters and can just throw another one in when I get a chance. Maybe early in the coming week? Who knows. However it's worth pointing out that if she had started, I would have driven all 6 of my in-one-piece and not-broken cars today. Alas, only five. https://twitter.com/FredCookeNZ/status/ ... 5434166272

[ToxicGumbo]

Safe to assume this is the same B230F from your 240?

https://twitter.com/FredCookeNZ/status/ ... 3518143488

Was that cleaned by water alone and what kind of blasting mechanism did you use? That's nuts! Amazing considering this is where it started:

https://twitter.com/FredCookeNZ/status/ ... 4749988864



-Jeff

[Fred]

Nope, wrong assumption, the truth can be found here: viewtopic.php?f=15&t=2667

To answer your questions, though:

1) Sprayed with degreaser (SCA aerosol stuff, I buy it by the box on special)
2) Wash world hot/soapy high pressure water blaster (pretty ordinary blaster IMO) - 2 dollar coin worth
3) More degreaser, scrub stubborn spots, identify places I missed the first time
4) Same as 2, focus on stubborn bits, behind mounts, bottom of sump, etc - 2 dollar coin worth
5) More degreaser, more scrubbing, more identification
6) Final round, got most of it, missed a few small areas, good enough - 2 dollar coin worth
7) Spray feet, engine stand, and pavement to remove what I dropped - 1 dollar coin worth

Burned through 4 cans of degreaser, IIRC, 2 bucks each, so total cost of adventure was less than an hour of time including loading/unloading/driving/washing, and 15nzd.

[Fred]

Picked up some wheels today: https://twitter.com/FredCookeNZ/status/ ... 5626649600

15x6 stock 240 wheels, I think. Not in fabulous condition, but good enough for a resto if desired.

[Fred]

So, she's out of action again, with the same fault that she had just after I bought her! Won't turn over! I "rebuilt" the starter way back then, so not sure what's going on now, probably the brushes are past their best. Fortunately, in the mean time, I have accumulated several spare B23XF starters and can just throw another one in when I get a chance. Maybe early in the coming week? Who knows. However it's worth pointing out that if she had started, I would have driven all 6 of my in-one-piece and not-broken cars today. Alas, only five. https://twitter.com/FredCookeNZ/status/ ... 5434166272

I was wrong! I love it when I'm wrong about stuff like this :-D This also proves Matt right, the 240 is draining the battery! Will have to find the culprit. Right now, out in it celebrating with a burger and shake! :-)

[Fred]

Parked up with the caravan, love the lines of these things! https://twitter.com/FredCookeNZ/status/ ... 6498998272