1988 Volvo 240 Dl Problems

[michaeltaylor100]

I was driving home from work in my 88 Volvo 240 DL, and pulling out slowly to warm it up as usual. I had the pedal all the way to the floor and it was probably running 5 mph until I got over a hill three miles away. I pulled over and it died. It started back once, then died again. I had it towed home. The next day, I checked it and it had fire. It has a new timing belt and approximately 100k miles. It's been in the family, one previous owner. I bought some extra parts at a place called Pull-A-Part. I put a new fuel filter on it today hoping to fix it. I could feel it running while my wife cranked it, but it wouldn't start. I checked to see if it was getting fire and it wasn't. I started switching parts, and put in a jetronic computer coil and a part on the right firewall with all the wires going to it. Still no fire. The parts I bought could possibly be bad.

What would be the easiest and simplest thing for a backyard mechanic to do?

I have a manual and I've worked on a lot of different cars in the past. Just not Volvos.

I'd hate to haul it to a junkyard because no one seems to want to help because they're too busy to mess with an old car, even though it was a good car.

Thanks.

Any step-by-step advice would be greatly appreciated.

[64pvolvo1800]

I was driving home from work in my 88 Volvo 240 DL, and pulling out slowly to warm it up as usual. I had the pedal all the way to the floor and it was probably running 5 mph until I got over a hill three miles away. I pulled over and it died. It started back once, then died again. I had it towed home. The next day, I checked it and it had fire. It has a new timing belt and approximately 100k miles. It's been in the family, one previous owner. I bought some extra parts at a place called Pull-A-Part. I put a new fuel filter on it today hoping to fix it. I could feel it running while my wife cranked it, but it wouldn't start. I checked to see if it was getting fire and it wasn't. I started switching parts, and put in a jetronic computer coil and a part on the right firewall with all the wires going to it. Still no fire. The parts I bought could possibly be bad.

What would be the easiest and simplest thing for a backyard mechanic to do?

I have a manual and I've worked on a lot of different cars in the past. Just not Volvos.

I'd hate to haul it to a junkyard because no one seems to want to help because they're too busy to mess with an old car, even though it was a good car.

Thanks.

Any step-by-step advice would be greatly appreciated.

I'm confused, you said it did have fire when you tried it the next day, but now it doesn't after you swapped the ECu and coil. Does it seem to crank over unusually fast? broken timing belt again? Timing belt failure gets my vote and that's great news if it is. Not like the I5 engine which becomes a boat anchor when that happens.

Fuel, fire, and timing....suck squeeze bang and blow. One of these is wrong, start from square one.

If not, tell me where to come get it. At 100k the car is still ready for another 200k.

[michaeltaylor100]

My wife and I were cranking it today and it wasn't getting fire. Then I started switching things. All of sudden, it sped up like it didn't have any compression. Even my wife noticed it. I think it's a Goodyear or Dynacraft belt, and not a Volvo belt. With a new crank tensioner, would that make a difference? Also, has it possibly jumped time? It's a 2.4 fuel injected, will that tell you if it's boat anchor or can it be fixed? Do I need to give you the VIN so you can tell what it is? What would you suggest?

Thanks very very much.

[64pvolvo1800]

My wife and I were cranking it today and it wasn't getting fire. Then I started switching things. All of sudden, it sped up like it didn't have any compression. Even my wife noticed it. I think it's a Goodyear or Dynacraft belt, and not a Volvo belt. With a new crank tensioner, would that make a difference? Also, has it possibly jumped time? It's a 2.4 fuel injected, will that tell you if it's boat anchor or can it be fixed? Do I need to give you the VIN so you can tell what it is? What would you suggest?

Thanks very very much.

Sounds like you lost a belt to me. The fast spin is a giveaway. The great news here is that all you do is put it back in time and slide on a new belt. No engine damage happens to the inline 2.3 in the 240's. You;re looking at a simple fix.

Where are youu located/

[michaeltaylor100]

Sorry, my wife corrected me, it's an 87 240 DL, 4 Speed automatic.

Thanks, but why did the belt break with so few miles on it, possibly just 5k.

Also, is the fast spin a sure sign there is no damage to the motor?

Thanks again very much.

By the way, I'm in Nashville, Tennessee.

[64pvolvo1800]

Sorry, my wife corrected me, it's an 87 240 DL, 4 Speed automatic.

Thanks, but why did the belt break with so few miles on it, possibly just 5k.

Also, is the fast spin a sure sign there is no damage to the motor?

Thanks again very much.

Those engines were not "interference" type engines. When the belt breaks the valves and the pistons dont occupy any overlapping space like the 5 cylinders do. Hence, no contact damage. They really are easy to work on too. Why the break, who knows? Material deficiency or assembly error or maybe you just arent living right!!!

Just kidding, there is a chance you have engine damage but NOT from the belt breaking. Maybe you spun a cam gear or just lost hte tensioner and the belt shredded. Either way, get it apart and see. It's really not a lot of effort to get in there an dspin stuff and find the problem.

who did the belt?

[michaeltaylor100]

I put on the belt, a new a crank shaft seal, and a new tensioner. I used O'Reilly Auto Parts, I think.

Been a backyard mechanic for 30+ years.

Thanks again, I think you've got it, the way it spins real fast.

- Your friend, Mike.

[64pvolvo1800]

I put on the belt, a new a crank shaft seal, and a new tensioner. I used O'Reilly Auto Parts, I think.

Been a backyard mechanic for 30+ years.

Thanks again, I think you've got it, the way it spins real fast.

- Your friend, Mike.

Yeah, you'll have this puppy running in no time if you wrench it yourself. Personnally, I would probably spend the jack at Volvo for the belt and parts. I know we (the front wheel drive) don;t have the luxury of a second chance when our betls break. It's cheaper to buy a boat since we already have the anchor now. Therefore, you'll see people on here repeatedly call for the OEM belt. On the really important parts....OEM.

Call Don or Jamie at Waltrip Volvo in Memphis (I think) for a VolvoSpeed deal on parts. Ask for the VS deal. Although you;re not really talking about a bunch of money anyway.

Best of luck Mike,

Paul

PS, send pictures of the wife :lol: :lol:

Just Messing with ya.

[michaeltaylor100]

Thanks again.

Everybody thinks the Volvo is cool. I painted the trunk, hood, and top, and clear coated it and tinted the windows. It's grey, it looks classy. And it's gets great gas mileage; I don't know specifics, but it's good.

Gotta sign off now so my son can get on. I'll call Don or Jamie for that VS deal. Do I need any more info?

It's a load off my mind, thanks a ton.

- Your friend, Mike

[Three Fat Tigers]

Does sound like the belt: Remove the oil cap and observe the camshaft while cranking the starter, if the cam doesn't move, the belt is gone. Same if you pull the distributor cap off, and the rotor doesn't turn, however viewing the cam is more reliable.

Use only Continental or Volvo brand belts, the others can fail as quickly as yours.

http://www.fcpgroton.com/product-exec/prod...category_id/202

$8.00

I'm happy to help with anything you need, just note I often only have time to check this board once or twice a day, so feel free to ask any question in here.

Also get one of these while you can (I think they out of print now) worth every penny, it has excellent and easy to follow diagnostic procedures.

http://search.ebay.com/Bentley-240_W0QQ_trksidZm37QQfromZR40

Robert Bentley 240 Service manual

[Mark Taylor]

One last thing, use only Volvo or Mann oil filters and change the oil regularily. I had a cam lock up on me due to oil starvation and cause belt failure on a B21 engine. Luckily it was in the street in front of my garage.

Good luck with the repair, cousin. :lol:

[MrWinkey]

Also get one of these while you can (I think they out of print now) worth every penny, it has excellent and easy to follow diagnostic procedures.

http://search.ebay.com/Bentley-240_W0QQ_trksidZm37QQfromZR40

Robert Bentley 240 Service manual

I couldn't agree more!!!