Volvo specialist in southeast UK
 

Hi all

My 1991 240 estate is an ongoing project - it's in good nick but I need someone who knows their 240s to get to the bottom of a couple of problems

I have used various people within 60 miles of home and none of them have been able to resolve the issues. I am happy to travel further if needs be - more importantly I want the problems properly resolved

Issues are:

• very soft brakes (see other thread) (non-ABS)
• transmission banging/knocking especially when manoeuvering (M47)
• idle speed erratic (corrected by switching off and back on again briefly) (LH2.4, B230F)

Any Volvo experts able to help? Cheers, Nick

Nicholas,

My 240 is of identical vintage and has suffered from the same problems in the 3 years and 25K miles I've owned it so I'll try and lend some advice where I can.

Soft brakes: the obvious answer is to bleed them at the caliper but I'll assume you've done that. If that doesnt work the next port of call is the brake "spider" on the passenger side front subframe, underneath the car. This distributes brake pressure between the two brake circuits on the car and can get air trapped in it that won't come out at the caliper. Bleed as you would a normal brake system and see if it helps, it certainly solved my brake gremlins. After that check for stick brake pistons but that's a whole other issue.

Transmission banging/knocking: firstly check your engine mounts. My engine was making a hard knock on start up when I bought the car and it turns out both my engine mounts were sheared clean through with the engine just resting on them. Not good. Replacing both (maybe an hour's work with a good socket set and a jack) solved this, though they are a little tough to get to. After that it's gearbox mount but this hasn't caused me any problems. If the banging is only happening at full left/right lock you might need to change your front suspension bushes since this is the cause of banging in my car that I'm yet to rectify, worse on steering and breaking simultaneously. Have a wiggle of everything, check for play and then read around as much as possible.

Erratic idle speed: First place to check is the diagnostic box on your inside passenger front wing in the engine bay. There's a good guide on this forum about reading the codes from that. A dodgy idle is often caused by a faulty LH2.4 sensor and that box will usually point you in the direction of which is at fault. After that I recommend checking your plugs, leads, distributor cap and distributor arm since these can all lead to a unreliable spark and tell-tale "rumble" at idle. Once I changed all of these my car was idling much better and, in fact, it's almost time to start checking them again.

I hope that helps,

Alex

Thanks Alex

So just to keep this thread on-track - any dealers/mechanics, Volvo specialists out there in the southeast wanting the work?

Alex - your advice about the brakes is probably right - I don't have the experience, but I will give Classicswede a bell in the morning... Transmission is almost certainly propshaft centre bearing - all springs/shocks and suspension bushes just replaced. Idle speed - loads of new electrical components. No fault codes on ECU - just that the idle speed can vary from about 550/600 up to 1800RPM. Briefly switching the ignition off and on again usu resets the idle speed where it should be at 750RPM. That would suggest idle control valve. I have already tried 1x s/h unit with mixed results, and I am about to try a second one...

Thanks for thoughts tho'

Try inspecting all of the vacuum pipes for leaks, best checked by removing. Cleaning the throttle body may also be worthwhile.

Hello Nick,

Re this recommend a garage thread, I think you really need to ask for

any member who has had 240 brakes worked on by any garage and can recommend the work that was done.

That way

• you will be asking for forum member recommendations, perhaps better than asking for maybe a few garages to offer to help.
• you will be asking specifically for brakes experience.
• you will be asking if the member can recommend the work.
• you will be asking for anywhere. People will have difference understandings of how far you might travel for the right mechanic.

You know that I have grave doubts about that car being driven any distance on any road with the brakes as described. Can you arrange for it to be trailered?

By the way, does your nearest Volvo dealer workshop have 240 brakes experience and would they collect the car?

Also by the way I am wondering whether the garages you have been to took the advice from this forum seriously and actually did for example the specified sequence of bleeding. &c. &c.

If you can find a garage recommended as having done the work well for a forum member, that must surely be you best bet.

Before somebody suggests them, Sussex Volvo Spares from Lancing, who have done most things to all my Volvo's this last decade plus, are unfortunately closing down. The owner is retiring and selling some good used spares off (I've bought some wings and lights) but most is going for scrap.
Again before anybody asks, he won't allow [B]anybody[B]to rummage through his shelves for two reasons: insurance if you fall from the ladders to his mezzanine floors, and he has had unfortunate experiences with petty thieving in the past, so once bitten twice shy. I've known him for years and bought a lot of stuff for my 240 and 740 so luckily am exempt.

P

I have spoken to the second garage used and given them the advice on how to bleed the brakes. If that advice has been followed I don't know

Trying again...

This is an appeal to any Volvo specialist mechanic in the SE of the UK - M25 or wider

Who are you? What are your trading details?

Why am I asking this? Because I (and others) are looking for a reliable person for work on 240s. I have had experience of:
local garages who do their best (but simply don't have the specific knowledge)
claimed specialists who are no better
general specialists who are good, but don't know enough about Volvos

If I look up Volvo specialists on this Forum, much the the information is out of date - I have been recommended people in Suffolk and if needs be, I will make contact, but is there no one more local?

So that's why I am asking a trader in the M25 area to identify themselves - tell us who you are - so that we can bring our 240 to you with their ailments! Please

Nick

Or you could move :tongwink:

:tongwink:



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