240 General: New (to me) 1980 Volvo 244

[Othen]

Originally Posted by Laird Scooby

Wasn't going to comment on this as it's a valid method, certainly for distributors with points and condensor inside but what's inside yours Alan?

The Hall Effect sensor for the electronic ignition.

You may get away with it but i wouldn't risk it, espceially as spare HE sensors are stored in the shop next to the unicorn horns and hens teeth.

I see Dave - so you think just sticking with the WMP and gentle persuasion over a long period plan would be best?

I'm in no rush whatsoever as the timing is correct now and will not change, so I've taken to applying an artists' paintbrush full of WMP after every time I take the RB out (most days). The capillary action sucks WMP into the shaft so it must eventually get to where it is needed. I'll keep doing that until the winter break and then try that big plumber's wrench I bought on the base of the distributor again.

This has probably been a victim of its own success in a sense. Because the RB has had electronic ignition (Bosch JHFUD4 from a 1984-7 240) - probably for three decades - no one has needed to adjust it, except perhaps at cam belt change time (it may only be on its third of fourth one at 108,000 miles). Those bits of cast iron and aluminium have lived in the same close proximity for maybe 30 years and have developed a pretty close bond.

This is not a problem that needs fixing with any urgency whatsoever, even if the timing needed to be adjusted it can be done (but is very stiff at the moment).

If it doesn't free itself with WMP by next spring then a good time to fix this might be if I change to a 4 speed auto box after 1 April next year when the RB will be safely registered as an historic vehicle (I don't want to risk some civil servant from Swansea telling me my vehicle has been 'significantly modified' and so doesn't qualify). That would be a good time to pull out the engine and transmission together and do any other remedial work that might be useful to both at the same time (I'm thinking crank seals and gaskets, maybe even rings and big ends to see the car fit for another 100,000 miles).

As always, many thanks for your help and advice chaps,

Alan.

[Bugjam1999]

Originally Posted by Laird Scooby

Wasn't going to comment on this as it's a valid method, certainly for distributors with points and condensor inside but what's inside yours Alan?

The Hall Effect sensor for the electronic ignition.

You may get away with it but i wouldn't risk it, espceially as spare HE sensors are stored in the shop next to the unicorn horns and hens teeth.

Fair comment- certainly wise to proceed with care when parts are no longer available...

There are other ways of freeing it, as discussed- and if the engine and gearbox are removed from the car at some point then everything will be easier anyway.

No doubt Othen will let us know what works

Cheers

[Othen]

Originally Posted by Bugjam1999

Fair comment- certainly wise to proceed with care when parts are no longer available...

There are other ways of freeing it, as discussed- and if the engine and gearbox are removed from the car at some point then everything will be easier anyway.

No doubt Othen will let us know what works

Cheers

Many thanks for your advice Bugjam and LS,

I'll try the softly-softly approach first. If that doesn't work I suspect the engine will come out for one reason or another in the next 5 years. It looks like it would be an easy job on the bench.

:-)

[Othen]

Nothing much to report on the project this week. I had noticed the RB had developed a small oil leak on the right side of the engine. A little investigation of the usual suspects soon identified the culprit: the cam cover gasket. I had taken it off to check the valve clearances some weeks ago and taken a chance on not fitting a new gasket, the old one looked okay.

No matter, I had a spare anyway and got the new one fitted in about 15 minutes. The oil is staying inside the motor again now - which is nice.

:-)

[john.wigley]

Oil's well that ends well, Alan!! J.

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by Othen

Nothing much to report on the project this week. I had noticed the RB had developed a small oil leak on the right side of the engine. A little investigation of the usual suspects soon identified the culprit: the cam cover gasket. I had taken it off to check the valve clearances some weeks ago and taken a chance on not fitting a new gasket, the old one looked okay.

No matter, I had a spare anyway and got the new one fitted in about 15 minutes. The oil is staying inside the motor again now - which is nice.

:-)

Always good to have the oil where it should be Alan! You're reminding me i need to do mine - valve clearances and rocker cover gaskets. Not quite so simple on mine though!

[Othen]

Originally Posted by john.wigley

Oil's well that ends well, Alan!! J.

Very clever pun :-)

I have just taken the RB out for a run (just because it is a nice car to drive on a slightly miserable afternoon). I checked under the car afterwards and - not a drop of oil. I think that is quite an achievement for a 40 year old red block.

Alan

[Othen]

Originally Posted by Laird Scooby

Always good to have the oil where it should be Alan! You're reminding me i need to do mine - valve clearances and rocker cover gaskets. Not quite so simple on mine though!

Yes, a 5 minute job on the slant 4.

Alan

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by Othen

Yes, a 5 minute job on the slant 4.

Alan

On mine, i have to remove the A/C compressor on the right hand side first. Then remove both rocker covers.

Valve clearance adjustment is relatively simplt with normal adjusters.

Once adjusted, i then have to clean the mating faces of the rocker covers (and the heads too of course) and then get the gasket paper out - 2x 500 x 200mm approximately. Using carpet spray glue on one side of the paper and then stick the rocker cover to it and let it dry, then cut out the middle, trim the edges and then use the ball end of a ball-pein hammer to tap the edges of the bolt holes and punch the holes through for the bolts.

Then "Haynes it"!

Rough guess, about an hour to strip down to where i can actually see the adjusters, an hour to do the adjustment, an hour (including glue drying time) to make the gaskets, clean everything up and another hour to refit everything.

Might sound excessive but i've left a few stages out (like marking and removing the HT leads and plugs) and knowing this car and the amount of stupid bodges i've found over the time i've owned it, i have no doubt whatsoever it will throw me some curved balls.

[Othen]

Originally Posted by Laird Scooby

On mine, i have to remove the A/C compressor on the right hand side first. Then remove both rocker covers.

Valve clearance adjustment is relatively simplt with normal adjusters.

Once adjusted, i then have to clean the mating faces of the rocker covers (and the heads too of course) and then get the gasket paper out - 2x 500 x 200mm approximately. Using carpet spray glue on one side of the paper and then stick the rocker cover to it and let it dry, then cut out the middle, trim the edges and then use the ball end of a ball-pein hammer to tap the edges of the bolt holes and punch the holes through for the bolts.

Then "Haynes it"!

Rough guess, about an hour to strip down to where i can actually see the adjusters, an hour to do the adjustment, an hour (including glue drying time) to make the gaskets, clean everything up and another hour to refit everything.

Might sound excessive but i've left a few stages out (like marking and removing the HT leads and plugs) and knowing this car and the amount of stupid bodges i've found over the time i've owned it, i have no doubt whatsoever it will throw me some curved balls.

I'm guessing by normal adjusters you mean it has screw adjustable tappets Dave? That makes it much easier if you do need to alter something. The B21 has buckets and shims.

When I adjusted them I took the cam off to do it, but there is an easier way if I could manufacture a tool like the one in the BofH. I'm thinking all I need is a wedge, maybe about 10mm thick steel or aluminium, that would hold the open valve in place as I rotated the camshaft enough to get the shim out with a magnet (and so swap it). I could probably make a cardboard template the next time I have the cam cover off and then fashion a metal tool with a grinder and hand files.

There is a Volvo tool (#5022) to do this, but the BofH shows a tool like the one I'm envisaging (photo 31.6 in my book).

Alan