Howay Guys. Urgent re gear lever bushes.

[Ian21401]

Just been extremely busy with more pressing domestic matters.
Thanks for your contributions, will respond accordingly in due course.

[rwdkev]

Originally Posted by mocambique-amazone

Confirm: like Dave wrote 900 series with gearbox and 95 onwards are with M90

That is 95MY so for UK that means autumn 94 onwards - both 940 and 960

[Ian21401]

Originally Posted by Laird Scooby

Been following this thread and also the other one about gearlevers, got a couple of suggestions that may help with the ultimate diagnosis of the selection problems that seem to be fairly common judging by the comments in general!

First of all, check there are no mats, carpets etc that could interfere with fully depressing the clutch pedal. The original carpets are fine but any more than that and you need to remove them, even if only for the duration of testing just to be sure.

If coming to a stop or trying to select a lower gear to go round a junction or similar, depress the clutch, move to 3rd then swiftly into 2nd and then 1st if wanted. Don't let the clutch up while doing this and make each change as quick as possible.
Likewise if idling see if selecting 3rd then 2nd and finally 1st with the clutch fully depressed makes life easier.

If so, try bleeding the clutch hydraulics. If this still doesn't improve matters then it's either a selection problem within the box or the clutch is dragging.
This would almost certainly be due to a weak/worn pressure plate/cover which can be verified by switching the engine OFF, depressing the clutch and selecting all gears.

If any difficulty is encountered then it's a selection problem in the box although you may have to go 4th, 3rd, 2nd, 1st the first time just to align the synchro hubs. Also is reverse difficult to engage from idle? If so, this also points to a dragging clutch.

A final point about gearbox oil - when was it last changed? Sometimes fresh oil is enough to overcome any clutch drag if it's not too severe. However it can make selection of all gears copmaratively stiffer from cold but this usually disappears fairly quickly.

Something to remember is that most of you haven't owned the cars from new and have no idea how the previous owner treated the clutch - they could have rested their foot on it while driving, commonly called "riding the clutch". This causes extra wear on both the release (thrust) bearing and also the pressure plate, weakening it.

Good luck with reaching your conclusions and i'll keep following this.

1) Nothing interfering with full travel of the clutch pedal.

2) No problems changing down. Regularly change 5th to 3rd or 4th to 2nd but have always double de-clutched when changing down.

3) No problems depressing clutch and selecting gears when engine not running.

4) Gearbox fluid was changed 3 years ago. (21,000 miles) using Volvo 1161647. Probably the only time it has been changed in the life of the car and could maybe benefit from being done again.

5) As previously mentioned difficulty selecting 1st or 2nd and grating into reverse when engine running.

All the above does seem to confirm Dave's diagnosis of a dragging clutch. I've never previously encountered a dragging clutch, only a slipping clutch on previous cars which got progressively worse until dealt with. I don't know the ancient history of this clutch. The car had recorded 100,000 miles when I acquired it in 2005 and I've done 120,000 miles in it since then so I'm not surprised that the clutch is failing.
However, as I had the pressure bleeder connected up after servicing the rear brakes I decided to bleed the clutch but not expecting it to make any difference. It initially did not appear to have made any improvement but gradually the gear selection has improved. It's not perfect but it is now vastly better than it was provided that I take it smoothly and do not rush it.
I fully expect to have to replace the entire clutch in the not too distant future but it's not now as critical as I thought it was. When the time comes I'll have to have it done at a garage as my days of wrestling a gearbox from under the car are long gone.

Ian

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by Ian21401

1) Nothing interfering with full travel of the clutch pedal.

2) No problems changing down. Regularly change 5th to 3rd or 4th to 2nd but have always double de-clutched when changing down.

3) No problems depressing clutch and selecting gears when engine not running.

4) Gearbox fluid was changed 3 years ago. (21,000 miles) using Volvo 1161647. Probably the only time it has been changed in the life of the car and could maybe benefit from being done again.

5) As previously mentioned difficulty selecting 1st or 2nd and grating into reverse when engine running.

All the above does seem to confirm Dave's diagnosis of a dragging clutch. I've never previously encountered a dragging clutch, only a slipping clutch on previous cars which got progressively worse until dealt with. I don't know the ancient history of this clutch. The car had recorded 100,000 miles when I acquired it in 2005 and I've done 120,000 miles in it since then so I'm not surprised that the clutch is failing.
However, as I had the pressure bleeder connected up after servicing the rear brakes I decided to bleed the clutch but not expecting it to make any difference. It initially did not appear to have made any improvement but gradually the gear selection has improved. It's not perfect but it is now vastly better than it was provided that I take it smoothly and do not rush it.
I fully expect to have to replace the entire clutch in the not too distant future but it's not now as critical as I thought it was. When the time comes I'll have to have it done at a garage as my days of wrestling a gearbox from under the car are long gone.

Ian

Glad you got some progress Ian, if it is a dragging clutch and bleeding has improved it, there's a chance the fact you can now use all the available pedal travel will accelerate the wear in the cover/pressure plate.

It's the fingers of the springs that go weak in them causing clutch drag so the pressure plate doesn't actually release the driven plate. Now you've got more movement, those fingers will get weaker quicker so i'd think of it as a temporary reprieve and start checking out nearby clutch clinics and raiding my piggy bank - if i had a piggy bank, last one died of starvation!

Hopefully this might be helpful for you :

https://find-open.co.uk/blyth/brake-...ervice-centres

Good luck with it whichever way you do it!

[Ian21401]

Thanks for the link Dave. I have a couple of trustworthy local garages I have dealt with in the past and there is a Volvo indi not far away in North Tyneside.
When the time comes I’ll also be considering engine rear crankshaft oil seal, gearbox input shaft oil seal and rear oil seal and gearbox rear support mounting. Maybe even have to replace prop shaft centre bearing etc. once it’s disturbed. Yes, it’s going to upset the piggy bank a bit, but hell, it’s still a lot cheaper than replacing the old girl. I do mean the car.

Ian.

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by Ian21401

Thanks for the link Dave. I have a couple of trustworthy local garages I have dealt with in the past and there is a Volvo indi not far away in North Tyneside.
When the time comes I’ll also be considering engine rear crankshaft oil seal, gearbox input shaft oil seal and rear oil seal and gearbox rear support mounting. Maybe even have to replace prop shaft centre bearing etc. once it’s disturbed. Yes, it’s going to upset the piggy bank a bit, but hell, it’s still a lot cheaper than replacing the old girl. I do mean the car.

Ian.

Wise thinking on the seals, Sods Law being what it is, the crank rear oil seal would pop three weeks after the new clutch was fitted if you don't have it done.
Likewise on the gearbox seals too and perhaps a fluid change too.

Gearbox rear mounts, some are NLA, others can be found relatively cheaply (about a tenner) on fleabay, likewise the prop centre bearing but check the diameter of the propshaft to make sure you get the right one and also get a complete one with the carrier etc already assembled onto the bearing so it just slides onto the propshaft. Very little difference in price between just buying the bearing and the assembly and for the work involved stripping into component parts and renewing just the bearing, really not worth it.
Also it's been known for the carrier rubber donut to collapse, crumble or not even be there any more so buying the complete assembly once again is the best option.

[AllHailKingVolvo]

Following this thread with interest...I'm having trouble with 1st/2nd when driving my 240 with the M47 box. It had a new clutch from Volvo five months ago, along with fresh gearbox oil and was driving beautifully until last night.

I'm thinking first port of call is to bleed the clutch slave cylinder and see if that has any effect...following that, I'll drain and flush the gearbox oil. Volvo mentioned that when they changed the oil previously it had had some sort of water ingress which had turned the oil to some sort of horrible mush, so it may benefit from another flush. I've done 18,000 miles in the car since the gearbox oil change so it may well be time for another given the water ingress issue previously.