Hello, just bought a '89 740 GL

[ton246]

Thanks Laird Scooby, very helpful indeed. No oil leaks visible what i could see, starts on the button. Will see what it needs over the first couple hundred miles ( hopefully not much ). Pick it up on Thursday, which just happens to be my birthday so treating it like a

[Laird Scooby]

You're welcome, glad i could help!

Happy Birthday for thursday then! Picked my 740 up on its 23rd birthday last year and looks like i'm moving house (yet to be confirmed) on my birthday this uear.

Must be a birthday thing going on or something........

[stephend]

Originally Posted by Laird Scooby

Yes these cars do use oil normally, up to about a litre every 1000 miles or so but with a blocked PCV they drink it.

I'd slightly question that, m'Laird, on the basis that I hardly ever have to top mine up between services - once at most, sometimes (and mine does have a slight oil leak).

+1 to everything else you've said, though.

[Laird Scooby]

On all 3 that i've had, they've all used about that and the first 2 didn't have any oil leaks or burn oil. Also most other people i've ever known and in fact other Volvos with similar engines that i've either owned or driven regularly (some were near new) all have used some oil. The only ones that didn't had some sort of problem.
Thinking about it, the 360 GLT i had about 15 years ago actually used more oil than my current 740 which is kind of worrying considering it didn't have a leak. Then again, i did drive that one quite hard...........

[Prufrock]

Thought I would add my experience with oil consumption, our 1986 745 (B230K) has covered nearly 170k, it had 3k on it when purchased by my Wife's Dad.

We took it over 3 years ago and I change the oil (good quality) every 6 months, the filter (gen Volvo) every other oil change. Find it uses hardly any oil between changes, and agree the crankcase breather is a b****r but critical (that it is changed/cleaned regularly).

So a 27 year old car that uses hardly any oil...that's an excuse for a party, any 700 owners care to join me?

A 700 picnic, we'll forage for razor clams and samphire on the beach and cook there - well, I'm going.

I would recommend changing the radiator for new, ok you can back flush but new ones are not expensive and there's little worse than a car that overheats - undermining the head gasket. There are a number of components I'd replace as a matter of course (I'll not list them as they're a matter of common sense).

Prufrock.

[Laird Scooby]

What a diversity of opinions! It would seem then that if they don't use oil it's a bonus but neither using or not using is necessarily a cause for concern as long as everything else is right.

Out of curiosity Prufrock, are there any other reasons (besides the cited potential HG problems) that you would suggest changing the radiator for?

On the subject of oil leaks, is it possible to change the sump gasket without having to fully remove the sump (means lifting the engine) - just sort of slide the old one out sideways and the new one in the same way? It's not something i've done on one of these and i've had a look and read the Haynes book of fantasy and i reckon it could just about be done. I don't fancy getting halfway through to ultimately find it can't though so does anyone know or have they done it?

[Prufrock]

Originally Posted by Laird Scooby

What a diversity of opinions! It would seem then that if they don't use oil it's a bonus but neither using or not using is necessarily a cause for concern as long as everything else is right.

Out of curiosity Prufrock, are there any other reasons (besides the cited potential HG problems) that you would suggest changing the radiator for?

On the subject of oil leaks, is it possible to change the sump gasket without having to fully remove the sump (means lifting the engine) - just sort of slide the old one out sideways and the new one in the same way? It's not something i've done on one of these and i've had a look and read the Haynes book of fantasy and i reckon it could just about be done. I don't fancy getting halfway through to ultimately find it can't though so does anyone know or have they done it?

My 745 is an auto so the rad' serves two purposes - engine and transmission oil cooling, but even with a manual (and manual rads are super cheap) if the flow of coolant is compromised this will undermine both efficient heating and cooling - if the rad s original it'll certainly need replacement IMO, mine now has a Nissin.

And nothing worse than a rad giving way while you're driving!

Sump gaskets: an old timer friend of mine who used to run a garage specialising in Lotus (he was a well-known saloon car racer in the late 60s and 70s), also looked after a large fleet of 740s for a client (these covered huge mileages), he remembers doing a sump gasket without removing the sump...but doesn't recall the details (yet).

For the sump job, it might be worth investing in the CD of the"green books"...and have you got the blue Haynes or the brown one? The brown one is the better one.

Jon (aka Prufrock).

[Laird Scooby]

Thanks Jon.

Your 745 is the same as mine then. I seem to recall seeing a receipt for a new rad somewhere in the history i have for it and i did a serious flush of mine some time back - overall condition of the rad is good so reckon i'm ok for a while at least.

Would be incredibly useful if your friend can remember some details about the sump gasket, i've had a look and reckon it should be possible albeit fiddly getting the gaskets past the oil pump pick up. Setting the engine at about 90 deg ATDC (or even BTDC) should have the crank webs tucked up in the block space as near as makes no odds i reckon, so just the oil pipe to worry about. The old gasket could of course be cut to remove it but wouldn't want to cut the new one to fit it, kind of defeats the object of the exercise really!

I don't have the blue Haynes Book of Fantasy, the one i have is more black than brown but is the "Owners Workshop Manual" as opposed to the "Owners Service and Repair Manual" which is barely worth the paper it's printed on.

I've seen other references to the "green books" - can you enlighten me please?

[Prufrock]

Originally Posted by Laird Scooby

Thanks Jon. I've seen other references to the "green books" - can you enlighten me please?

Green Books, see example below, are a range of manuals produced in series by Volvo BITD; there is a manual covering every aspect of the 740.

The club produces them all on one CD now (for most models), and at a reduced price for club members - a good reason (there are many others) to join.

Regards, Jon.

[Laird Scooby]

Ah-ha! So that's what they are!

There's a similar thing for my other car where the original manufacturers workshop manuals are reproduced and are available as a download somewhere or other but you need your own CD to burn them to.

Seems like those green books would be a worthwhile investment, depending of course on the cost. Where or how can i find the cost of them please?