240 General: New (to me) 1980 Volvo 244

[Othen]

The Royal Barge has always been a bit lumpy at tickover - initially I put this down to the ignition timing and mixture settings (as readers may remember, both were incorrect). Whilst it had undoubtedly improved in this respect, the motor still did a bit of a cha-cha-cha at low revs. I thought it might well be overdue some new engine mounts, and hoped this might cure the issue.

The engine mounts are as cheap as chips at about £6 each, and arrived in the mail this morn. I had not a lot to do after getting back from a motorbike ride, so I thought I'd make a start. The nearside one looked quite easy, so that is where I began.

The first thing to realise is that the mountings are not identical - fortunately the suppliers guessed right and sent me the correct pair:



Someone (on this forum) had mentioned there was a risk of the slant 4 engine falling over during this job, so I re-purposed this:



To make a support beam (I doubt that anyone will recognise its origin unless they have fitted a towing hitch to a Fiat Panda). It fitted pretty well and located firmly onto two of the suspension turret studs:



I used this as well as a trolley jack under the sump to manoeuvre the lump around, and keep it in place while I removed the nearside mounting. The job itself is well covered elsewhere, in summary:
1. Put the car on ramps for access.
2. Disconnect the battery.
3. Fit the support beam.
4. Undo the 3 bolts holding the top of the mounting to the block.
5. Undo the 3 nuts securing the captive studs to the cross member.
6. Take out the old mounting to reveal:




... as you may see, the old one at the bottom wasn't doing much mounting - and was the reason for the engine dancing the can-can. I don't know how long ago it had split into two parts, but I had a feeling someone much have investigated previously as the bolts were not difficult to get undone.

Re-assembly was just the reverse and pretty simple.

Anyway, the left side was an easy job and probably took about 40 minutes. I had a look at the right side - which will be more of a challenge. I tried to crack the 3 bolts holding the lower mount assembly, but they didn't want to budge. It was 18:00 by then so I gave them a good spray with DP60 and will leave them a day or two before trying again.

I suspect the right side will take me a bit longer because access is much more difficult, the good news is the old rubber mounting is complete so there is not so much urgency to fix that side. I've also ordered a transmission mount and will change that at the same time.

I dropped the Royal Barge off the ramps and took it for a short spin - I'm pleased to say there is a really significant improvement - the vibration problem is solved and the driving experience is far better.

All in all a good win for £6 and less than an hour's work.

:-)

[Laird Scooby]

Glad the problem wasn't insur"mount"able Alan!

The good thing is you've got the worst of it sorted. Got a feeling the other one will come undone just as easily and it's good practice for later when you swap the box for the 4-speed.

I am a tad confused about one thing - a tow hitch on a Fiat Panda?

Is that to tow it behind a motorhome for small, convenient transport from a camp site?

[Othen]

Originally Posted by Laird Scooby

Glad the problem wasn't insur"mount"able Alan!

The good thing is you've got the worst of it sorted. Got a feeling the other one will come undone just as easily and it's good practice for later when you swap the box for the 4-speed.

I am a tad confused about one thing - a tow hitch on a Fiat Panda?

Is that to tow it behind a motorhome for small, convenient transport from a camp site?

Ha, ha :-)

The Panda: I bought it new and ran it for a couple of years when I was working in London - then gave it to my dad. He wanted to be able to tow his little 1/4 ton trailer (I think the furthest he goes it to take the grass cuttings to the council tip), so I fitted a towing kit. The panel you saw in the photo was the original that came off to be replaced by the one for a towing hitch.

My father still has the Panda (it must be over 10 years old now) and probably drives 2,000 miles/year. He is a wealthy man but far too tight to replace something that works okay (drives my mother mad).

:-)

[Laird Scooby]

I think a tiny trailer is probably the limit for a Panda? I had one once, bought it for my exwife to learn to drive in then she decided she didn't like it! It was one of the original Pandas though, the ones that look like a miniature Range Rover from a distance if you squint a lot.

Not replacing something that still works is fine by me, releases money for other things in life!

[Othen]

Originally Posted by Laird Scooby

I think a tiny trailer is probably the limit for a Panda? I had one once, bought it for my exwife to learn to drive in then she decided she didn't like it! It was one of the original Pandas though, the ones that look like a miniature Range Rover from a distance if you squint a lot.

Not replacing something that still works is fine by me, releases money for other things in life!

Actually I quite liked the Panda, it was really cheap (new), was a diesel (popular in those days - 1.3l I think), had air conditioning and was pretty well built - it would have been the later model than the one you describe I think Dave. I remember once driving it back from Holland with 3 passengers - it was snug but perfectly okay.

A 1/4t trailer was really good with it - ideal for my father,

My father has plenty of money - just chooses to spend very little of it on anything! I think it comes from growing up in the wartime years and the austere period that followed. It still drives mother mad... after 60-odd years:-)

PS. This the only photo I could find of that car - not a very good one but you will be able to recognise the model:

[Laird Scooby]

Definitely the later version than i had! Mine was similar to this but a lurid green colour so gained the nickname of Kermit :



My mum seems to have been of a similar mould to your dad, she also grew up during WW II and had a "make do and mend" attitude and "if it still works, why replace it".

That said i recently replaced the stereos in both the Rover and the Volvo. One was brand new, the other was 2-3 years old, both the same make and both give vastly improved sound quality over what was in there, despite having similar specs on paper.

The only thing i miss is the steering wheel remote on the Rover but i've found an adaptor to link the new head unit to the OE remote buttons so should be able to regain that.

Meanwhile i've been playing with water injection on the 760...........

[Othen]

Originally Posted by Laird Scooby

Definitely the later version than i had! Mine was similar to this but a lurid green colour so gained the nickname of Kermit :

My mum seems to have been of a similar mould to your dad, she also grew up during WW II and had a "make do and mend" attitude and "if it still works, why replace it".

That said i recently replaced the stereos in both the Rover and the Volvo. One was brand new, the other was 2-3 years old, both the same make and both give vastly improved sound quality over what was in there, despite having similar specs on paper.

The only thing i miss is the steering wheel remote on the Rover but i've found an adaptor to link the new head unit to the OE remote buttons so should be able to regain that.

Meanwhile i've been playing with water injection on the 760...........

Talking of car stereos Dave: you may recall me fitting an aftermarket DAB adapter to the Royal Barge a while ago. It looked like this fitted to the RB:



It worked fine, but I never really got on with it - I think it looks far too modern for the RB, so I've removed it. It is free to a good home if it would be of any use to you (just the cost of postage, a couple of quid I should think). I think you mentioned you had considered something similar. It is complete apart from the antenna (still stuck to the windscreen, but I think you said your Rover had an external antenna that might be adapted). It is this model:



Let meknow if it is of any use to you and I'll put it in the mail.

Alan

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by Othen

Talking of car stereos Dave: you may recall me fitting an aftermarket DAB adapter to the Royal Barge a while ago. It looked like this fitted to the RB:



It worked fine, but I never really got on with it - I think it looks far too modern for the RB, so I've removed it. It is free to a good home if it would be of any use to you (just the cost of postage, a couple of quid I should think). I think you mentioned you had considered something similar. It is complete apart from the antenna (still stuck to the windscreen, but I think you said your Rover had an external antenna that might be adapted). It is this model:



Let meknow if it is of any use to you and I'll put it in the mail.

Alan

That's a very generous offer Alan, thank you very much! Yes please, i'd like to try it, the Volvo is the one with the extra mobile aerial that's about the right length to be a 1/2 wave DAB aerial, no exterior aerials on the Rover at all!.

Let me know the postage cost and your preferred method of payment and we'll sort the rest out via PM.

[Othen]

Originally Posted by Laird Scooby

That's a very generous offer Alan, thank you very much! Yes please, i'd like to try it, the Volvo is the one with the extra mobile aerial that's about the right length to be a 1/2 wave DAB aerial, no exterior aerials on the Rover at all!.

Let me know the postage cost and your preferred method of payment and we'll sort the rest out via PM.

Super, it is yours. i do so dislike wasting things - and this will be putting it to good use in another Volvo. I'll drop you a PM later.

I'm quite pleased with myself: I had been looking at buying a set of steel wheels with winter tyres for the Skoda for a few months - the cost new was hovering around the £400-£500 mark, but I thought it would be a very good investment.

This morn I was leafing through eBay (as one does on a Saturday morn) and came across a set of 4 used steel wheels from an Audi A4 (B6 model - so 6.5Jx16 + ET46 - just right for my car, and the same stud pattern) with pretty good Yokohama winter tyres - 205/55R16 just like the base model of my car has, so the rolling radius will be the same. This is the best bit - only £60 the lot!

I collected them from a really helpful chap in Leicester this afternoon, and I'm delighted to say they are exactly what I was looking for.

I've just checked them over, the tyres have at least one (or more likely two) winters left in them, and the wheels are all straight and true.

I'll fit them in November and have a much safer winter this year. At the same time I can get the 18" alloy wheels off to be refurbished, which will be nice for when I put them back on the car in the spring.

I'm really pleased with today's win - and have saved myself quite a packet.

:-)

[john.wigley]

'Afternoon, Alan,

I thought you had gone quiet of late, I now realise that you were busy tackling your latest job on the R.B. At this rate, it will not be long before you have a car as good if not better than when it rolled off the production line in Goteborg 40 years ago. What will you do when you reach that happy state, I wonder?!

I salute your father's attitude to money - it is also easy to see where your financial acumen springs from! There is a huge difference between those able to afford a new car but choosing not to, and those not having the necessary funds who do so anyway.

Excepting cars like Morgan, and a very few others, almost all cars will inevitably loose money. Putting oneself in hock in order to to own a depreciating asset is alien to most of those of your father's generation. I also fear that many will come to realise the folly of that to their cost as we emerge from the current pandemic.

As you know, I (perversely) derive considerable pleasure in running a 20 year old £500 Volvo that is in better nick than many cars less than half it's age. Yes, I am a tight-wad, but I'm also married to an accountant who happens to agree with me!

Enjoy your car, whether driving or fettling it.

Regards, John.