My 1992 240 sedan...

240 @240

(continues from https://ozvolvo.org/discussion/3040/wanted-1986-or-newer-240-manual-wagon/p4 )

Well, I set out to get a manual wagon... so here's my auto sedan.
To be honest I quite like it though, it feels like money well spent.







It's in fairly good condition; paint is nice, engine's good, interior is mostly good. It has 400,000 km with a partial service history. I like all the black exterior trim, too!

Potential plans for it (over a long period of time of course...!)
-Fix up some interior bits
-Install extra gauges
-Virgos
-Some other bits and pieces

An M47 conversion could also be a possibility in the long term future.

A couple of questions, just off the top of my head:

-What's the best way to wash the engine, just out of interest? Is using one of those hand car wash places fine?
-Does anyone have some carpet (tan) for the rear parcel shelf? It's missing.
-The spark plugs need reeplacing soon, according to the previous owner... can I just replace the plugs, or should I do the leads too? Do the OEM Volvo plugs need to be adjusted?
-I've also got a set of gauges for it (thanks @walt) - it is a 3 bar oil pressure gauge, and everything I've read on other forums says that it uses a different sender to the 5 bar one, is that correct or not? I also read that the 3 bar gauges were for the B21 engines as they had lower oil pressure, so it will just max out with a B230F - any thoughts on that? Does anyone have a spare 5 bar gauge?

Anyway, that's my car... more photos to come!

240 @240

Another question - my car doesn't have an electric antenna, but I may have the opportunity to get one. Will the wiring already be in place in my car (meaning I can just put in the switch and motor) or would I have to wire it myself?

Scott @A_Volvo_Driver

Looking good mate.

Rico @lasercowboy

Having spent a lot of time inside the dash of my car lately, there is a yellow wire/plug labelled "electric antenna", so I think you'll be in luck. I can't think of a reason why that would be specific to my GL!

James @jamesinc

If the wiring is there, you should find a wiring pigtail in the boot near the spare tyre, but as it's all part of the same loom I assume it'll be there.

240 @240

Great, I thought that'd be the case. There are a couple of wires hanging down in the boot near the antenna so I'm assuming that's why they're there.

Also, just thought I'd try my luck - if anyone happens to have a set of Virgos somewhere near Canberra for a reasonable price, let me know!

Joe @240Joe

If Geelong is near Canberra then I have some virgos for you.

240 @240

Geelong's not that close to Canberra at the moment unfortunately.

Broken but not brokeback bear @Philia_Bear

Needs more holset content

Snoopy @Ex850R

*inserts photo of holset....

240 @240

But... priorities...! I'll be keeping it a NA car for now. An M47 conversion would definitely occur before any sort of turbo consideration.

Something else which I discovered today is that the lock on the boot seems to be playing up. My understanding is that if the key is removed from it when it is horizontal, the boot remains locked, but if you remove the key when it's vertical, the boot unlocks with the other doors. However, as of today, my boot just seems to always stay locked unless I manually unlock it with the key (it was working last week though I think...)
Thoughts?

Also - should I replace the spark plugs & leads or just the plugs?

Anyone on here have a blue snowflake AC switch in good condition?

Joe @240Joe

There are no rules about what to replace. If it was me and I intended to keep it for a long time I'd replace all leads, plugs & distributor parts now. Including flame trap, filters and clean the throttle body. You will notice the difference.

240 @240

Which filters are you referring to? I plan to replace oil, air and fuel filters.

Joe @240Joe

That's them!

240 @240

Where is the fuel filter on my model? I thought I knew how to change it but it looks like they've moved it somewhere else on the later model 240's.

240 @240

A couple of other things have occured to me to ask (sorry, it'll be more questions at this stage than me actually getting stuff done, although I plan to change filters, plugs etc in the next couple of weeks).

1. The accelerator pedal is sort of stiff (more so than any other car I've driven) - is this normal, or an indication of something that needs looking at?
2. When I turn fairly sharply at low speeds, there is a bit of a clunk (not very loud though) with the wheels almost fully turned. Any suggestions? The previous owner did get a new (second hand) steering rack fitted before selling it to me to get it to pass RWC - related perhaps?
3. With the indicator stalk, when it is moved slightly just to change lanes (sorry if that doesn't make sense) - this function works fine for the right indicator but doesn't work for the left one. Dodgy indicator stalk perhaps, or something else?

Thanks for any feedback.

familyman @familyman

Fuel filter is either on the firewall in the engine bay near the brake booster (early models), or under the body, just forward of the left rear wheel (later models). In the second instance, it's mounted on a plate, so you can't really see it without either lying on your back, or, looking in and under from the drivers side.

240 @240

Thanks for that. It'll be forward of the left rear wheel on mine then. Is it difficult to replace or just a simple bolt off, bolt on task?

familyman @familyman

It is fairly easy, but it was about three years ago, so I forget the exact procedure. I found a method on one of the USA sites - but remember I didn't need to do all it said - I didn't remove it - I just let it hang, removed the fuel filter, replaced. I think it's three bolts you have to remove, so the plate hang down. NOTE: You have to be careful with the banjo fitting (looks like a small banjo). Sometimes people break it. It's got like a doughnut at one end - the fuel comes into the side, through a small tube, enters into the centre ring, and that ring has a bolt that goes through it. The head of the bolt and a washer seals that end of the banjo fitting - the other end and another washer seals against the filter (or fuel accumulator)... Some people split/break it somehow. It's quite pricey for what it is, so I read about it and was just very careful. How do I describe this... It's one of those locking-type things - where you have to screw two nuts in opposite directions, but only by turning one. You have to be careful to hold a spanner on one part of the fitting, while you tighten ONLY the other - so you don't overtighten, and therefore, crack/split the fitting open.

Sorry for the vagueness - but if you just search for keywords like: 240 fuel filter replacment banjo fitting break (or split maybe) - you should find the thread I'm talking about - it was probably on turbobricks.

familyman @familyman

Oh - and make sure you have new washers before you start. I think I saw some filters for sale without any washers. I used the old ones to start with, and they leaked. I went to the mechanic for rego, he saw it was leaking, put new washers in. If you don't have them, you have to compare pictures online of filters that do - and don't - come with them. So you can get them. I have this vague recollection that there are more than just two washers too - I think there's four - maybe!?

And there's at least two different banjo types. Maybe that was the reason for the extra washers (if I'm remembering that right). So make sure you're getting the right thing. Look under the car and get the filter number, so you know you're getting the correct thing. Sometimes bits don't match Oz/USA if you know what I mean.

BradC @BradC

A couple of little things. If your check valve is any good you'll cop a fuel bath when you crack your first union.
Also, the assembly is lower than the fuel level in the tank and you'll get a constant (but slow) syphon of fuel out while you have things open. Prepare for both of these and you'll be ok.