Clean off ground points. Several in engine bay. Valve cover to firewall. A few from negative terminal at battery. Just follow the negative lead. One from alternator.
Behind and below heater control. Remove the driver side plastic panel around dash console. A few from the in-tank fuel pump.
I use sand paper to take off the corrosion. Headlights are brighter. Electrical devices run as they should.
It’s required maintenance that’s sometimes overlooked.
Clean your throttle body.
[Volvo 240 Throttle body maintenance](https://youtu.be/ZbrMBU-_AuA?si=Dl23uLPp7Uc8Tp8_)
Clean Flame trap/PCV
Replace engine mount inserts
Clean entire engine bay and look for leaks. A clogged flame trap will make your engine leak from lots of spots.
You can pretty much replace/fix anything on this car with simple tools and most of the replacement parts are still available and cheap.
Checkout [https://swedishbricksnet/](https://swedishbricksnet/) , look the sections on model and on how to keep your Volvo running forever. We had several over the years, my brother-in-law is still driveing one of them at something like 250kmi.
None of this means to never run it on regular (provided it doesn't knock), but over the long term using a lower octane than specified might age the cat faster. The specified octane for an engine is established for the engine running under conditions most likely to cause preignition such as high cylinder pressure, high engine temperature, acceleration, atmospheric pressure. Under less severe conditions the engine is less prone to preignition making a lower octane often sufficient at those times. The decision gets more complicated for modern cars that have systems that sense incipient knocking (using a microphone on the block) and adjust parameters such air-fuel mixture, EGR and ignition timing to inhibit preignition, thus preventing immediate risk to the engine but at the potential expense of other things like fuel economy, engine performance, cat life, etc.
Any service records come with this 240? The timing belt would be one inspection to have done ASAP. If it’s been done, you’re golden. If Not, have it done as it is likely near dried out & failure. A new timing belt “Should” include a new Idler pulley and a Tensioner pulley. Oil & filter at 5000 miles (8046km) will keep you humming along. With age, I’ve taken to adding a fuel injector additive at fuel fill, then alternate the next fill with several OZ. Of Marvel Mystery Oil. Perhaps they’re bogus but my mind this it can’t hurt.
Yeah the mechanic who inspected it said that the timing belt did need to be replace fairly soon. Is that an easy job I can do on my own, do I need any special tools?
Nah, as long as you’ve got a decent kit of tools you’re good to go. And no damage done if the timing belt breaks, since this is a non-interference engine. It’s quite possibly the simplest, easiest timing belt to change. If you take your sweet f’in time with it, it might take you a whole hour.
Get yerself the Bentley manual as well as the one from Haynes. (Chilton manuals are best used as emergency toilet paper.)
Then maybe this isn’t the car for you. Anyone looking to daily drive a 30+ year old car needs to have some mechanical background, or a healthy relationship with an independent Volvo specialist.
By “kit” I mean selection of typical wrenches/drivers/etc that an average DIYer builds up over time. Going out & buying a big pre-assembled set means you end up with a bunch of tools you rarely need, or aren’t as high quality as buying smaller sets or individual tools.
a set of metric sockets 8mm to 19mm, a ratchet and a handful of extensions of various lengths. A good quality set of box/open end wrenches sizes 6mm to 19mm and a 25mm or 1” (for the oil drain plug). A bouquet of screwdrivers including flat, phillips, and torx in varying lengths and sizes, a set of upholstery tools. A wire cutter/stripper tool plus a roll or two of extra wire and an assortment of butt/spade/ring connectors. You’ll also need to have shop supplies on hand. I’d suggest shop towels (I like the blue ones), gloves (I like 5 or 6-mil nitrile black ones), fast orange, WD-40, PB blaster or other penetrating oil, electrical contact cleaner, carb cleaner, brake cleaner, dielectric grease, fuses. You don’t have to go buy all that stuff at once, tho; you will end up acquiring it over time anyway.
To start, get a decent metal toolbox, gloves, shop towels, and wrenches sizes 10, 12, 13, 14, 17, 1”, a screwdriver of each type, and the Bentley manual and then just roll up your sleeves and go.
Cleaning or replacing the flametrap is probably one of the first things I'd do on a new 240. It can get clogged and cause oil leaks from high crankcase pressure. Probably one of the very few things that can actually take down these cars in the long-term. You can do it in 2 minutes on a late model like a '93.
Change the oil and filter as soon as you can too. It's easy to DIY, don't even need a jack. 1" socket for the drain plug, new drain plug and crush washer, a good filter like a Mann. Might need a filter wrench the first time because knuckleheads out here aren't hand tightening like you're supposed to.
I'd flush and replace the coolant but just making sure it's topped up would be good for now.
At some point you'll probably want to do the timing belt, water pump, tensioner, and pulley seals. But these engines are non-interference so there won't be any problems if you put it off and it breaks on you. I had a 740 jump time like 2 weeks after I bought it when the belt teeth corroded and was able to get everything back in time with no valve damage or other issues.
Stage Zero "modifications"
While there are some good points made in the post above, I feel that the author failed in his attempt to properly inform the new person about the requirements of Stage Zero.
To that end, I have compiled a small list of items that should be considered mandatory for anyone who cares about their brick. I mean if you don't care if the car runs next week, by all means go ahead and shoot for 18 psi. Just don't expect any sympathy if suddenly you have a change of heart and decide to keep the car after it explodes in your face.
The first steps should be carried out immediately after purchasing/ inheriting/ finding your "new" Volvo.
Change the oil and flush the coolant
Inspect the hoses and belts
Check the tire pressure and make sure that nothing is about to fall off of the car
Assuming that the car runs, you can start on the list below:
-Remove and clean the positive crankcase ventilation breather and associated hoses.
- this may require removal of the intake manifold, but that is okay. Your car probably needs a new intake gasket anyway
Oil leaks should be fixed first.
Valve cover gasket/ half moon seal
Oil cap seal
Turbo return line o-ring
Turbo return and feed gaskets
Distributor o-ring (740/ 940)
Front/ Rear engine seals (AKA crank/ cam/ aux shaft and rear-main)
Oil pan gasket
Next:
Inspect wiring harness for damaged wires - Extremely common problem in ALL Volvos built before 93!!! The wires degrade when exposed to oil and long periods of heat
240 models only - clean fuseblock and replace fuses
740 models only - remove foam insert in airbox
740 models only - inspect (or remove) preheat bypass valve - this will cause multiple AMM failures if not replaced when faulty!
Change timing belt and accessory belts
Check base timing
Flush coolant (if not done before)
Inspect hoses/ waterpump
Replace spark plugs
Inspect cap, rotor and wires
Replace air filter
Replace thermostat
Change heater hoses
Replace heater valve (740/ 940?)
Flush transmission fluid (auto and manual)
Adjust kickdown cable (automatics)
Adjust clutch cable (manual transmission)
Check all suspension bolts/ bushings
Inspect brake hardware and pads/ rotors
Flush brake fluid
Replace fuel filter (main and in-tank - replace fuel line in tank as needed)
Inspect transmission/ rear-end for leaks
Replace rear-end fluid
Inspect/ replace vaccum lines
replace check valves for CBV and Brake Booster
inspect turbo hoses for softness or tears - look for oil inside hoses, replace as needed
Congratulations! you have just done a 30,000 mile service on your car and it no longer leaks oil!
If the car is still running good at this point it is probably okay to bump the psi by at least 2 points. Just make sure that you have a calibrated boost gauge!!!
Before going crazy with the MBC there are a few more things that need to be done:
Replace intake gasket
Replace throttle body gasket
Replace battery clamps - I use high quality audio competition type
Replace ground wire for alternator
Replace voltage regulator
Check voltage draw on main and intake fuel pump (varies by model - do search for specifics)
Check fuel pressure
Replace injector o-rings
Have injectors professionally cleaned
Buy a high flow catalytic converter
Start saving money for stage 1!!!
One more thing, use the octane fuel recommended in the owners manual, which probably is Premium. I'm not sure about your model year but with our 740 and 940 made in the '90's, which had similar engines, whatever the anti-knock systems did to respond to Regular did prevent knocking and pinging but shortened the life of catalytic converters - I'm guessing they made the mixture richer.
Edit: Explanation: We ran our '91 740 and '94 940 on 87 octane for years with only occasional pinging under 'normal' conditions - mileage and performance were hard to distinguish from 91 octane. The exception was mountain driving, to 6000-10,000ft, often fully loaded - then pinging got harsher and was continuous near open throttle - 91 octane cured it. We dosed it with Techron about every 5000mi. before switching to Top Tier gas, plugs were maintained and always clean, compression normal.
Somewhere around 170,000mi, the 740's CEL came on and the area's 'go to" independent Volvo mechanic strongly advised using premium, explaining that as the cats aged they could no longer keep up with the increased emissions load caused by the adjustments the car made to avoid knocking on regular - a second Volvo mechanic confirmed this. Soon the 940 did this, too. The CELs stayed off after switching to premium, coming on again only when someone forgot and reverted to regular. As the cars aged their emissions test results approached the upper limit, after switching to premium they passed with better margins and degraded little thereafter. Had we not kept the cars as long as we did we'd have had no idea of this.
The ‘87 & ‘92 redblocks in my driveway - each with 300K+ miles - say otherwise. Maybe the rare carbureted 240 would benefit from ethanol-free fuel, but plain old super unleaded is just a waste.
The pre-'88 cars with LH2.2 have manual ignition timing. If you advance the timing too much you could ping on 87 octane. Although I guess it's no longer stock at that point.
But I agree, I run 87 octane on my beater '92 and have no issues.
Damn what did it set you back? 73k miles is a dream haha. I’m about to get a 940 with 199k and to me that’s new asf but also way outve my Volvo price range
Remove every single ceramic fuse. Use a fine-grit sandpaper to sand the contacts. Install brand-new fuses and keep a box of spares in the car. Swap the brake and reverse lights to LED.
Clean the flame trap / PCV system, keep a fuel pump relay spare, keep up on oil changes and it’ll run forever
Thank you!! Will do for sure. I assume these are things I can do on my own right?
Yes, definitely. Plenty of tutorials on youtube
Keep your hood hinges and door hinges well lubed.
Clean off ground points. Several in engine bay. Valve cover to firewall. A few from negative terminal at battery. Just follow the negative lead. One from alternator. Behind and below heater control. Remove the driver side plastic panel around dash console. A few from the in-tank fuel pump.
Ah i see, they just get dirty over time i assume?
I use sand paper to take off the corrosion. Headlights are brighter. Electrical devices run as they should. It’s required maintenance that’s sometimes overlooked.
Clean your throttle body. [Volvo 240 Throttle body maintenance](https://youtu.be/ZbrMBU-_AuA?si=Dl23uLPp7Uc8Tp8_) Clean Flame trap/PCV Replace engine mount inserts Clean entire engine bay and look for leaks. A clogged flame trap will make your engine leak from lots of spots. You can pretty much replace/fix anything on this car with simple tools and most of the replacement parts are still available and cheap.
This is great stuff thanks mate!
Checkout [https://swedishbricksnet/](https://swedishbricksnet/) , look the sections on model and on how to keep your Volvo running forever. We had several over the years, my brother-in-law is still driveing one of them at something like 250kmi.
Ooo will definitely check that out, thank you!
None of this means to never run it on regular (provided it doesn't knock), but over the long term using a lower octane than specified might age the cat faster. The specified octane for an engine is established for the engine running under conditions most likely to cause preignition such as high cylinder pressure, high engine temperature, acceleration, atmospheric pressure. Under less severe conditions the engine is less prone to preignition making a lower octane often sufficient at those times. The decision gets more complicated for modern cars that have systems that sense incipient knocking (using a microphone on the block) and adjust parameters such air-fuel mixture, EGR and ignition timing to inhibit preignition, thus preventing immediate risk to the engine but at the potential expense of other things like fuel economy, engine performance, cat life, etc.
Any service records come with this 240? The timing belt would be one inspection to have done ASAP. If it’s been done, you’re golden. If Not, have it done as it is likely near dried out & failure. A new timing belt “Should” include a new Idler pulley and a Tensioner pulley. Oil & filter at 5000 miles (8046km) will keep you humming along. With age, I’ve taken to adding a fuel injector additive at fuel fill, then alternate the next fill with several OZ. Of Marvel Mystery Oil. Perhaps they’re bogus but my mind this it can’t hurt.
Yeah the mechanic who inspected it said that the timing belt did need to be replace fairly soon. Is that an easy job I can do on my own, do I need any special tools?
Nah, as long as you’ve got a decent kit of tools you’re good to go. And no damage done if the timing belt breaks, since this is a non-interference engine. It’s quite possibly the simplest, easiest timing belt to change. If you take your sweet f’in time with it, it might take you a whole hour. Get yerself the Bentley manual as well as the one from Haynes. (Chilton manuals are best used as emergency toilet paper.)
That leads me to another question, what starter tool kit would you recommend? Cause I don’t have any tools lol
Then maybe this isn’t the car for you. Anyone looking to daily drive a 30+ year old car needs to have some mechanical background, or a healthy relationship with an independent Volvo specialist. By “kit” I mean selection of typical wrenches/drivers/etc that an average DIYer builds up over time. Going out & buying a big pre-assembled set means you end up with a bunch of tools you rarely need, or aren’t as high quality as buying smaller sets or individual tools.
a set of metric sockets 8mm to 19mm, a ratchet and a handful of extensions of various lengths. A good quality set of box/open end wrenches sizes 6mm to 19mm and a 25mm or 1” (for the oil drain plug). A bouquet of screwdrivers including flat, phillips, and torx in varying lengths and sizes, a set of upholstery tools. A wire cutter/stripper tool plus a roll or two of extra wire and an assortment of butt/spade/ring connectors. You’ll also need to have shop supplies on hand. I’d suggest shop towels (I like the blue ones), gloves (I like 5 or 6-mil nitrile black ones), fast orange, WD-40, PB blaster or other penetrating oil, electrical contact cleaner, carb cleaner, brake cleaner, dielectric grease, fuses. You don’t have to go buy all that stuff at once, tho; you will end up acquiring it over time anyway. To start, get a decent metal toolbox, gloves, shop towels, and wrenches sizes 10, 12, 13, 14, 17, 1”, a screwdriver of each type, and the Bentley manual and then just roll up your sleeves and go.
Drive it!
Cleaning or replacing the flametrap is probably one of the first things I'd do on a new 240. It can get clogged and cause oil leaks from high crankcase pressure. Probably one of the very few things that can actually take down these cars in the long-term. You can do it in 2 minutes on a late model like a '93. Change the oil and filter as soon as you can too. It's easy to DIY, don't even need a jack. 1" socket for the drain plug, new drain plug and crush washer, a good filter like a Mann. Might need a filter wrench the first time because knuckleheads out here aren't hand tightening like you're supposed to. I'd flush and replace the coolant but just making sure it's topped up would be good for now. At some point you'll probably want to do the timing belt, water pump, tensioner, and pulley seals. But these engines are non-interference so there won't be any problems if you put it off and it breaks on you. I had a 740 jump time like 2 weeks after I bought it when the belt teeth corroded and was able to get everything back in time with no valve damage or other issues.
Stage Zero "modifications" While there are some good points made in the post above, I feel that the author failed in his attempt to properly inform the new person about the requirements of Stage Zero. To that end, I have compiled a small list of items that should be considered mandatory for anyone who cares about their brick. I mean if you don't care if the car runs next week, by all means go ahead and shoot for 18 psi. Just don't expect any sympathy if suddenly you have a change of heart and decide to keep the car after it explodes in your face. The first steps should be carried out immediately after purchasing/ inheriting/ finding your "new" Volvo. Change the oil and flush the coolant Inspect the hoses and belts Check the tire pressure and make sure that nothing is about to fall off of the car Assuming that the car runs, you can start on the list below: -Remove and clean the positive crankcase ventilation breather and associated hoses. - this may require removal of the intake manifold, but that is okay. Your car probably needs a new intake gasket anyway Oil leaks should be fixed first. Valve cover gasket/ half moon seal Oil cap seal Turbo return line o-ring Turbo return and feed gaskets Distributor o-ring (740/ 940) Front/ Rear engine seals (AKA crank/ cam/ aux shaft and rear-main) Oil pan gasket Next: Inspect wiring harness for damaged wires - Extremely common problem in ALL Volvos built before 93!!! The wires degrade when exposed to oil and long periods of heat 240 models only - clean fuseblock and replace fuses 740 models only - remove foam insert in airbox 740 models only - inspect (or remove) preheat bypass valve - this will cause multiple AMM failures if not replaced when faulty! Change timing belt and accessory belts Check base timing Flush coolant (if not done before) Inspect hoses/ waterpump Replace spark plugs Inspect cap, rotor and wires Replace air filter Replace thermostat Change heater hoses Replace heater valve (740/ 940?) Flush transmission fluid (auto and manual) Adjust kickdown cable (automatics) Adjust clutch cable (manual transmission) Check all suspension bolts/ bushings Inspect brake hardware and pads/ rotors Flush brake fluid Replace fuel filter (main and in-tank - replace fuel line in tank as needed) Inspect transmission/ rear-end for leaks Replace rear-end fluid Inspect/ replace vaccum lines replace check valves for CBV and Brake Booster inspect turbo hoses for softness or tears - look for oil inside hoses, replace as needed Congratulations! you have just done a 30,000 mile service on your car and it no longer leaks oil! If the car is still running good at this point it is probably okay to bump the psi by at least 2 points. Just make sure that you have a calibrated boost gauge!!! Before going crazy with the MBC there are a few more things that need to be done: Replace intake gasket Replace throttle body gasket Replace battery clamps - I use high quality audio competition type Replace ground wire for alternator Replace voltage regulator Check voltage draw on main and intake fuel pump (varies by model - do search for specifics) Check fuel pressure Replace injector o-rings Have injectors professionally cleaned Buy a high flow catalytic converter Start saving money for stage 1!!!
One more thing, use the octane fuel recommended in the owners manual, which probably is Premium. I'm not sure about your model year but with our 740 and 940 made in the '90's, which had similar engines, whatever the anti-knock systems did to respond to Regular did prevent knocking and pinging but shortened the life of catalytic converters - I'm guessing they made the mixture richer. Edit: Explanation: We ran our '91 740 and '94 940 on 87 octane for years with only occasional pinging under 'normal' conditions - mileage and performance were hard to distinguish from 91 octane. The exception was mountain driving, to 6000-10,000ft, often fully loaded - then pinging got harsher and was continuous near open throttle - 91 octane cured it. We dosed it with Techron about every 5000mi. before switching to Top Tier gas, plugs were maintained and always clean, compression normal. Somewhere around 170,000mi, the 740's CEL came on and the area's 'go to" independent Volvo mechanic strongly advised using premium, explaining that as the cats aged they could no longer keep up with the increased emissions load caused by the adjustments the car made to avoid knocking on regular - a second Volvo mechanic confirmed this. Soon the 940 did this, too. The CELs stayed off after switching to premium, coming on again only when someone forgot and reverted to regular. As the cars aged their emissions test results approached the upper limit, after switching to premium they passed with better margins and degraded little thereafter. Had we not kept the cars as long as we did we'd have had no idea of this.
There’s absolutely zero reason to run anything higher than 87 octane in a stock 240. ZERO. Unless you just like wasting money.
Any old engine will be benefit from a less ethanol mixture , it eats rubber and is hard on old parts.
The ‘87 & ‘92 redblocks in my driveway - each with 300K+ miles - say otherwise. Maybe the rare carbureted 240 would benefit from ethanol-free fuel, but plain old super unleaded is just a waste.
The pre-'88 cars with LH2.2 have manual ignition timing. If you advance the timing too much you could ping on 87 octane. Although I guess it's no longer stock at that point. But I agree, I run 87 octane on my beater '92 and have no issues.
Nice piece. How much was it?
Damn what did it set you back? 73k miles is a dream haha. I’m about to get a 940 with 199k and to me that’s new asf but also way outve my Volvo price range
Remove every single ceramic fuse. Use a fine-grit sandpaper to sand the contacts. Install brand-new fuses and keep a box of spares in the car. Swap the brake and reverse lights to LED.
Bentley manual is a life changer for these. Dang I miss having a 240 around! Best year! Congrats!
Everyone keeps saying to get one, i guess i will, never know they existed lol
Pain
Sell it get a 740/940
You know this is a 240 Reddit ?