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ABS Brakes-What years and models?[200/81] posted by roger, formerly rognor on
Tuesday, 18 September 2001, at 8:43 a.m.
I am looking for a 1988 or newer 240 wagon but I would like ABS brakes on it. I understand that in 1992 ABS became standard. WHat other years and modles was it available on? Also any other tips on what to look for on the late model 240's? Thanks
--roger
Re: ABS Brakes-What years and models?[200/81] posted by chris herbst on
Tuesday, 18 September 2001, at 10:29 p.m.
ABS was available on 1991 240 models, but wasn't supplied as standard until the following year. It was available in 1988 on some cars in the 700 line.
Some say that the ABS in the 240 was virtually useless, however that's not the case. It is very obnoxious in it's behavior, but the system does function well. Mercedes-Benz used the same system, in fact.
As far as later 240 series cars go, if ABS is a must, you'll be looking at 91-93.
90 introduced the driver's airbag.
90 was also flush rear glass and better tailgate (not aluminum though) on wagons
91 brought the flush windshield and rear glass on the sedans
91 had a better A/C system, available ABS brakes
92 had std. ABS and some cars had black trim
93 had a slightly different engine (slightly better), R134 a/c, and some other visual changes like black trim on most cars, black grilles, etc.
Prior to that, an 88 would be a great choice. You don't get ABS, but 89 brought around some oddities like a bizarre steering wheel that looked like it should've had an airbag but didn't. Also a silly reset for the service light, behind the dashboard. It was the first year of LH 2.4 Jetronic fuel injection. There were some problems with the EFI control module on the 89 cars (and later years too, however). Not that the 89 is substandard but it had a couple of things to look for.
--chris herbst, near Chicago, IL -- 1991 245, 1990 245DL, 1987 245DL, 1988 744GLE, 1993 944
Re: ABS Brakes-What years and models?[200/81] posted by roger on
Tuesday, 18 September 2001, at 11:21 p.m.
Thanks Chris. From what you say the 88 sounds like a good year especially due to the rust and wiring harness problems before that. Is there anything else I should look for on my search for a late 245? Was the 2.4 Jetronic fuel injection a problem on the 90 through 93's? What about an automatic vs. a standard transmission?
--roger
Re: ABS Brakes, and later 240 points[200/81] posted by chris herbst on
Tuesday, 18 September 2001, at 11:38 p.m.
88 is a great year, because of the earlier EFI which was typically very reliable and had a virtually bulletproof control unit.
The 2.4 Jetronic was never really a problem, save for the bum ECU. I forget if it's the 561 or the 951 that was the real dud, but I thought it was the 561 (last 3 digits of the Bosch part#). The 951 was less of a dud, but wasn't as good as the BEST one, which I can't remember offhand.
Otherwise, 2.4 Jetronic is great because it has self-diagnostic capabilities through an onboard LED readout. It basically allows you the luxury of being able to locate problems faster. It isn't foolproof, but can lead you in the right direction at least. I really like the 2.4 Jet system myself.
Another difference with 2.4 is the introduction of a crankshaft position sensor, as opposed to the hall sensor of earlier models. The CPS is located in the bellhousing (sort of) and is crucial, and tough to replace. But it is pretty reliable.
There are other differences as well, but I'm just going over some obvious ones. In 88, the wagons had the old style tailgate, and in 1990, they had the flush glass kind (the better kind). They rust less. That's a nice feature of the later cars. The windshield glass can always be changed over to the flush type. I buy windshields with the flush mount trim for $130!
The tradeoffs are still in favor of the 91-93, in my opinion. You get the option of ABS starting in 1991 and that easily-converted air conditioning system in the 91-92 cars is a big plus. And it actually works well.
As far as transmissions go, it depends on you. The AW70 and it's variants are very, very reliable. They can be killed, but often the reason is low fluid or filthy fluid.
The M47 5-speed manual that was introduced in 1987 isn't the best thing ever to come in a Volvo. It had one fatal design flaw of having a countershaft bearing that didn't get lubricated very well. An easy solution is to overfill the transmission with fluid. This is not to say that the M47 is not a good trans; it is. But it CAN be troublesome, and I have a spare one sitting in my garage, waiting to be installed in one of my cars. The one in there right now is whiny and cranky for the reason I stated above. I should still say that the M47 can be a really sweet-shifting gearbox when everything is well. And it certainly turns low RPM's on the highway, which is nice for economy.
The later automatic 240s (I can't remember if it was 91 or 92) got a shift lockout. It's really nothing except that you have to step on the brake when you shift from park. Like many other cars, not really a big deal. Otherwise the trans on the automatic 240 is really great. I love them, actually--but I also like to shift gears.
If you kill an automatic, they are literally available almost everywhere. Nobody ever kills them, and they tend to accumulate at parts yards and other places. If you need a used 5-speed, though, get out your wallet.
Anyway, these are just a few other little ins and outs of the later 240 series cars. I hope these details help you out!
--chris herbst, near Chicago, IL -- 1991 245, 1990 245DL, 1987 245DL, 1988 744GLE, 1993 944