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Hey all, once again asking for your excellent advice.
So I've got this 1970 142S with under 130k that I've had (mostly as a second vehicle) for about ten years. It runs and drives okay around town and is almost entirely stock.
I recently got a bonus check for around $1000 and wanted to know what kind of upgrades\repairs I should make. My repair skills are about the IPD 2 level (out of 3). My goal is to make my car highway ready. For as long as I've had it, at anything past 60 mph, it shakes, sounds like a hive of bees are buzzing underneath it, and the engine makes an awful racket in any gear at over 5000 rpm.
I'm not sure whether I should get headers, new exhaust system, Weber carb (instead of the re-built Strombergs I currently have), new u-joints or what. I just want to make sure I don't waste the money on something that won't achieve the desired objective.
Granted, the most logical solution would probably be to buy a 240 in decent shape and get rid of the 140, but I'm stubborn and like my car.
All thoughts and opinions are most welcome.
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The racket could be a number of things. First get a timing light and dwell meter to see what's happening with the ignition. Check to see if it dances around, or jumps back when you let off the accelerator (timing and/or dwell).
It can be the advance plate below the cam/breaker plate in the distributor. This loosens up at the swege. Check shaft play on the cam lobes.
**Get an Allison/Crand Cams breakerless electronic ignition.
Also if you've elliminated distributor as a problem and the timing shows a skip or jump especially when letting off the accelerator, you may need a new set of timig gears.
If the timing and ignition is good and you find the chatter is down low in the engine, you could have bad lifters. Take the valve cover off, remove the rocker assembly and lift out the lifters. If they are hard to extract or cannot come out the top of the bore, that's your problem. The solution is dropping the bottom end of the motor and removing the cam if the bottoms of the lifters are badly peanned from high rpm pounding.
Don't spend $$'s until you fix everything.
--
'89 245 sportwagon, destroyed by hit & run driver, RIP. '04 V70 2.5 T Sportwagon, 12k mi and '91 245 5-speed, 209k mi, replaced the '89
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What drives the cam? Belt, chain or gears? I'd take a look at that, it may be moving around.
Do you use high test? If not, I would try some to see if the problem might be pre-ignition at high RPMs.
Check your motor and transmission mounts, in the case of 740 turbos, as the mounts collapse, they get noisier and have more vibrations. Perhaps something is touching.
Consider that some of the transmission spins with the engine, even in neutral, a bad bearing in the transmission can cause quite a racket.
As a last resort, you could try running the engine with the belts off, the accessories can make a lot of noise.
--
'96 855R,'64 PV544 driver, '67 P1800 basket case, '95 855, '95 854, the first three are mine, heh, heh, 415,000 miles put on 9 bricks
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The cam is driven by a micarta fiber gear,and a small steel gear.
If the fiber gear is original it has been soaking in oil for 36 years.
It won't introduce much variation,but TRUST me it is about to self destruct.
You might want to take a peek at the cam lobes,in addition to the dizzy investigation.
Good Hunting
Ken
--
69-145-S ; 71-145-S ; 72-145-E ; 72-1800-ES ; 87-245-DL
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Hi, thanks for the info.
While there's the usual clatter of suspension parts that need replacing, the primary problem I'm having concerns the engine's sound at higher RPMs. The car sounds like it's doing 6k rpms at only 4k rpms in all gears and neutral. It can go up to 5+k rpms, but sounds really loud like its going to explode. Certainly it cannot safely go to the 6500 redline 1970 142S cars were supposed to out of the factory. Yet it has plenty of get up and go, so I doubt the engine's tired. Problem is, I cant do 70 mph without getting into what sounds to be the "danger zone" of over 4k rpm in 4th gear. One helpful poster suggested the dizzy might be at fault. Any suggestions?
Many Thanks!
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I would take $100 of your hard earned money and find a real good mechanic that knows what 140s are all about and have him inspect it. With a list in hand, you will know exactly what to fix, and what suspension upgrades you may be in for.
Ditto, brakes and suspension before going faster. The buzzing at 60mph is normal? Those old 4 cylinders did make a lot of racket. Perhaps a valve adjustment? A good inspection will reveal all :)
Klaus
--
1975 164 w/174,800mi (Sold) 1995 850T w/91,000mi, 1998 V70R w/129,000mi
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The inspection is a very good idea. Unfortunately, there seem to be no expert mechanics on the 140 series around here. I can't remember ever having seen another 142\144 in the 10 years I've owned the car. I've had a number of mechanics refuse to do even straightforward repairs on this car. The ones that I have found that work on them a little are specailists in one area (ie brakes, etc.).
I rebuilt most of the brake system, and had the Zenith carbs rebuilt. I plan on having new ball joints and tie rods installed. I had not thought about bent wheels - I'll have to check into that.
My primary problem is that the car does not want to rev much past 4500 rpm without making a whole lot of racket. It has always smoothly and strongly accelerated to 4000 rpm on all four gears (no o\d on car). Even in neutral, once it approaches 5000 rpm it sounds like its going to break\explode if I don't ease off the gas. I know from old web commercials\videos and old Road & Track reviews what the noise level is supposed to be on this model at high speed, and it certainly ain't this.
The plugs, plug wires, and dizzy parts are new, and valve lash has been adjusted. I know that originally my car was supposed to go at least 6000 rpm before requiring a gear change.
Is it possible that blockage\buildup in the manifold or exhaust system is causing this? How about bad timing, u-joints, or a faulty coil wire?
Many thanks for your input!
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Your 4500rpm limit has me wondering about your new dizzy. Could it be that it is not advancing properly? Some of the other guys have their timing advanced to 20 BTDC instead of 10 degrees. This problem should be a separate and new post.
I appologize for not checking that you are in Tenn, most of the 140 owners live in the northwest.
Do you have a green manual for your car. That is a must have!
Klaus
--
1975 164 w/174,800mi (Sold) 1995 850T w/91,000mi, 1998 V70R w/129,000mi
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Yes I do have the official green Volvo manual. Also have 2 Chiltons, a Haynes, a Clymer, and an Autobooks. Between all of them even I should be able to decipher how to check the timing. Glad you think the problem might involve the dizzy. It's not new (just the rotor button, points, condenser, etc), but I have had this problem for as long as I've had the car.
Thanks again, and I'll let you know how it turns out!
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1st make sure it is in good shape, (tires, shocks, brakes, ball joints and assorted suspension/steering parts, motor mounts, compression, valve adjustment, drive shaft,etc., etc.)
Does it have an overdrive trans.?
I always think brakes and suspension before motor and power.
imho
CU
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Always fix whatever is wearing out before upgrading anything. As for the Weber conversion and header, IMHO both are a waste of $$$ -- they're downgrades, in fact.
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Sounds like the front end is loose,
or the wheels are bent,or both.
--
69-145-S ; 71-145-S ; 72-145-E ; 72-1800-ES ; 87-245-DL
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If the engine seems to buzz... might actually be gearbox oil level, or incorrect fluid. My 70 made a unholy racket, found that the M40 had ATF in it... That was a sad day. But put gear oil in and no worries since.
Know your rear-end ratio? If it's a 4.30:1, which on a '70 140 isn't unheard of, you're pretty much out of legs at 4500rpms.
Yeah, try a little more advanced timing, good on the valve adjustment... In my experience if the weights/springs on the dizzy are worn or problematic you'll notice it more off the line/low rpms. If the lobes on the shaft though are worn, then perhaps you'd get what you describe after the advance is over & done with. Pertronix is a temporary fix or alternative for that problem.
As for your $ to spend: Suspension. Check your control arm bushings & balljoints for sure.
Dig up another brake booster and have it rebuilt, new diaphragm and upgrade to an inline check valve, using the neck adaptor from a '74 140/160 or a 240 series. If it's the original booster, never having had any attention, it's just a matter of time before the diaphragm & check valve go out on you. Same goes for hydraulic flex lines.
If there's anything left over, get a front swaybar.
140 specialist would be awesome. More than likely though, any shop is going to throw a tantrum when they see it roll up. Greenbook is your friend, Haynes is the next for what the Greenbook glosses over as being taken for granted.
--
1966 122s, 1970 142s, 1974 142e... Blue is Beautiful
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Hey s_r_c, like the way you think!
I changed out the tranny fluid earlier this year, because it was making the "unholy racket" you speak of. The current buzzing sound is softer and seems to come from behind the transmission.
I will have to check out the Perlux\Pertronix kit. I was contemplating buying this IPD upgrade before, but with your recommendations now I'm pretty sure that's going to become a reality.
I've gotten an estimate on ball joint installation and that will probably occur later this week. I received one steering rod in the mail today.
How could I find out the rear-end ratio on this vehicle? Is this information stamped somewhere on the car?
Thanks for the info, this is exactly the kind of stuff I'm looking for. You're right, bringing my car to shops does not make me popular. My repair manuals and Brickboard are often the only option.
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Serpent6,
The rear-end ratio us usually stamped on a plate found under the undercoating/grime on the driver's side, between the driveshaft flange and axle tube. Ratio should be the first number.
If it's gone, I think the method is jack up rear wheels, put the trans in 4th. Mark the driveshaft, and turn a wheel one revolution forward, slowly. Count the number of driveshaft rotations per wheel rotation.
I always have trouble with that, but I've only done it on junkyard cars...
-if both wheels turn the same direction when you turn one; good on you, you've found a diff with limited slip.
Pertronix is available a few bucks cheaper and w/ free shipping from
These guys, but you need to know your distributor number: stamped or engraved on the dizzy body.
Have a blast; I put on dual webers before re-bushing the suspension. The creaks don't make it faster! At least I can stop now though.
Cheers, -Sean
--
1966 122s, 1970 142s, 1974 142e... Blue is Beautiful
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