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Strange drivetrain vibrations 200 1992

I just bought a 1992 model 240 with a 5 speed manual. It has relatively low miles (124k) and appears to be clean and well maintained. I bought it today from the original owner, a 66 y/o gentleman who said he had just recently had the clutch replaced. When driving it I noticed first off that the clutch engagement occurs when the pedal is barely pressed in, and that when taking off in 1st it doesn't grab until it is 95% out. I looked and there doesn't appear to be an adjustment on the cable.

Next I noticed that when the rpms go up (I have no tach so I don't know how high exactly) around 3500-4000 I notice a strange vibration and low humming noise that seems to sap the power from the engine. The car pulls hard in low rpm, makes good torque and will lay rubber if so inclined, but it just "runs out of wind" and makes the strange vibraiton/sound in the upper RPMs.

It's my first 240, so for all I know this is normal. When driven like a grandpa, you don't even notice it. My last Volvo was a 1999 CC wagon which was a completely different beast. (and in many ways inferior from what I can tell so far)

So does anyone have any suggestions on what I should look for? How do I adjust the clutch cable? I looked at both ends and they don't appear to be adjustable.

Thanks for your time, it's good to be back in the Volvo fold, I had been looking for a nice rust free 5 speed 240 for years and I'm so happy to have finally found one. I picked it up for $1600 and it is as clean as a pin, blows cold AC (just upgraded the refrigerant)and has a new upgraded sound sytem and new exhaust. I got a decent deal as far as I can tell, but the car is hail damaged. The roof trunk, and quarters all have dents. I'm going to try and see what the Dent Wizard can do for me.








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    Strange drivetrain vibrations 200 1992

    Sounds like the clutch cable is too tight. Clutch slippage shows up in the higher gears first.

    The cable adjustment is at the clutch fork end. On the OEM cable the outer sheath is a spiral thread that threads through the fitting at the fork end. To loosen the cable you make the sheath shorter by threading it through the fitting toward the back of the car. The fitting has locknut that you loosen (on the front) and a nut on the back that you turn to thread the sheath through.

    If your cable is not OEM the adjustment mechanism may be different. If loosening the cable does not stop the slippage you probably need a new clutch.








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      Strange drivetrain vibrations 200 1992

      That Jesse is right on target while you at it check the center bushing .
      greg








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        Strange drivetrain vibrations 200 1992

        Is the center bushing you speak of, the the rubberized mount that the driveshaft goes through? I noticed when I was under there I could push and pull on the driveshaft and I was able to move it about 1/2" in each direction. My motor mounts seemed really soft as well. Should these things be worn out at 125k miles on a 92?
        *Edit*- Can you folks recommend a good online parts source for these things?
        Thanks for the replies.








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          Strange drivetrain vibrations 200 1992

          All these parts are likely to be shot on any Volvo this old.

          The mileage matters, but it matters less than the age. Rubber fatigues and cracks and splits and gets mushy due to oil attacking it, not to mention years and years of holding your engine up.

          Get the good Volvo mounts (better yet diesel engine mounts, very heavy duty) rather than cheap Scan-Tech mounts. It's somewhat of a PITA job to do mounts and get the bolts lined back up, so it's worth buying good ones and not doing the job again in 18 months.

          The rubber donut around the bearing on the driveshaft may be due for replacement if it's cracking. The 1/2 inch of movement sounds normal. It has to move around some. You can probably see what's involved in replacing this- the small crossmember and one end of the driveshaft have to come off.

          FCP is always a good source: www.fcpgroton.com

          --Rob Bareiss







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