Hi all

I love my 87 245 Swedish Baklava. It's a great car and I know I am a great owner. Without many many help from our amazing Brickboard members, my sweet Swedish Baklava wouldn't be here today. I am a beginner so I would like to see more comprehensive information on 240s and easy to navigate/access information. So without further ado... I would like to start an online petition.

Q1. Do you want "Volvo 240 FAQ" added to our web? Please answer yes or no.
Q2. Can you donate money or volunteer? Please answer yes, no or not sure.

I still think the better approach is to make an e-book on Amazon. I note that the 740 faq was written years ago, and the 240 faq never happened. I'm sure Brickboard and Jarrold could find some use for extra support. And, isn't there an aspiring e-book author who would like to start with this and then progress to westerns, crime novels, and romance? 240 wagons have a LOT of space in the back for romance or...discussions of Volvo technology.

Hi John,

I agree as a next option. I just need to finish this thread/petition.

How about funnies? I can drop few illustration along with Art Benstein's funnies. Maybe Art will give me 5% commission per e-book.

http://www.brickboard.com/RWD/volvo/1547592/220/240/260/280/re_funnies_art_benstein.html

What's the latest count?

I've always said this is the 240 FAQ.
--
'80 DL 2 door, '89 DL Wagon

Hi Bulletproof,

We have only three members signed up. I expected more than that....


1. Swedish Baklava
2. kittysgreyvolvo
3. will740turbo

Hi all,

May be I am not convincing enough to get this going... Please help me to sign up other members for this petition and I will do these following job for you next spring (2013 Spring).

Prizes
A. If you help me to sign up 100 members, I will be your weekend project helper for 8 hours with one hour lunch break.
B. If you help me to sign up 75 members, I will press out your both old rear trailing arm bushings and put new ones in.
C. If you help me to sign up 50 members, I will rebuild one of your seat.
D. If you help me to sign up 25 members, I will mail you a set of custom made air vent cover or custom graphic vinyl (size limited).
E. If you sign up yourself, I will thank you!!!

Condition
0. Each members must answer all two questions; first question must be answered "yes". The deadline is 12-31-2012.
1. All parts/setting must be provided and ready.
2. For rear trailing bushing removal, your driveway must FLAT asphalt or concrete. Your Volvo must be supported well with jack support on four corners. There must enough room on the side of your drive way to remove the bushing. Your dog-gate and old bushing must be free of rust. You need to remove/drop BOTH trailing arms prior to my arrival. Must be on weekend and we can start early as 7AM in the morning. You DO NOT need to pay for my gas/toll fee/coffee/snack/breakfast/lunch. I will bring my bushing removal tool only.
3. I will travel up to 200 miles starting from Brooklyn, NY or I will travel up to 200 miles starting from Woodstock, MD.
4. If I get sick/ill/even death during 2013 Spring, my wife will send you the bushing removal tool, you can have it but you must pay for the shipping. It's Kent-Moore brand. You do it yourself. :)
5. You can claim only one prize.

Hi all - Please sign up when you get a chance! Thank you as always!

Small tangent here, as I don't follow 240 forum closely. I've proposed a new design for the 700-900 FAQ files: http://40mph.com/Brickboard_700-900_FAQ_Expanded_Index_Version/index.html

This design releases the index from drop-down menus. If you guys make a 240 FAQ, I suggest using this alternative design.

The links all connect back to BB (except top menu and search) so feel free to bookmark and use.

Hi Uncle Swedish Baklava,

Your thread here keeps falling later and later in the listings.

I finally got to replying to this thread. (Just prior to replacing the front calipers on the 1991 240 sedan/saloon in a wee bit.)

Don't worry about funding. Such an effort for a 240 FAQ can follow the effort, more or less, as with the 700-900 FAQ effort started by Steve and other in the 1990s. I followed along in awe, then, to the effort.

Development
In developing content, we should first consider authoring environment, and I vote for MS Word using the 2007-2010 .docx file format or, better, the more ubiquitous MS Word 2003 .doc MS Word file format. Establish a simple template. The brickboard Volvo 240 FAQ editors / primary authors can verify, edit, format, and include the content by task and topic in the FAQ, access by a TOC (table of contents).

Save files on file site, a secure FTP server, or someplace serving as a sandbox for the development files. Many people can create content, yet few should review, verify, edit, and include the text and images.

The brickboard Volvo 240 FAQ can follow, more or less, the 700-900 FAQ structurally. Yet let's not replicate it outright.

We may want to consider using an online help authoring tool, though all editors would need access to it. Few exist in the public domain. Adobe RoboHelp is pricey as is MadCap Flare, though less so. Using such told allows to single source content and output in any format while creating a self-contained FAQ help file system. Long live ForeHelp Premier (RIP).


The brickboard Volvo 240 FAQ:
- Always, always, always mandate a Volvo 240 owner must possess a service manual. An FAQ is not a service manual. An FAQ must not recreate a service manual or other valid resources a Volvo 240 can link to, like the 700-900 FAQ. An FAQ CAN and should correct the service manual faults and misinformation.
- Not recreate extant information unless Volvo 240 FAQ authors can greatly enhance extant information, like the LH-jet 2.4+ and Bosch EZK OBD codes and followup diagnostic and repair action.
- Information of competent and useful quality in other FAQs are a link in the brickboard FAQ. Embellish minimally if necessary.
- Can use a task and topic structure and use a table of content to give access to "Checking LH-jet 2.2 for faults" and "High NoX in emissions" and the like.
- Provide procedure where necessary.

Find writer resources on the brickboard, turbobricks, and other sites that have urgency in some 240 FAQ matter. Find authors to write on Volvo 240 FAQ matters of great concern to them they a 2409 FAQ can include and we could create much raw content in short order.

We'd have to communicate with Jarrod Stenberg, brickboard.com CEO, President, and so forth as to his requirements in hosting the spat of HTML and other (image) files) so he gets his cut.

Your responses?

Well, I have some front brake calipers to install on my 1991 240 saloon/sedan and a brake bleed jobby job.

Damned full moon fever keeps one awake.

cheers.

sleepy dud.
--
Only car make and model I've ever owned: Volvo 240.
Currently owned, beloved, operating, and getting better all the time(!):
1990 240 (245) DL (B230, M47 II. No bigger heart a Volvo 245 has.)
1991 240 (244) (B230, M47 II, Moonroof. Grey Market from Germany. Beloved.)
1992 240 (244) GL (B230, M47 II, L-jet 3.1, Moonroof. Turbo 240 exhaust? Why?)
RIP, yet beloved:
1975 244 DL (B20, M40. OHV B20 FOREVER! Maroon vroom-vroom! 0-60 in 3 days!)
1976 242 DL (B21, M46, Moonroof - an SRO? Wrecked near Skywalker Ranch!)
1979 245 DL (B21, M46. Cheesy mustard yellow and a rod knock in Marin County.)
1979 242 GT (B21, M46, Moonroof - an SRO? Grey Market from Holland. Beloved.)

kitty-dud -

Perhaps rather than passing word documents back and forth, using a wiki-type environment to develop the FAQ would enable easier revision tracking and contribution from any and all who are interested?

Z in AK
'90 245
'92 245

maybe this is not a popular idea but consider an e-book on Amazon, created by volunteers, with rights and any revenues to go to support Brickboard. just a thought. Some folks will donate, others must do it a more traditional way.

Why make this into a money making scheme for anyone?

Did the Volvo 700-900 FAQ writers and undertakers make money off the effort?

Jarrod Stenberg makes money whenever anyone with a JavaScript enabled web browser uses brickboard. An HTML version of a Volvo 240 FAQ posted on the brickboard would generate revenue for it through the JavaScript-required ad schema. The brickboard funds itself quite well.

I turn JavaScript off in Opera or Firefox unless really needed, as with the brickboard search.

Can we focus on content and output formats and how to host and display content to others, first?

I'll do the work freely, time permitting. It simply that important that a RWD Volvo model more venerable than any that came after be respect in a proper FAQ.

I'm a technical writer / editor / systems and business analyst. I'd been doing this crap for decades. Just like Volvo 240s.

I'll try and come up with content and structure ideas in the next few days. I mean it this time.

cheers,

dud.

Swedish Baklava...You wrote:

"I am a beginner so I would like to see more comprehensive information on 240s and easy to navigate/access information."

So would I, and that would be nice; however, here are 2 questions for you;

Q1.Do you seriously believe that the info on this site is so insufficient and difficult to navigate, that you think a whole new FAQ is necessary?

Q2.What is it that you need to know,and can't find here?I've always found that even the most strange and obscure questions were always answered here.

If you ask me;this site is outstandingly excellent, and, if you want to donate money, donate it to this site.

I dont mean to suggest your idea of a new comprehensive FAQ is a bad idea,I just dont really understand what it is that you cant find here?
Do you have any idea what it would take to compile a new comprehensive FAQ site?..."money or volunteers" !? .. Good grief my friend!..

Bottom line;..I have been visiting here since I got my first 85 240 about 9 years ago.I have always found the info and answers to any and all questions here......What more do you want?
.
..Best wishes...d

Hello D,

It's my innate nature to question and seek for answers. I believe there is always room for improvement in all the things that we do. That's not too say the site is insufficient but it's not the most user friendly site either based on my experience.

When I joined the forum, the first thing I noticed was "Please post a new message" button box and that's the first thing I did without even thinking. I didn't know there are so many questions answered already. And I didn't get it until one of the member wrote "please do search". Ahhh.... May be it should say "Please post a new message after you read FAQ and do your search first". Am I asking a lot? :)

It seems like our 240s are here to stay, so it won't be a bad idea to have our own FAQ. No?

Uncle Swedish Baklava,

Agreed.

However, I'm getting really tired of writing the same replies to the same questions year after year. You should have seen my prior bb account posts. Numerous and often repetitive.

If we have 700-900 pride of authorship competing with a 240 FAQ idea, well, bulley on you. The 700-900 FAQ does not support the 240 fully. It does not fully support the 700-900-90 series as an FAQ fully.

Yeah, I said that. Boo on you 700-900 FAQ undertakers. Not much change in recent years.

The brickboard search function blows.

As a former practicing mechanic and an owner of seven Volvo 240s, I dealt with some of the most obscure stuff.

My philosophy is to give a chance to a durable transporter platform a chance to continue with well learned and well applied care and reasonable costs.

So, cheers.

dud.

1) Yes

2) Maybe.

I found myself asking a lot of silly questions and/or making silly mistakes with my 240 that I didn't make on my 740 because I had read the entire 740 FAQ.

I think a 240 FAQ would be valuable to have, in part because they were made for sooo many years.
The books are great, but they always expect you to have the proper tools and such like that, and to be a somewhat well versed mechanic. A FAQ wouldn't assume either of these things.

Yes, there are a lot of books per model year... and they all contain very similar information for the most part. We could group similar years into generations and work with that, or (I think this is better) have a section like

Transmissions:
-General transmission information
-Which do I have?
-...Older transmissions than I can name...
-M45
-M46
-M47 MK1
-M47 MK2

and so on. I think it would be similar to the 700/900 FAQ in a lot of ways. The 7/900 FAQ is divided up by engine type/model and turbo/nonturbo, etc.

Just because it would be work does not mean it would be a waste. It's one thing to have "information available", it's another to have it concise, condensed, and readily usable.

(Maybe this should be in the opinions section? It seems relevant though.)

Happy Bricking

If you are reading the current FAQ section and more information is needed for the 240 series then a link could lead to that additional info. This would be until a full stand alone 240 version of the FAQ existed or to save from duplicating the information already available for the B230f and transmissions.

My second idea that goes along with the first. Compile posts already in existence and prepare a master links page to those posts that are most accurate and then start from there compiling the hands on approach that manuals may miss. I think the most interesting part about this website is the way you can gain confidence before attempting a particular job by getting the tricks and wisdom of those who have learned from their own mistakes.

Then slowly build a FAQ section by linking these posts and new write ups to the existing FAQ section without having to duplicate information and filling up server space.

In the meantime donate to the existing blessing we all enjoy by having access to this site.

Hi Uncle Swedish Baklava,

Yes to queries one and two.

I can volunteer as a writer and an editor.

I'll post some ideas as an approach and method in a little while.

I guess, with Jerrod Stenberg's agreement, we can host a Volvo 240 FAQ on this site. With a single link, at the top of each brickboard page, we'd have a 700-900 FAQ links (change to name and not HTML link schema). And then on for 240.

matt b, yes Volvo already wrote that book, or service manual sets for the 700, 900, and 90 series. Yet we have a 700-900 FAQ. Not everyone is willing to make such a purchase. Care to post the PDFs to a site online? Volvo Cars AB / Geely may not be happy about that. Such information is under commercial copyright. You can find some green manual information for various Volvo mdoels, yet they support models, like the 240, that are out of production. The 700-900 FAQ, version 7.5, dated 1 August 2006, generated from the HTML to PDF, is 1216 pages at 40 megabytes. Posted here: http://www.nuceng.ca/bill/volvo/VolvoSite_FAQSummary1.pdf

Door handles? No. One of my ideas is not to replicate already available information or information commonly known. The Volvo 240 door handle can fail in one of two ways. A (1) rivet failure and (2) metal fatigue. Art Benstein treats this on his www.cleanflame.com, I think. Embed a _blank link in a Volvo 240 FAQ so the link opens in a new window.

Also, again, we do NOT want to replicate information already commercially available. However, if I have to tell some non-registered person posting to brickboard asking questions how to pass CA-state emissions or remedy falling fuel economy my wrists will ignite and explode from the pain. My carpal tunnel is bad enough already.

An argument AGAINST an FAQ is that people come to the brickboard, post questions again and again and again on the same simple stuff yet they don't use the feeble (JARROD!) brickboard search or they simply refuse to search.

I don't want to be the Shell Answer Man on the same 1974-1980 and 1988 to 1993 Volvo stuff. I'm weak on the 1980s models with the environmentally deteriorating wire harness and the turbo 240s.

Of course, we really need to give 240 owners a boot to (re)search the brickboard and other forums to get their answers.

I made querie and commentary on the brickboard.com/opinion section some weeks ago. I was in a bad mood and perhaps sounded my on occasion condescending bastardy prose. Some self-proclaimed 240 FAQ exists. I'll include these in a follow up post.

Here it is. http://www.brickboard.com/OPINIONS/index.htm?id=1537572&show_all=1

Should not posted that there.

I wish I did not forget my brickboard account user and login from like 1998 or so from back in the day. Stewpid me.

I pulled a header-pipe from a 1985 wagon this morning. My 1990 wagon has an exhaust system turning to dust that I've not treated in some years (the bell-housing bracket to head-pipe connection was gone when I bought the thing in MO-state in 2004). The muffler leaks. So I hope to treat this in the next few dayze. I also pulled a fabricated cat-back piping with a small resonator and rear muffler from this same 1985 wagon earlier this week. Now, if I can find the oxygen sensors I got for it and the wee green beastie, so the things can work better.

Welp, there you go.

Comments and questions?

Happy Holidays.

Fuzzy Grey Kitty.
--
A cobby grey kitty. Cobby and silver and grey tabby. Cobby shorthair kitties!

I'm not saying it wouldn't necessarily be a helpful thing to have.. especially for folks new to the cars. I'm just saying for it to be really useful across the range, it would have to be huge. We're talking about 19 years worth of cars, basically 3, maybe four major changes in body, 6 (maybe more) engine variations, 7 or so different fuel injection systems (not counting carburetion in some markets). I'd be hard pressed to guess how many transmission types...

That said, a good place to start would be compiling a list of just what would be covered. That is to say, a list of frequently asked questions. Going though a set of the green manuals might not be a bad start, as a way to organize sections. Or mimic the 740 FAQ (I've not looked at that).

Once there's an outline in place, including sub-categories for year to year changes where applicable, folks can either write answers, or compile answers by searching here, or a bit of both.

I was joking about door handles, but in all honesty, it is something that should be included... it ain't like any of us haven't dealt with those buggers :)

A detailed outline is the first step.



--
-Matt I ♥ my ♂

Uncle Matt B.

I understand. While so many variations on the door handle that appears the same and works the same, yeah, that's true.

Well, in an FAQ, we do NOT want to recreate that information already available. A 'real' 240 FAQ can provide pointers or links to extant information.

In, other, well-known RWD Volvo FAQs, we can improve on the content making it more useful and meaningful.

I see many on the brickboard that some would call "sages" have NOT replied to support or kill the idea of an FAQ.

So, if those of us that see a need for a comprehensive Volvo 240 FAQ, better than the ones that exist, may need to use an ad-hoc method.

Why not research and write in your area of concern, specialty, or experience. Write something up an MS Word Doc (or use LibreOffice as I can not ever find an Office Professional 2003 for sale locally).

In other words, what can we contribute. What would we like to write on for an FAQ.

I'll post a direct response to Swedish Baklava's first post to suggest an an approach to a Volvo FAQ development.

cheers,

Oatmeal and Earl Grey Tea MacDuff.
--
"With hunny everywheres!"

240s were made from '75-'93.

yeah, they might all look pretty similar, and some FAQ's might even carry over from start to finish. But, those are few and far between.. and would mainly apply only to simple mechanical stuff.

You start getting into all the little differences between model years, and different systems... a 'comprehensive FAQ' would... well... be a multi-thousand page book.

Oh... wait... Volvo already wrote that book.. in about 15 sub-volumes/model year. That adds up to about 260 magazine sized books that are out there in the 'green book' series. On 240s alone. And that does not count Bentley, et all, which are simply condensed versions.

Of course, there's lots of overlap stuff, but none the less... the comprehensive FAQ is readily available by searching. Just type in ["whatever problem you have" followed by "240"] up top, and click the elongated orange 145. And you're done.

Many folks have already helped compile what comes up in that search. It's good enough for me, and if I can't find it in my search, then.. it'd likely be a problem that would not be considered 'frequent'.

Sorry, just my take on it. Way, way too complex of a proposition in my opinion. The folks that would be willing and able to do it? well, I'd say their time could be spent better elsewhere.

And, for most simple stuff, the 700-900 FAQ serves us fine. Do we really need an FAQ page about door handles? Hmmm.. maybe :)







--
-Matt I ♥ my ♂

"Volvo already wrote that book.. in about 15 sub-volumes/model year. That adds up to about 260 magazine sized books that are out there in the 'green book' series. On 240s alone."

And it's a great resource too. I know that PDF versions of many of these float around on the internet. I still grabbed the chance and bought the DVD from Volvo when I got aware of it back in February. For 358 SEK shipped (≈55 USD) I received a DVD containing each and every 240 model Green Book, on all languages, and also the parts catalogues. Plus lots of other stuff.

A Volvo 240 FAQ would be great to have too.

Regards,
Erling.
--
My 240 Page

I'd pay US$55 for that. Do you happen to have a part number Erling?

Thanks!

Afton
'68 220; '88 & 92 245s; '92 945t; '98 XC

I got mine through Volvo Cars Technical Information Shop:
https://tis.volvocars.biz/tis/main.do
You have to sign up even just to browse.
There are a total of 11 DVDs. The part number for the DVD covering the 200 series cars is TP-51952. When I Google the part number, I find several independent dealers offering these DVD.

Here is Volvo's flyer for the DVD series.

Regards,
Erling, Norway.
--
My 240 Page

Note that you can get all of the GreenBooks at FCP now..

http://www.fcpeuro.com/Volvo-parts/CD~ROM-Repair-Manual-ACES/?utm_source=euro_homepage&utm_medium=square_promotion&utm_campaign=volvo_manuals

10 pages of posts on "door handles 240"??

Volvos. *shakes head*

I'll bet that anyone who uses this resource would like to see more FAQs like the 700/900 FAQ.

How much will you charge for this service? How many hours do you think will it take you?
--
'96 855R,'64 PV544 driver, '67 P1800 basket case, '12 XC70, the first three are mine, heh, heh, 525,000 miles put on 10 bricks

I started the 700/900 FAQ from Compuserve Volvo clippings back around 1996 when my 740 departed warranty. It grew into a large Word file. I then spent several weekends cutting and pasting into HTML thanks to a Netscape code generator and created the online version. This went first to Swedishbricks. When the online community expanded to include Turbobricks and Brickboard, I started cutting and pasting relevant information and publishing the html files annually to Swedishbricks and Brickboard, then to UK Club and VCOA. Then people started emailing me large files describing particular repairs,all of which were edited and went into the FAQ. This now totals around 120MB of text and illustrations. It is annually updated at Brickboard, VCOA and UK Club but not Swedishbricks where things seem to have frozen in time. Their version (which really should be taken down) dates to 2000. I still receive questions about it and usually answer by referring inquirers to the later editions.

At somebody's request, I started a 240 FAQ around 1999 but soon ran out of time and it sits unedited, barely started. The effort required to do this is substantial but it can be done. If anyone wants to try, they should start with the appropriate portions of the 700/900 FAQ (engine, tranny, etc.) and add 240-specific materials to that. I am sure the online forums would welcome this.

Steve
--
See the 700/900 "FAQ" at the menu bar top screen left side.

Hi Steve

Thank you for your hard work and your dedication. You have reached out and touched so many people including myself.

About one and half years ago, I decided to get an old Volvo because our current financial mess. My family including myself depends on this car and it became part of our family. Once again, thank you!

You made it. And you don't need thumbs up to know that. But may be a smile. :)

Regarding the 240s FAQ, may be we can try one more time...

Thanks for the kind words. My kids, who own two 940s, now use the FAQ and appreciate it. They plan to keep the cars as long as they can.
--
See the 700/900 "FAQ" at the menu bar top screen left side.

Uncle Steve,

Yes, thank you for the 700-900 FAQ effort. I followed the commentary through the 1990s. A gargantuan task that results in innumerable folks to roll on happily RWD Volvo-ing.

I'd image a comprehensive Volvo 240 FAQ would follow the same effort. Yet MS Word, or LibreOffice Writer (what I use) all have HTML output when saving.

We could manage content in MS Word files, using a simple, clean template, in words and images, and output as a monolithic PDF as you do in some places with the 700-900 FAQ.

At essence, a Volvo 240 FAQ, I feel, should use the brickboard as primary host in HTML and PDF, and replicated using version control with each release.

Thanks, again.

cheers,

dud.

Hi Kittysgreyvolvo

So far, we have only three (3) members signed up. May be we need to find an alternate way to implement it.


Hi all

Please sign up folks! Thank you.

Hi All

I will go first...

Q1. Yes!
Q2. Yes!!