hi sages- very busy this week with a few volvo repairs. one question any experience with you wise folks regarding lenses for the front tail lights and signal lights. one side is crumbling and pieces coming out which is common with old volvos. saw lenses for sale new for 25 each from partsgeek.com made by URO. what is your opinion of these or do you have another recommendation. seem to be held on to the assembly box with 2-3 screws . would i be better off just buying the whole assembly which costs about 47 each. thanks tons oldduke

Hi OD,

Maybe fcpeuro.com? Pro Parts brand - $25 for ecode lenses. $41 for the whole shabang. I did just the lenses on my 90. Your call...

https://www.fcpeuro.com/Volvo-parts/240/Lighting?year=1992&e=914&m=20&page=2

J

hi jw- looks like the lens has just a couple of screws to r and r. what does ecode mean? will check fcp euro. thanks tons oldduke

E-code = European spec lights. Similar to U.S DOT. Also note that the lense is partially yellow unlike the completely clear U.S. lense. Check out the picture at FCP Euro. Without checking I think the clear lenses are also available.

hi jw- yes seems youre right. it also appears the e code lenses are for european cars on european roads. research says they are illegal for use on us roads. the lenses which are all clear are for us usage. the ecodes have a yellow panel for the side marker bulb. if ive missed something let me know . have you had any experience with these after market lenses? been told oe from dealer would cost millions. thankst tons oldduke

Yes, if you buy the E-code headlights they can be very expensive. If you buy just the turn signal lense I don't think it matters. You would be simply using the E-code lense instead of the regular U.S. lense. So it depends which lense you like better...:)

Osram and Phillips are / were OEM bulbs. Not that it matters now.

Yep, you're utterly correct in your comprehensive research of the bulb failure sensor and terminology. Inside are Reed relays that, when encountering current draw imbalance (unbalanced electromagnets), that close the circuit to light the bulb failure dash indicator.

You can replace the lenses. It helps to clean what reflective material remains in the reflector chamber. There exists reflective paint, or some will use silver color paint of different types, to restore lighting brightness, by painting the reflective surface of the bulb chamber.

The from park / turn signal light lenses do lose transparency with ambient condition exposure in over 2.5 decades.

These lenses are secure using three stainless screws. Under the screw head is a compliant nylon washer to form a seal to prevent 'weather' getting in. These nylon washers tend to break or distort and become lost.

Also, the lens lip presses against a rubber a foam or o-ring like seal in the groove recess. The seal has a small gap in the bottom to allow drainage. If in poor condition, you can replace this seal from Volvo or find a replacement material suitable for the application. (I'd not replaced these or used junkyard parts.)

When installing your replacement lenses, unless you replace the entire front corner / park / turn signal light assemblies with new ...

... do not merely insert the screw and tighten. There will be a thread already cut by that screw insertion at the factory.

Insert the screw, and turn counter slowly clockwise with gentle force, so the screw thread aligns and sets with the thread in the recess, and then turn clockwise to tighten.

Else, merely turning the screw clockwise cuts a new thread, and can increase the chance of stripping the thread in the recess.

Also, Old Duke, deviating slightly from your thread topic, have you replaced the headlamp assemblies or service them?

I ask as the factory adhesive, even for a garage queen of some 25-26 years, fails on all 240s with the 1986+ large plastic lens.

Place your finger just under the bottom center lip of the head light lens and lift up?

Does it lift up, pivoting under the top chrome piece, away from the head light reflector body.

If yes, you can clean and glue them back together if the reflector remains good, or replace the assemblies with new. The e-code glass versions are better. Though other reports quality results with some aftermarket replacement 240 lenses. (I can find that thread.)

I can post the procedure for you in a new thread if you encounter the '240 1986+ US DOT plastic lens separating from the headlamp reflector body (housing) syndrome' and you wish to clean and glue them back together.

Questions?

Hope that halps yoooo. Best wishes for more fresh seafood!

MacDuffed.
(Frozen shrimps, mushrooms, diced onion, canned salmon, canned clams, tomato paste for a poor person's hollow day cioppino.)
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hi kit- you know im starting to worry with one thing about you. on the one hand you do not seem to get enough seafood which is brain food and generally good for your health.i try to get 3 servings a week. stout friend earl is 350 and only eats seafood, eats everything he sees. your wit is still sharp as a razor and your brain shows no slippage. on the other hand you may be compensating for a damaging lack of seafood by substituting oatmeal, blueberries and pecans which are very brain healthy. now back to volvo fits and starts. ordered two new front lenses from fcp today. on sale for 6.89 each. other scammers wanted 3 times that. you know me. seems assemblies are ok . if it aint broke dont fix it. thanks for that advice on putting back the screws into the plastic thread hole. may use a light coat of silicon lube on the threads. as to the headlights . they seem to be fine, no leaks, no water in the boxes. bulbs still good havent touched/replaced them yet. glad brake lights now work. hate safety issues which stop the car from rolling down tobacco road. will keep in mind possibility of having to reglue them. they are not glass , but plastic boxes and faces. btw never saw plastic lens, etc deterioration like on the 240, on my american tanks. only problem there was the nj salt rusted them to hell and most turned into a mere rust flake in the driveway. thanks tons oldduke

"ordered two new front lenses from fcp today. on sale for 6.89 each"

Wow - great price!

I bought mine almost 10 years ago for my 1990 for $10 from FCP and thought I got a good deal!

Live on the coast in New England but I love that wild Alaskan salmon. It is the best and the best fish for your health. But I do love the occasional grilled local swordfish though. With an adult beverage....:)

hi jw- seemed to get a good deal . surprisingly they were delivered yesterday. expected to wait at least a week. installed them today and they look good and seem of good quality. regards oldduke

Yup, FCP is fast. Always 1 day from Ct. to Mass. Been using them for about 15 years. Both 240 and 850 parts. Overall, very satisfied.

Hiya Uncle Old Duke,

Some sort of serendipity ... was at the storage containment unit locker 50 miles away. Got one big bag of Volvo 240 light bulbs 1156, 1157, you name it, with spare black (from my 70s 240s) and red bulb fail sensors. Meant to do a by pass and put extra spare bulbs in the trunk. And then on arrival and computer power up was the start of your brake lights all out!

So, on the 1991 Volvo kittys grey 240 saloon / sedan today, to the grocer we go, and the bulb out sensor lights up with accusatory quality all center finger upright you know. The high center brake light is out. In the grocer parking lot, the last 1156 bulb in the truck. The aged brittle black ABS plastic cover partly crumbles. Get it off, new bulb in, leave cover off. High thirties with heat blasting and could not save the brittle plastic. Third brake light function restored. And voila! Here is your new brake third brake light thread!

Serendipity? Coincidence? Unknown. Though you're on to the rear hatch / tailgate hinge harnesses .... Got some images there for you.

Start with OvLov - yeah, 7$ seems pretty okay. Silicon lube would be fine. Don't over tighten!

The US DOT 1986+ 240 head lights lenses are all plastic. The real Euro Spec e-codes are a thermal and optical glass with defined beam casting. The adhesive between the light bulb box (with reflector) and lens fails.

Thank you. Whether St. Louis or Spokane it is canned Made in USA salmon. You think in WA-state you'd get Pacific salmon. The one time bought fresh it was Atlantic. Did not grill out with fresh salmon on a cedar plank as the PacNW folks do sometimes. Tho I love grilling out in the snow with the Seahawks football on and some dry cider. Miss WA. Don't miss WA.

I get 2# bags of frozen ships. Yet yeah, moar seafood. Fresh is very $$ here and sometimes not fresh. (See the University City, MO retail fish monger with gloved hands dive into the fish bin to fill an order, with gloves still on and fish slime on them, dial the sale into the cash register, handle cash, next transaction, same gloves on, and dive into the fish bin, in 2004. Nasty! They are closed.) Health Dept's here are sort of loose with the grade A stickers it seems. Oh well. Salmon canned.

I get walnuts also for the omega-3 and such. Yeah, your friend Earl and I would measure up! Maybe play some rugby on the beach in FL, huh? Sort of coordinated-challenged here, yet it'd be fun? Maybe better tennis? And then some ripple and fresh seafood grill out!
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hi kit - looks like youre living a wild and hellraising life with fine cuisine. keep eating healthy . thanks tons oldduke