Hey, same guy-more questions!

Doing the suspension on my 144 I suddenly noticed a wire hanging down from the middle of my car. One end is a plug for who-knows-where and the other end looks like it's coming from the top of the transmission. This is my first Volvo so I'm definitely no expert.

The only numbers I could find near (on the driver side of) the transmission were:
1023505
M09A
K9

Some pictures:
https://imgur.com/a/l9gjNOM

Any ideas what's going on here? So far I've been working under the impression that this car has an M40 since it's a 4 speed manual with no overdrive switch in the cab. Did a previous owner swap the transmission at some point with something else Volvo red?

As suggested by others, its most likely the wire for the reverse light switch. The housing for the switch is at the top on the back face of the transmission. On an M41 it is difficult to see and get at the switch. The M40 should not be too bad. The spade connector for the switch sticks out the passenger side of the stamped metal housing for the switch.

It is probably NOT the wire for the reverse lights.
Judging by this photo Ruby144 linked to in the start of this topic, the wire isn't coming from the rear of the gearbox.

For me the Imgur link is dead. Do your reverse lights work?

Do you have reverse lights ? The wire could be for the lights.

I used to have an Amazon with its original M40 but the top cover and linkages to the short gear lever of a 140. A previous owner had cut and welded part of the 140 transmission tunnel in my Amazon to make it fit.

I seem to remember that the reverse light connection is a single flat blade contact. Nothing like the connector in the photos. And it stuck out the back of the aluminium cover of the three shift rails in the top of the gearbox. One of them is for reverse and engages the switch for the reverse lights.

Just to clarify Grey 246's post--the switch consists of a stamped aluminum housing with said flat blade connection on the outside and inside a small coil spring which makes contact with the reverse shift rail to complete a ground for the reverse light relay. It is actually mounted to the rear of the transmission housing with a single philips head screw, not to the shift cover. - Dave

Thanks for clarifying. I took apart and rebuilt one of these M40s, but it was so long ago that the photos I took of it were with a Sony Mavica (remember those? Miserable resolution and storage on a 1.44 MB floppy drive).

I still have my Mavica and think it still works. I'll have to check the batteries. At the time it was just magic and A5 prints were fine. OK on the low res monitor too. Not so good on a 4k one. Mavica grain and film grain weren't much different so I/we were happy back then.

Also! I figured instead of starting a new thread I'd ask here:

Does anyone have the torque specs for the rear suspension components? And/or all of the bolts between the steering wheel and the steering gear?

I'm working mostly off of Green Books, and as I'm finishing up the front suspension, those torques are easy to find.

I'm excited to hit the rear, it looks *so* much easier than the front! The new springs/shocks/bushings should feel sweet!

Duplicate removed.

I'm not sure either, but the VIN should give you a clue as to with which gearbox the car left the factory.
I'm guessing the 6th digit in the VIN is what you are looking for (source).
A 4 there would mean M40, a 5 M41, a 6 BW35.

The M41 is the 4-speed + OD combo.

Thanks! Looks like she rolled off the line with a standard M40, still trying to figure out what's going on with that wire. Glad google doesn't charge by the minute!