I've owned a bunch of 240's over the years but it's been a long time since I've driven one other than this 93 we have now. I know they aren't exactly spunky, but I swear this one feels down on power. 75 on the interstate if you hit a little hill it's pretty close to giving all it's got to maintain. I don't think I've ever had an LH 2.4 car, this one feels.. off. It's had the full typical tune-up stuff, fuel pumps, ignition, etc, etc. Seems to run well enough, no noise, smoke, oil use, no real smoking guns, just kinda weak. The fuel mileage is less than I remembered as well, I got 22 on a pretty hard 60 mile run at 75 yesterday with maybe eight miles of in town driving. May have been a bit of a headwind and an overall uphill grade through the trip, but I was expecting more like 25. No check engine light either fwiw. Typical high miles but so has every other one I've had.


Am I about to start chasing my tail looking for something wrong?

Read up in this form to get the engine control in fine fettle. Verify causes for lost performance like brake caliper drag.

Check the OBD. Per the FAQ:

https://www.brickboard.com/FAQ/700-900/EngineOBDCodes.htm

Repeat for sockets 2 (fuel) and 6 (ignition). Repeat if code flashes out anything other than 1-1-1 all is okay. Write codes down and post here. Root cause analysis. No guess or myth here.

Your 1993 240 with Bosch engine control version 2.4.x, without EGR (lucky you).
--
Beh.

I've checked it before and never found a code I hadn't induced. I assume it will light the check engine lamp if anything tragic is happening that it's aware of.

Click FAQ, above:

https://www.brickboard.com/FAQ/700-900/

The FAQ has a page to check codes for the probe plugged into socket 2 (fuel injection) and socket 6 (ignition and, if fitted, EGR) here (copy and paste URL into new browser tab or window) or at the FAQ main page click the Main FAQ Files menu for the Engine: OBD Codes. URL:

https://www.brickboard.com/FAQ/700-900/EngineOBDCodes.htm

You know you have the LH-Jetronic 2 ignition and EZK116 ignition:

https://www.brickboard.com/FAQ/700-900/EngineOBDCodes.htm

Mostly correctly lists what lights up the CHECK ENGINE dash light. If the (LOL Cat) engine control encounters a not quite correct running condition both the LH-Jetronic 2.4.x and the EZK116 compensate to a point, and then sets the code that may light the CHECK ENGINE dash light.

If you find the red light flashes out anything other than a 1-1-1, repeat the test until no new codes display.

It's a guide to investigate the cause through root cause analysis of the fault. The Brickboard here and all of the sages here with years of articles you can search for help. Though asking will get responses on the current thinking of how to discover and treat an issue. Understanding evolves here.

Yet the mighty and venerable and (with good care) relentless Volvo 240 is built for comfort, durability, and reliability with a bent on owner service. No factory stock 240, unless the 1980 to 1985 or so Turbo models are 'fast'.

Also, Volvo 240 is meant to be a clean burning car with then low emissions. With godo factory tune and default response of engine control sensors,specifically the LH-Jetronic injected 240s that burn clean will get the best throttle response.

Yet there is an inertia there, in the 3200-3400 pounds the K-Jetronic 90 HP to the 115 HP LH-Jetronic so factory stock engines deliver.

Fast enough to get to the US roadway posted speed limits. Yet from a stop all more modern cars will pass you by unless you floor it all the time. And flooring it from a stop is a waste of fuel.

I slowly press the accelerator to let the 240 take up drive from a stop to not waste gas and not abuse the poor things. Yet when moving it responds flooring it if you need to. Gets the the speed limit just fine. Unless you are in Nebraska-state where everyone on the I-80 is at 100 MPH or better! Krazy-Kat!

The times here seem to be a little too ideal.
0 to 60 MPH is 10.8 seconds.
0-400m (Quarter Mile) 18.2 seconds
0-400m (Quarter Mile) - Speed 126.2 km/h or 78-79 MPH

I'll guess times are in an automatic transmission 240. Slower than the manual transmission equipped 240. Differential ratios differ between auto and manual transmission and also years. Rather consistent ratios from the 1980s onward.

https://www.mycarspecs.com/car/1993-volvo-240-base-4dr-wagon

A wagon id 200 pounds or so heavier than a sedan. The 242 Coup, my fave 240 body, last made in 1984, is lightest by like 2900-3100 lbs. I had a factory GT!

Motorweek videos of Turbo 240 and stock 240s on YouTube for you to see.

Turbobricks is the forum about Volvo performance; more so RWD. There is also Volvo Speed site.

S-L-O-W 1993 240 Classic wagon
https://forums.turbobricks.com/showthread.php?t=363557

However brickboard has article on light engine mods. Something to consider after getting to stage 0 tune, meaning all thing not factory spec that can raise emissions and slow performance are found and treated. Brake fluid black? You may have brake drag as calipers have corrosion and do not release fully. Vacuum leaks yet very slight intake leaks upstream of the intake manifold and more importantly intake manifold leaks including vacuum and air intake induction piping leaks. Or accessory belt driven thing that are getting stiff, yet you should hear the faulty rotating thing like the A/C compressor. Drive like and suspension bushings failing? A host of cause to slow 240 down at 30 years since leaving the Torslanda factory. Catalytic convertor failing and forming an internal clog due to age or a rich or lean running condition? Many causes to slow down a factory stock US market 1993 240 with auto or manual. If equipped with manual M47 II, don't abuse and floor it all the time. M47 can last yet they are a wee bit fragile, can form leaks with the (sigh) paper thing gaskets. Synthetic lubricants like quality synthetic NLGI-2 grease at all four wheel hubs and good lube at the differential and transmission helps. Parking brake shoes may need a replace. These e-brake shoes will delaminate and turn to dust by now so you have the steel back plate contacting the inside drum of the rear brake disk.

Air filter clean? Have you replaced the air filter box internal air thermostat> These fail to preheat ultra hot all the time and can ruin an AMM. I removed it and the air hose between the exhaust manifold preheat plate. Exhaust leaks upstream of the 02 sensor can cause performance reduction with an emissions rise. The 230 engine likes some back pressure. On 1993, some may remove the cat if emissions control allow in your state, yet keep the oxygen sensor. The AMM/MAF, coolant temp sensor, oxygen sensor, knock sensor all have a stake in ensuring good performance at clean emissions. Read articles here on how to test at the sensor of interest. Of course, the vacuum controlled fuel rail pressure regulator, and get the Bosch unit, plays a part for emissions and performance. Clean air filter? The air hose between the MAF / AMM to the air intake throttle body can chafe on the engine bay surfaces and form holes.

Also, verify a good battery to engine ground connection and alternator to engine block ground connection. Some article here suggest replacing the alternator to engine block ground. Also, a wonder compound called DeoxIT, a dialect contact cleaner and corrosion suppression can wake up the engine control after decades of use at wire harness connectors. Take car in this work. Some will use comparative engine control module

Also, at highway speed, 240 has not the lowest coefficient drag. Speeds over 70-80 MPH rate gas.

Factory stock as you have will appear slow if aLL treated to be a 240 at stage 0. Factory Turbo equipped will be abused and need much service work yet it is sort of fast versus late 1990s+ cars with four cylinder engine that are faster similarly equipped with Turbo and not.

Does that help?

Some will apply mods that leap over stage 0 treating the wear and aged items that need service. You can research that. User here Mr. Nabisco has or had a 240 with a performance cam and freer flowing exhaust without Turbo adding some 15-20 HP.

Yet I'll keep my 240s as factory stock as can be. Too old to deal with engine building and T-5 gearbox swap!

Questions?

Hope that helps.

Stinking Creek under Tobacco Road with F-Bombs .... Eggnog Boyeeeee ('tiz the season!)







True! So very TRUE!!!!!














--
Beh.

Whatever the numbers--you can probably trust your bottom. There could possibly be a couple of issues-cam timing off-ignition advance problem-clogged "cat" or other restriction in the exhaust. 22mpg seems pretty alright to me for mixed driving so dragging brakes don't seem likely. You do not say which model you have - or the transmission installed. Auto equipped late 240's should have a 3.73 rear gear (spunky)--stick shift cars should have a 3.31 (not so spunky). I used to service an '84 w/M46 for friends and always thought it slow--way slower than my '80 245 w/M46 and thought something was wrong with theirs. Then I learned the '84 had an MPG leaning rear--with a 3.31. My 1980 had a 3.9 rear. 75 mph seems way too slow--perhaps (whether auto or stick) the trans is in overdrive but needs to shift down to 3rd (auto) or 4th (M46) to cope with grade or head wind? I don't have that problem with my '93 245 -- auto to stick conversion and building my Oldsmobile aluminum V8 into it's 2nd re-incarnation. :-) The doubling of torque does wonders for a 240. -- Dave

I did the timing belt when I first got it, and the later cars the timing isn't really adjustable. Still has a cat so that's a possibility. It's a 93 240 with the AW71, trans seems to work well enough. It does have the 3.73 gear, sure wouldn't call it spunky though. At least not at any kind of speed, it moves around town okay.

In addition to a misaligned timing belt (definitely, definitely check that) and a possibly plugged up cat so it can't breathe, did you read the old spark plugs to see if they've been running rich or lean? Use a mirror from above so you can sight square on when checking the belt timing mark under the crank pulley. The intermediate shaft alignment is especially important with those side mount 240 distributors if the ignition system can't compensate.

Even though it's not adjustable and you'd likely have more noticeable symptoms, you can still verify that timing advance is more or less functioning with an old fashioned timing light.

I'd also be suspicious of the O2 sensor being a bit fouled and less than responsive, especially if it hasn't been replaced in living memory.

Don't neglect restricted air intake, such as a really dirty air filter, even a nest. Along the same lines, a lightly fouled AMM wire can also be an issue with an old engine. The hot wire heater function is supposed to burn off all the residue, but eventually may not be doing a good job. It would be nice to be able to quickly swap in a known good one. As a word of caution, do not use MAF cleaner on these AMMs except as an absolute last resort. I've had as much bad luck as good doing that and I thought I was very careful. I had a failing AMM that never set a code or caused a stall or no-start, just a little hesitation and poor performance until I swapped in a known good one. Cleaning the bad one initially made it slightly better. Cleaning it a second time trying to do better, and it never worked as well again, so had to replace it. I had better luck cleaning another one, but no longer like to try cleaning them, certainly not as a routine measure.

Grasping at straws here, a remote possibility is an oversensitive knock sensor that is unduly retarding the timing. It's not common, but possible, especially if badly torqued. If you're at all suspicious and run out of other ideas, I'd be tempted to try running it with the knock sensor lightly tightened or even temporarily off the block to see if that changes things.

If the engine is otherwise running well, my first thoughts for our old cars dragging their asses is dragging brakes and even badly toed steering alignment. The latter should be noticeable with unusual front tire wear or handling. For brakes, raise the car and check for any serious brake drag or warped rotor beyond normal scuffing after applying the brakes hard. You should be able to easily turn the wheel single handed. Check it again setting and releasing the parking brake drum. If you've over-adjusted the parking brake cable the shoes can constantly drag, especially if the drum brake mechanism is getting dirty, worn or rusty and not fully relaxing. After a good highway run, double check your hubs (behind the wheelcovers) for being hot to the touch or unusually warm, or different back to front or side to side, a tell tale sign of excessive brake drag or badly worn hub bearings.

Also, don't go packing unnecessary weight, like dead bodies and especially something like concrete blocks or sand bags for snow and ice. One of my brothers constantly drives with that kind of stuff in the back of his truck, too lazy to take it out until all memories of slippery roads are gone and the next winter is already being forecast. I know I pack too many tools and spare parts in my cars, trailer draw bar, also fluids, emergency and disaster supplies (live in an earthquake/tsunami zone), adding up to noticeable excess weight. I really don't need 32 screwdrivers on the road, but the kit was dirt cheap on sale and you never know when you might need one when visiting someone. Damned Boy Scout motto, always being prepared.

And last, but not least, try a few tankfulls of the best top tier high octane gas you can find to see if that makes a noticeable difference, like a Chevron or Shell 93+ super premium. In these days of skyrocketing gas prices, it's too easy to go with the minimum recommended Regular 87, especially the discount brands with minimal additives. Our engines are often happier with a higher octane, which also has less/no ethanol and more concentrated additives. You don't have to stick with expensive 93+, just know that higher octane makes a significant difference. I never use less than mid-grade or better, blending my own at the pumps to save a few cents. Whenever we're doing a long highway trip with our B230F NA, I always make sure it's got nothing but top tier premium in the tank for a few days ahead. Also gives the ECU adaptive learning a chance to stabilize over a number of starts. Way more power going up the long hills with the A/C on and fasster getaways from stoplights, also way less shiftdowns, which for the AW-71L/72L means being able stay in lockup torque for longer periods. Being in lockup on long highways trips makes for significantly better gas mileage, easily an extra 75-100 km out of a tank with pure high speed driving. On the downside, having to forcefully kickdown out of lockup torque takes you all the way down to 3rd, bypassing unlocked overdrive, with the revs now higher than needed. Lockup torque is hydraulic related to output shaft speed (road speed), not torque, and can't be adjusted or manually controlled.

Be glad you've got a 240. A 240 with a B230F NA will be noticeably peppier than a heavier 740/940 with the same engine and similar drivetrain. Last time I drove a late model family 240 with LH 2.4 up a steep, twisty mountain highway, it seemed downright peppy and almost fun to drive compared to our almost identically powered 940 NA. It would have been even more fun with the front and rear IPD sway bars I used to love. I also put them on my 740 16-V and 940T, a noticeable improvement, but not near as noticeable as with the side rolling and boxier 240s/140s.
--
Dave -still with 940's, prev 740/240/140/120 You'd think I'd have learned by now

The timing isn't adjustable--but it is very possible to set it one tooth advanced or retarded -- the hash mark on the backing plate for the timing gear isn't real clear. With your AW-71 (I believe it should be an AW-71L) -- the L signifying lock-up torque converter - which lowers the rpm another few hundred rpm at cruising speed. Is your "lock-out" switch still operating--or have you by-passed it. If by-passed -- I think that cold be your part of the lack of power. What gear do you have it set at for the 75 mph? -- 3rd or OD? -- Dave