I need the help of the real gurus out there. Last month my 240 acted funny. Tranny would not shift into 3rd until you hit 50mph 4th at around 70mph. It did this one time and had been fine since. Yesterday the problem resurfaced and would did not correct itself. It almost acts like a vacuum modulator would on older american car. Then this morning I was going to drive the car to work. When I started the car it kept stalling. Finally I started it brought the RPM's up to keep it running and took it a mile down the road and back. (shift problem still existed). When I pulled back into my drive the car was idleing roughly. I have had this vehicle for about 5 months it has 200k miles on it and has run perfectly the entire time that I have owned it. I fell the current problems are realted but I need some insight as to what it could be and what I need to check. Thanks to all who reply.

Idoubt the problems are related.

On the tranny side, the first thing to check is fluid level and condition. Assuming that is OK the next likely culprit is a mal-adjusted or binding kickdown cable (the other cable on the throttle spool). Last and least likely is the dreaded valve body plastic ball errosion...just hop it is not that.

Your sudden loss of power and rough idle souns like an Air Mass Meter problem. With the car off, unplug the AMM. Does car idle an perform the same way. If it does, the amm or socket is bad.

Onkel Udo

I will check the AMM as you said. I just need to know where it is located. Are there any volt or resistance test that can be performed?

I can't help but feel that the problems are connected somehow. Noting that engine performance on most cars directly impacts tranny perfomance. Your thoughts?

> I will check the AMM as you said. I just need to know where it is

> located. Are there any volt or resistance test that can be performed?

The are some voltage and resistance tests in the 700/900 faqs and most shop manuals. Th AMM is connected to the airfilter end of the accordian intake hose. Corrosion of the wiring harness can cause the same symptoms. Make sure you only plug and unplug the AMM with the ignition off.

> I can't help but feel that the problems are connected somehow. Noting

> that engine performance on most cars directly impacts tranny

> perfomance. Your thoughts?

The engine and transmission share no "controls" except the cable. All shifting is controlled internal to the transmission through an oldfashioned system of smoke and mirrors (also known as pressure regulation). This is not an "electronically/computer controlled transmission" despite the electronic solenoid for the OD. You mentioned older trannies that used a vac modulator...same basic principle except a cable is used instead.

Onkel Udo

This was a sudden onset in the case of the idle problem, right?

Onkel,

You are the MASTER. The cable was frayed and stuck at the throttle body. I disconnected the air mass sensor and the car would now idle at cold start up. It did not idle well but I did not have to keep my foot on the gas. The connectors look clean. I am semi comnvinced that the AMM is the culprit. I will do electrical test this afternoon after work. The new question is do I go to Volvo for the $300 AMM or do I buy the $150 aftermarket model. Any suggestions? Also kickdown cable is $73. I am going to salvage yards to recycle on of these.

> You are the MASTER. The cable was frayed and stuck at the throttle

> body.

Not much of a shock here.

> I disconnected the air mass sensor and the car would now idle

> at cold start up. It did not idle well but I did not have to keep my

> foot on the gas. The connectors look clean. I am semi comnvinced that

> the AMM is the culprit. I will do electrical test this afternoon

> after work.

I would defineatly reserve your diagnosis on the AMM for after the electrical tests. Although your car may need it, that test may be inconclusive. If performance and idle to not change at all when you unplug the AMM it means that the car was already in limp home mode and the AMM is bad (at least that is how I remeber it). Don't you have OBDC on your car? If so, look in the 700/900 faqs on how to pull the codes. You might find something there.

> The new question is do I go to Volvo for the $300 AMM or

> do I buy the $150 aftermarket model. Any suggestions? Also kickdown

> cable is $73. I am going to salvage yards to recycle on of these.

People have had mixed opinions on the aftermarket AMM's. The concensus is to buy from a reputable dealer (RPR, IPD, etc.) because they sell warrantied goods. Always replace the airbox thermostat at the same time or most waranties will be voided.

Onkel Udo

The poor idle was instant. The idle was normal last night. This morning I could barely keep it running. If I let off the throttle (when it was dead cold) it would die. After a 2 minute drive it just idled rough. The ambient temp was 64deg F. the humidity was 100% I did open the hood in the dark and did not hear or see any stray sparks from the spark plug or coil wires or the distributor cap. I will check the cap and rotor when I get home this evening.

Jon

Try checking your air mass meter. I had a similar problem where I had to stert it four or more times to get it to idle, then wouldn't run smoothly until the engine warmed up for 10-15 min. All I did was unplug and clean the air mass meter connections and then plug it back in. That solved the problem - but I'll need an air mass meter soon because mine has 130,000 miles on it.

The delayed shifting could be the kickdown cable hanging-up. With your hand, rotate the pulleys on top of the engine and see if the kickdown one is not returning smoothly and all the way. If after releasing the pulleys, the kickdown cable seems to have some play in it, it may need to be lubricated or replaced. At 200K it may be getting frayed and not sliding in it's housing properly.

About the rough idle...It could be a number of things:

Dirty throttle body

Dirty idle control valve

Throttle position switch out of adjustment

In need of ignition tune-up (or moisture in distributor cap)

etc.

etc...