I've recently purchased a 1992 240 station wagon with 68K miles on it. Being new to Volvo's, I've noticed that the engine sounds different than other vehicles I've driven. When chugging down the highway I've noticed a slight rattle (egg beater) type noise (seemingly coming from the engine. This usually happens when I slightly let off the gas or if I accelerate uphill. Is this a normal noise for a Volvo, or do i have something loose under the hood?

Also, I smell a slight burning smell after I park the car. Could this be related to a recent oil change? It looks like excess oil could drip on hot exhaust parts when pulling off the oil filter.

Thanks for your help!

Like Breck says... the rattle is possibly a heat shield. The most common is the one on the exhaust manifold. Then the one at the Y-pipe. Or both at the same time occasionally.

Could the rattle be valve noise? Kind of a clicking noise? If so, it might be either that or a bad exhaust manifold gasket. Cracked exhaust downpipe. There are a few places to look for a clicking noise.

Feel the back of the engine, especially the back of the head, to see if it has oil on it. That's the most likely place for oil to be dripping down the back... if there is oil back there, check to see where it is coming from.

And clean the flame trap. That should be a monthly mailbot message. Clean your flame trap. I have seen cars with them totally plugged, and that will definitely eventually cause a burning smell!

Thanks. I think the noise is valve related. It sorta sounds like pinging, but it almost only happens at highway speeds when I give it the gas or let off the gas.

As far as the smell goes, I'll check the flame trap. By the way, what exactly does the flame trap do and where is it located? Is it located in the hoses behind the air filter box? Also, how do I clean it or should I buy a replacement part?

Thanks again.

The flame trap just (apparently) keeps the crankcase gases from igniting. But when it isn't cleaned, it plugs up and keeps the crankcase gases from being released back into the induction cycle. Eventually they build and build until something pops. That something can usually be avoided because you'll start seeing leaks here and there, usually at the back of the head or the valve cover gasket, or eventually at the camshaft and crankshaft seals. Hopefully it didn't go this far.

It is a little piece inside of a hose that goes between the 3rd and 4th intake runners on a 1992 240. Two hoses join at that point (pull the hoses apart). One hose goes to the black intake hose right towards the throttle body. The second goes down to the engine block and the oil separator box. There is a third, small diameter hose that goes to the intake manifold.

Periodically I like to pull the white flame trap out of the housing and clean it in a solvent. In fact, clean the whole housing. You can buy flame trap kits (housing and new flame trap) for like $8 because they do get brittle.

Anyway, clean out the flame trap and poke out the little hose and it's orifices at the intake manifold and at the flame trap. They seem to get plugged. The bigger hoses are usually all right. Then find out if it is still leaking anywhere. Usually this will cure it unless something is just leaky or cracked.

like a clanking noise. Kind of like two pieces of metal stricking each other? It might be a loose heat shield for the exhaust. The burning smell could be oil on the exhaust or engine burning off. It shouldn't be always smell like that. Only until the oil burns off.