All,

I have read through a few posts and it looks like there is a lot of good knowledge out there and I hope y'all can help on a conple of kinks I have. PLease bear with me as this post is getting wordier than I had planned

I have been working on getting a 1983 244 Turbo back on the road and have a couple of things left which are causing me some grief. The car had sat for a couple of years so there have been a multitude of little crap needing attention. No speedo, no OD, wouldn't run, clunk in front end, you name it!!

Speedo turned out to be driven gear in tranny, OD was burned wire and I had to repair the OD relay, clunk was sway-bar frame bushing.

When I first got the car it was not running so disassembled fuel distributor and cleaned out the varnish and crap and that got it sorta running. Flushed gas tank and put in 5 gl of fresh gas with some Berrymans B12, new fuel filter and things were a bit better then it quit and wouldn't re-start. Seems that in-tank pump had frozen up and the little hose inside the tank had disintegrated as well.

Replaced the pump, filter, and Bosch platinum plugs now the thing runs great and real strong once warmed up.

1. When the engine is cold it runs very rough and smokes (looks to be running very fat) for a few minutes and then when warmed up a bit it smooths right out and rich condition goes away just like you threw a switch! I have disconnected the harness from the cold start injector and this condition persists. Engine starts with a touch of the key cold or hot. What else could cause this cold-rich condition?

2. Most of the idiot lights display dimly when vehicle is in operation, sometimes they go out but not always. Bad ground somewhere?

Most of the rest of the gremlins have been exterminated. Took it out for a good shakedown thrash yesterday and blew the radiator after about 20 miles of semi-spirited driving. Glad parts car had a good radiator in it!!!

Well, I'll shut up and see if anybody has any quick fixes to my problems..

Thanks in advance,

Justin B.

1983 244 GLT

"...cold it runs very rough and smokes...What else could cause this cold-rich condition?"

Just as the fuel distributor was gummed up, the control pressure regulator may be gummed up. This device sends a control signal (in the form of a varying hydraulic%#151;gasoline—pressure) to the fuel distributor. Low control pressure causes a rich mixture, high control pressure leans out the mixture.

I believe a counterintuitive symptom is rich running with low system pressure. Your best bet is to install the Volvo fuel system pressure tester (at the cpr) and monitor the pressure at cold start-up, and as the engine warms.

"...idiot lights display dimly when vehicle is in operation...Bad ground somewhere?"

Maybe. But also a weak voltage regulator (inside the alternator but separately replaceable) or worn brushes can cause this.

In a car that sat for several years, you might also clean 'n tighten (=bend) the fuse clips in the fuse panel.

Don Foster (near Cape Cod, MA)

Don,

Thanks for the suggestions, I have not cleaned out the control pressure regulator. I have a set of gauges I used on my old BMW 320i which had a similar injection system. I'll dig them (and the book) out and give a go at the pressure tests. It seems like a lot of the systems on this car are quite similar to those on the 320i.

I'll check out the fuse terminals as well. I hope the idiot light problem is not alternator related as it looks like it's a PITA to get at. The voltage gauge reads dead center when the car is running (lights on) and the only time it drops below center is when the heater blower is on.

This is my first Volvo and also my first messing with a turbocharged engine. If you can pass along any words of wisdom (do's and dont's) I am all ears.

Justin

"...voltage gauge reads dead center when the car is running..."

I'd guess you'll find worn brushes, but several things can cause this symptom. Start with the fuses—they're cheapest and easiest to fix, and least painful if it's not the problem.

"...any words of wisdom..."

Respect turbo cool-down time, or "idle time." A coupla minutes, or more, after a hard run.

Don Foster (near Cape Cod, MA)