Sound like a famous song, but it isn't. My 1991 245 speedometer died tonight in a blaze of glory for no apparent reason. It just won't work anymore... Any ideas??? could it be the sensor? It's an electrical speedometer. HELP!!!
As some know I already posted a message saying that it was running about 10 km/h higher than the real speed with no apparent cause since the tires were the right size. And can someone tell me the code for the right speedometer in case I can find one in the junkyard. I know one is coded K6091. The other??? And which one is for the wagon and which for the sedan???
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1991 Volvo 245; 1979 Volvo 244

Here I am listening to the Kinks (Low Budget album) and the song "A Gallon of Gas" starts playing. Power assisted overdrive... gosh my cars have that.

And then comes the slap to the forehead.. out of obligation.. that was a stretch, even for me. :-D

- alex

'85 244 Turbo
'84 245 Turbo

The US models are K9800 for wagons, and K10042 for sedans.
The number correlates to the number of counts per mile that the speedo receives.
The wagon, with larger size tires, makes fewer rotations per mile, therefore the lower number. I don't know what the number would be for other markets (i.e. km/h units)
If the odometer is still counting, then the pulses are still being made and received- the speedometer head has somehow died. Usually it's the other way round- the speedo works and the odometer gear breaks. Therefore you should be able to find a working speedo with bad odometer and install your gears to it.
If there's no movement of the odometer either, check the wiring in the trunk where it goes through the fuel tank access plate- the grey (on mine anyway) cable goes to the speedo and maybe something heavy in the trunk dislodged the wiring.
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Rob Bareiss, New London CT ::: '86 244DL- 215K, 87 244DL- 230K, 88 744GLE- 198K, 91 244 180K

Thank you for explaining that number. I've often wondered what ratio that described!

Now, while you're on a roll, Aye Roll, do you have any historical insight on the Euro electrical terminal designations, e.g. 15 for ignition positive, 30 for battery, 85,86,87, etc.? Who thunk up these numbers...what do they mean?

Sorry to be so greedy, but one fulfillment just leads to more hunger;-)
--
Art Benstein near Baltimore

I think those numbers go right back to the earliest Bosch electrical systems, which were all developed for and by Volkswagen. The numbers seem to correlate to a proper sort of system when you see VW's original wiring diagrams (as in their own Bentley books- Bentley being the OEM service manual for VW as well).

The lower numbers do correspond to more basic circuits and the higher numbers to accessory items... I don't have the listings here but I'll dig through the (enormous) pile of VW stuff at home to try to find it. The markings are present at least on early/mid-60's cars. At that point Bosch was standardizing components and terminology with VW, and getting ready for the fuel-injection revolution that VW started in 1968 and Volvo adopted in 1970. Shortly after that, VW added a built-in diagnostic port (1972) that connected with piggyback connectors to many of the important points in the system, ie. battery, alternator, regulator, major light circuits. I think it was actually the complexity of the diagnostic machine that kept this from catching on in that format- now a handheld unit can talk to your car's computer as well as to Volvo's VODIS system at World HQ and do all kinds of things to your car...

Anyway, I do know that Volvo shared a great many of it's electrical designations and parts (like relays) with other Bosch systems from other makers. The similarities between VW stuff and Volvo stuff is striking. I think Volvo was happy providing a quality up-market path for VW owners looking for the same quality in a larger package. It also could be that given the relatively small size of the company, it made sense to just buy in an existing technology base.
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Rob Bareiss, New London CT ::: '86 244DL- 215K, 87 244DL- 230K, 88 744GLE- 198K, 91 244 180K

Rob, what an interesting reply! I forgot you were a VW afficia-- uh - enthusiast as well, but I remember looking at your web site now. VW is something I've never owned or laid wrench to, yet the model change philosophy shares so much with Volvo. Volvo is my first European car.

So there are a few ways of doing things that remain mysterious to me, like this numbering scheme, and the little circle designations on the wiring diagram representation of electric motors Les Lyne queried, but on the whole I like how it all comes together. At least it all fits into a product worth owning.

Thanks for the enlightenment!
--
Art Benstein near Baltimore

Oh, AHhhh, it just died in your arms tonight!
It must have been something you did. -you should have drove away...

Sorry, I couldn't resist. Good '80s music.
I'd check your speedometer sensor (it's mounted in the differential cover) and possibly the weak tooth gear in the actual speedometer itself. Check the following webpage:
http://home.tampabay.rr.com/estaufer/volvo.htm#Odometer

I don't have any info on km/h speedometers, I can tell you that the K0980 MPH unit goes in my 245 wagon, and his counterpart in my friend's sedan is a K1024 (I think). The wagon lists 185-SR-14 tires (like yours) and the Sedan has the smaller 185/70R14 tires.

There's a page that has some of this information, but it's all for US cars with MPH speedos:
http://www.sonic.net/~zipzippy/volvo/volvo%20240%20faq.html

You should be able to deterimine which unit you should have by walking around a parts yard that has both sedans and wagons. God bless,
Fitz Fitzgerald.
--
'87 Blue 245, NA 214K

Yup. I live in the US, so I've only seen mph+kph speedos. However, go check out car-part.com. Then go look for a speedo for a 91 Volvo. They should present you with the various identifying marks for the US and Canadian speedos.

Of course the safe bet is to just replace with the same speedo (if that was the problem). A sudden death would make me wonder about the sender (in the rear diff) or its associated wiring.

- alex

'85 244 Turbo
'84 245 Turbo

I guess it's dumb to ask if you tried replacing fuses?