alright guys,

Mommmy was driving my old 91 240 and the thing cut out on her going down the road. So...like a good volvo driver (I have her trained) she checked the fuel pump fuse - blown. Replaced fuse, car starts right up. But....won't shift out of park. So she decides she's going to dabble into the black arts of electricity and replace other fuses. Looks in the book and sees a fuse that says "shift lock" and goes to replace that.

Now, my mother raised some damn good children, but she's not a mechanic, and replaced the fuse with the car running. Sparks flew, she got a little zap, no big deal, but now the car wont start - meaning it wont crank. Its an auto, so we can't pop start it. It also still wont shift out of park. Since Im in school, I cant go look at the car, but I sent my uncle over to check all the fuses. We also clicked over the shiftlock button and put the car in neutral, same thing, still no crank.

When I get home, I plan on working backwards from the starter relay and see where Im missing power, but thats a pretty general plan. Any kind of relay or idiot proofing system I should look for? Any way to bypass all of the safety features and just crank the car short of jumping the starter motor?

Car turns on, radio, lights, blinkers, brakelights, windows, all that crap works.

Thanks alot guys,

Dan D
91 240 auto
93 525i 5spd
99 grand cherokee laredo

"Any way to bypass all of the safety features and just crank the car short of jumping the starter motor?"

Yes, there is. But without a later 240 on hand, I can't say exactly where to find it. And it's been some time since I've used it.

It's called the "Starter Service Socket" and it's a wire about 6" long coming out of the firewall harness bundle, on the Driver's side of center, as I recall. The Bentley diagram shows it as a Pink wire (item #113).

It has a flat female "spade" terminal on the end and leads straight to the starter solinoid, which can be activated by connecting a jumper wire from the Battery Positive terminal.

PS, I suggest disconnecting and cleaning both ends of each Battery cable, including the connection at the starter. For safety, be sure to leave the battery Negative cable disconnected till you are done.

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Bruce Young
'93 940-NA (current) — 240s (one V8) — 140s — 122s — since '63.

thx man!

Good to know, I'm gonna have to search around for that one. I wonder if I could use that to make a really cool push-button start for the car.

Quick question: The wire I would use to jumper it from the battery, thats not carrying the current to the starter motor, thats just a switch for the solenoid, right?

Thanks again,

Dan

Right. It just puts voltage to the solenoid like the ignition key would. If you had the key on, it might start (if it cranks).
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Bruce Young
'93 940-NA (current) — 240s (one V8) — 140s — 122s — since '63.

I had the Park-Neutral start switch crack last fall in my 90 244. First, it wouldn’t start in Park, but would in Neutral. Then a few days later, nada; no start at all (no click, no starter motor, nothing).

This is the pizza-slice shaped switch on the right side of the shift handle in the box in the floor ($63 at the dealer, Ugh!) Mine was cracked through, but with duct tape it could be operated manually (hanging out the side of the shifter cover).

The switch wiring goes out along the left side of the center hump. To get to the harness plug, unbolt the front of the driver’s seat floor rails, lift the rails to free the carpet from around the studs, then peel up the carpet to access the wiring connector. Needed to remove the plastic side of the center console, and the door threshold also to free up the carpet.
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Jim (90 244DL 170K miles)

Excellent!

Definitely going to have to give this a look-see when I get home after finals. Sure theres not an easier way to get to it?

I have no intention of replacing this device, I'm just gonna jumper it. Why? Cus Im good like that :)

Thanks alot, hope it works!

Dan

well i would check the pump relay and the system relay
if it turns but wont crank the relays might be the problem

or the fuel pump (or pumps)

good luck

If memory serves me correctly the later 240 start circuit is the same as the earlier ones and has no relays at all or any connection with the fuel pump circuit when it comes to simply cranking over. The remote starter lead is on the firewall and is a little pig tail lead that comes out of the harness. It is routed through the nuetral safety switch just the same as the rest of the start circuit is. So using it probably will not work if the key won't work either. The "slice of pizza" is the park nuetral switch and is located under the gear shift indicator. I have seen a ton of these that for whatever reason had just popped out of the little holder that they ride in. Take a look at it, there is a pin from the gear shifter that engages a little white candy cane looking hook, this hook slides up and down with the gear selector and it needs to index on the "P" part and the "N" part of the switch. These are clearly marked on the side of the switch. If you do have to change it it is no big deal. Take the center console side cover off, located the connector under the carpet, pop it loose, slide it out, and then you can fish the new one back in. I am a big guy with big hands and I can manage to get it fished back under the carpet, just be careful as the carpet may try to rip right at the corner of the center console. Other than that there are two phillips head screws that hold the thing to the gear selector, if it is a little tight getting it in and out of the selector housing do not be afraid to lean on the selector a little to get the pin to clear the little candy cane hook piece. good luck Rule 308