So it was finally a chance to do an oil change on the wifemobile (1988 244GL). Good cooler weather, she and the car are at home for the evening, and the change is way overdue.

Put the car on the ramps, started the draining, went in for supper and evening news. Went back to finish the job around 2130hrs. Only another hours or so, right?

Uh Oh, oil filter is sitting on the right motor mount. Hard.

The new mounts have been in BGVPD awaiting installation for a year or so. And I have the Dick Reiss 2x6 plank special engine-lifting tool.

The tool works. 2-inch lift was enough.

Observations:

(1) Don't attempt the job without dropping the splash pan. The contortions needed getting around it are far more time-consuming that the time to remove and re-install the pan. Mine is a good-fitting heavy plastic pan from fpcgroton.

(2) The sockets needed are 17mm and 12mm. Also needed 12-pt box end wrenches of the same sizes.

(3) Bracket on the block. Lower front bolt is a royal PITA. Easy to bremove with the socket wrench because the old mount was split into two pieces. New mount blocks access to using the socket wrench, so the 12-pt 12mm wrench is needed.

(4) Upper mount-to-bracket bolt/stud must be loosened or removed before taking the bracket off the block. Minor PITA if you do this in reverse. DAMHIK

(5) Used 5 or 6 pairs of vinyl gloves. Greazy dirty job. Gloves are great but of no use for the grease between wrist and upper arm area. Next time I'll put my arms inside one of those plastic tubes that my newspapers come in.

Finished up at 0345 hours. Oil change was a breeze after the mount. Only did the passenger side. Later for the driver's side and tranny mount.

At that hour, using a torque wrench was only a passing thought.

Good Luck with yours, guys and gals.

Regards,

Bob

:>)

PS: BGVPD is Bob's Garage Volvo Parts Department.

I found this job to be more pleasant with a set of gear wrenches, those box wrenches with the ratchet system built in.
--
Jim - '92 Red 245 "The Radio Flyer" - '85 245 270K "Old Girl"

Yes!

Doing this job on the red wagon, and again on my wagon really made me wish for a set of ratcheting box wrenches.

--
alex

'89 765T, 177,2xx mi

I looked in my toolbox and found that the "flat ratchet" or gear wrenches I have are not the size I needed. 12MM? Used where else? Exhaust manifold heat shield and One of the timing belt cover bolts. So, my gear wrenches are 10 mm and 1/2 inch.

Yes, I did wish that the store was open so I could go get a gear wrench.

Thanks,

bob

:>)

These jobs are a LOT more fun when you can
1. take your time and do it leisurely with plenty of breaks
2. see what you are doing without a drop cord that is in your way and shines
in your eyes and is hot.
--
George Downs, Bartlesville, Oklahoma, Central US

I have been using a fluorescent 'bulb' in my droplight.
It has a couple of advangages -- Almost no heat which is a big help when in tight quarters. Seems to be indestructable. I have been bouncing around the same bulb for over 10 months. Before this change, it wasn't uncommon to go through two or three bulbs on some over / under jobs.

Disadvantage --- not as much light as my old eyes would like at some times.

True Story: I was pressing my daughter into service as helper on some job or other and she was complaining that she didn't know how.......... My son looks at her and says "It's mostly just holding the light and getting yelled at when you shine it in his eyes." I have taught him well.

Dan

Taking time is when the call comes from the bathroom and you have to blow off another pair of vinyl gloves. Or when you have to get back up from under there because what looked like a 13mm bolt is a 12 mm.

Drop cord. Actually after dark the sunlight does not cause pupil closure so tightly, and the drop light is not usually in the way. Fortunately I have put in a heavy duty bulb so dropping it doesn't blow it out.

I prefer to do under-dash jobs after dark for the same reason.

Regards,

Bob

:>)

BTW nitrile gloves are great. Resistant to oil and such.

--
alex

Nice story, Bob. I'm still awaiting this experience in surprise mode; I'm hoping I could recognize the difference in sound before the oil filter became distorted enough to be a disaster.


There are a number of parts that suffer a lot of increased stress when a mount gets oil-soft or breaks, from rad hoses to throttle cables. I suspect remote PS reservoir problems stem from too much motor shaking too.

What kind (brand) did you use? I've only used the Scan-Tech mounts that we hear so often have ugly quality issues. So far only in advance of the old units failing, but that's just been luck.
--
Art Benstein near Baltimore

You never know when it will hit.
We were 50 miles out on the return home, started blowing smoke. Looked at the engine, oil filter sitting on the mount, cracked open.
Dumped in all the oil I could find in the trunk and just limped home.
I did notice that under load, (accelleration and up hills) it fogged the road.

Original mount?

Well that's nobody's idea of a fun surprise. I'd better get to checking those mounts-- guess I always had this idea my fingers would know when it was imminent during the filter change. Impromptu mosquito abatement!
--
Art Benstein near Baltimore

One of the few improvements of the 700s over the 240s.

I drove my car about five thousand miles before I put new mounts in. Indeed I took the car from San Francisco to LA and back. I think I managed to get an oil change in before I did the mounts. The engine was resting on the crossmember, but not on the oil filter itself.

Of course, the RH side mount is far more accessable on the 240.

I didn't see a big need for an engine lift tool, just a 2x4 to jam under the seam of the oil pan. When we did the RH mount on my wagon, we had a lift.

Oh that was the ultimate in amusement. Make the engine higher! Lower the car? Oh, right. Hee.

BTW I'm using ScamTech mounts from RPR primarily because they were significantly cheaper (1/2 the price) than the Volvo mounts, and Rusty knows I'll come back and harass him if there was a problem with them. Almost 2,000 miles so far, and it's still pretty smooth. Not as nice as my 240s, but hey what can you expect?

The red wagon (85 245) got ScamTech mounts, also from RPR. One of the smoothest cars I've ever driven. Silky smooth shifts. A-mazing.

--
alex

'89 765T, 177,2xx mi

>Oh that was the ultimate in amusement. Make the engine higher! Lower the car? Oh, right. Hee.

This list was an amusing place for sure when someone jacked his motor up under the drain plug and blamed the rest of us for it.

Home Depot lift:

The cross member is what? Unistrut?
--
'80 DL 2 dr

Exactly. Sorta.

Well, to be fair, it is a competing brand I think, Superstrut, and our Lowes has a better electrical selection than does the Home Depot. $12 if I recall - with the eyebolt. Bought for an oil pump delivery tube seal replacement.

--
Art Benstein near Baltimore

This list was an amusing place for sure when someone jacked his motor up under the drain plug and blamed the rest of us for it.

Captain obvious says: we supported the engine by the rear of the oil pan, making sure we weren't supporting the engine on the drain plug. When lifting by the seam of the oil pan, we also made sure that the block of wood was flush with the oil pan. The oil pan, on a red block, is not aluminum.

I suppose if you're going to lift the engine, you shouldn't do it by lifting the oil cap.

P.S. If you're going to follow any suggestions or comments or in general act like me, I suppose I should also advise you to not lick your nearest electrical socket.

P.P.S. If you, or anyone else, feels compeled to sue me based on anything I've writen; good luck. I know I don't have enough money to make a lawsuit worth while.

P.P.P.S. If you think that's an invite to sue me, think again.

P.P.P.P.S. Would it be too late to mention that nearly everyone else who has posted to the brickboard about jacking up their engine by the oil pan has either a.) explicitly cut a hole in the wood to clear the drain plug or b.) explicitly protected the drain plug otherwise?

P.P.P.P.P.S. If you think that immitating me is okay, and you manage to wear out your 'P' and '.' keys, it's still your fault.

--
alex

Yup, you had ordinary folks building legal disclaimers into their sigs for a while then.
--
Art Benstein near Baltimore

Art, Thanks , a picture is worth....., now I know what it can look like.
I've always felt a little tenative jacking up the engine.

I didn't go to this length just for motor mounts - it was an oil pan removal, so I didn't need any jacks underneath in the way. But once you have it handy, motor mount replacements are easier and I dare say safer.
--
Art Benstein near Baltimore

I realize the bracket on the thermostat cover is for lifting, but I've been hesitant about using it since it's attached to an aluminum head and was concerned that the studs may rip out (plus that thermo cover isn't too solid). So, is it safe?
--
1980 245 Canadian B21A with SU carb and M46 trans