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So last night while I was at work I got a pretty frantic phone call. The 245T died going down I-95 in evening rush-hour traffic.
I was at work for another 2 hours, and the car was half an hour away minimum, on the side of a really busy highway. Triple-A call and it's on its way back home. My wife had a seat in the passenger front seat while waiting- and the cop who arrived almost simultaneously with the wrecker had her immediately get into the cab of the truck for safety. There have been a number of people hit and killed on the sides of I-95 in the last few years around here.
So when I get home, car is here and won't run. I check the battery connections, and voltage- it's 12.4 V, so not likely that it's a dead alternator or battery.
Turns over, won't start. Absolutely no dashboard lights working. Check main junction connection behind battery, everything clean and secure. Fuel pumps aren't running as they normally do. Check fuses. None blown. A couple have a little white corrosion on the ends. Nothing big but worth looking at. And of course something well documented as a problem in 240s here.
Fiddled with fuses, turned the key, and the thing is alive again. Ran like nothing ever happened. Ran fine the rest of the night.
She leaves in the morning, gets to the end of the road, and dead. NO warning, just stopped. I get the phone call, I never have decent cars, I want a reliable car, I hate this old car. (Never tell a Volvo you hate it, they do care.) Ok, well, we get calmed down and go over all the fuse checkouts again. Rotating all the fuses gets the car running again immediately.
With a bit more instruction, I get my wife to go through a complete check of fuses, and with the key on, to note which one makes the lights go out. Turns out it's #13. The fuse crumbles in her hand. New fuses, and clean terminals, and no further evidence of the problems.
I think the weirdest part of it is that we drove the car for a couple of months before the problem surfaced. Could be this old fuse was cracking and failiing for years. I'm sure it won't be the only interesting moment of ownership of this car. With a crappy wiring harness and a 20+ year old turbo, it's going to need things in the future. But once sorted out, it'll be a great car for a long time to come.
I do like the fact that the car is simple enough for me to give my wife instructions on how to fix it, over the phone without seeing the problem. It's too bad I couldn't help more when it was on the side of the highway, but that's not the place for diagnostic work.
I also love the fact that my wife is the kind of woman who's not intimidated by technical work, even odd electrical things like this. She's a good listener and not scared to work on almost anything, or to get dirty. One of these days I oughta buy her a better car....
--
Rob Bareiss, New London CT ::: '87 244DL/M47- 230K, 88 744GLE- 220K, 82 245T-181K Also responsible for the care and feeding of: 88 745GLE, 231K, 87 244DL, 239K, 94 855GLT 189K
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She got a kick out of the whole discussion. She's a keeper, you folks have that right. I'm sure she'd be on here asking her own questions if I wasn't around. She helps out with my projects in a lot of ways, including letting me buy those project cars in the first place. And of course, she's usually right.
It does help that her first car experience was her 1975 164E... all these 240s are a step up from that, if for no other reason than they get twice the miles per gallon.
Thanks again everyone. Keep 'em rolling!
--
Rob Bareiss, New London CT ::: '87 244DL/M47- 234K, '82 245T/M46-182K, '89 244DL/AW70- 212K Not too distant past: 86 244DL 215K, 87 244DL 239K, 88 744GLE 233K, 88 244GL 147K, 91 244 183K
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Well of course you were able to talk her through the process over the phone, you've talked me through enough repair jobs from the other side of the world.
--
Drive it like you hate it
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I get the phone call, I never have decent cars, I want a reliable car, I hate this old car.
Hmm. I'm sure I've heard something quite similar to this..
Good story. BTW, prior to marriage I was able to kindly coerce my wife-to-be to change the oil in her 'vette (Chevette). That was about 1991 and no mechanics have taken place since.
As it stands now, she notices 2 mechanical conditions of our cars: on fire or not. Not much in between either, bless her heart.
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Norm Cook Vancouver BC; 1989 745T 200,000KM
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This made me laugh out loud. I must have married your wifes sister!
Gary
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posted by
someone claiming to be Ursula
on
Wed Oct 27 04:29 CST 2004 [ RELATED]
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Well, whatever you buy her in the future, it should be a VOLVO.
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Had a similar problem with the '82 a couple of years ago.
However, the situation was that the fuse for the Main Fuel
Pump would burn out every once in a while. Very strange.
This problem eventually went away. But, then the car would
pause randomly because of the fuel pump.
Bottom line was a loose wire underneath that either shorted
out the fuse or disconnected the pump. It's been fine
ever since this breakthrough.
-Cool Volvo- 1982 240 4 Spd OD w/ 227K, 1989 240 5 Spd w/ 214K. Used to own 1966 122, 1968 144, 1970 145, 1972 144, 1980 245
--
-Cool Volvo- 1982 240 4 Spd OD w/ 227K, 1989 240 5 Spd w/ 214K. Used to own 1966 122, 1968 144, 1970 145, 1972 144, 1980 245
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I have a similar story concerning my wife and our 82 240. Turns out fuse #7 was corroded and killed the main fuel pump. On more than one occasion she has removed the fuse panel cover, and fiddled with the fuses till she starts up. As a result, I replace the fuses once a year. Also clean the fuse terminals and use a dab of ox-guard or nyogel. Costs about $15 but good insurance.
matt
--
'82 DL - 158k, '93 945 - 116k
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Sounds like they're both keepers!
--
'88 244GL, '89 244GL, '90 244DL, '91 244, '92 244
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Done quite a bit of the fuse box fuse turning this past year with my '92. When something goes wrong with the cars, the fuse box is the first place I go since I know that is something I can fix with a rotation of the fuse, or putting in a brand new fuse. If it is not a fuse, then I am in trouble. Always carry a supply of new fuses, and since I don't have my own equivalent of an Aye Roll at home, my Triple AAA card!
1992 and 1980 240 wagons
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It was more than likly upset with you for not taking it to the Mustang race instead of the diesel.. Serves you right...:)
--
Max..1989 244 DL 5 Spd., Bilstein HD, Turbo Swaybars, Poly Bushings all round, Turbo Wheels, Black leather interior, Electric mirrors, LED dash and gauge lights.
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Aahh the fuse box fiddle, had to teach my gal that one years ago. These old volvos go forever they just need a little encouragement once in awhile.
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Patrick, '68 220, '83 245, '92 Eurovan (work truck).
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Rob:
Get her an 850 and be done with it. My sister drove our 86 240 for five years and swore she would drive nothing else. I found her a 94 850 wagon this summer and our 86 240 is now sitting and waiting to be driven or sold! Must admit with $2.09 gas both 850s get better mileage than the 740 or 240 - I am leaning towards dumping all my older cars for FWD! Have I lost my mind?
Bob Weber
Hamilton, Ohio - tired of being battleground Ohio
59 Volvos since 1979
94 850 104K ( fantastic car 29mpg on last roadtrip)
93 850 172K ( I love this one I drive daily)
88 740 175K (needs to be driven daily)
86 240 147K (is sitting and crying in drive)
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Also getting sick of being Battleground Ohio. Only a few days to go, then the lawsuits begin.
My sympathy to the 240 with no driver. If that were a 164, I'd offer to take it off of your hands.
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Mike F - 1984 244 DL - 240,000 miles - Undergoing reconstructive surgery with POR-15
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Just try and fix a rear main seal in one, and report back. :)
No the 850 is proving to be a completely satisfactory car for long term, high miles as with most Volvos. Plenty of fine 200K+ examples out there, and a friend has a great 94. My wife has driven several of them and reports that she would like a silver 850 T5. Maybe next year.
--
Rob Bareiss, New London CT ::: '87 244DL/M47- 234K, '82 245T/M46-182K, '89 244DL/AW70- 212K Not too distant past: 86 244DL 215K, 87 244DL 239K, 88 744GLE 233K, 88 244GL 147K, 91 244 183K
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I'd hold that thought... until it comes time to do mechanical work on them... or even worse to diagnose electronics...
but, if you like to pay poeple to do it, then go for it.
For me, the classic RWD is better, especially given that I can aolmost stand in the engine compartment while working on it.
Greg Mustang
Montreal - Ottawa
Canada
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>>850s get better mileage than the 740 or 240 - I am leaning towards dumping all my older cars for FWD! Have I lost my mind?<<
Well, it's not like the RWD in Volvos allow you to enter a drifting competition or anything. You can have more fun in a snowy parking lot with one though. So I'm guessing the FWD would be okay for your purposes.
Why do the 850s get so much better mileage? Is it the weight? The gearing? The newer electronic fuel injection? Engine technology? And let's not forget aerodynamics.
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Well My Dad's 850 weighs in about 300kgs more than my 245, so I don't think it's reduced weight. They do have far more advanced engine management and all that.
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Drive it like you hate it
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