544 12V conversion

You will have to replace all the light bulbs, the battery and voltage regulator, for a start. I think the original starter and generator will be OK. As for the wiper and heater motors, their life is likely to be short, but merry -- see if you can get replacements soon! Anyone have a better idea ou there?

Painting an 1800

Sorry, but we don't know. Not only that, but we'd really like to know -- projects are in the works here, too. Who can help us all out?

B23F won't start

I had a similar problem last year -- could start but couldn't keep running. Air mass meter eventually found to be defective. Replaced plugs, rotor & cap, fuel filter, cleaned throttle body. Real nice tip I learned -- you can verify the air mass meter is defective -- unplug it and if the car runs, the meter is bad. The ECU defaults to default mode. I used that to verify air mass meter not the problem now, although a ohmmeter across terminals 6 & 7 reads 3.7 versus the 4.4 called for in the spec (it better not be bad -- its new).

What next -- fuel-starved maybe, but don't have means for testing pressure. Thanks for any advice on this problem. Tow truck is next.
Randy Taylor

I wouldn't worry about the ohm reading on the air mass meter, but I am very suspicious of the zero ohms reading you got at the control unit. This, and the symptoms you describe, are consistent with the "harness rot" phenomenon recently discussed on the VCOA mailing list -- it appears that Volvos the vintage of yours suffer from insulation breakdown, and consequent shorts, in the under-hood wiring. It's hard to second-guess something like this from a remote distance, but I'd certainly have a good look at that wiring.

740 stutters

Today the car decided to do something new on my way home: the radio shut off and the tachometer went way up and the speedometer dropped to near 20 MPH for just a second. This happened twice, which greatly concerned me. That is why I am on the Internet searching for help.
Anthony Stovall Sr.

The mechanic did not change the points -- the 740 does not have any! Instead, there is a sender inside the distributor that connects to an Ignition Control Unit (ICU). I would carefully check for good connections between distributor, ICU and coil. I would check the condition of the spark plug wires. I would reseat all the relays in the central electronics panel and make sure all fuses were making good contact. If all this checks out, I would suspect the voltage regulator built in to the back of the alternator.

740 chronic brake squeal

Disk brake squeal is caused by a high-frequency resonation of the calipers. Anti-squeal strips are available at most car parts stores or from ipd. Applying these to the calipers changes the resonant frequency, and the squeal goes away. This really really really works in 90% of cases, and is cheap, quick and easy.

240DL stalls intermittently

The other problem is that my 240 is somewhat hesitant when starting. This is not constant either. What happens is she'll start fine and when I put my foot on the gas she will either stall or crawl for about 50 to 100 feet. After that she will start to gain power and eventually perform normally again.
Lou

Let's play that both problems are related and look for a common cause. Problem two sounds like fuel starvation -- either something is blocking the fuel line (cruddy filter?) or there's an electrical problem with the main pump or pre-pump. An electrical malfunction could also explain the first problem. I'd have a very close look at the condition of your fuse block and all connectors to the pumps.

200 HP P1800?

The "streetable" part is the trick -- a B20 with a big-bore kit, a cam, head work and a good exhaust system will make about 160 BHP for street use. I'd be interested to see what such a set-up might do with lowered compression and a Paxton supercharger. As for swapping in a "V" motor, it could probably be done if you can figure out how to make the headers clear the upper control arm mounts. The GM 60-degree V6 is an easy fit, but you'll never get as much power as you want out of one. My personal opinion is that 160 BHP in a 2500-pound car is enough fun for me -- readers?

Rear-end whine

I have no idea what could cause the problem to occur only in a narrow range of speeds. Experts, help!

Shortening driveline

You can use the short shaft from any '66 or older car. I think you could also retrofit the whole newer-style support onto the older car. The actual support bearings are the same in both mounting versions.

DL grille update?

If it's possible at all, it would be an extensive modification -- you would need much more than just the grille and headlights. Has anyone out there done this?

B20F rich cold starts

OK, that's pretty horrible. Assuming that the auxiliary air valve really does get power and really does actuate (I don't know how you checked it, but it would be the first item I'd suspect), I think you might be looking at a (very rare) ECU failure. Can you swap in the ECU from your Audi to verify this?
Update:
Oh, you said "K-Jetronic" -- you don't have an ECU (duh!). That would indicate that the air sensor plate is either sticking open or is adjusted incorrectly. If that's not the case, I'm beat. Experts?

240 turbo conversion?

In a word, no. But it is entirely possible to replace the entire motor, FI and exhaust systems with units from a wrecked turbo car. A header and exhaust system can go a long way, and you can also overbore and re-cam your B21. Go immediately to the ipd website and order a catalog!

240 won't start when cold

First, as with any motor, check for vacuum leaks. Look at all the hoses and make sure there are no cracks. There may be an electrical problem: the cold start injector gets power only when the starter is cranking -- with the help of a friend, you can check for 12 Volts at its connector while cranking the car. If this doesn't help, let me know...

244 A/C idle control

Beats me, but I'll try to research it. Who can tell us about this?

Wet A/C

I draw a blank, and I also wonder why the problem only occurs once every few months. Help, please, experts!

Expert sends:

My 1984 240 had the same problem... periodic flooding of the driver's compartment floor caused by the condensate not emptying but backing up. To fix this you will need to remove the rubber drain hose, clean it and reach up in and clean out any bits of leaves. The lower end of the drain hose has two flaps that in theory open for outflow, but seal the unit from inflow. Unfortunately it can be so effective that either it doesn't open at all or opens partially and backs up water and bits of leaves. Lay the hose down and make a small wedge shaped cut (point up) from the base of the flaps up to provide a small opening.

It works and was an unofficial Volvo fix from a mechanic at my dealer.

M46 overdrive problem

Even though I felt this was a mechanical problem, I let the dealer talk me into replacing the OD relay ($120 parts + labor). This did nothing to change the problem. In an after-market service manual, it said that a hydraulic pressure test may be done thus revealing some kind of hydraulic-related problem. Also, there is a pre-filter and a fine filter specifically in the OD unit. Dealers in both PA and MD have no desire to diagnose the problem. Both recommend wholesale replacement of unit (at least $1200).

Any experience/advice on this? Thanks.
James L. Mason
Jacobus, PA

Everything electrical sounds like it's working fine. Your problem is caused by insufficient hydraulic pressure in the OD when the fluid thins as it warms. 1) Check fluid level, 2) drain fluid, clean or replace both filter screens, replace fluid with new ATF. If this does not cure the problem, the trans will have to come out of the car for new seals in the OD pump and valves.

It's scary when dealers can't or won't deal with a basic problem like this -- does anyone know of a reputable repair shop in James' area?

B20F in a 122S

It makes sense to me (obviously, you don't care about keeping the 122 original). You would get 25% more horsepower and a big torque increase. Pitfalls: you will need the gas tank, fuel pump and complete engine wiring harness from the donor car -- I don't know if the gas tank is a bolt-in swap or not, and you'll have to run new fuel lines to it. You will have to invent some sort of throttle cable arrangement. You need the donor alternator and voltage regulator to have enough juice to run the FI (a nice improvement). You will make more power than the D-type OD is designed for, so drive nice. The car will smog-check as a '72 or '73, if you're subject to that.

Simpler alternative producing a bit less HP but still lots of torque: block off the injector ports on the B20 with soft plugs, bolt on your current fuel pump, distributor and intake manifold. If you have the original separate single-downtube exhaust manifold, replace it with the donor car's double unit or a tubular header. Rejet your SU carbs with "SM" needles.

In either case, you will need to open up the old exhaust system for more flow. If the B20 has an oil cooler, I'd retain it -- I think it will adapt readily to your present radiator. Plug off the oil pressure sending tube and oil temp sender in the pan, and use your present "idiot light" sender.

Expert Sends:

I had a couple thoughts on a D-jet 122. One is that the fuel tank need not be replaced; the original 122 tank will work nicely with a little alteration. Everything will fit and you can make it look like a factory installation if you take the time and energy to carefully plan your approach.

I've been driving a 122 with EFI for about 4 years now and have had very little problems with it. It's basically a '72 fuel system on a '71 head and '75 block that's bored to 2130cc's with a belly full of goodies as well as an overdrive. Result: when tuned down for street use is ~160 HP and 29.7 mpg highway at 70 mph. When tuned for speed it puts out very near 170 HP but that isn't really feasible for commuting...

I would encourage you to do this -- much to gain and little to lose. Parts aplenty at salvage yards too.