89 245 Just did major brake job and having major issues

Post by **Volvo_240_Atari_2600** » 28 Dec 2009, 15:13

89 245
Non ABS
US Model in USA
248k miles

Need help here.
I did this job two and a half years ago...
May-June 1997 I replaced all my calipers with rebuilds from a reputable guy on ebay. I also replaced the the front rotors with inexpensive Made in China rotors from Autozone. I also did the master cylinder. A rebuild from Pep Boys and new brake hoses from FCP Groton.

Everything was fine till about about two-three months ago when I noticed my steering wheel shaking only at braking.

I was told that the chinese rotors are inferior like everything else they produce and that my front rotors may have warped. two weeks ago the front right pads were grinding into the rotors.

Job done over Christmas.

1. New set of BREMBO rotors cost me $90.00 for the pair. Rear were still fine.
2. New set of pads front and rear (forget the brand) but I paid $50.00 for the complete set from a reputable VW/European specialty parts shop here in Orlando.

Here is my problem.
I still have air in the system as the brakes don't feel 100% so I will run a bleed again. I bled it two times already but I went through this the first time.

However, I do know that I need new bleeder screws since the old ones have taken a beating and the front ones are all wet so I know this can be a problem if I do not get new ones... (ordered today from Volvo at $4.50 each) Ouch!

Now that I am back on the road driving like an old lady, the steering wheel shakes when I reach 45 mph or more.

I tightened my lugs so I know its not a loose wheel.

The rotors at first were not snug on the hub so shen I ran them manually, it appeared to be warped. They were straight after I banged the top over the hub to fit... Rotated them manually and they looked fine. Installed the loaded calipers and rotated them again, calipers torqued and no sign of them looking warped of off balance.

I did this job a year ago and had no issues. Did it again this time, now this.

Does anyone have any idea what I may need to look into?
I am not capable of taking on any front end work on my own like bushings etc...

What is the cheapest/smartest way to ID this problem and what is the remedy? I don't want to take it to a shop that is going to tell me I need this and that and this and that and $600 later.

I just don't have those kinds of funds available right now, especielly when I have to service some codes on the wife's v70 VERY SOON.

Thanks
Eric

Post by **billofdurham** » 28 Dec 2009, 15:33

Have you interchanged the road wheels? Sometimes a steering wobble can come on if the wheels have been rotated.

Have you inadvertently lost a balance weight? A shudder at 45+ is usually a sign of imbalance.

Can you drive through the shudder? I should add, without endangering yourself.

I'll leave it at that but I'm still thinking.

Bill.

Post by **Volvo_240_Atari_2600** » 28 Dec 2009, 15:37

Bill,

I had that in mind and forgot to mention that I was about 6k miles overdue for a full rotation.

I bought brand new michelins a year ago and only rotated them twice till now...

Yes, I did throw the rear tires up front and I did make sure that left was left and right was right.

I think I will try that firs, having them balanced and take it from there.

I will post back with the finmal outcome.

Thank you!
Eric

Post by **billofdurham** » 28 Dec 2009, 15:45

Eric,

When we ran Michelins on the fleet cars we had problems if the wheels were rotated. The Michelin rep told us that they became used to one position on the car and we stopped rotating them. It solved the problem.

Bill.

Post by **Volvo_240_Atari_2600** » 02 Jan 2010, 21:10

Bingo!
It was out of balance and now we are a-ok!
Now I just have to replace bleeder screws tomorrow and bleed out the entire system again.
Thank you!
Eric

Post by **billofdurham** » 03 Jan 2010, 02:36

Keep us updated on the bleeding.

Bill.

Post by **Volvo_240_Atari_2600** » 16 Jan 2010, 07:42

Bill,

Thank you once again for all of you input.
Brakes are like new now... I think we damaged the master cylinder with the bleeding. Remamber I was the one at the calipers, wife and brother in law (heavy foot) may have done damage in hard pressing of the pedal.

I took the car to my local VOLVO specialty shop where they diagnosed two things:

1. the brake line junction box needed replacement.
2. after they replaced the junction box, they bled it three times to say that the mc must have been damaged since the pedal was still not quite right.

So $600 later w/ new master cylinder, new reservoir and two seals, new
brake line junction box and an oil leak from the rear of the engine.
Sounds expensive or excessive? Maybe, but mors than $300 was in parts which I could have bought for less and the rest was shop labor and sales tax.

The rear engine seal you may ask is NOT the rear main seal. On the 740 engines, the distributor is located on the rear of the head, facing the fire wall and on our 240's there is no distributor back there but a plate of some sort that covers the open space, so that was leaking and needed a new seal as well as the valve cover gasket. No more smell of burning leaking oil.

I do have a rear main seal leak that they diagnosed but that would have taken me to $1,000 and I said no thanks.

So, brakes are good.
I gave up to the shop as I spent my whole time off for the holidays working on the car and I got lazy and tired.

Post by **billofdurham** » 16 Jan 2010, 11:45

Thank you for the update.

Keep an eye on the seal as they usually get worse as time goes on. If you don't feel like tackling that yourself any good independent can do it for a lot less than the dealer.

Bill.