1990 940 GLE 16V Automatic ~93,000 Miles Various issues

[girlbunny]

Hi again!

Well, yesterday was the big day. I took the car in for a safety check. I was hoping the speedo would work, since it's still sporadic! I'm beginning to wonder if it has something to do with the wires down by the drivers door which *should* have a decent cover, but the previous owner broke the cover, so it comes off easily. The speedo stopped working altogether for a couple of days, then after fiddling with those wires, it has been working ever since. Of course, it has worked on and off in a sporadic fashion for a while, sometimes working brilliantly, other times not working at all. Humid days it often stops working... however even MORE humid days it has been working, so I'm darned if I know...

However, that isn't the point of this post! Alas, the safety check failed. I have no idea what they are, however I have been charged with finding and replacing the sway bar bushes and the caster bushes. He said I have to secure a pipe near the front of the car using a bolt... didn't say which pipe. I *think* it has something to do with the air conditioning, since he mentioned that he thought someone must have played with the air conditioning at one point. I can imagine why... the AC hasn't worked since before I got the car LOL Somehow, some oil leakage around the tappets are a safety issue, so he wanted me to fix that too... he said something about tightening the tappet cover. How hard or easy is this, and will I need special tools?

So, I need to know a good place to buy said bushes... and I need to have a clue as to what I need to do to replace them! I've been on the phone a good deal of today, and all I've found is one) Australia is not the cheapest place in the world to get tyres... and two) places that sell car parts in this town are severely lacking.

Not one company could procure for me sway bar bushes OR caster bushes... I have no idea what they are (I believe they're rubber?) It can't be THAT hard to get the parts? Or can it... As I mentioned in a previous post a while ago, the local Volvo parts people leave a lot to be desired. Any help is appreciated.

Thanks!

[billofdurham]

Hello again.

Sorry that the car failed but I am sure, between us, we can point you in the right direction.

As usual with cars, terminologoy varies from country to country. In the UK the swaybar is called an anti roll bar so if I drift off into our terminology you will still know what I am talking about. In other countries it is called the stabilizer bar.

This attachment shows the set up of a sway bar and the front suspension.

940 front suspension.pdf

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As you can see there are several bushes so we need to know exactly which have failed. The caster bushes are actually in the control arm. I know it is the wrong country but FCP have a good selection of bushes at various prices, depending on the material used.
http://www.fcpgroton.com/category-exec/ ... by_year/41

The tappets sit underneath the valve cover, part #32 in this attachment. You may get away with just nipping up the 15 x nuts, part #26 or you may have to replace the gasket, part #31. You don't need special tools nor do you need to tighten the nuts until the pips squeak!!

940 valve cover.pdf

(856 KiB) Downloaded 342 times

When you determine which bushes you need let us know and instructions will be forthcoming.

Bill.

[girlbunny]

Thanks Bill

I finally picked up some callipers today so I could at least measure the anti roll bar! The middle was 22mm, the outer area was 23mm (mud caked on it so presuming it's wider because of the mud) and closest to the supports was 21mm. They don't make it simple LOL

I can see kits on the site for 20mm, 22mm and 23mm - no kits that I can see for 21mm. I'm looking at kits because... well.. I dunno what to get LOL I'm presuming the kits will have everything I need apart from the tools The mechanic said I only need to replace the "D" brushes in the sway bar area. No idea what they are, or if that makes a difference. Truth to tell, I hate to admit it, but I can't even see where they go in the picture you gave me! Can't see mention of bushes anywhere in the image. Thinking I'm blind

I need to order the parts pretty quickly now that I'm figuring out what I need. I'm presuming it'll take a week or two to arrive here, and I only have another week or so to get it fixed. I can possibly stretch it to two weeks, but don't want to push my luck LOL Already pushed it with crossing all sorts of extremities while hoping the speedo would work during the test!

So... where do I go from here? I saw the area the guy was complaining about that needed a bolt to be affixed. That really does look pretty simple, even for me LOL There's so much stuff around the tappets, I'm sure it'll look more simple if I'm looking at just the engine, but I'm not sure where I'd start about the oil leak. Since the guy commented that all I probably needed to do was tighten a few nuts, I'm sure that's all it needs... but it looks daunting to someone who has little experience in the engine department! I've been getting darned good at the Aerostart though lately... if the petrol hits the halfway mark, the car starts not liking starting.

I'm thinking of getting a mechanic to do the bushes but not sure I can afford it, so any and all instructions will be good to see if I really can do it

I'm probably better off actually learning, just nervous about tinkering, I guess

Thanks again.

Edited to add:

I went onto the live chat with FCP Groton. Poor guy was on there with me for over an hour! I realised partway through that I would need two control arm bushing kits (one kit per side) and that the moron mechanic didn't bother telling me front or back control arm... from his description, he must have meant front though. I also found out that I need two kits for both caster bushings and sway bar bushings. The price could be a lot worse, it's just scary high for me right now LOL

[billofdurham]

I love deadlines.

The 'D' bushes on the anti-roll bar are under the bracket #2, Front suspension components, in the attachment. You can also see their location in the sectional view, just above the number 6. These 'D' bushes are split which means you only need to remove the two brackets #2, pull the old bushes off the anti-roll bar, put the new bushes on and replace the brackets. Give the bolts a good soaking in releasing oil before you start.

To do the other bushes you will probably need a puller to get the old ones off and a press to get the new ones on. Check with a mechanic for a price for the job, without the 'D' bushes which you can do yourself. If it is exorbitant post back and we'll see if there is a diy way to do it without the special tools.

The oil leak - you should be able to see the 15 nuts without removing anything else. Use a socket on an extension bar to reach them easily and don't overtighten them.

Bill.

[girlbunny]

I really am terrible about getting back on here, aren't I?

Well... I finally got a mechanic to put the bushings etc on. The mechanic I found was over an hour away, but he's an official Volvo mechanic. Ironically enough, also a lot cheaper than any local mechanic that doesn't deal with Volvos LOL

The car still needs Aerostart to get started. Particularly in the wet weather. We've had a couple of weeks of rain, and now she barely goes a block without stalling, refusing to start again unless I get under the hood with the Aerostart.

Yesterday I tried to go to the store. It's only a few blocks away. She stalled (and needed Aerostart) at least five times on the way there. One time she backfired inside the engine bay twice. I saw it the second time, with the concertina hose from the air filter bucking with the backfire... Is it called a backfire when it's in the engine bay rather than from the exhaust??)

Because she starts more consistently when the tank is full, and is generally better when I put fuel cleaner in the tank... I've been considering the possibility of needing to clean the fuel filter. Someone has commented that it sounds like it may be a compression issue though... but because of the way that things seem to improve specifically with fuel cleaner and a full tank, I'm leaning toward the clogged filter. The Volvo mechanic that did the bushes commented that he didn't think a plain fuel filter would fix the issue, but I'm considering that it can't really hurt to do it.

I have been feeling like even MORE of a moron with the OBD. I swear, I've looked all over the place. I've checked what seemed to be pretty straight forward instructions from Bill. I've checked the car manual. I just can't find the thing. The mechanic that I mentioned earlier isn't really interested in showing me how to find it... just states that he has diagnostic equipment that can lead him to whatever the problem is. ... he may be cheap, but it doesn't mean he's squeaky clean!

Thanks again for all the help!

[billofdurham]

Good to have you back.

just states that he has diagnostic equipment that can lead him to whatever the problem is. ... he may be cheap, but it doesn't mean he's squeaky clean!

Hmm! His diagnostic equipment is probably his knowing the location of the OBD unit. He probably does have a code scanner but it won't work on your car.

This is what it looks like in its closed state. It is black and should be tucked in behind the left suspension strut tower.

940 OBD.pdf

(16.58 KiB) Downloaded 258 times

You shouldn't be having all the problems you are experiencing with dampness. Aerostart is good for getting the engine going but it seems that you need to seal the ignition system against the damp. I always use Holts Damp Start. It does work. The ignition leads, outside of the distributor cap and the ignition coil can be sprayed - after you have dried them thoroughly. A hair dryer is a good way of doing this. When you spray the leads detach the end from the spark plug to ensure that you totally cover the lead with the spray. A good coat should last at least 12 months or 1 year, whichever comes first.

How long is it since the fuel filter was changed? Modern filters seem to go on for ever but it should be changed at 96,000kms. I don't know what a plain fuel filter is. I always thought a fuel filter was a fuel filter was a fuel filter. Possibly he is thinking of the in-tank pump sock filter but they ceased being a service item years ago.

Finally, it is a backfire when it's in the engine compartment.

Bill.

[egads]

Not related really but been reading the whole saga and thought I would recommend a mob I get some of my stuff from. His name is Ash and he is in Geelong if that is anywhere nearby and deals most OEM parts and some good quality solutions that are better than the OEM. Site is http://www.dvs.net.au/
Keep up the struggle, sounds like the car is getting there!

[billofdurham]

That looks like a good one to bookmark for the Australian members. Thank you.

Bill.

[girlbunny]

I *finally* got the fuel filter changed today! The first place I called for a quote started going on about how he wanted to remove all the injectors, send them to another town for checking, and "how much is your car worth, anyway?"

When you get that type of remark for a quote, I figure it's a good time to look elsewhere for your work LOL

So, I ended up buying the fuel filter from FCP - got an air filter at the same time, since the price of both filters plus shipping amounted to the same as the local places for just the one filter! I ordered before the place in Geelong was posted, so I'll have to check up on them shortly, just to see what they have available. Always good to buy local when you can

This morning, I got sick of waiting for mechanics to give me quotes or just fart around doing nothing useful. I called the mechanic who inspected my car last year, and straight up told them I wanted the fual filter changed, I already have the part. It just needs to be raised up, the old one removed, the new one shoved in, and bobs your uncle. They quoted the humungous fee of.... $20.

So, I took the car around there this morning. Was told to come back in an hour, since they would fit it in between other jobs. I went back two and a half hours later, and they hadn't even looked at it yet. Probably a good thing, since, after I, my hubby and my three young children were parked in their waiting room for half an hour, they tried to get the car started.

I HAD warned them it needed Aerostart to start. They spent a good several minutes just trying to find the catch to open the hood LOL I went over, popped the hood, sprayed the Aerostart, and they tried to start her. Naturally, she started up, and immediately died. I told them to pump the accelerator a bit otherwise she'd just keep dying. She started right up then

They spent over half an hour with the car before I finally had to find out what was happening. They were huddled under the hood, staring at the engine and talking. They'd OBVIOUSLY finished the work ages earlier, but, because she still wouldn't start immediately, they were more interested in trying to figure out her issues rather than kicking us out, and getting on with the enxt job LOL

Rather flattering that the car is so fascinating, but it would be nice to get home

Anyway, she's still incredibly hard to start. However, there obviously was a real issue with the fuel filter. She isn't stalling as badly once she's been going for a little bit (not stopping at ever intersection like she has been!) She also is actually accelerating when you put your foot on the accelerator. Nice, since now she won't die when you're pulling onto the main highway from a side street, while in front of a massive cattle truck LOL

The two things that they suggested as possible issues were: Possible vacuum leak somewhere, and possible problem with the air flow metre.

On the good side... I *finally* found the OBD thingy. So... I can finally see if it has any error codes coming up. WooHoo!

Of course, now that I've found it, after many weeks of nothing but hot sun and dry days, we now have a storm blowing in LOL It's no wonder I wasn't seeing it, I was looking in totally the wrong areas!

Oh, evidently the previous air filter was the wrong size. The new one fitted in so snugly it was like it was made just for my car (I know that it was, essentially, made for the car!) The previous one always had room around it, and kinda... sagged. It was also missing the white fluffy bottom part of the filter. You know... the filtration part So, since putting that in, she actually became somewhat harder to start, but with the change of both fuel and air filters she's now running much better.

She's still idling way too low, stalls when she's idling. However, if *I* can hear she's idling too low, you know there's a problem LOL

I'm just happy that she is finally responding again to the accelerator.

Strangely enough, when she's hardest to start... that's when the speedo has been working the best lately. Weird. I really do need to fix that speedo issue one day.

And the air conditioning problem. ... and have to fix the hand brake, it needs to be pulled up way too high to actually start to catch. I looked in the book and it shows soething in behind the console, where you remove the back ashtray and warning light panel. and tighten or loosen something from there. Is that what'll fix this issue? Or do I need to dabble with the handbrake cables themselves, which is what I was expecting?

Thanks again everyone. This car really is a saga in its own right (as was commented a little earlier!) I'm just living in hope that eventually I'll have a car that's actually working fully, and not needing *something* repaired!

[billofdurham]

Now that you've found the OBD I'm not going to try to solve engine problems until after you have checked for codes. Get the storm through as fast as possible, please.

The handbrake adjustment is done initially from inside the centre console:

940 handbrake adjustment.pdf

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If that doesn't work then you may be in need of new handbrake shoes.

The garage you went to sounds like a typical "we don't know what we are doing, but neither do you, so just pay up" sort of operation. You can air your comments in the 'Opinion' section lower down the forum. We have a growing number of Australian members and, although it is a large country, there may just be somebody else looking at having work done there.

Bill.