high idle

gallieho · Post by **gallieho** » 21 Dec 2004, 17:16

i have a 85 volvo gle that wont idle down. i tried to lower the idle but it didnt help .still too high .can someone please help me with this problem?

thank you

ozzimark · Post by **ozzimark** » 28 Dec 2004, 21:03

i had the same problem with my car. i narrowed it down to the wiring being bad. i cleaned out the idle control motor, and it didn't fix anything.
you have two options: one, fix the wiring
two: find a way to restrict the airflow through the idle control motor so that when it decides to short, the idle won't rise to insane levels. i used duct tape and cut a small slit in it.

TAFinley · Post by **TAFinley** » 29 Dec 2004, 07:09

The '85 B230F engine Volvos had "biodegradable" wiring harness insulation that literally rotted away after about 5 to 8 years; I know because my '85 240 harness was shot by 1992. Volvo realized this problem and paid half the replacement bill even though my car was way out of warranty.

There's a good bit of info about this problem out on the web. Volvo went so far as to cut the price of the replacement harness (without the "biodegradable" wiring) in half.

One place you can get a new replacement is http://www.expressautoparts.com for about $350 US.

I toyed with the idea of trying to repair mine, but it's just way too much work. Buy a new one or try to find a junkyard replacement harness. If that harness is the problem, you're going be haunted by all sorts of weird problems until it's replaced.

arete · Post by **arete** » 29 Dec 2004, 11:03

I had the same on my 81 245 DL. Disconnect the electrical connector from the air control valve. If the idle drops, then you can either leave that unplugged, or come smog time I went into the wiring harness of that connection and found the the wire that also lowered the idle and cut it and then taped up that cut so I would pass smog. It is the low idle control and other than slight problems on cold start, it works fine.
My car used to idle high enough to go 35mph.