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Car Forum / Volvo Cars / December 2005steering difficulties-'88 240
Hi! just got this rust - free 240 from Indy area- got clutch done and running OK. However, steering is difficult at about 4 places in total rotation. Changed some fluid with Lucas magic elixir, and didnt help. I did notice that when car is off and steering is painfully "manual", I dont notice the "steps" in the effort. Wonder if it is the rack, then or something in the box. Any ideas are appreciated. Thanx, bob (ignatz) > Hi! just got this rust - free 240 from Indy area- got clutch done and > running OK. However, steering is difficult at about 4 places in total > rotation. Changed some fluid with Lucas magic elixir, and didnt help. I > did notice that when car is off and steering is painfully "manual", I > dont notice the "steps" in the effort. Wonder if it is the rack, then or > something in the box. Any ideas are appreciated. Thanx, bob (ignatz) I had something similar happen with the 240 that I once had, I tried all sorts of things, including, but not limited to flushing the entire power steering system, and changing the pump, nothing fixed it, until one fine day I had the opportunity to notice what so far I'd overlooked; what the little universal coupling fitted at the bottom of the steering column was doing. One end of the coupling had seized solid somehow, I don't know how, because I drove it regularly, anyhow, that meant that the column didn't 'go round' the slight bend to the rack freely, I changed the coupling , and the steering was perfect silky smooth until the car and I parted company years later. Best wishes, Ken Phillips - 740 owner Hi! You mean that ujoint visible about half way down toward the steering box? I saw it but didnt analyze it. Were you able to see the frozen part by havimg someone turn the wheel while you looked at it? It does seem to mess up every half turn or so. This would be a great thing if you are correct! Thanx, bob > Hi! You mean that ujoint visible about half way down toward the steering > box? I saw it but didnt analyze it. Were you able to see the frozen part > by havimg someone turn the wheel while you looked at it? It does seem to > mess up every half turn or so. This would be a great thing if you are > correct! Thanx, bob That's the one. I spotted it, because I was under the car, with the front end jacked up, and happened to look in that direction as the steering rack moved from the exertions of my frustration, instead if turning smoothly, the column jerked round, while it moved very slightly from side to side. The sensation you report is about the same as well, I hope it is that joint, because that joint is very easy to replace, with just two little metal pins to remove then a cotter pin affair, which you need to fully remove, and the joint just slides of the shaft. With an assistant you could diagnose as you describe. Good luck Ken Phillips Sprayed that steering column Ujoint with PB Blaster and it freed up! Thanx for the valuable tip! Now I will keep it lubed and see if it stays OK, as there is no play. This car sat for a year or so needing a clutch, so wheel was in one position all that time. bob > Sprayed that steering column Ujoint with PB Blaster and it freed up! Thanx > for the valuable tip! Now I will keep it lubed and see if it stays OK, as > there is no play. This car sat for a year or so needing a clutch, so wheel > was in one position all that time. bob Great! I think I have the same kind of problem on my 745 1989. Some days earlier I heard a creaking noise when turning the wheel inside the car, which disappeared again. Several days later on the last day of a longer trip I noticed that after turning the steering wheel it does not anymore passively return to neutral but sticks before but can be returned by actively turning the wheel back to neutral. Around neutral it behaves normally. When rotating the steering wheel one can feel a resistance come and go in both directions. The car is waiting at my small garage mechanic for its turn, since I do not want to drive with the steering not returning to normal. I searched on www.alter-schwede.de a german language Volvo site. The same symptoms were explained and solved also there by lubricating the seizing joint in the steering wheel axle before the steering gear. Seems to be a typical problem... Viktor ............. Seems to be a > typical problem... It happens on other cars with a universal joint in the column too. I had forgotten about it happening on a ford years ago, but that joint could only have been described as agricultural. Hi! Thanx for all help on steering difficulties. I took this car to Echeck today - and didnt pass on NO spec. It has been occasionally missing , but I just attributed that to old fuel since it hadnt been run in a while. Once I looked underneath after it was running real rough and wouldnt go over 1500 RPM or so, and the exhaust was dark cherry red in front of the catalytic. Dont know if that had anything to do with the fail, but I found that I could turn in the mixture screw in several turns before it affected the idle. That might have helped the running rough condition, but not sure if it will help to lower the NO spec. Any ideas are, as usual, appreciated! Also would like to get a tach for this car - it would be the small one to the right of the speedo - not in the main cluster. Thanx, bob > Hi! Thanx for all help on steering difficulties. I took this car to > Echeck [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > be the small one to the right of the speedo - not in the main cluster. > Thanx, bob The NO is created by high combustion temperatures, so I'm sure leaning the idle won't help. Mike F is the man you want to hear from about this. Mike (P) > > Hi! Thanx for all help on steering difficulties. I took this car to > > Echeck [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > > Mike (P) If the cat is glowing then there's unburned fuel getting to it, first thing I'd check is the timing, then the spray pattern of the fuel injectors, then the compression. If one cylinder isn't firing it'll run rough and spray all kinds of unburned fuel into the cat. > If the cat is glowing then there's unburned fuel getting to it, first thing > I'd check is the timing, then the spray pattern of the fuel injectors, then > the compression. If one cylinder isn't firing it'll run rough and spray all > kinds of unburned fuel into the cat. If the exhaust is red in front of the convertor, then the fuel burn is either late or slow, or the exhaust valves are leaking. So first you should make sure that the engine is sound (compression test), then check the ignition timing, make sure there aren't any vacuum leaks and the rest of the fuel system is working correctly.  SignatureMike F. Thornhill (near Toronto), Ont. Replace tt with t (twice!) and remove parentheses to email me directly. (But I check the newsgroup more often than this email address.) > Hi! Thanx for all help on steering difficulties. I took this car to Echeck > today - and didnt pass on NO spec. It has been occasionally missing , but I > just attributed that to old fuel since it hadnt been run in a while. Once > I looked underneath after it was running real rough and wouldnt go over > 1500 RPM or so, and the exhaust was dark cherry red in front of the > catalytic. ................. I had (an oil-burning) Hyundai with a blocked cat converter, it happened over a long time and got to the point it wouldn't start. Might be possible to clean it but I had to replace that one (eventually) after the mech. who discovered it illegally knocked the middle out so the car would run. I don't think the exhaust should glow? ................. > I had (an oil-burning) Hyundai with a blocked cat converter, it happened > over a long time and got to the point it wouldn't start. Might be possible > to clean it but I had to replace that one (eventually) after the mech. who > discovered it illegally knocked the middle out so the car would run. I > don't > think the exhaust should glow? My son had an old Toyota with a plugged converter. It was actually a second converter thae muffler shop said was only for California versions (we are in Arizona) and our best bet was knock the stuffings out of it. I got a copper pipe and tried to hammer it through, but it just mushroomed the pipe! After I hammered a steel rod through it I found the insides were soft - it was just the melted part was hard as glass. Mike > ................. > > I had (an oil-burning) Hyundai with a blocked cat converter, it happened [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > I hammered a steel rod through it I found the insides were soft - it was > just the melted part was hard as glass. Yes, I think it's not too uncommon specially in smaller cars. OK - thanx for the info. I think I will change the fuel filter first just to make sure, then run the motor with exhaust disconnected to see how it runs. Will barely start now. bob Hi! any one know easiest way to determine if catalytic convertor is indeed plugged making car start and run badly? I have been told to disconnect exhaust at manifold and run but as I live next to nursing home am not sure the neighbors will approve! thanx, bob > Hi! any one know easiest way to determine if catalytic convertor is indeed > plugged making car start and run badly? I have been told to disconnect > exhaust at manifold and run but as I live next to nursing home am not sure > the neighbors will approve! thanx, bob That's about the only good way to do it. Perhaps you could drive the car to a friend's place and try it there? Or just do it and don't let it run long, you don't have to. > Hi! any one know easiest way to determine if catalytic convertor is indeed > plugged making car start and run badly? I have been told to disconnect > exhaust at manifold and run but as I live next to nursing home am not sure > the neighbors will approve! thanx, bob The Haynes manual I have for my daughter's Honda isn't very useful, but it has this nifty test for exhaust restrictions (typically plugged cat converter): 1) connect a manifold pressure guage to the intake manifold 2) start the engine and allow it to stabilize at idle with the A/C off - note the reading 3) raise the engine speed to about 2000 rpm for a few seconds, then release the throttle 4) observe the manifold pressure - it should quickly return to within 2 in-Hg of the normal reading. If the pressure doesn't rise at least 5 in-Hg above the idle reading at 2000 rpm, or if the reading hovers around the highest reading before dropping, it indicates an exhaust blockage. An alternative is to unfasten the exhaust at the collector (engine cold, of course) and blow into the tail pipe. The only plugged cat I've dealt with ('82 Toyota) allowed the engine to start and idle more or less normally, but would barely rev at all. The carburetor spit gas back out when the throttle was opened and lacked the normal aggressive vacuum. When we got the cat out it was so blocked that blowing through it was like blowing through a soda straw. Don't forget to wash the silly black ring from around your mouth when you are done :-) Mike Hi! In this continuing saga - have not disconnected catalytic but did the tune-up thing, and new fuel filter, wires, plugs, etc just to cover all bases. Also found a couple of severed lines going to charcoal canister. Still was running erratically and hard starting when cold. Voltage at O2 sensor just 10 millivolts! Did run better when it was plugged in , though. So, still a lean condition. And then, after disconnecting and reconnecting vacuum line to Fuel pressure regulator, took a break. Went back out to see if Exh. manifold had test port as some do - found none, started it up and it is running perfect - have driven it 20 miles now and no hint of original problem (other than I still dont know if it will pass Echeck). Wonder if fuel press. reg. was stuck, or ? Hopefully this gremlin is dead! thanx for all help, bob >Hi! In this continuing saga - have not disconnected catalytic but did the >tune-up thing, and new fuel filter, wires, plugs, etc just to cover all [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] >Echeck). Wonder if fuel press. reg. was stuck, or ? Hopefully this >gremlin is dead! thanx for all help, bob Vac leaks have a cumulative effect, and so if messing with the regulator's line helped a little I would suggest checking all the lines. Pull and replace them. If you find any that are cracked at the ends or come off easily, either cut a bit off the end for a tighter fit or replace them as applicable. __ __ Randy & \ \/ /alerie's \__/olvos '90 245 Estate - '93 965 Estate "Shelby" & "Kate" Just found that when I took out fuse for in-tank pump- no difference in performance! With a full tank, it also runs better- must be the pump! Will have to get that crazy tool to get that thing loose, but I think thats the problem with lean running condition. Thanx for all the help! bob > Just found that when I took out fuse for in-tank pump- no difference in > performance! With a full tank, it also runs better- must be the pump! > Will have to get that crazy tool to get that thing loose, but I think > thats the problem with lean running condition. Thanx for all the help! _____ To check for in-tank pump failure: 1) In sedan lift carpet in trunk, expose wiring towards left of trunk, disconnect fuel level/pump connector. 2) Check brown ground wire for good connection to body. Measure resistance to ground on black wire to pump. Should read around 1 to 2 Ohms. If open circuit, then pump has failed. 3) In wagon, remove two screws holding cargo floor down, lift and proceed as in 2). For details on how to remove/replace in-tank pump, refer to section "3.1 Fuel injection system" at http://contrex-consulting.ca/245dl_1981_restoration.html. You don't need a special tool to remove the pump if it is bad. Two 12 inch flat screw drivers or bars and some wooden blocks will do fine, but beware of sparks. If you are handy with a welding kit, you can make your own tool. In-tank pump removal/replacement is not trivial because of the location. Took me a whole day working carefully. FCP Groton is a good source for this part if you live in the USA. / JCH Thanx for the info - the pump did indeed read open circuit - ordered from IPD and sprung for the $24 bung nut tool as well. Did not pass echeck for second time - NO lower but still not low enough - hoping this repair will do the trick! bob Volvo finally did pass echeck and running well 90% of the time. Still, about once a week and usually when starting off from a stop, car will start running badly ,like running on two cylinders. takes a minute or two before it comes out of this funk! I have also replaced the fuel pressure regulator, back pump, fuel filter, tune up parts. Some days it doesnt act up at all. Wonder now if intermittent in the computer module on firewall? Any help, as always is appreciated! bob d. (ignatz) >............. >Seems to be a [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] >forgotten about it happening on a ford years ago, but that joint could only >have been described as agricultural. The same thing had been hapening with the 960, and I had forgotten about them since I haven't been driving it. Red through this thread and said Ahhh HAAA! Went out and cleaned it up and lubricated it with a greaseless, spray lube and whaddyaknow!? Wife says it is much smoother! __ __ Randy & \ \/ /alerie's \__/olvos '90 245 Estate - '93 965 Estate "Shelby" & "Kate" Great! These cars are nice to work on, usually. I have had 4 of them , all bought for 1000 dollars or less and have put about 240,000 miles on these same cars. Lots of old Volvos are steering much better now! bob > I think I have the same kind of problem on my 745 1989. Some days earlier I > seizing joint in the steering wheel axle before the steering gear. Seems to be a > typical problem... It was the joint, too, in my car, The mechanic took out the joint and it was the culprit. Unfortunately it could not be made easy-going by spraying and lubricating any more. The spare part costs 136 Euros has to be ordered from Sweden, not available in a residential area whith about 1,6 million people. I have a little suspicion, what might be the reason for this my problem. About 3 years ago on a holiday trip I found one day that the little lid over the towing hook on the left side in in the front spoiler was missing. I did not bother to buy a new one, could not get a white one on the local Volvo junk yard. Since I have also found that the bottom left aluminum part of the cooler shows sings of corrosion and one of the clamps is almost broken, I have got the idea that water droplets getting in through the hole in the spoiler on the left side over several years has maybe damaged the joint and the cooler as well. Maybe far fetched....But I will go and get a lid in whatever colour after having the joint replace. Viktor |
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