I am 19 years old, and i got my first car about a year ago. A 1984 244 GL, it had 160,000 miles on it and i got it for only $350. It ran fine until a couple months ago when out of nowhere it started stalling and dying at stoplights. I know very little about cars, but i changed the fuel filter, new cap and roter, new plugs and wires, fresh oil, and i bought a new oxygen sensor and when i pulled the old o2 sensor out, it ripped the threads out with it. So i bought a new exhaust manifold, and i was gonna have it installed, but the car died at a taco restaraunt and i had to walk home. Sorry for the lack of knowledge please help!

Given your a newbie at this and all of the prior advice is a great start, I think maybe getting someone in your area with some experience to show you what and where all these items to check would save you a lot of time and aggrevation. I will give you credit for changing out your fuel filter, I found that to be an incredible PITA and it never really ran right after I finnally got it in. Have fun and keep you tank above half full for awhile to rule out a fuel/float issue.

$10 says it's the fuel pump relay, or the fuel pump.
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Proud Owner of "The World's Most Famous Volvo Radio"

I'm not sure that I'm following. The wiring for the O2 sensor is damaged? If your engine bay wiring harness is bad, try Dave Barton at: http://www.bartonharness.com/volvoharnesses.html. He's got replacement harnesses at very reasonable prices. They're pretty easy to install, too.

Good luck with it.
Dave

metal is usually not the problem on these cars.

Check the wiring and the fuses; it is always something simple.
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Stef (81 245 B21A SU M46 3.91) 327000km - in the garage for the winter, 81 244 BW55 3.31 on the road)

so wiring then? I just started working on cars so i know very little. Please help. Sorry for the ignorance, im trying to learn as much as i can.

Oh, boy.
I'm pretty sure the '84's were in the era of bad wiring. Yup.
The insulation crumbles, giving you shorts of two types - current goes to ground, or current goes into another wire where it doesn't belong.
Also, without the insulation providing added strength, sometimes the wire will break, which of course isn't good either.

Take a look around under the hood, at those wires you can see. Crumbling insulation? It will be similar under the sheathing that makes up the wire harness.

So that could be a source of nearly any problem that has any electrical component to it at all. Sorry to say.

I also would have a look at the fuel pump relay. Located under the glove box, on the kick panel. If you have a friend with a 240, swap theirs into your car and see if that fixes it. Look at fcpgroton.com to see what years 240s have the same fuel pump relay.

Also have a look at the 25 amp fuse in white fuse holder, mounted on a small rail to rear of the battery. Right on the inside of the fender wall. Pull the fuse, clean the contact tips with fine sandpaper or scrape clean with a knife if that's all that's available. It powers the electr. ignition and computer and fuel pump, so it's worth checking.

DON'T pull the red wires out of bottom of fuse holder to inspect, unless you FIRST disconnect the battery (-) ground terminal. Those wires carry hot + voltage and like to ground out on sheet metal etc. very easily. After disconnecting the battery (-) terminal, you can pull those wires to the fuse holder and inspect or replace the whole fuse holder if you like.




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Sven: '89 245, IPD sways, electric rad. fan conversion, 28+ mpg - auto tranny. 850 mi/week commute. '89 245 #2 (wifemobile). '90 244 (spare, runs).

Thanks for the help, i'll try it, i still have to install the new exhaust manifold because my new o2 sensor won't stay in due to bad threads on the old manifold. Would it be worth my while to buy the bently rapair manual? where can i pick it up for cheap?

The Bentley manual is $29 plus shipping at Amazon, $35 for a used one at Powell's on Burnside and worth every penny (especially considering what you've probably spent already). I see you're in SW Portland area, shouldn't be too hard to find help there. I work in downtown Beaverton, if that's any help. My browser is not mail enabled, so I couldn't send you email through the board, but you can send one to me at same user name as I use here at agora dot rdrop dot com for contact info. Be patient if you're just learning, you'll find lots of help here. Check out the 700/900 FAQ here too, a lot of it will apply to your car.

Stalling at stops could be several things. You were probably on the right track with the fuel filter, did you check to be sure the in-tank pump is working? And replacing the exhaust manifold because the O2 sensor threads are stripped is probably overkill, you can probably just ream out the hole and put a helicoil (sp?) in to repair the threads.

The '84 is in the years with rotten insulation on the wires, check the ones around the starter and the alternator, especially. I gooped up the wires on mine at the starter with silicon as a temporary fix. Easier to get at the wires at the alternator to repair them.

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'81 GLT 245 @ 259K; '83 DL 175K

You sound like my grandson. I gave him my '84 244 and he like you is learning about his volvo. This week we did the alternator replacement thing. First get a book on Volvo AutoZone you can get the Haynes manual, about $20 I think. It will get you started. 2nd get your self a digital VOM, they are fairly cheap now and will give you an accurate reading of volts and ohms. 3rd I hope you have some meteric tools, your going to need them. As for your problem, try and narrow it down to either fuel or electrical spark. Part of the problem is making sure your not going in the wrong direction when trying to figure out the cause. Keep working and try and find someone who will help you, like look for another 240 driver and ask, you would be surprised at how many of us are a do it yourself mechanic and are always ready to help another Brickhead..