I am looking to help my sis get a used 90 740 NA wagon ...can probably get it for about 800-1000.00. In pretty good shape w/ 186K. Her 91 740 is in pretty bad shape, and if this can become a good ride for her - she can keep that one for spare parts.

Called the owner (plan to drive it tomorrow). He said it has a miss, and needed a tune up. I know I can take care of things like cleaning the TB, and ICV - and other general tune stuff ..but I want to make sure I don't buy something with bad valves. Is there a way that I should be able to tell if that is a possibility - outside of doing a compression test. I am thinking that if the valve train sounds normal - then the other stuff from the distributor to some general cleaning - can take care of the miss. Looked under the oil cap when I first spotted it, and it was pretty OK - indicating (more than likely) fairly regular oil changes.

Thanks for any ideas, advice.
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' Of all bad men religious bad men are the worst. '' (C S Lewis ; on Evil Men) 89 764 (158K), '94 940T (240K), 85 245 (219K)

Probably just needs a tune up, cap wires etc, might need to take the injectors out and have them cleaned. Check the thing for computer error codes, socket 2 and 6.
I would doubt valve problems, possibly due for valve adjustment if it's got more than a couple of hundred thousand miles on it. Listen at the exhaust pipe for any sharp chuffing sounds.
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-------Robert, '93 940t, '90 240 wagon, '84 240 diesel (she's sick) , '80 245 diesel, '86 740 GLE turbo diesel, '92 Ford F350 diesel dually

1st time I got a miss, it was the distributor cap. Only go Bosch caps. Even Volvo service manual states that.
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Post Back. That's whats makes this forum work.

Thanks for the replies and bit of re-assurance - guys. I had thought that it would be an unlikely thing for it to have bad valves. I was pretty sure that if valves were a prob, I should be able to hear it.
Hopefully this will turn out to be a good car for my sis.
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' Of all bad men religious bad men are the worst. '' (C S Lewis ; on Evil Men) 89 764 (158K), '94 940T (240K), 85 245 (219K)