Recommendations on Preventative Maintenance

I've had a few Volvo wagons in the past and I just picked up a '93 245 with around 250k. It is an auto, no crash history. Body is perfect.

I need to make this thing as reliable as possible (and I mean reliable!), what recommendations do you have? I'm not afraid to drop 500-1000 dollars on it as I got it for a steal. I'm comfortable doing just about everything mechanically on a car except actually tearing into the engine itself.

What I know has been done recently:

-Timing Belt
-Water Pump
-Presumably tentioners
-starter
-igniter
-Fuel pump relay

What I plan to do:

-replace all vacuum lines
-engines mounts and transmission mounts (and any other big rubber I can find), I've only driven the car for about 30 minutes, but I noticed a lot of driveline slop
-battery
-complete fluid change
-complete filter change
-injectors??? (is this worth the price?)
-oil trap if it has one
-possibly springs and struts (felt really bouncy)

Anything else that I should do? Overdrive on the transmission seems to work, so no problem with that. I did notice that when you floor it, it bogs down for just a second then revs up (thoughts on what that might be?), it feels almost like a carburetor that is out of adjustment.

Thanks!!!!!

Lots of good suggestions but couple that have sidelined me before:

While you are changing the accessory belts and likely the accessory bushings or while you are under the car doing the motor mounts, remove and inspect the the alternator ground wire. Almost no one believes me when I tell them that this is one of the most common causes of intermitent charging issues. Do not inspect it in place...remove it to inspect it.

Remove all fuses, re-tension the fuse holders and replace the fuses...probably a couple of fuses with show enough wear on the tips to warrant replacement.

Remove, clean and reinstall all exterior bulbs after cleaning their bulb holders. Replace lenses or gaskets on any locations with hints of standing water on the reflectors.

I would remove the intake manifold, clean the throttle body, idle air control and and the oil separator box. With these things off, it is easy to get at the heater hoses.

Squirt a little WD 40 on the fuse tips to prevent corrosion and coil connections, too. Inspect the battery cables and replace if old. If you have the time, consider sending the injectors out for cleaning, do not replace, too pricy.

Flush the tranny as mentioned, do not drop the pan. Get a power bleeder for the brakes and do it every year. Flush the coolant system with a water hose, don't forget to open the heater valve at this time. Suck out and replace p/s fluid.

Replace any sticking lug nuts or you'll end up replacing the lugs, too. Make sure the flap in the air filter box isn't stuck open and drawing in hot air, it will fry the Amr mass meter.

Have fun!
--
89 240 Wagon 225K, 94 940 190K

Crank position or RPM sensor if the insulation at the sensor is bad.
Dan

On the bog down issue. I would check the throtttle switch. I believe there might have been a wide open positon (full losd signal to the computer map) on earlier cars. Not sure about the 90's plus cars.

For sure check the plate opening rest adjustment, in the full closed position. Cleaning the throttle body this makes a good maintenance cure for a lot of minor things of that nature.

If you can, try to satisfy that the engine is operating up to proper temperature. The thermostat and the computer temperature sensor need to be in sync. Someone mentioned the thermostat, its worth doing.

I have very good luck with Wahler brand brass material thermostats. I have had Clairostats become lazy opening up all the way, was the first sign, then sticking closed.

Luckily it was with in a half mile of home, just recently. Burnt out the header down pipe gasket and warp the flange on it. It could happen with any brand but when I opened it up. There it was that brand that I had tried because that was what was being sold from that parts dealer at the time.

A reason I get more picky with my age, I think!

The instrument gauge only tells half the story and if hasn't been tweaked, it can lie a little. Look into that if you ever have to pull the instrument cluster.

Flush the brake system with new fluid if it looks brownish in the reservoir.

I like the non-contact infared thermomers for checking the outlet housing and the brake rotors on a comparsion walk around after driving the car. It helps to rule a chance of having a dragging brake pad. Experience has shown me, it is hard to spot a bad rear brake caliper.

Thats about it, don't want to make this too long.

Phil

These are all great suggest, definitely somethings I would not have considered.

Anyone have any suggestions on why the car bogs down for a quick second upon hard accelerations? I'm thinking something in the vacuum system or something else dealing with the intake system???

Thanks again!!!

Clean all your electrical grounds.
Resolder your overdrive relay.
Check the rear hatch wiring harnesses. Replace or resplice with better wire.
Clean window switches.
Check operation of engine sensors per FAQ
Remove the temperature compensation board if its still in there.

I would run a bottle of Techron when your tank is nearly empty to clean anything out of the injectors and otherwise replace the seals when you've got the injector rack off for a new inlet manifold gasket.

for peace of mind, replace the CPS and heater hoses.

Confirm Brakes (pads, rotor, calipers) are all in good order - always #1 on my list.

You mentioned only timing belt - but I'm assuming that they also replaced the other belts.

Replace Thermostat (unless you know it's new)

Double check the radiator hoses, fan clutch and see if you can flush out any bugs/trash in your radiator - that may help it cool better in the summer. I'd also check if it's fallen victim to the "binary" heater valve. (hopefully the fan is also in good working order - that's a real PITB)

Grease u-joints and wheel bearings

Replace Fuel filter

If you are really picky (like many of us 240 owners), I'd grease the door hinges and hood springs and check your turn signal/break light/backup light bulbs for corosion.

Also - not sure where you're from but here in TN - we occasionally need to turn on AC even in the Winter time - I'd check out to make sure that is all working as desired.


I'm sure that there's more - but didn't see these on other's lists

Hope that helps
Charles

Drain and replace the differential fluid with fresh synthetic juice.
--
'86 sedan with 446,000 miles on the original engine and automatic transmission

I always used to drop the pan to replace the filter screen. But I never found a dirty one, so I stopped looking. Then I learned that Volvo doesn't think it's worth the effort either, per this Technical Service Bulletin posted by Gregg Shadduck on Feb. 10, 2005...

)=======================>
TSB 17106
Dec 1990

"ATF filter cleaning deleted"

for 200/700/900
for all those AW 70/70l/71/72L transmissions
and for ZFHP22
(Does NOT apply to BW*)

"It is NO LONGER REQUIRED [capitalized in original] to clean and inspect the Automatic Transmission Filter..."
<==========================(

• But I would recommend doing the tranny flushing method covered in the 700/900FAQ, and the Bentley 240 manual (same tran on 240s). It gets you complete fluid flush and replacement in about 45 minutes or less, with the car flat on the ground.
--
Bruce Young, '93 940-NA (current), 240s (one V8), 140s, 122s, since '63.

You mention preventive maintenance for reliability, so I'll skip the comfort and safety and add:


Alternator brushes -- inspect or renew
Tank pump -- inspect or renew


What I know has been done recently:

-Timing Belt yes
-Water Pump yes
-Presumably tentioners check the receipt
-starter keep an eye on rebuilt starters
-igniter probably you mean ignition power stage?
-Fuel pump relay yes, yes

What I plan to do:

-replace all vacuum lines inspect or renew
-engines mounts and transmission mounts (and any other big rubber I can find), I've only driven the car for about 30 minutes, but I noticed a lot of driveline slop if mounts bad, check condition of shifter linkage -- this can break and sideline you
-battery yes
-complete fluid change yes
-complete filter change don't mess with the fuel filter if it isn't rusty
-injectors??? (is this worth the price?) no
-oil trap if it has one it has one - yes
-possibly springs and struts (felt really bouncy) safety - yes (shocks and struts)
--
Art Benstein near Baltimore

A boiled egg in the morning is hard to beat.

Thanks, I'll take a look at those. Are there any other bushings or rubber bits you would recommend taking a look at?

Make sure all the other belts are in good condition and while you are in there check out the accessory bushings to make sure they're looking good also.

AND

I would definitely recommend if you do either belts, bushings or both have a couple of the long adjustment bolts on hand-sometimes they have been under serious abuse-or they snap when you remove or install things in the wrong order, I know about that.

You mentioned driveline slop. Besides engine and tranny mounts, I'd look at the driveshaft center support bearing/rubber support and the u-joints.

Also check the tailshaft at the rear of the transmission for leaks and slop. If the tailshaft bushing and its seal haven't been replaced they are overdue. The slop and leak will eventually cause more serious damage.
--
Bessie - 95 855 GLT Sportwagon; 93 854 GLT; Inga - 90 244 DL 300k, gone but not forgotton

Thanks for all of the great suggestions! I wouldn't have considered even looking at some of these things.

No problem!

Been there done that as they say..:)

I owned my 90 from 164k to 300k so I did a lot of repairs! Especially around 200k. My car needed the tailshaft bushing and seal at about 190k. They all seem to go around 200k or so. Personally, I never had a problem with my u-joints or the center support bearing but it isn't uncommon for them to wear at high mileage.
--
Bessie - 95 855 GLT Sportwagon; 93 854 GLT; Inga - 90 244 DL 300k, gone but not forgotton

I had to replace the output flange as it was scored. Picked one up used
--
89 240 Wagon 225K, 94 940 190K