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Just finished replacing the blower motor and heater core on my '79 264. Everything is working great except for the brake lights. Tail lights and rear turn signals work fine. Everything electrical disconnected from center dash and speedo console labeled prior to disassembly and reconnected in reverse order. Even took pictures to document the procedure and pass along to my son.
Brakes work fine. Brake lights are not energizing, tested with tester. Everything worked correctly before.
Question: The brake sensor on the brake pedal arm has two points of connection, with one point having two spade connector ends. Two wires connect to sensor, one on each point of connection with one of the spade connectors on the double point left empty. Am I missing a ground wire here? My manual doesn't indicate three wires, just two. Also, when applying the brakes, the bulb sensor relay buzzes slightly. Have checked, even replaced, the double filament brake bulbs to no avail. Advice!?
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To all those that helped, my sincere appreciation. Everything is sorted out and working properly thanks to your willingness to help and guidance.
BTW, drove through a tank for the first time yesterday completely on an interstate. Numbers don't lie, but is 24 mpg (actually, 23.91) normal for these V6 cars? No complaints, just an observation. ---rick
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Hi Art (and everyone else),
Been out of town for the past week+ and haven't been able to work on the 264. Using Art's great pics and diagrams went through the entire wire harness that feeds the central console and dash (had to take apart the center console ONCE MORE!). I discovered that I had inadvertently run a green/red wire to a relay behind the center console. The relay is the one that controls the delayed interior light. Disconnected the wire and put the appropriate one there and then ran the green/red wire to the double spade on the brake light switch. Voila! I now have brake lights.
On a separate note, I have yet to see any diagram or schematic that depicts the set of double green wires that were hanging next to the fuse block. I ran a light jumper wire from the spare spade terminal on fuse #8 (Art mentioned this). I used a very light wire (~20 ga) between the alligator clips to try to avoid blowing the fuse or shorting out a relay if it was incorrect, instead choosing a sacrificial wire on the jumper instead. No sparks, meltdowns, or other ill effects. Attached the wires to #8 and started checking components to see if it had made any changes. First thing I noticed is that the interior dome light came on (had thought that the bulb had burnt out long ago). After putting things away and cleaning up, hit the door lock and the rest of the doors locked! Another problem solved.
As Onkel Udo has commented, on this model it is more apt to have ALL of the bells and whistles than not. My niece, upon riding in the car for the first time a while back, commented that it looked like a James Bond car due to all of the switches and buttons on the dash and central console. It is quite a sight.
Thank you to everyone for all of your help. This forum is an amazing resource for those of us that are learning about our bricks. Safe travels everyone! ---rick
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Always good to hear back with a resolution.
As Art also mentioned, check EVERYTHING potentially fed by that newly active fuse. Almost everything you listed are known offenders for phantom power drains that drive official mechanics nuts and those without this board's insight to distraction.
Engine bay light
Trunk light
Glove compartment light
These are all items that can be turned on and you will never notice until your battery is drained...all controlled by a 30 year old switch with probably a manufacturing cost of $.30.
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Thanks for your help. All of these lights are currently functioning properly (I took the trunk and hood lights apart and cleaned all contacts a while back, then applied dielectric grease). They are switched off and available for use whenever the need arises. I'll be sure to keep an eye on them and watch for any power drain or weak battery. ---rick
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Hello,
Do not ground the extra pole on the brake light switch or you will blow a fuse.
Check the wires at the brake light switch for power.
1 of the wires at the switch comes from the fuse box and should have power all the time, the other wire goes to the bulb failure relay.
If there is no power, check the fuse.
--
Eric
Hi Performance Automotive Service (formerly OVO or Old Volvos Only)
Torrance, CA 90502
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Not really advice, but help with that double spade...that empty lug is for cruise if it is like my '81.
Are you getting 12V to the switch. I am almost positive that the single lug is if the 12V feed.
Before you pull too much hair out, make absolutely sure the fuse is good. No idea what else is on that fuse but check every single item to see if it works. I know you are absolutely positive that the fuse is fine but remove it, inspect it and replace it anyway. We have ALL been sure before on these 240's only to end up wrong after spending hours on other troubleshooting.
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As Eric mentioned in his post just above yours, and as you have pointed out, I need to check the fuse. Neither of the terminals on the switch are energized. I checked the terminals on either side of the fuse and did not have any juice there either (with key on and depressing the brake pedal). The fuse looks fine but will go to the parts store tomorrow to pick up some more fuses.
Riddle me this: Inside the fuse panel I have located two green wires (one covered with a red sleeve with numbers on it) which terminate on a double spade coming from the wire with the sleeve on it. These wires are just hanging in space next to the fuse block. Neither is hot with key on or off. Could this be part of my problem. Have looked all over but cannot find a wiring diagram for the fuse block. Could anyone help with this quandry?
I'm just anxious to put the front end all back together after the gut ripping I had to do to replace the blower motor and the heater core. My neighbor commented that it looked like Volvo hung these two items from a string and built a car around them! I've now done three blower motors and have that down to about a 5 hr job. The heater core is a whole different beast. The note in the box from IPD even wished me luck! It can be done but be ready to encounter copious amounts of gorilla snot back there.
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You are going to need the honest to goodness wiring diagram for this one but I can tell that those wire you describe sure sound like the standard issue Volvo jumper wires. I seem to remember them being almost and aqua more than Kermit the frog green. If it is what I say and only on end is connected, you probably do have a problem of some sort.
On my '79, I used the chainsaw method for the blower motor and I am not sure at that point in my life if I could have done the heater core.
Good Luck!
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Hi Art,
Many thanks to you and everyone else who has offered advice. The fuse block wiring diagrams are printing right now and I will to through the routing on the car after work this evening. I've tested the fuse and it has continuity. I have even replaced it with a known good one. Still no brake lights.
I checked the wires running to the brake switch and neither one of them have power, with brake pedal depressed or otherwise. I also checked for power at the #6 fuse with the pedal depressed and otherwise, no power there as well. I'm going to trace the wiring and see if there may be a short somewhere. All of the other systems on that portion of the fuse block (#s 6-10) fed by the 14 ga. red wire from the junction box on the wheel well are working properly (i.e., window lifts, hood/trunk/glovebox lights, fuel pump). I will also check the terminals at the back of the bulb-out switch (never would have thought of that). I'll check for grounds on the route from the cab to the lights later this evening as well.
I just ran out to the car to look at the two green wires that terminate together just shy of the fuse block. The number on the red sleeve is T 1258307. Both wires are kermit green with no signs of fading. You may have hit it right on the head when you mentioned the central locking. Mine used to work and inexplicably died about 5 months ago. Which spade terminal on the fuse block would these normally be attached to?
Thanks again for all of your help, ---rick
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Hey Rick,
Green wires go to fuse 8. The blocks used to be "painted" with the wire colors, right where the spade lugs are.
My parts book goes from 1258302 to 1258308 -- and both of those are harnesses. My 79 does not have central locking, but alas, it is only a 244DL. That brake light switch is in an awful place to work.
If there's no power at the fuse 6, and your other circuits fed by that block of 6-7-8-9-10 are working, there's no question in my mind the problem is right there at the fuse. Dig the corrosion out of the fuse holder as if you were the dental hygienist. Use your test light to pinpoint where the power stops, but do it with the brake pedal depressed.
--
Art Benstein near Baltimore
"Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy." - Benjamin Franklin
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"A loose wire near the fuse panel is almost certainly a load and not a supply. Could be an unused accessory-- especially in a lux car like the 264 -- wired but not installed."
I would have thought the opposite would be true. I would think the "lux" car would be less likely to have accessories not installed, but there is the fact that these cars were made for so many markets with only a few of the accessories available in North America.
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You're right. Likelihood is interesting speculation, and on further speculatin' I wonder if the loose green wire was one of the fancy things in that era, only available in the "lux" cars, called central locking. A common reason for battery drain when it messes up.
Someone may have found the wire for it and disconnected, while troubleshooting a drain. Green is the color for wires feeding loads that would drain the battery overnight.
If not central locking, there are the usual suspects: delayed courtesy lamp, glovebox, under hood, trunk, antenna parking, remote trunk release, clock, radio presets. Something it came with probably doesn't work with that wire loose.
The numbers on the sleeve might help; I have a parts manual from that era.
--
Art Benstein near Baltimore
A skeptical anthropologist was cataloging South American folk remedies with the assistance of a tribal Brujo who indicated that the leaves of a particular fern were a sure cure for any case of constipation. When the anthropologist expressed his doubts, the Brujo looked him in the eye and said, "Let me tell you, with fronds like these, you don't need enemas."
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