Thank you all for your responses. I am humbled by your generosity and willingness to share your experience. These tips provide a great deal of focus.

Regarding the comments about the major tune-up, I'll freely admit to my lack of experience and skill. I'm planning on paying a shop to do the work, as the last time I tried to do a tuneup I got stopped at the simple step of trying to remove and replace the rotor. It was stuck and I was afraid that using brute force would create more problems and I'd find myself in a kind of snowball down-the-hill situation.

This board, and the FAQ and all the tips really provide meaningful encouragement and for that I'm truly grateful. It's an altogether too rare commodity these days. Thanks.
--
'94 940, 40 linear feet of vintage jazz, r'&'b, funk and soul

Dear Naimnut,

Hope you're well. Is there "play" in the shift lever? That is, when the lever is in any position, can the lever be moved front-to-back (or back-to-front) without changing the gear selected?

I ask, because it may be the one or both shift linkage bushings (Part #381704, about $8) have deteriorated and fallen out. Replacing these bushings is tedious, as they're hard to access and to stuff into the holes in the linkage arms.

If you're not sure as to whether or not the shift linkage bushings are in good order, you'll need to go underneath the vehicle. Do this from the driver's side. You'll see the bottom of the shift lever, with the linkage running forward (towards the front of the car). If memory serves, there are two bushings, one at the bottom of the shift lever, where it connects to a transfer bar, and one at the front end of the transfer bar, from which a shaft enters the transmission case.

If the bushings are present, the next suspects are the transmission mount and the engine mounts.

Your report that the movement into park is easiest, when the car is level, and hardest, when the car is on an incline, suggests that the trans mount (and possibly the motor mounts) could need replacing. If these mounts have deteriorated with time and heat, they allow the engine/transmission to shift, changing the position of the transmission relative to the shift lever's arm, that extends downwards from the shifter box.

To gauge whether the motor mounts need replacing, jack-up the front of the car and place jackstands under the frame members on both sides of the vehicle, just behind the wheel wells. Use a flash light to see if there is less than 3/16" between the oil pan's bottom and the top of the frame member underneath the oil pan. If the gap between the pan and the frame member is less than 3/16", the motor mounts need to be replaced. If there's 1/4" or more space, then the motor mounts are in good order.

There's no easy way to inspect the transmission mount. If the one present is the factory original, it doesn't owe you a penny. To replace it, you'll need to support the transmission with a jack, atop which you should put a piece of 3/4" (19mm-thick) plywood. The FAQs should set forth the proper procedures. If these are not clear, post back, and I'll explain in detail.

Because a trans mount (and motor mounts) are not easy to access - much work is involved - you do not want to have to re-do this job. Thus, use a Volvo Brand trans mount, and Volvo or Corteco brand motor mounts.

Hope this helps.

Yours faithfully,

Spook

PS - Have you checked the FAQ? Done a search?

PPS - If you do not get a cure here from BB's knowledgeable and kind members, I have found that you can sometimes realize some savings by putting all your repairs in one basket.

If you have a dealer look at your problem when the car is in for service, you may save some labor and get a tech that is a little higher on the garage totem pole.
--
'96 855R,'64 PV544 driver, '67 P1800 basket case, '72 Yamaha Rd400, '68 Honda 350-4, '12 XC70, the first 5 are mine, heh, heh, 525,000 miles put on 10 bricks James A Sousa

The same thing is going on with my son's car. We had replaced the engine and transmission mounts because they were needed. He has yet to buy the shift linkage bushing which has completely disappeared.

Easy to do. eeuroparts.com had these showing two halves and two required, making more sense because the way it would install. Gone from the site now.

ipdusa shows the same part as FCPG in the link below. I still think you need two and the photos are just showing the two halves stacked together. If you find you need just one, simply send the extra to my son.

http://www.fcpgroton.com/product-exec/product_id/8428/nm/Volvo_940_8_Valve_Shift_Linkage_Bushing_1991_1995_Aftermarket_/category_id/208

Tom

I don't know about getting into park, but I had a problem getting out of park in our '96 855R.

I checked the appropriate switches and eventually took the console off. I found that the rod in the shift lever did not go down far enough to trigger the mechanism. I found no damage or wear to the parts.

I had read that the shift lever is just pressed on and decided that the lever had moved up a bit over time.

I gave it a good smack downward with my open hand.

It has worked properly for at least 5 years now.

You might try that.

--
'96 855R,'64 PV544 driver, '67 P1800 basket case, '72 Yamaha Rd400, '68 Honda 350-4, '12 XC70, the first 5 are mine, heh, heh, 525,000 miles put on 10 bricks James A Sousa

First, what is a 'major tuneup'? Most items in a tuneup you can easily and cheaply do yourself; plugs/cap/rotor/wires, clean throttle body, check vacuum lines, clean/replace flame trap; look at FAQ for more. Older cars needed points and timing set, you don't have these.

Having saved all that money, you can now check/replace motor mounts and/or trans shift linkage bushings, which may well be the problem with going into park.