hey guy, new volvo owner here. i've got a 72 1800es, and i'm having issues with it. the biggest problem is that it seems to be stumbling at low sustained rpm. it seems to pull normal, and there's no hesitation on acceleration, but below about 3k, driving in town it likes to hiccup. so far i've cleaned the points, and set them at .017 and that helped a good bit, also made sure the efi trigger points were clean. feels kinda like an igniton issue. but i could be wrong. i realize this might be vague, but i'm sure there's usual things to check.

also, the valves are pretty noisy. i set them at .016, and used the method on v classics. i've done this twice, and no dice. they are all getting oil.

thanks.

Good suggestions. I had a loose push on connector on the ignition coil. Thats an easy check. I also installed the Pertronix with good results.

Your hiccup sounds like a dirty/faulty throttle switch. Do you have an original throttle switch with 4 screws to hold the dust cover in place, or is it the updated version with the snap on dust cover?

In either case, you can use a clean eraser and try to clean the PC board under the dust cover. Usually dirt on the zig-zag portion of the PC causes the hiccup, but don't bend the contact fingers while cleaning. It might be necessary to move the throttle lever to move the fingers to clean the lower section of the PC board. If this does not fix the problem, you can try to tweek the 1 contact finger that goes over the zig-zag on the PC board so it contacts the zig-zag portion on the PC board on a slightly different arc. But be very careful not to bend the finger so it no longer makes contact to the PC board.

If you have the later style of throttle switch, I sell a repair PC board if yours is too badly worn.

To properly set your ignition points, you should use a dwell angle meter which is a more accurate way to measure the points gap. Most auto parts stores have a dwell angle meter as part of an engine analyzer for a modest investment, but well worth it for the DIYer. Read the instructions carefully as some of the cheap ones require that you divide in half the scale for the 8 cylinder scale. We have found the stock specification inadequate and we set the dwell angle to 55°, which means the gap for the points is larger than spec.

Volvo push rod engines are supposed to be noisy. If the valves are too quiet, that means they need to be adjusted.

Not that Volvo wanted them to noisy, but with the solid lifter design they used on the their push rod motors, the noise is inherent. When Volvo went to an over head camshaft direct valve opening design, the push rods were eliminated and a rubber silencer cushion is used to reduce valve noise.


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Eric

Hi Performance Automotive Service (formerly OVO or Old Volvos Only)

Torrance, CA 90502

thanks for all the info, guys.

i tweaked the contact that rides on the "zig zag", to where it did not touch. it solved the hiccup, although, now it kinda feels like a carburetor car, that has a bad accelerator pump, and cold start is a little harder. so i'm leaning towards a bad throttle switch, especially since, it's always had a slight dead spot in throttle, just off idle.

can you tell me more about that circut board you sell?

yeah, i've had a suspicion it had something to do with the throttle position switch/sensor. the dust cover is the snap on style, but it looks original. it's definitely bosch.

can i test it with an ohm meter?

i've considered just finding an older set of su's to go on it.. i've had a good many 240z's, and i'm very at ease with those carbs.. is it worth keeping the d-jet? my only concern, is this is my daily driver, and it's not like d-jet parts are super common.

anyhow, thanks for your reply!

In the TPS, one set of points determines what is supplying idle fuel. Points in one position & the adjuster on the back of the Control Unit supplies idle fuel up to 1500rpm, then turns it off on overrun(in most markets). Once the points are open, the MPS takes charge. It needs to be adjusted until it cracks open the within as soon as you rest your foot on the throttle.

D-Jet parts is rare, but have you consider a MegaSquirt conversion?
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Three 164's, Two 144's, One 142 & a partridge in a pear tree.

i've thought about megasquirt, but for now, the car is going to get budget modifications. i have a 68 firebird i'm hot and heavy with. and though i love the volvo, it's going to be my daily driver, and the majority of my car money and time will go towards the firebird. i'm really considering su's, just because they are dead simple, and they work. megasquirt is great, but i just don't feel like trying to sort it all out, right now. i can change the fuel pump, and bolt on a set of su's, or even a weber dgv, and go. now, once the the firebird is closer to done, it will be the volvo's turn, and i may well consider MS.

on another note, i can't find much regarding this, but is it a huge endeavor, to swap in an over head cam motor, like that would have come in a mid 80's 240? not talking wiring, just bolting in the motor/trans

"...can i test it with an ohm meter?..."

http://www.aircoolednut.com/erkson/ttt/engine/fuel_injection/d-jet.html

Scroll down to the section on throttle switches.

Or better yet, go to the web site below, scroll about half way down the page and click on the book that has the cartoon viking characters on the cover. It will download a pdf file of the manual - good info:

http://www.volvop1800club.se/eng/

My $0.02
When the injection is working properly, it works very well.
In may case, (on a '72 144E) I just got tired of chasing fuel injection components that were expensive and unfortunately I didn't have any spares to just swap in. However, I did have a pair of HIFs sitting on a shelf. I swapped to the carbs as this was my daily driver.

Re. the ignition, you may want to consider some kind of electronic ignition. There are many options. I installed a Pertronix 15-20 years ago. It was one of the best upgrades ever installed on any of my cars. No more points and timing to adjust.
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"Differences of opinions should be tolerated, but not if they're too different' - Sharon Craig