for your amusement.

Helping a fellow Volvo'er (Historic Plated)R-R his starter. He could not with hand tools, loosen the 2 bolts. He bought a Huge Electric impact wrench from Harbor Freight...250ftlbs advertized. Nada.

I came over--he had one side jacked-up and I slid under with a breaker bar. One hand... nada...two hands...nada... three hands...nada...So being a bicycler...one leg...nada...two legs-core total lower body...CRACK...It's turning...we both screamed WAAAHOOOOO

The last time I did one of those, it was when removing the transmission from the rusty parts car that had been sitting in the driveway for over three years. The harbor freight 18v impact wrench and the requisite 3 feet of extensions was the weapon of choice. It worked great. Normally would use air impact, but this was far from the compressor. Just FYI, some harbor fright tools are decent...

I tried doing mine on a 1990 240 in the driveway with a 1/2 electric and a yards length of extensions. Bolts wouldn't budge. The starter was touch and go so the car started and I took it to my friends shop. on a lift with his 1/2 Snap On air tools and extensions it was still a struggle. But we won. Damn Swedes.

I think oldduke is on the right track---the motor/tranny assembly is put together before installed in the chassis. The long length of extensions loses much of the torque applied at the ratchet/breaker bar end. The trick is to use 1/2 drive extensions from way back so a u-joint isn't necessary. Of course if the car is jacked up on the ground there's limited amount of "swinging" room. Maybe the tactic should be--have a shop put the car on a lift--crack the bolts loose--then drive the car to your driveway. Might be worth the few bucks for lift time. -- Dave

hi heckster- wow would be concerned about using a u joint . they tend to slip the socket and if that happened you might round the points on the bolt and then be up that famous creek- hope you havent been there. maybe a wobble ball hex would work unless you squashed the points when you strong armed it. old fords and slantsix dodges were a bit easier. regards oldduke

If coming in from behind, a direction changer is essential. A wobble joint delivers more of the instantaneous torque than does the universal. Be aware of the true size of the bolt head since the weight reduction imperative in the late 80's.

You guys are probably tired of seeing this posted, but the thread title will invite search results:



from http://cleanflametrap.com/starter.html


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Art Benstein near Baltimore


"I have to use an 18 to 24 inch *1/2 inch drive extension* powering a flex-socket -this is ONE INSTANCE where a "snap together chain" of universals and sockets WILL NOT WORK you need to get ALL OF THE TORQUE you can into the bolt and NOT 'soaked up by the chain of floppies'...drive THAT with an 18" cheater and throw down on the friggin bolt...be CAREFUL...it will be 'tighter 'n crabs ass' until just before it lets go - at which point it will *POP* and come loose carving deep blue ripples in the tissues of your mind...Uh OH...flashback...." - TrickMick

I've always used a long string of 1/2 inch extensions with one wobble somewhere in the mix. This puts you somewhere aft of the transmission and before the rear axle. Use your longest 1/2 in drive bar and maybe slip a length of pipe over that. Try to arrange it so you can jump up and down on it from outside the car.

For heaven's sake do not use a 12-point socket. Don't ask how I know.

Brian Mee
Manassas VA

His name is Sven the Torquer. He had two jobs at the Volvo factory. One was to torque the upper starter bolt and the other was wrench down the two, almost inaccessible, upper bell housing bolts. His right arm was the size of a oak tree.

Ahhh, brought a chuckle to lips.

I've just been under my 91' 240 replacing the clutch and man do I hate that one bolt on the drivers side of the CPS.

A True PIA to remove!

hi sages- read this curious thread and had a few questions. why would anyone from repair mechanic to dealer to assembly line installer super tighten the starter bolts. did they have a tendency to vibrate lose? there must be many dimbulbs turning ratchets today. also wouldnt such a long extension run from socket to impact gun dilute torque force. can see how this might be a 3-5F job. cant be as bad as the legendary blower motor job on 240s. thanks tons oldduke

I could not remember which of the two was worse. I ended up disconnecting both motor mounts and jacking up the front of the motor for one.

Brings a smile to me. I made a friend after spotting a man with the hood raised on a 77 244 -- I think they called them "antique" plates back when -- and within months I was on my back under his car at the horse farm up Bachman Valley way where he lived, putting my legs into a breaker bar connected to that upper starter bolt. I had a 19mm swivel socket. Changed the Bendix in the mud.
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Art Benstein near Baltimore

I find it ironic that the colors red, white, and blue stand for freedom, until they're flashing behind you.