Howdy all. I work at an Auto store (Schuck's) in Portland, Oregon (home to many many awesome volvos of various types) and none of the experts there have any clue what's wrong with my '83 242 with 140K miles on it, and a manual transmission. I just drove the car all the way across the US and it performed PERFECTLY! However, once here I began hearing a noise from the rear of the car. It sounds like a deep metallic grinding noise that begins once the car has been driven about a mile or so and continues to make noise while I'm driving. The noise is in direct relation to the speed I'm driving (i.e. quiet at low speed, REAL LOUD at fast speed) and continues regardless of the brakes. It sounds as though it's grinding against my rotor, but I don't think it is.

So I drove my car to work to have a co-worker listen. First thing, he had me hold the brake and let out the clutch until the car almost stalled and it made a "clunk" from the rear-driver side. He said I was done for and that my differential was gone. However, we then drove the car for 30 minutes: slow, fast, in tight, tight corners, brakes, no brakes... and NO NOISE AT ALL!!! So it turns out that I can drive the car and whenever it makes the noise, all I have to do is hold the brake, let out the clutch until it stalls... and all is well for a good 10 miles.

I've checked my brake pads, my differential fluid, my transmission fluid. I've done a little shaking of various joints under the car... and I don't know what else to check.

Any clues???

Bearings? Brake Caliper? Joints?

Thanks for all your help in advance!!!

LONG LIVE THE BRICK!!!

Interesting, my '83 245 made about the same noise/symptom 'cept I could only cure it by swerving the car, & it didn't make the noise when I went round corners. So I pulled the rotors, the e-brake ws fine rotor looked good, so I pulled the 1/2 shafts, the bearings looked fine, so I pulled the dif cover ring gear looked fine, so I bought a use ddif with only 100,000 on it and this week I'm putting it in. If that doesn't work the only place left will be U.Js or the shaft support bearing.

When I was a WEE little lad, I lived in the Yukon, very northern of Canada! anyways, we had the same problem with our family volvo 240 wagon. I think it was an 83. Anyways... No body could figure out what the problem was. We eventaully drove alllllll the way down to Vancovuer BC with this annoying sound (and the stereo pounding) when we got here, my dad thought hey, maybe its the bearing in the axle! we pulled the asle out, guess what?! the bearing was dry as a the seirra desert! it was scored up pretty bad too. So when you go to check your e-brake pads and system pull out the axle, itsn ot toooooo much work, check the bearing. Might just solve your problem!

And that ladies and Gentlmen is the end of my story

Jordan

I vote for emergency brake shoes needing attention. Pull the caliper and rotor and have a look.

Randy