Looking for opinions, suggestions, confirmation, and ideas.
Wife's 86 240 automatic 189k, died in parking lot as she rounded a corner she said. Looked tonite,starter makes a high pitched whine but doesn't engage. Speedo "blips" when key is turned.

Done so far on advice from friendly independent mechanic.

Spun fuses,checked 25a under the hood.
Moved/ turned alternator belts to shift engine postion to check for flywheel engage. no change.
I suspect the starter, even though I was under the impression that the starters usually have quite a long life on these cars.
Having not done a Volvo starter before, I am armed with Haynes and Bentley.I welcome any thoughts, cautions, suggestions on starter R and R.
Thanks in advance.

Did I understand it right? You hear a starter whining noise but it doesnt engage? Sounds like the starter bendix failed if that is the case.

I bought a starter at the P&P, it was the timing belt after all-thanks again-rick

Yes, that's correct, it whines but doesn't quite engage.
After receiving good advice from others here,I discovered that the timing belt was indeed broken. I happened to have one for another 240, and put it on.
Then I discovered a corroded sparkplug wire at cap, I had cracked the coolant resevoir while torqueing the alternator so it's leaking, and went to start it- dead battery. I jumped it- high pitched starter whine, like last night.
I seem to fix one thing and two break. Just another one of my attempts at repairs that created a list to be repaired. I'm learning the hard way, but I'm learning.
Sounds like starter bendix to me too.

Ricko -

I thought I had the same type problem - turn key and silence. In your case, it's turn key and starter motor spins without being engaged, right?

If I had that problem, here is my first step: With a fully charged battery, get someone to turn the key to start. You are beside the car, with a long rod or dowel that is resting on the solenoid. When the starter spins, you whack the dowel with a medium hammer. Many light taps. IF the solenoid is stuck from old age road crud, you may break it loose. IF no help, well, ya gotta bite the bullet and pull the thing. Sorry.

Good Luck,

Bob

:>)

Thanks B.C. I'll try that today. The car almost engages, then the teeth miss. Ive done other starters on other makes before, but the Volvo looks a little more inaccessable. Any tips?
live and learn

Hehe, I remember the time I replaced a water pump and punched a hole in the radiator. Dont feel bad.

Everytime I mess up, I remember someone on the board had drained the tranny fluid and THEN couldn't open the fill nut. Turn the car upside down?

HEY, CUT THAT OUT! That was me that you are speaking of. But, I learned my lesson and it will NEVER happen again. I no longer change any fluids....




Dan

Cx,
As a novice Volvo owner on a steep learning curve, no disrepect from me was intended. I merely used your dilemma to make me realize that no matter how bad I can make a situation by trying to repair something, I can always make it get worse.
BTW, what was the outcome of the stuck plug?
Good pluck.

Hi Ricko,
No disrespect taken. A friend with a mobile torch setup on his truck hit it with an acetylene blast and the plug almost spun itself out. The m46 shifts very smoothly with Amsoil Supershift now.



Dan

I'm with 240Allison, check the timing belt.

it was the timing belt. thanks again-rick

One more thing...if you get an odd whine from the car, and the car is not running now, check the timing belt. You'll get an odd sound becuase the car has no compression. When was the timing belt last changed?

I think 240 allison has hit the nail on the head! Take off the oil cap. Crank the starter. If the fanbelts turn, but the camshaft doesn't (look inside the oil fill hole), it's timing belt time. Sometimes (not very often) the timing belt will just slip or strip several teeth. The cam will still turn, but no compression, because it's in the wrong position. If the fanbelts don't turn, the starter isn't working. I hope I didn't dumb this down too much. If so, I apologize.

Thanks for the help. I'll try the belt tomorrow, when it's warmer and dryer.

A dead starter motor doesn't make a car stall going around a turn.Also, I don't know if the car still won't start.Does it? Most likely this is a dead/dying fuel pump or pump relay. Also, check all sorts of contacts for the main feul delivery. The other possibility is dying ignition control unit.

240 Allison- thansk for your help, turns out it was the timing belt, cheers.