(This is my first post, so if I do something wrong and this looks goofy, please forgive me--"it's my first day". :> )

I have an '89 244 (non-turbo) with 111k, which I bought a year and a half ago. For the past six months, I've had two very annoying problems: difficulty starting, and a persistent antifreeze leak.

The starting problem: it's baffling. First thing in the morning, it often starts right up on the first try. All other times, especially after a short drive (10 mins., etc.) and rest in the parking lot, it will start then die immediately when I go to start it up again. It takes about six or seven attempts to get the engine going, but it never stalls during the drive (Thank goodness). Sometimes the battery or oil lights will come on once the engine is finally running, and they'll go out after a few seconds. The #2 spark plug was REALLY loose, so I tapped a new thread with a kit from IPD, but the car still has trouble starting.

The antifreeze problem: it's not staying in the darned system. Every few days, the reservoir will look nearly drained. The water pump is only a year new, and I've tried replacing hoses, to no avail. There doesn't appear to be any antifreeze in the oil. I can't figure out where it's going--the puddle on my driveway is too tiny to account for this much loss. Back in March, a local Volvo shop told me that the nearly-new radiator was blocked and needed to be rodded out, but I've backwashed it twice since then and each time it looked fine.

Since I've run out of ideas, I am hoping some of you wise Brickboarders can provide new insights.

Thank you very much!

Jen
(a not-so-rich college student who works on her own Volvo out of both love and necessity)

To answer your question, the lights coming on briefly is probably nothing to worry about. Your probably in an almost stall situation, low rpm's and that is why the bat light and oil light come on briefly.

As for the coolant leak, your gonna have to open the hood, and root around while the car is running (keep those fat gold necklaces away from the fan!) Use a flashlight and a mirror (for tough to see places)or something helpful. Also, you should try to "sniff" the air for coolant smells. If you are getting a puddle, then you should be able to find the leak. Could be a whole lot of things, like h2o pump, hose leak, cracked radiator (they are know to crack where the hose fits - damn plastic!), etc., etc,

As for the hard start, you might have a leaking fuel injector. It would be leaking fuel into a cylinder giving it a "flooded" feel when starting. When the car starts from cold, the ecu tells it to go into "rich" mode (kinda like the choke on carbs), so extra gas in the cylinder aint a prob. It starts up. One way to check it (easiest). Look at your tailpipe when the car is cold and you start it. if you see lots o' burnt gas, like blackish blue smoke, thats could be it. It smells different than oil. Also, you can take out the plugs and check em for wetness (that doesnt always come out accurate, though) Anyhoo, good luck!

Jen,
BC has some good suggestions. I have had my 86 245 190K Kms (Australian car) for a year now and have found this board informative and invaluable (esp for DIY). Some other preventative (and essential) maintenance which is low cost should be considered. Check the 700/900 FAQ section in the 'features' pull down for info on particulars. Much of the FAQ is relevant to your 89 240 B230F Engine.

Get good workshop manual (Bentley is best)
Clean Throttle Body TB, check Throttle Position Switch TPS
Clean Idle Air Control Valve IAC
Clean Flame Trap (essential)
Clean chassis + door water drains, check under carpets for leaks.
Re-solder fuel pump relay (thanks Don)
General Tune Up, plugs leads distributor cap, rotor, air filter, Oil and Oil filter. Check other fluids.
Get to know when your timing belt was replaced last. (It should have been a couple of times by 111K)
Check/clean chassis electrical grounds + fuse panel.

Build up a tool kit (keep forever) and have lots of fun.
Karl

What and where is the flame trap?

Harry,
Check the FAQ, The flame trap is an integral part of the crankcase ventilation system, the flame trap is the part that is most likely to clog up and is often neglected. Neglect can lead to high pressure within the engine blowing oil out the seals and in severe cases blowing plugs out of the engine. See also the 'jiggle test' you will see a lot of flame trap discussion here.
Regards
Karl

Hi Jen -

You're more like a brickhead than you thought: Most of us work on our own cars from love and/necessity. Only on RWD Volvos. AFAIK

Couple things. The battery light and others coming on when driving is a clue that your alternator brushes are worn too short. They usually are good for 100K and if yours haven't been renewed, they are overdue. There are brush sets available from online parts houses, but for the first time I would recommend that you get a new regulator/brush unit from a dealer. They run around $80.

The unit is attached to the back of the alternator. It is easier to access it if you remove the heat shield and the oil filter, as when doing an oil change.

Two Phillips-head screws hold it on. Be careful not to hit any wires, the big red one is hot all the time. Save the old unit, maybe you'll be able to put in a set of the $6.00 brushes later and have a good spare for when you get to 200K.

Antifreeze, aka coolant, can have a slow leak that evaporates with engine heat. A common suspect is the heater hoses, they leak at the back of the block and if all the coolant evaporates you'll hardly ever see it.

From the water pump to the back of the block is a metal tube, at its rear it connects to one of the heater hoses. Look back there and you'll see the other hose. Right after shutting down, open the hood and use a flashlight to look back there. See if you can smell it, too.

Both are a low-cost PITA to replace. They are shaped hoses, so get them from a dealer. If you do the repair, here's some tips. (1) do it with the engine dead cold, as you will find it easier to get at the fittings by lying down on top of the engine. (2) You can drain a little coolant out by removing the hose from the overflow tank to the radiator. (3) Check the FAQ's and your shop manuals to get all the info possible before starting the job.

Some years back I was gifted a Sears electric screwdriver. It is a great tool for these kinds of job. Oh, check for availability of ALL the parts with the on-line parts houses on the BB. Call Nick at fpcgroton, he'll do OK by you.

Post again, there's more info available.

Good Luck,

Bob

:>)