OK. First oil change on the 240. The oil filter was on rather tight so I put an oil filter wrench on and turned it. Somehow the metal part of the wrench touched a wire by the alternator and sparks started shooting for a few seconds. I thought oh no but pressed on with the oil change. When I go to back off the rhino ramps there is no power to the car. Turning the ignition does nothing. No dash lights or anything. All fuses are good. The wires did not burn. Everything looks ok! Is there an inline fuses somewhere that I missed? Maybe I fried a voltage regulator? Alternator? This is bad timing seeing that I need the car and have no cash left after Christmas. Any thoughts on what it could be? Thanks for your time.
Ben
1981 240 (currently DOA)

I cleaned up the battery terminals with some sandpaper per the advice here on the board and guess what? IT WORKED! I was seriously bummed about the possibly having my Volvo towed to a shop. Once again, the folks here saved me time and money. Thanks to all who responded!
Ben
1981 240 (the blues mobile is back in action..)

AB and BC are barking up the right tree. No fuse in your beast. The car should still crank - unless you a) drained the battery bad b) fried the alternator so bad it drained the battery bad....

Try a jump start.

Try cleaning the batt. connections etc.....
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http://www.fidalgo.net/~brook4/oilslubesfilters.html

On the back of the alternator is a stud to which a fat red wire is connected. That wire goes to the starter terminal which is then connected to the hot side of the battery. It is hot all the time, no fuse no nothin.

If you hit that stud with the wrench, that created a large amp short, thus lots of sparks. What else could it do that would result in no power at all?

Just a guess, but if your battery was marginal, maybe the short drained off what power it had left.

If you don't have a battery terminal cleaner brush, clean them with sandpaper. Both the terminals and the inside of the clamps.

Do any electrical things work? Dome light? Glove box light? Radio?

Check for that and post back, OK?

Good Luck,

Bob

:>)

Thanks for the quick replies. I just looked in the area decribed above and it looks like that I don't have a fuse. The positive battery cable was replaced by the previous owner. Is it inline with that cable? Thanks again! Maybe this isn't that big of a deal if it's just a fuse. Does anybody have a visual decription on what it should look like? I just snapped a digital photo of the area! Any ideas if I DON'T have a fuse?
Ben

Sorry, but if you have an 81 with a fuse under the hood, I don't know what it could be running. I think the way from your alternator terminal to the battery should be just two wires: the one leading from the alternator to the starter, and the thick one from the starter to the positive battery terminal. Then there are two ground wires from the battery negative; one to the sheet metal and one to the block by the left motor mount.

If your battery still has juice in it, there's a corroded, bad connection at one of these places-- battery post or ground most likely. Try turning on the headlamps and wiggling the battery terminals.
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Art Benstein near Baltimore

Something must have either blown or fried. The battery is only a couple months old. Could those sparks mess up a ground? Pardon my ignorance but electrical stuff isn't my forte! Thanks Art.
Ben

Ben, I was kinda hoping to see your battery terminals in the photo for a clue. I suggest you turn on the headlights and wiggle the connections to the battery, especially that wire the PO spliced into the line going to the terminal box. Look for green stuff and white stuff and clean it up if you find it. Look in the terminal box too, although your sparking episode did not directly affect this. Check the grounds at the blue wires too. Make sure there's nothing loose.
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Art Benstein near Baltimore

check the 25 amp fuse (err, maybe it's 40 amps) in-line next to the battery/ignition coil area.

chuck

Try the 40 amp fuse under the hood on the driver's fender. Good Luck
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85 - 244 GL - Looking for a 245!