Would be nice for a daily driver. A friend of mine is selling his and wants to know how much should I give him and what problems do I need to look for? Thanks very much.

·"Rear main seal, tranny rear bushing 'n seal, center support bearing, water pump, front seals, radiator seems fine at least nothing leaking..." “Oooooo..... But at almost 200k miles, they're all overdue. Replacing the rear main seal is a bit of a task. The others are a Saturday morning jobs.

Q - Are all of this things part of an auto transmission except for the water pump and radiator?

Q - Since these parts are now all over due, can I just use the books (Haynes) that you can get from an auto parts store to do most jobs or do I need to purchase a factory service manual? Is there also some information online that can help me do the replacement myself? BTW, how much difficult is it to do the rear main seal?

·“The bun warmers do not work." “The bun warmers are usually not difficult to repair. A common problem is a broken wire at the temperature safety switch. This can help bring the price down, because the Volvo dealer would probably charge $400-500 to repair something that you can do for $0 in about 2 hours.“

Q - Is the temperature safety switch behind the bun warmer switches or is it the temperature switch H<->C dash switch?

·"For an '89, what symptoms does a bad FI ECU do?"
It quits. Others here (Bob Haire, for one) know a bunch more than I do about this -- but a later, more robust FI ecu is a good replacement.

Q – Where can I purchase this more robust FI ecu besides the dealer? Any part no. that you know of hand and how much will this run?

·"... said that a while back the car would stall while it's running and he had to pull over to the side..." Sounds A LOT like an intermittent fuel pump relay. This realy, and all others (such as the OD relay) can be resoldered for $0 and will be even better than new. However, the problem you described could also be the FI ecu.

Q – Would you let me know which parts that can be resoldered besides those two that are mentioned?

·A shrunk gasket is typical for that style window trim. The gasket doesn't do much, and is NOT responsible for sealing out water. Sealing is accomplished by the butyl rubber goop that glues the windshield to the body.

Q – Thank God that part is not leaking. I was thinking of using some of that Permatex Liquid Metal to cover up that gap. Have you used this stuff before with good results?

·"Sunroof leaks (actually one drop of water when I test drove the car after some rain all day - How do I fix this one?) but the carpets never get soaked. The carpet are dry and the bare floorboards dont have any rusts after pulling up the carpet near the doors."
No clue. I suspect it's an aftermarket sunroof. However, I'd carefully inspect the gasket for dirt, leaves, pine needles, or other crap that could allow water to "wick" in.

Q – It’s a manual sunroof. Inspected any dirt that would allow water but nothing was found. Yesterday, I got a chance to read a Consumer Report book and mentioned something about some models having wicks that get saturated when it rains causing the water to come inside. Any ideas???


Thanks for all your help Don. I really like the car since just like what you said that it’s very traditional and most repairs are straightforward. Would you recommend for me to purchase a factory service manual as well as a Hayes manual? BTW, what do you think now of the seller's $500 selling price in two payments?

Plug the numbers into Edmunds.com, see what they are going for in the classified, cars.com, and autotrader.com, then make your best judgment based on Don Foster's post. Keep in mind, a car 14 years old won't be too near perfect, (unless you're a brickhead).



--
Tom F '95 945, lein holder on a '95-944Ti, & RIP '78-245

Somewhere between $50 and $5000.

You should supply LOTS more info.

• Miles?
  
• Body style?
  
• DL or GL?
  
• Options?
  
• Recent work?
  
• Serviced by Volvo dealer or independent shop?
  
• Any hacks (Midas, Speedy, etc.) ever been allowed within 500' of the car?
  
• Needs? (Tires, exhaust, brakes, shocks, suspension work, front end work, t-belt, seals, clutch, glass, etc., etc.)
  
• General condition, outside, inside, upholstry, underhood?
  
• Service records since birth?
  
• Ever been hit? Any body work done?
  
• Any rust?
  
• Any special add-ons, such as Volvo hitch, stereo, driving lights, suspension mods, special rims, etc.?

Okay, here's what I've seen so far with the car. What do you guys think I should now ask for the car.

- 199K miles
- GL Sedan
- New front tires
- good outside condition
- good inside condition
- 5" tear on upright portion of driver seat
- Rust - some slight spots about a size of a dime
- No service record on hand
- slight dent on trunk area
- leaking manual moonroof (how do I fix this one?)
- gas tank (can smell vapors but no gas leak can be found on the ground when the vehicle is not moving)
- driver side turn signal lens is chipped and cracked
- front passenger side window isnt working (might need new switch)
- rear right side passenger window would not go up straight (window channel not holding up properly???
- hole about a dime size on metal/gasket seal portion of the windshield (driver side)
- engine would once in a while shut it self while it's running
- squeeking front side suspension (sway bar bushing problem??) but rides fine
- some chipped paint on trunk and long scratches on hood
- engine whinning sound when gas pedal is pressed (is this normal?)
- OEM wheels need cleaning/too much brake dusts or is it rust forming?
- new sony cd/radio and boston accoustic speakers
- newly replaced brake master cylinder, spark plugs and wires, distributor

Appreciate the input.

Obviously, none of us have examined, poked, or prodded the car -- so anything any of us might offer sight unseen is a wild guess.

The things you mentioned raise questions/comments in my mind.

At 199k, how's the rear main seal, tranny rear bushing 'n seal, center support bearing? Water pump, front seals, radiator? Blower motor?

Those small rust spots can have some huge hidden rust just underneath them. How are the floorboards, particularly under the driver's seat? The rockers? Door bottom inside edges?

5" tear in driver's seat back -- leather seats in a GL? How's the seat bottom? Bun warmers work?

Power windows all work OK?

Any idea if the AC works?

Squeaking in front suspension can indicate any number of needed repairs from trivial to time-consuming and annoying.

MC replaced -- any other brake work done?

Is the car an '88 (as your first post indicates) or an '89 (as your later post indicates)? The '89 is a better car but with a worse FI ecu.

Rear tires, shocks, exhaust, brakes, steering, suspension work?

Any indication of body work?

Any piston slap upon cold start-up?

Transmission shift OK when cold, even into OD?

Gas smell might be a bad gasket on the sending unit.

What does underhood look like? Weeping oil anywhere? Any signs of dripping antifreeze? Signs of repairs? Is the motor generally cleaned 'n cared-for, or is it grungy?

Rusty-looking grunge on wheels might be rust or might be simply brake dust. If the pads are worn down to metal, then the rotors are likely scored. This means the resulting metal powder accumulates on the wheels and rusts within minutes or hours, leaving a true rusty powder.

Is the sunroof original Volvo? I didn't think a sunroof was offered in '89...... was it?

Not clear what you mean by "hole about a dime size on metal/gasket seal portion of the windshield (driver side)." Is rainwater leaking into the passenger compartment? Do you mean the windshield gasket or the outer decorative seal?

Sunroof leaks and/or maybe windshield leaks -- did the carpets ever get soaked? (If so, then you should remove seats and carpets to clean 'n dry, and also inspect bare floorboards for rust.)

=======================

I would revise my $50 to $5000 estimate to be $200 to $1200 depending on condition. The torn seat might indicate other interior wear. The small rust spots might portend bigger but hidden spots (door bottom edges, inside, seams).

Why is the car for sale?
--
Don Foster (near Cape Cod, MA)

Don,
Here's what I got so far. BTW, its a '89 240GL not an '88 240GL.

- Rear main seal, tranny rear bushing 'n seal, center support bearing, water pump, front seals, radiator seems fine atleast nothing leaking.

- The small rust spots on the hood and trunk outside portion seems to have come from stone chips from driving it on the road. The bottom inside edges of the doors dont have any rust and the inside seems are also in good condition. The floorboards are dont have any rust but the door hinge have some surface type of rusts.

- The 5" tear on the driver's cloth seat back is the only problem of all the seats in the car. Checked the front and rear seats. The bun warmers do not work.

- The only power window that doesnot work is the front passenger but I've switched one of the other windows switches to the broken one and it now works. How much does a window switch costs and where can I get one cheap??? :)

- AC works but needs a freon refill.

- Have not checked on the squeeking sound of the front suspension but I was hoping that it was just a swaybar bushing problem and nothing more. There sure is a high pitch whinning sound from the engine that increases as the gas pedal is pressed more.

- MC replaced and the brake fluid has been bled.

- For an '89, what symptoms does a bad FI ECU do? The reason that I ask is that the owner said that a while back the car would stall while it's running and he had to pull over to the side. A mechanic could not figure out the problem since it would not do it again so the mechanic just put some fuel injector cleaner. What are your thoughts.

- Needs new rear tires, perhaps new shocks, brakes are good as well as steering.

- No indication for body work.

- How do I listen if there's any piston slap upon start-up?

- A/T shifts OK even when its cold or into OD.

- Can smell gasoline only after driving it. Havenot figured out where that gasket you were saying on the sending unit.

- Underhood looks good. A little oil spill on the outside of the filler. No signs of dripping antifreeze. No signs of repairs and the engine seems to have been cleaned and cared for.

- All 4 wheels have the finish flaking off.

- The hole that I mentioned on the outside portion of the windshield is where the windshield corner. Actually it's the rubber gasket that moved inward towards the decorative metal seal that created a hole and some rusts. The windshield also has a couple of chipped glass.

- Sunroof leaks (actually one drop of water when I test drove the car after some rain all day - How do I fix this one?) but the carpets never get soaked. The carpet are dry and the bare floorboards dont have any rusts after pulling up the carpet near the doors.

The front seat belts are kind of hard to pull (over usage???) but still works.
********************************

The owner is going back to school and would be renting near campus that's why he's selling the car.

The one thing that puzzles me but also got me worried is that the car might be too good to be true for the price since he's offering it to me for $500 in 2 payments but I don't know whether what else might go wrong? How do you size-up the car so far Don basing from what I have told ya? How much would you buy it and does it costs more than what he's actually selling it for?

I greatly appreciate all the help and is giving me a better understanding on this purchase.

Chard

• "Rear main seal, tranny rear bushing 'n seal, center support bearing, water pump, front seals, radiator seems fine atleast nothing leaking..."
  
  Oooooo..... But at almost 200k miles, they're all overdue. Replacing the rear main seal is a bit of a task. The others are a Saturday morning jobs.
  
  
• "The 5" tear on the driver's cloth seat back is the only problem of all the seats in the car. Checked the front and rear seats. The bun warmers do not work."
  
  The bun warmers are usually not difficult to repair. A common problem is a broken wire at the temperature safety switch. This can help bring the price down, because the Volvo dealer would probably charge $400-500 to repair something that you can do for $0 in about 2 hours.
  
  
• "The only power window that doesnot work is the front passenger but I've switched one of the other windows switches to the broken one and it now works. How much does a window switch costs and where can I get one cheap??? :)"
  
  With care, the switches can be disassembled, cleaned, lubed, reassembled, and reinstalled very successfully. I've done it dozens of times. However, you can use this tidbit of info to help negotiate the price down.
  
  
• "Have not checked on the squeeking sound of the front suspension but I was hoping that it was just a swaybar bushing problem and nothing more. There sure is a high pitch whinning sound from the engine that increases as the gas pedal is pressed more."
  
  None of us could really comment without looking, feeling, hearing, seeing, sniffing. The squeak could be a sway bar bushing or it could be the upper bearing on the strut (uncommon problem). The whining could be a bad water pump bearing, bad alternator bearing, vacuum leak, or any of a dozen other things.
  
  
• "For an '89, what symptoms does a bad FI ECU do?"
  
  It quits. Others here (Bob Haire, for one) know a bunch more than I do about this -- but a later, more robust FI ecu is a good replacement.
  
  
• "... said that a while back the car would stall while it's running and he had to pull over to the side..."
  
  Sounds A LOT like an intermittent fuel pump relay. This realy, and all others (such as the OD relay) can be resoldered for $0 and will be even better than new.
  
  However, the problem you described could also be the FI ecu.
  
  
• "How do I listen if there's any piston slap upon start-up?"
  
  Turn the stereo down, remove your ear muffs, and listen for a "tap-tap-tap-tap" as the engine idles. It's not a heavy tapping -- more like tapping the engine block with a chunk of wood. It gets louder and softer as you lightly rev the engine. But it usually goes away completely after 2-3 minutes when the engine warms up.
  
  This is typical of the B230F engine, and generally means nothing at all -- they all do it. However, you can use this to negotiate the price down -- "Oh, gee, it sounds like this engine is almost worn out at 199k miles, it has a bearing rap..."
  
  
• "Can smell gasoline only after driving it. Havenot figured out where that gasket you were saying on the sending unit."
  
  The gas tank sending unit is in the top of the tank, and is accessible under a small 5"x7" oval plate in the trunk. But this might also be a bad hose going to the carbon canister.
  
  On the earlier 240s -- '80, '81, '82, '83, and so on -- the fuel return line tended to rot out where it goes over the rear axle. It would dribble gas only when the engine ran, and is an easy repair.
  
  
• "Underhood looks good. A little oil spill on the outside of the filler. No signs of dripping antifreeze. No signs of repairs and the engine seems to have been cleaned and cared for."
  
  Good. The oil might be simply spilled from filling or it might come from a dried out gasket on the oil cap. These engines are somewhat sensitive to a plugged up crankcase ventilation system (aka "flame trap"). It's a common problem that's overlooked by most mechanics. When it plugs, the engine gets wet, seals came pop out, and the big plug in the back of the head can be forced out (BTDT).
  
  
• "All 4 wheels have the finish flaking off."
  
  Steel wheels or alloy wheels?
  
  
• "The hole that I mentioned on the outside portion of the windshield is where the windshield corner. Actually it's the rubber gasket that moved inward towards the decorative metal seal that created a hole and some rusts. The windshield also has a couple of chipped glass."
  
  A shrunk gasket is typical for that style window trim. The gasket doesn't do much, and is NOT responsible for sealing out water. Sealing is accomplished by the butyl rubber goop that glues the windshield to the body.
  
  
• "Sunroof leaks (actually one drop of water when I test drove the car after some rain all day - How do I fix this one?) but the carpets never get soaked. The carpet are dry and the bare floorboards dont have any rusts after pulling up the carpet near the doors."
  
  No clue. I suspect it's an aftermarket sunroof. However, I'd carefully inspect the gasket for dirt, leaves, pine needles, or other crap that could allow water to "wick" in.
  
  
• "...he's offering it to me for $500 in 2 payments but I don't know whether what else might go wrong?"
  
  That's a good price for the car providing it doesn't have some major hidden problem. However, keep in mind all the little things you've already mentioned, plus the unknowns, such as shocks, brake pads, exhaust, and do on. And the things that we know wear out with time and miles, such as the rear main $$$eal.
  
  If I were you, I'd budget another $2k, or more, for these and other repairs over the next year or two. For example, at 199k miles, the car is just now ready for a timing belt and tensioner, front seals, and maybe a water pump. And maybe a radiator.
  
  The key for you is how much of the needed work you would personally be willing, able, and prepared to do yourself? You can save a TON of money by doing your own repairs. And most work on a 240 is very straightforward because it's a traditional car.