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Hi-
My 90' 240 wagon with about 180k has suddenly developed a "heavy steering" feel to it. The steering is sluggish and heavy, like a car would feel with really low tire pressure up front. PS fluid is fine and so is the tire pressure. Is there any other option than a new PS pump? Is there a way to diagnose (my worse talent) the PS pump? Any suggestions on checking other possible situations that would cause this? Thanks in advance!
Regards,
Tim
90' 240 Wagon
90' 740 Wagon
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Hi All-
It was the steering u-joints. I hit them with liquid wrench and it steers like new. Tomorrow I will lubed them back up. I spoke to a mechanic who fixes them by wrapping a motor oil soaked rag around them, then turning the wheel back and forth until it steers right. Thanks you for all the responses!
Tim
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Belt slipping?
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David Hunter
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Good idea, I'll check it tomorrow. I hope that's all it is.
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Possible situations are the steering knuckles in the shaft inside the engine bay. (U-joints, basically). That is definitely a problem to look into. I usually squirt them with PB Blaster and if they aren't totally gone, they loosen up well. Sometimes for a very long time. There are two; one under the brake booster and one under the airflow meter (not exactly, but sort of).
Outside of that, change the PS fluid (see 700/900 FAQ for that) and see what comes of it. The steering knuckles give the most trouble. it is usually one of them that is worse, but I don't remember which one. Much worse if the car doesn't have a belly pan. However, the presence of a belly pan and tight steering knuckles are not mutually exclusive.
Steering knuckles usually lend themselves to a really tight steering action, and no return-to-center at all. Sometimes it is hard at one point and easier at another. These are all warning signs that the steering U-joints/knuckles are tightening up.
I have fixed (well, "fixed") many of them by simply lubing them. It doesn't hurt to use some heavier oil over the PB blaster once they're loose. I highly suspect they are sealed, though, and the PB Blaster is the only thing that really gets all the way inside.
Anyway, the usual disclaimers and stipulations apply.
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Chris Herbst, near Chicago.
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Chris,
It's the lower U-joint just above the gear box that commonly goes bad, per the dealer's parts guy. I currently have one that makes a rubbing noise when I turn or go over bumps. It's just started last week. I can reach down feel and hear the rubbing noise when someone turns the steering wheel. I called around for a new part, so far, just the dealer sells them at $210 dollars. My local shop will install it for $60 bucks. (Not bad for labor)
So....I have been thinking about just lubing the hell out of it instead, do you think that would work?
BTW....I took the belly pan off a two months ago for access, it's not reinstalled yet. Do you think my doing this washed off all old lube?
Maya "89" 245DL 114k
"98" V70GLT 72k
GO CUBS!!
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Hey, Cubs fan!
The lower U-joint isn't too terrible. I've done it on a junkyard car at the pick-n-pull, just to practice. My '87 244 has some slop in the lower U-joint. I priced a Volvo part, checked the prices at online vendors such as fcp/Groton for an aftermarket part. I finally decided to buy a good used one from Brian Leppin. He gave me a good price, and Brian doesn't salvage junk -- his used parts will work reliably for a long time. I don't know of good used parts vendors in the Chicago area (Brian is in the D.C. area), but maybe you could cruise some pick-n-pulls and grab a good one on your own. When I get around to it in a couple of weeks, I'm going to put Brian's U-joint into my '87. It's been sitting in my kitchen for 6 months.
Rob Kuhlman
(lives in Philly, visited Wrigley once and had a ball -- you Cubbies are fortunate to have such a gem.)
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"I don't know of good used parts vendors in the Chicago area (Brian is in the D.C. area), but maybe you could cruise some pick-n-pulls and grab a good one on your own".
Funny you should say that! I went to the yard with my brother Sat. and saw a "87" 244 with the engine pulled out. Wow! What easy access from above. I decided not to take it because the car's mileage was 155k. I thought it may have had the same problem as mine. I didn't want to take the chance. I will try lubing it first per Chris's suggestion.
Maya
GO CUBS! (1908 World series Champs!)
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Removing the belly pan is, in my opinion, one of the worst thing you can do to a 240, some of which already suffer from substandard wiring. It destroys a lot of things, and it isn't good for the steering knuckles among other things.
Usually this is about the time when someone chimes in with the old story about Uncle Earl and how he drove 700,000 miles with no belly pan and a flat tire, and a rod knock, and that was after seizing his engine solid ten different times while running 140mph with no oil on the interstate... but in reality, Uncle Earl drove 7 miles with a rod knock before it punched a hole in the block and dumped all the oil, 1/10th of a mile with a flat tire, and the belly pan got torn off when he hit the curb that flattened the tire. And Uncle Earl really didn't even have a license or drive a car, and actually maybe there wasn't even an Uncle Earl, but it sounds good on the Brickboard all the same.
Some stories are fine, but it doesn't mean they make good directions, if you get my point. The belly pan came with the car for a reason. Not that I'm giving you a hard time about leaving it off, but if you're debating about putting it on, it is much better to leave it on the car.
With respect to correcting the steering knuckle, our shop usually only lubed them. 90% of the time it corrected the problem at minimal expense. Sometimes it takes several applications to work, but eventually it straightens out. I had a problem with one of my own upper ones on a 1990 240 one time, and that did the trick.
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Chris Herbst, near Chicago.
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Chris,
Thanks for the entertaining story. Who doesn't need a laugh on Moday.
I took the belly pan off to check the exact location of my oil leaks, front or rear seal or both. It turned out to be the dreaded rear seal! $400 dollars later and it's all fixed. So....I wanted to make sure it didn't leak again and forgot to reinstall the pan sooner. I now clearly see the benefits of a belly pan. I reinstall it tonight.
Maya
GO CUBS!!
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I dropped the pan on mine today. It's funny I had the same situation of a bad seal in the front or rear, never was sure. Now I know, mine is purging from the front, big time! What a freaking mess under there. I have oil all the way to the back of the car! How hard is the front seal for a bad shadetree like me? What's involved?
Thanks for the input...........
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The front seal isn't too tough. You've got to remove the crank pulley (B21 & B23)/harmonic balancer (B230). Check the 700 archives since it's the same motor. Then you remove the old seal and tap in the new one. Again, the 700 archives is really good at walking you through this.
I was intimidated by this job for my first 6 years of Volvo ownership -- kept putting it off. I finally took the plunge two years ago and found out it was a snap, so I quickly did 2 other motors before I forgot how I did it!
Rob Kuhlman
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If you need to replace the steering u-joint, it is actually pretty simple. However make sure that you don't spin the steering wheel whwn the u-joint is off. The voice of experience says you can destroy the clockspring for the air bag by spinning the wheel.
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I've got to ask (not having a bag in my '91) what is a clockspring and what does it do?
Marten
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Hi Marten,
I have not had one loose to know personally, but I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess, the airbag needs a more reliable electrical connection through a rotating joint than would be provided by the type of brush and slip ring arrangement made for the horn. The wire probably looks and feels like a clockspring?
Time to get brave in the pick'n'pull.
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Art Benstein near Baltimore
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