Okay, I have an 87 240 DL with automatic transmission. So, ever since i've driven this car, ... i get in, start it up, put it in reverse, and back out of my driveway. Today, while trying to research my OD problem I'm being told by the haynes manual that my morning ritual is wrong. Let me explain.

As per the owner's manual, when the car is first started it is always reset to OD engaged mode (light on dash off). My problem is that the light is on when i start up (started yesterday). Validating on highway, the car will not jump into OD gear and is running at high rpm's. When pressing the switch on the shifter I do hear "clicks" but the light on the dash stays on regardless and there is no change in the gears. So obviously my problem is that the OD is not engaging.

When reading the Haynes manual I came across a troubleshooting section and in boldface type it says "Overdrive will not release - ...Above all, do not reverse when overdrive is engaged as this will cause considerable damage."

So, my problem is that my OD will not engage right now (light always on, on the dash). Yet I'm being lead to believe now that when it was working fine, when starting the car and backing out of the driveway, I should have first been disengaging it (light on dash on), before backing out. Perhaps this is a rule for driving manual tranny's, don't know, bit I found it interesting.

Comments on this would be appreciated. Also any help on how to fix my non-engaging OD will help. I plan on checking the solenoid. Just thought that if any one else has gone through this, they might be able to help. Here's a funny little detail. When starting the car, when the dashlight is supposed to be off, it is on but a little dim. When i click the OD to supposedly disengage, the light is on at full brightness (as it should be). Click again, (light supposed to be off), light dims slightly.

Again any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance bb'ers.

87 240DL

From your post..." when the car is first started it is always reset to OD engaged mode (light on dash off)." Since your car has automatic, OD is not really "engaged" when the light is off. It is "ready" to engage when you reach the proper speed (if the electrics are OK).

Don't worry about this: "in boldface type it says "Overdrive will not release - ...Above all, do not reverse when overdrive is engaged as this will cause considerable damage.". This is referring to the MANUAL transmission.

Suggest do a new post, Subject: "OD light always on (A/T)", or something similar.

--
Bruce Young,
940-NA (current)
'80 GLE V8 (Now gone)
'83 Turbo 245
'73 142 (98K)
'71 144 (track modified--and going to be crushed unless...)
New 144 from '67 to '78
Used '62 122 from '63 to '67

Look don't get me wrong, I love Volvo, but seriously, why didn't they just build a 5 SP like everone else and avoid this problem, An electrically engaging 5'th gear was always going to cause problems later.

No offense to the geniuses at Gotheburg (you built a car that was way away of it's time) bt why an electrially operated gear. It's just asking for trouble.
--
Drive it like you hate it

Whaddaya mean, "like everyone else?" Actually, to my experience, a lot of cars that pruport to have 5-speds, the later 240s, included, actually have mechanically actuated overdrives (my "5-speed" Datsun 280Z was like that, as is my '90 250). On the other hand, and also to my experience, electro-hydraulically actuated overdrives seem to be much more common than mechanical ones. All of my MGs had them, as does my 1800.

On the other hand, I've heard the M47, with the mechanically actuated OD is much more dependable than the M46. I suppose it stands to reason. I dunno, the only times I've had problems with them is when an errant mechanic busted the solonoid wire on one of my MGs, and when the gearbox oil level on my 1800 got low (just after I bought it).

As for the matter at hand, I don't know much about automatics, but I would wonder if the ODs are as sensitive to low fluid levels as the ones on the manual gearboxes.

-EdM.
Franklin, MA
'72 1800ES "Galadriel"
'90 240DL Wagon "Lola"

Good point! my bmw isn't like that (and the tranny is tough as nails)...Munich knew what they were doing too, i guess.

chuck
'84 245 227K
'88 244 167K
'87 BMW 325e 165K

Had this same thing on our 744Ti. Pulled the solenoid and resoldered ALL the solder points. ...the second time... the first time I just resoldered what looked like the culprit, and it didn't work. :-)

As far as the Hayne's manual, I think that's bizarre (sp?). Just drive it like normal, I can't believe it's hurting anything.

FWIW
Kyle
--
1980 242GT 197K, 1990 744Ti 113K

Hey Vinay,
Sounds like a solinoid to me, but you should check your relay to rule that out. If there are any cracks, solder them back up...this method is HIGHLY recommended by Mr. Foster and cost nothing. I have a bentley if you want to consult that as well.

good luck,
Chuck in mpls

(hey you wanna come over and help me get my 245 up and firing??? hehe)

Hey Chuck, what's wrong with the brick? You can email me at vjoshii@comcast.net Maybe we could get together and work on the bricks. Email me with your ph# and we'll talk.

L8R