I had not had a Volvo for several years, and recently acquired an 81 240 GLT 2 door sedan, 4 speed + overdrive (if I can get it to work again). I daily drive 120 miles between 5000 and 7000 feet elevation. The morning start is at 7000 feet. Is there anything I should do in the way of timing adjustment or carburetor adjustment to allow for the higher altitudes at which I am operating my 240? I know in the past I have had older cars which did not run worth a darn at 1000 feet, but were fine up here.
TIA
Larry

My 81 242 takes me from texas(3500ft),to colorado(11000ft)every year on it's vacation.Hauls all my camping gear,likes mountain roads and gets great milage.With a lambda system you might have the O2 sensor checked,otherwise the rest of the mechanical/hydo system is very reliable.Good air filters are also a must.One word of warning tho,if the car hasn't been run in a year or so the plunger in the fuel distributor will sometimes stick.

I once had the occasion (and the considerable thrill) to drive a 1981 wagon (not a turbo) "over the top" in Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. Got to 12,120 ft altitude.

Of course, this was in 1987 and the car was only six years old, buuuuut...

It ran just as sweet as you could imagine. Ran better than I did at that altitude. The operation was absolutely seamless with all changes of altitude.

So the pressure compensating system must really work, unless it's been affected by age or high mileage.

Good luck.

Doug Harvey

I guess you really haven't had a Volvo in several years, as you wrote. Carburetors (and any ability to set the mixture) haven't been possible for over 30 years. (just kidding :-)
But seriously, while there isn't much that you can do, there also isn't much you need to do, as altitude compensation is built in, the mass flow sensor respoonding to the difference in air density (that's why they call it "mass"), and barometric pressure sensors helping even more. Just make sure everything is working properly.
Remember, though, that any car loses power with increasing altitude (turbochargers and superchargers notwithstanding). The fact that you found some cars running better at high altitudes is without doubt because their carburetors were adjusted for the higher altitudes, and ran lean at sea level.
Best regards,

I don't think you have to do any carburetor adjusting if this is a CI system engine. The CPR has an altitude compensating mechanism. Isn't modern technology great?