All,

No connection between these 2 issues, I presume.

First, my daughters brick has the NA 2.3engine, with automatic. When idling, the motor seems to move quite a bit LtoR, more than I think is normal. I am wondering if these cars have a problem with motor mounts; the car has almost 189K on the clock, and no clue if these mounts have ever been changed. I am wondering if this shaking is just the nature of the 2.3 engine, or is there a "known suspect" in one of the L or R motor mounts? I am new to the brick, so experts please advise.

Second issue, the car will no longer go into OD. The UP arrow is always lit on the dash, and pressing the toggle pushbutton on the shifter will not change the status. My daughter says she has also tried engaging while driving, still no function. I have owned this car since March 04, and the OD was working (you could feel it coming on/off) until around August. I have not yet looked in my Bentley, and I am sure there is a relay/solenoid somewhere which brings on thefunction. OD experts please advise!

many thanks,

DET

I once fixed an '89 with the shakes by replacing the intake manifold gasket. The #1 port had a massive leak. Check by listening with a hose all around the intake area.

Before you head for the OD relay or solenoid, head for Fuse #11. The relay won't "toggle" without it. The relay may be "stuck" in the "up arrow" (3rd gear) state. When the light is On, the solenoid is Off.

If it not the fuse, maybe the relay or the shifter switch/wiring.
--
Bruce Young
'93 940-NA (current) — 240s (one V8) — 140s — 122s — since '63.

Before you head straight for the OD solenoid check the OD relay. Pry it open with small screw drivers and check the solder points and resolder them. I went straight for the solenoid on my 89 and it wasn't the problem and you can't return electrical parts once installed. The solenoid is a very price part just to trouble shoot with.

As far as your engine mounts it sounds like its time to change them.

Good luck

Volvo was one of the pioneers of "Break-away" motor mounts, meaning, in an accident, the motor mounts would break under shearing force, allowing the motor and tranny to slide underneath the car instead of into the passenger compartment. To accomplish this, they had to make the motor mounts softer than other motor mounts. Long story short, they fail all the time. The last time mine failed, I found my engine resting on top of my sway bar (somehow the alternator mounting point lines up perfectly with the sway bar) Check the passenger side mount first, they tend to fail much more due to the mounting angle and the fact that every time you pull off the oil filter you spill oil onto that mount, weakening the rubber mount. An easy to test the motor mounts is to jack up the engine by the oil pan (BE SURE TO PUT A PIECE OF WOOD THERE, NOT JUST THE JACK TO THE PAN) and see how much the engine will move up. A little bit of movement is normal, more than an inch or so is excessive.

The other cause for rough idling (which can make the engine jump around a bit) would be any part of the ignition system - check the plugs, wires, distributer, etc. - make sure it isn't mis-firing.

The OD solenoid is probably to blame - also a pain to get to, located on the side of the transmission. IPD sells a tool specifically for this job, but I still hate doing it and usually end up just bringing it to a shop to get fixed.

Hope this helps!
--
-Flup, 240DL Wagon, 2 subs in the trunk, Dancing Bears Sticker to top it off :)

when my OD went it was the relay, most likely the culprit. btw, if the light is stuck lit on, the OD could be stuck on in all gears, thats what happened to mine. Could be motor mounts mine were replaced around 110,000 miles.

-Art

-1984 245DL