We are selling our 85 244 and it's no longer registered. Family paying us a visit next week forces us to clean up the 89 wagon for people passengers rather than its normal canine cargo. While I was at it I thought I'd also finally install a good sound system in the 245.

Nancy is off vacuuming it out as I type, since I've given up on the stereo upgrade until I can get some answers here.

This 240 has never had the original radio messed with in any way. The factory unit stopped working reliably years ago. Since the 244 is going I pulled the perfectly working Blaupunkt head unit and Infinity door speakers out of that car to put in the wagon. This morning I yanked the original radio out and installed the stereo.

Here's the problem...
There is power to the head unit but the speakers aren't being powered all the time. No sound at all unless I disconnect a speaker wire from either the speaker side or back of the head unit and reconnect it. When the connection is made a light pop sound is heard and things work for a little while. Maybe 10 minutes, maybe 2, and then no more sound until I either hit a pothole just right or mess with the speaker connections again.

Now I know this is an issue with the car rather than the speakers and stereo because the same kind of thing was happening with the original radio. I always thought it was an issue with that head unit.

I'm pretty certain that my ground is good and the stereo displays are always showing the volume level and other indicators that it's working fine.

So what is going to fix this silliness? It's really irritating to have this car's sound finally upgraded yet remain intermittent.

Thanks for your ideas.

Ron...in Utah for now
89 245 5spd 250K miles
85 244

ALRIGHTY THEN!!

Back in business. I rewired the front door speakers and without having to mess with the door panels at all.

It was a real peace of cake to pull the new wires through by taping them to the old ones. This was only possible after pulling the outboard kick panels for each side, then peeling back the black material that hides the cavity access. The wires are held in place with a plastic card/fork of sorts. Once I pulled this retainer out, drawing the wires into the footwell from the door was a breeze.

Oh yeah, on the driver's side I had to remove the two screws holding the fuse panel in place and swing it to the side. I did this after disconnecting the battery of course.

The original speaker wires had bit the dust both failing in the area of the door hinge. I'm much better off now with the 16 Gauge Monster Cable that I had no other use for. One continuous run from each speaker to the deck. Unlike the original setup with two sections of wire for each.

Now if I can just figure out a good place in the wagon to mount my two MB Quart DKD 6.5" speakers that I still need to pull from the 244. :)

Thanks once again for the advice.

Ron...Utah for now
89 245 5spd 250K Miles, now with tunes
85 244

Classic signs of bad wiring.

Lay down some newer and thicker wires from the radio to the speakers in the door. That should solve the problems. Volvos came from the factory with very flimsy speaker wire not really designed to flex as much as they should have been.

Make sure you don't mix up the + and - between the speakers and the head unit. Keep everything in phase. There's nothing more annoying (to me anyway) then speakers being out of phase.

Good luck!
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If you listen to the radio in Portland, OR, you may know me as 'Portland's Favorite Soul Brother!'

Sure sounds like an intermittent disconnect/malconnect somewhere. I'd start with disassembling, cleaning, and re-soldering / reconnecting all the connectors starting from the head unit and moving out toward the speakers until cured. A little bit of fine sandpaper, a .177 caliber brass bore-cleaning brush, and a soldering iron should take you all the way.
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We have met the enemy and they is us. [Pogo] S70 T5 cop car : Rough Rider suspension, Walmart fog lights, eBay speakers, ambiance by Pall Mall, trim by Le Duc d'Tape, 8-channel THD by OEM amps

My bet would be missing speaker wire insulation where it goes into the door.

Steve

Thanks for the words you two.

For now I only have a pair of speakers in the doors so I suppose I'll give routing all new speaker wires a go.

Can I use 16G home intended wire? I have it laying around is why I ask.

Also, any advice on how to get it routed without messing with the door panels? Would tying it to the old wire then pulling it trough likely work? If not, how much of a pain is it to run through the door grommet?

Thanks again.

Ron...Utah for now.
89 245 5spd...second owner. Bought with 160K, 250K currently. No engine work.
85 244 of sorted past, looking to sell it cheap and buy another nice 5spd wagon.
84 242 showroom original. Gone
79 245 beater. Gone

I would pull the door panels. It's not hard top do. Remove arm rest. Door knob. Door pocket. I'm sure someone on here has a link to this procedure. Maybe Phil or George? For me the hard part is snaking the wire trough the kick panel and boot that goes to the interior of the door. Follows the same path as the power mirror wire harness.

Anyway just go slow. It's not too bad. Just follow the old wire.

Steve