ICQ>

The problem is very likely that the ac evaporator box is leaking. I made thousands of dollars repairing them during my 30 year stint working on bricks and other high line euro cars. The problem lies in the fact that the evaporator box is sectioned top to bottom instead of horizontally, and that over time the plastic material warps sufficiently to open the seam and allow condensate to leak. The outlet for the drain is very slightly higher than the seam itself so the water flows out of the seam rather than the drain. Also, the passenger's side gets most of the moisture because the box is slightly offset to the right side of the car. Volvo would have you spend a bazillion dollars or so to remove and replace the evaporator box, but there is a much easier way that will only cost you about an hour or so in total time and perhaps $3.00 in materials. Just follow along and you will affect a forever fix. I never did have a come back doing it this way.

1. Drive the car for a few days without operating the air conditioning. This is to drain and dry out any residual moisture in or around the evaporator box.

2. Lift up the passengers door sill cover, it might be a little reluctant but it is only held on by a few spring clips. Do the same for the sill cover for the rear door if you have a 4 door car. Put them both in the trunk for safekeeping.

3. Remove the underdash shield panel from in front of the passenger and driver's side.

4. Remove both of the side covers from the console area.

5. At this point you must remove the undercarpet insulation padding and eliminate as much of the condensate as possible. You might find it more effective to remove the carpets from the car, but that does entail removing the seats, etc. etc. If you are willing to put up with some messyness for a few days just lift the carpet and drag the insulation padding out from under it. The front one is going to be soaked. Peal back the carpent from the sides of the transmission tunnel exposing as much of the tunnel as possible. Use a few old towels to sop up as much water from the metal floor as possible (front and rear). Note that there is a section of insulation that lies under all of the stuff in the console area that might be very hard to remove. If it doesn't come out easily don't make a big deal out of getting it out. It will be VERY difficult to replace it if that is so. Just leave it in place.

6. Working in the driver's side foot well unplug the small tube from the end of the vacuum accumulation chamber. It's the white plastic thing that looks like a succession of plastic tennis balls glued together. Then move to the passenger's side and do the same. Then pull the chamber out from the passenger's side. It may be a little reluctant, but it will come out.

7. Now the next step is a little tricky, but I'll describe it as best as I can. It helps if you have small hands and nimble fingers, so if you have some NBA sized hams you might entice a smaller friend to do this part. Also it is messy and you can end up with some pain and scratches from sticking your hand and fingers into spaces that were never ment to accept them. But anything to save a buck, right? Open a tube of silicone sealer and squirt out a small quantity on to your finger tips. Very carefully and deliberately, work your hand and fingers up into the small space just forward of the evaporator box and behind the firewall. Don't bother trying to look at what you are doing, you won't be able to see anything. Just use your sense of touch to determine when your fingers bearing the silicone goo have encountered the seam of the box. When they do, start smearing the stuff into the seam. Go as high as you can, usually about an inch or so, and keep replenishing the goo on your fingers until you think that you have made the seal. Now move down the seam, along the bottom of the box and up the rear side sealing all along the way. This really takes a bit of doing but if you can change an indicator lamp in the back side of the instrument pod of a 240 without taking the pod out you can do this too. Use plenty of goo.

8. Replace the vacuum chamber and reconnect the lines to it.

9. Prop up the carpets (if you haven't actually removed them) with a few blocks of wood or something similar to allow air to circulate beneath the material.

10. Operate the car WITHOUT THE AC for a few days, sometimes it takes as long as a week, while the condensate evaporates from the floors and carpet. If you didn't take the insulation pad out of it's position on top to the transmission tunnel it is going to drain water for at least a week. Anyway, leave everything like this until everything is dry, floors, carpet, insulation, all of it.

11. When everything has dried out, you must begin testing your sealing work. Now begin operating the car WITH the AC ON for a few days, but every chance that you get, take a minute to look at and feel the passenger floor area for new condensate. If you did your job right the first time there won't be any moisture. If you missed sealing a part of the seam, you'll have to go back and start over with the sealing process again.

12. Once you have determined that the box is indeed sealed you can reinstall everything "in reverse order" as they say.

As I say, this is a completely bullet proof way of getting things dry and keeping them that way, but it isn't for someone in a great hurry or for someone who can't stand a little contortionist practice. Hope this helps you..Jack