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Hello brickboard,
I have been lurking here since the early nineties and have gleaned much information as a result of your collective expertise. I thank you for that, as do about 25 2/7/940s around the Athens Ga. area that I have seemingly become responsible for through the years... I believe it's past time that I gave something back. (F.W.I.W)
I have been driving and maintaining different Volvos since the seventies. I worked for a brief period in the eighties for a local indy shop before flying solo. I have lived with and maintained 122's, 140's, and 240's exclusively, (emphasis on "lived with"). I had never "lived with" a Regina car until about two years ago when I happened on an opportunity to purchase a very fine 135k 1991 745 / na. One owner, local, dealer maintained, all records, etc. Beautiful car. I purchased it primarily as a "loaner" for customers when needed, and it has performed quite well, for the most part.
More than a few (Bosch 240) customers that I loaned the car to mentioned the vibrations and shaking while the car was idling in gear. I was aware of this and it bugged me as well. In my best professional voice, I wrote it off as a 7/940 thing. I decided to re-read the gospel according to Lucid, Ryan_R, rstarkie, and others. I took the car on as my daily driver for a few months while bringing it up to an (anal) O.E.M. stage zero. All engine sensors (with the exception of M.A.P. and air temp which were dealer replaced shortly before purchase, and read fine), I.A.C. valve, V.D.O. T.P.S., lambda, gaskets, oil trap, hoses, belts, were replaced with new O.E.M. parts. (Bought the old indy's inventory a few years ago when they folded) Corteco ( O.E.M.?) hydraulic engine mounts, Bilstien trans mount. A new S.K.F. carrier bearing and (? F.C.P. bearing mount - ) and a flimsy junkyard 940 rear trans to exhaust bracket was added as well. AW 70 L flushed w/ Mobile 1 after pan cleaning (filter was clean - replaced the gaskets). Though the car seemed to appreciate my efforts, the idling while in gear vibrations were only marginally better. Not even as much "placebo effect better" as I had hoped for.
And then I dumped some Seafoam in and all was well. Just kidding.
Last Monday, as I was turning into my drive and telling myself that that F.C.P. carrier bearing mount feels kind of soft, I here a bolt sized clank of something falling out of the rear end. I stop the car and find a 18mm head 4" long bolt lying against the curb. What? I get back in the car with my newly liberated bolt, shift into drive - and no vibrations whatsoever! The bolt came from the rear lower torque rod. (I had not changed these bushings as they are known to last forever and certainly seemed fine when I initially checked them) Though the bushings in the rear "seemed" fine, I changed them anyway. All of them. Vibration is gone. Hard dry rear suspension bushings transfer vibrations? I have to say that in my particular case I think they did. I mean, after the Seafoam, what else is left to try?
I am certainly no suspension authority, but it seems to me that at least some of the dreaded 7/900 vibrations could be traced to rear end bushings. In my case torque rod bushings. Please forgive the lengthy diatribe, but I do hope this might help someone else chasing this frustration. I realize that " Living with Regina" may not seem like an appropriate title for this post - but there will be more to come. Thanks,
Luke
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