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Hi brother_xii,
Your first message you wrote:
I dont know much about these cars other than reading and researching online. I plan to put 7000 miles or so on it this summer. Live on the west coast, so rust isnt a huge issue. NOt mechanically inclined, but ready to learn. Dont want to spend much over $2000 if possible. ...
... 218,000 miles on a rebuilt engine for $2000 Well maintained (apparently)
Where you are in BC, Canada, do you have a competent mechanic that can inspect your recently acquired 1990 Volvo 240 for suspension, and other, wear items, and, in utter honesty, give you a write up with costing, itemized in order of urgency.
Yeah, the Volvo 240 is a durable car. Your 1990 Volvo 240, like my 1990 Volvo 240, is approaching 27 years and 218,000 miles.
You have any service records from the prior owners who seemed well-meant in their advert?
So, if we are worried about suspension, for now, we'd worry about tendons and joints.
Or, aforementioned suspension bushings and mechanical joints.
Critical mechanical front suspension joints are the lower ball joints. These can fail if not replaced. You can hear there failure, sometimes, or, search this board to diagnose failing ball joints. Also, we have both the inner and outer steering rack tie rods, a sort of ball joint, that connects the steering rack to the front hub assembly.
Art benstein page on Volvo 240 ball joint replacement:
http://cleanflametrap.com/bj.html
Ball joints with split boots, lose the grease pack, and can wear quickly. Thread on the left ball joint broke on removal of the nut.:
LEMFÖRDER, Dayna / Spicer, and TRW may be okay. Dunno about OEM ball joints and tie rod ends. Owned by China, made in China.
Read here:
http://volvoforums.com/forum/volvo-240-740-940-12/1990-volvo-240-sedan-bad-tie-rod-76102/
Inner tie rod under the accordian boot at the left. Outer tie rod secure to the strut assembly Pitman arm (if you can call it this in McPherson suspension.
Though wear can come slowly, and accelerate, as soon as lubrication is lost and clearances open up (space forms in the ball and socket joints), the ball joint and the inner and outer tie rod joints can fail spectacularly. A competent mechanic can take the time, and charge you, in doing so, to inspect these for wear.
The most critical front suspension bushings are the front strut mounts (Volvo PN 1272455) and the lower rear (large control arm bushings).
The front strut mounts, to which the front dampeners (strut cartridges) secure to. The bushing material hardens and shrinks, and without an occasion grease injection. A visual inspection would show concentric circular cracks in the bushing material, the bushing material separating from the outer shell, or, more likely, separating (peeling) away from the center bearing assembly. Also, as the Volvo 240 rests, if the strut mounts appear severely domed above the inner fender lip, consider that a fail.
What failure looks like. And I really despise Photobucket:
and
Article for you to read:
http://forums.turbobricks.com/showthread.php?t=273293
http://www.turbobricks.com/forums/showthread.php?p=5280474
Though we read in this second turbobricks article of Volvo OEM strut mounts failing. I replaced these in my 240s some 4-5 years ago. Probably some quality made in China junk, now. Try maybe SKF, or, if you can, get Made by Boge of Germany, if this is a trend of Volvo OEM strut mount failure per the turbobricks article.
Under the dust cap, the ball bearings in the bearing assembly can also fail.
Any strut mount failure means the strut cartridge piston rod ejects and bangs the under side of the hood. Ad you though the ride was bad before.
The smaller front control arm bushes can fail, also. But these have a solid bolt through them. Though perhaps best to replace all.
I'm less worried about the rear bushes. Though you are free to get under your recent 1990 Volvo 240 acquisition and inspect all of this at any time yourself.
Bilstein Touring struts and shocks (or dampeners that both damp and dampen) are the best value for your buck.
Bilstein HDs won't fit the front 1990 240 strut housing tube.
Made in Mexico Sachs (Advantage or Super Touring), KYB, Monroe, Gabriel all blow.
Unless you can get actual made in Germany Boge Turbo Gas for 240 in Canada. Sort of doubt that.
And now we go off-topic.
Sort of connected to suspension are the front and rear wheel hubs. All four hubs require an NLGI-2 grease pack. Front hubs need a check and torque, though a seal on the inside of the hub assembly is likely failed and leaks a bit. The rear wheel hubs are a little more involved, yet at 200,000+ miles, the rear wheel hubs should have been inspected, cleaned, and repacked for grease at least once, or risk rear wheel bearing failure. Replacement is a real bitch, or expensive, or both. I mean, at 75-140$ an hour for mechanic services in and around Vancouver, BC ... or Tonto, Ontario. Or anywhere in Ontario.
Oh, both motor mounts and transmission mount? Drive shaft center support bushing, as these shrink an fail, and bushing.
How's the brake fluid? A clear pale straw color in the brake fluid reservoir? Or a dark tan? I'll guess a black as can be color. If black, brake calipers can seize and such.
So, in your purchase, I'll guess Canaidia has no safety inspection? You do have emissions inspection, yes? And your 1990 Volvo 240 passed emissions? You have at at least EGR and possibly AIR (air injection into the exhaust manifold).
While not the end all do all of diagnostic, its a start with the OBD:
https://www.brickboard.com/FAQ/700-900/EngineOBDCodes.htm
OBD diagnostic tester location (in a right hand drive Volvo):
Keep checking until you have all codes. Unless sockets 2 and 6 show 1-1-1 for blink count. Yet, inspect air intake, get spare parts for Volvo 240 (search this forum for spares to carry with you), and replace fluids if not recently (Coolant, we be spoke brake fluid, rear differential, transmission fluid).
Timing belt every 50k miles. Tensioner every second t-belt (100k miles).
Also,
- https://www.brickboard.com/FAQ/700-900/HighMileageVehiclePrevMaint.htm
Well, just read though:
https://www.brickboard.com/FAQ/700-900/FAQSummary1.htm
Got your Volvo Bentley Service Manual?
And:
http://www.k-jet.org/documents/greenbooks/200-series/
Wiring diagrams?
http://www.volvowiringdiagrams.com/?dir=volvo/240%20Wiring%20Diagrams
Questions?
Hope that helps.
Dud.
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