Just been through this with my 90. Sounds like a short somewhere with that cracking sound in your speakers.

Start small. As mentioned, check OD relay first - they can be bought used for $10 or less. Then check white wiring for corrosion between relay and solonoid - particularly the section underneath the car near tranny. My OD stopped all of sudden, turned out that the white wire broke at the back of the tranny where I had a hard time seeing it! Also check OD button operation and finally go after the solonoid (pricey).

Check out the archives here for more info. There are a ton of posts in there that helped me....


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90 244DL 1/4 million miles - original engine/drivetrain :)