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Thanks for that. Yes, this is the first resto I've worked on and the first welding I've done. I am on the whole enjoying it - maybe not the bits upside down with the underseal melting into my face.. The last hurdle to getting this car back on the road was to get it actually starting and running. As it stood this is how things were when I first tried to start it. Eventually with a lot of fiddling with the CO screw and the idle control I got it starting, although running very poorly. A bit of troubleshooting had me strip down the whole K-Jet injection system and clean and test it as I went.   Everything was rebuilt with new seals and gaskets, plus the PCV system was completely overhauled. Fuel and vac lines were all replaced too. Eventually I managed to get it idling perfectly.  It still wasn't starting very well - needed around 3-4 attempts to get it to run, but at least it was now reliable enough to actually drive. First drive in 13 years. Unfortunately it failed its MOT at the first attempt thanks to a bit of a misunderstanding. One of the grommet holes on the inner wheel arch was originally rotten so I cut it out and replaced it with a bit of solid metal. The MOT tester then assumed the grommet hole on the other side was corrosion and structural. I'm not sure what substance he was on, but nevertheless I didn't argue. I just welded the grommet hole shut and took it back for a retest, which was a clean pass! Here is the first fill-up.  Some general photos of it out and about.        Having never driven a 240 before, I'm really surprised by how much I like it. The ride is supple yet the car is quite chuckable. It grips very well and takes corners in such a nice playful way. It's not quick, but it doesn't need to be. It's exceptionally comfortable, warm and cosy, and quite refined even on the motorway for such an old car. I think I will be keeping this for a long time! I still have yet to get to the bottom of the cold start problem, but a fuel pressure test kit has just arrived and I hope to have a shot at diagnosing that very soon. |
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Nice work!
Gotta be pleased with that.
Interesting red trailer you have in the carpark. ;P
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Mar 24, 2022 15:18:26 GMT
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jmsheahan
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 689
Club RR Member Number: 121
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Fantastic welding skills there, looks like it's coming along nicely!
Disappointing to see the BH products have let go there, certainly not what you want. I've found Hydrate 80 to be a bit hit and miss but usually the primers are pretty good.
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Mar 29, 2022 11:07:55 GMT
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It's amazon time!    With the 240 now up and running and out of the work area, a friend very kindly helped me shift the 122 out of storage so that I could begin sorting it. Piston #4 is seized. I optimistically filled it up with ATF a few months ago, but this doesn't seem to have achieved anything. I topped up the cylinders with diesel and left them for a few nights.  #4 is still not draining through so I'm going to assume it's still pretty soundly corroded in place.  Not to worry as I have a spare higher output twin carb B18 to put in. Patina is developing nicely. I don't intend to paint this car.   I stripped the panels off the front end to check for rust, and then emptied the engine bay of all parts and lines.   It certainly needs some love.    The most hilarious part is the floor, repaired with plywood, wood screws (into thin air) and bathroom sealant.  Next job is to lift the engine out and get stuck into the engine bay with some sharp and abrasive tools. |
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Mar 29, 2022 21:07:22 GMT
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I've found hydrate 80 to be dissapointing too,I did a bit of experimentation on some rust spots on my range rover bumper, hydrate only lasted a couple of weeks, cortanin lasted 6 months and still wasn't rusty.
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Mar 29, 2022 21:11:55 GMT
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Great work on the 240, and looking forward to reading your progress on the Amazon! For the stuck piston, I know it sounds strange, but have you tried coca cola? Regarding floorpan rust, should you need them, the repair panels supplied by Brookhouse Classic Volvo Parts are very nice, and fit extremely well - my car had a full set welded in over ten years ago. Also, in case you haven't already seen it, all the factory manuals, parts books & service bulletins can be downloaded from here: www.volvoamazonpictures.se/ |
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Great work on the 240, and looking forward to reading your progress on the Amazon! For the stuck piston, I know it sounds strange, but have you tried coca cola? Regarding floorpan rust, should you need them, the repair panels supplied by Brookhouse Classic Volvo Parts are very nice, and fit extremely well - my car had a full set welded in over ten years ago. Also, in case you haven't already seen it, all the factory manuals, parts books & service bulletins can be downloaded from here: www.volvoamazonpictures.se/Great info, thanks! Currently I have been using a variety of flammable liquids such as petrol, diesel and ATF. Coca cola is a cheap one to try. Is there any brand which is more potent, as I'm assuming it's the acids that do to the work? |
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Started stripping down the engine bay. Some quality repairs involving tin foil, bathroom sealant and filler were uncovered.    I can only take so much vibration and noise so took a break by taking the engine out.  POWER TO WEIGHT RATIO IMPROVED.  I decided my chances of getting that piston out would be improved with better access, so I started dismantling the engine. Flywheel and RMS removal.  Oil pan, timing cover, gubbins removed.   Mains and big ends out.  And the rest.  That one is still very much feeling cosy in there.  I'm leaving that in a bath of <whatever I can find> from the inside out this time. I will probably be resorting to fire though! Overall I'm quite happy with the state of things though. The mains and big ends are very unworn looking, the pistons and bores are fine. I reckon if I can get that piston out then a budget rebuild will see this engine back on the road. |
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Great info, thanks! Currently I have been using a variety of flammable liquids such as petrol, diesel and ATF. Coca cola is a cheap one to try. Is there any brand which is more potent, as I'm assuming it's the acids that do to the work? I've only ever used the genuine & non diet stuff, but that was because it was going spare. I won't drink it, since as far as I'm concerned, it is a workshop chemical... Not a big surprise that the rest of the innards are still good, as I've read that Volvo used a surface hardening treatment on the crank bearing journals (I gather that this can be reinstated should they ever need grinding) which probably goes some way to explaining how tough these engines are. There was a guy in the States called Irv Gordon who was getting about a million miles between rebuilds from a B18 - he reached over 3 million before he died & I think the car (a mid '60s 1800S coupe) is in a museum now. I think the main weak point is the fibre timing gear on the camshaft, which can break up but as it's a non-interference engine, it doesn't cause any collateral damage. Regarding the bulkhead rot, a few years back, there was somewhere that did repair panels for the cowling corners (between bonnet, door and screen, directly above the A post) - wonder if they may be of use, as I imagine quite a bit will need cutting away to get access? |
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Great info, thanks! Currently I have been using a variety of flammable liquids such as petrol, diesel and ATF. Coca cola is a cheap one to try. Is there any brand which is more potent, as I'm assuming it's the acids that do to the work? I've only ever used the genuine & non diet stuff, but that was because it was going spare. I won't drink it, since as far as I'm concerned, it is a workshop chemical... Not a big surprise that the rest of the innards are still good, as I've read that Volvo used a surface hardening treatment on the crank bearing journals (I gather that this can be reinstated should they ever need grinding) which probably goes some way to explaining how tough these engines are. There was a guy in the States called Irv Gordon who was getting about a million miles between rebuilds from a B18 - he reached over 3 million before he died & I think the car (a mid '60s 1800S coupe) is in a museum now. I think the main weak point is the fibre timing gear on the camshaft, which can break up but as it's a non-interference engine, it doesn't cause any collateral damage. Regarding the bulkhead rot, a few years back, there was somewhere that did repair panels for the cowling corners (between bonnet, door and screen, directly above the A post) - wonder if they may be of use, as I imagine quite a bit will need cutting away to get access? I had no idea about the treatment on the journals. I'm genuinely surprised how clean everything looks. There's one or two very minor scores on the big ends but absolutely nothing that would make me hesitate to just stick them back in! My goal is a working engine that I can use, not a perfect zero miles rebuild. This car is never going to be show-worthy (I am likely to keep the rather awful paint and rough patina as I think it looks brilliant). The repair panels, I'm planning to knock something together myself to save money. I have plenty of leftover steel from the 240 project, so it may as well get used up. As long as it's solid and presentable, I'm happy. |
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Aug 23, 2022 13:27:41 GMT
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Haven't updated this in ages. The 240 has been going very well. It has been a reliable daily, plus we've taken it on quite a few long road trips. I'm averaging around 35mpg out of it, which for an old brick really isn't bad at all.   Down to Wales for the autoshite meet.  I dropped the front on -40mm springs. This has made a massive difference to the look of it. Where previously it had the South Carolina squat, it now looks like a normal car.  A fair amount of tweaking has been done, mainly with setting and resetting the KJet fuelling, but I think I've got it spot on. Flung some injectors at it, thanks to a mistake on the Euro car parts website that meant they were being sold off for £15 each..  Had a couple of new additions to the fleet. First up, a 205 D.  This needed some tickling.    And some brake fettling.   After that it got a clean MOT, and we attended FOTU in it in the summer, convoying with a friend in his Renault Express.  It's now a pretty decent car, and totally solid. I've got a Bosch fuel pump ready to go on, so I'm going to try experimenting with some Veg. The other addition to the fleet is a Triumph Toledo. Originally registered in Solihull, it ended up in Ireland for a while, then exported to Italy. It then made its way back to Derbyshire where it was used to do the NC500 and stored in a garage.  This was a non runner due to a broken clutch. Thankfully replacing the clutch hydraulics got it back in action and it's now drivable.  This is my other half's car and she's doing a full resto on it - not that it needs a huge amount. It's an ideal first project car. To finish off, a fairly heft chunk of the Amazon has been rebuilt.           Floors, chassis rails and sill are next on the agenda. Current fleet status: 1988 Volvo 240 GLT 1964 Volvo 122S 1975 Triumph Toledo 1300 1995 Peugeot 205 D 1998 Volvo C70 T5 GT 1999 Lexus LS400 2013 Renault Trafic 2009 Honda Accord 2.2 iDtec I should probably sell some stuff. |
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