Any maggots with older Volvos?

[Whiteroom_Guardian]

Just brought home my new project car. Its a 1992 Volvo 240 sedan with 181k miles that has been in my girlfriend's parents driveway for about a year. It was my GFs car until a few years ago when she gave it to her little brother. He drove it until he gave up on it last year.

It seems to run fine, but will not hold a charge. Apparently, they tried to get it fixed, but I don't think the mechanic was that thorough. There is probably a short in it somewhere. I don't think its as simple as a bad alternator unless their mechanic was an idiot.

I am a total electronics newb. I can do brakes/rotors, oil/fluid changes, and other simple stuff. Not really a car guy. I mean a free car is a free car. I love the look and ride of old heavy volvos.

I bought a multimeter. Which manuals should I get or websites should I look at, etc?

[systemoverblow'd]

Are you sure it is an electrical issue? A bad neutral safety switch and/or fuel pressure switch will make it so the car will not start. I'm no Volvo expert, that is what my buddy who is pretty knowledgeable just said. I guess both of those are pretty common failures of this vintage.

[huckbucket]

I mean a free car is a free car.

Except when that free car is like a free boat. Having said that, these cars are really, really simple. They just happened to leak a lot and short wires a lot.

[Whiteroom_Guardian]

Starts fine with a jump. I guess they put a brand new battery in and it was dead within a day. I don't know if they were driving it around or the battery just drained while parked.

[MakersTeleMark]

Either you have a parasitic drain, or your alternator is toast.

Check and clean all grounds (mice can do a number), pull the alt, have it load tested and report back.

Tanks like this are easy to fix.

[Cocximus]

K so to clarify

1. If the car starts, runs, then dies while running you have a charging problem or unlikley a really really bad battery.

2. If the car runs without any problems, but it does not start again you either have a bad battery or something drains your battery. A short would blow a fuse or melt a wire. That's not the case here. Chances are it's the battery.

[Cocximus]

^ just read your answer. Start by removing the negative overnight. See if it starts in the morning when you reconnect it.

If it's a drain you can try to isolate it by removing fuses. A clamp on DC mater would help buy they aren't cheap

[capulin overdrive]

Multimeter can tell you if alternator is working.

With car not running, your battery should have around 12 volts, maybe high 12 volt range if it's a strong battery.

With car running you should have 14 volts or so, depending on alternator. One wire GM's are usually around 14.

[Game Over]

I had 4 240s over the years and did a lot if work on them. Super easy. Just get yourself a shop manual. They rally in the snow btw.

[Cocximus]

Did they make and bring awd 240 to NA?

[huckbucket]

^^
Nope (AFAIK)

[Whiteroom_Guardian]

Another thing to add. 3 times ever the car has just turned itself off while running. Once for my GF on the highway, once for her brother, and it did it to me as I was backing out of the driveway to drive around the corner to where I had the trailer parked. Ignition problem?

Anyway, I am gonna hook the battery up to a charger today and make sure that is not the issue (battery was brand new 1 year ago). Gonna check the grounds and alternator as Maker's suggested, then gonna start pulling fuses one by one.

[ryan b]

Not sure if if it could cause this issue but I recall the wiring harness that runs into the tailgate for the lights tends to wear through on these. You may need to replace it anyways and it could be a source of shorts.

[Touring_Sedan]

Use the current setting on your DMM as you pull fuses to see which one is pulling amps while everything else is off. Luckily it's not a newer, CAN bus, vehicle. It should be pretty easy to find the draw.

[ill-advised strategy]

I don't know any of the maggettes well enough to make the obvious joke this thread requires.

[Whiteroom_Guardian]

Multimeter can tell you if alternator is working.

With car not running, your battery should have around 12 volts, maybe high 12 volt range if it's a strong battery.

With car running you should have 14 volts or so, depending on alternator. One wire GM's are usually around 14.

Trickle charged the battery overnight. With car turned off the battery reads 12.7-12.8 volts. With the car running it reads 12.2-12.3.

[MakersTeleMark]

Trickle charged the battery overnight. With car turned off the battery reads 12.7-12.8 volts. With the car running it reads 12.2-12.3.

Alt then.

[Rakanush]

For that old of a vehicle you can do a simple test if it's the alternator or not; if you can get it started, remove the negative cable on the battery. If it keeps running, then your alternator is good and you have an electrical gremlin somewhere; if not, you have a bad alternator.

[Cocximus]

For that old of a vehicle you can do a simple test if it's the alternator or not; if you can get it started, remove the negative cable on the battery. If it keeps running, then your alternator is good and you have an electrical gremlin somewhere; if not, you have a bad alternator.

Not the best idea on anything with EFI.

[Rakanush]

Not the best idea on anything with EFI.

Ah! I thought it would still have carbs. Should've googled the car before suggesting that.

[Whiteroom_Guardian]

So, I started fucking with this car again. It nearly started on first try after sitting since November. Had to jump it. Now it doesn't seem to be charging anymore. WTF?

It only reads like 8.5 volts while running after idling for over an hour. I am too scared to take it on an actual drive anywhere until I am sure I can re-start it if she stalls or something.

Currently turning on the lights or anything makes the car shut off. I just want it decent enough to sell.

[Crenshaw]

Replace the alternator already.

[GimpToo]

"Volvo For Sale" - needs alternator!!!

[Cocximus]

Look for a local shop that rebuilds alternators. They usually do it for half the price a store would sell you a rebuilt alternator.

[El Chupacabra]

Check all the electrical connections at the battery, alternator, and ground straps, for corrosion.

And it's probably the alternator. It should be in the ballpark of 14.4-15 volts while running.