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Old 04-18-2014, 07:32 AM
SMN3D SMN3D is offline
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Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Portland, OR
Vehicle: 1984 245 D24 M46 (converting to D24T auto), 1982 244 (installing missing D24 and M46 from wagon)
Posts: 13
Default Greetings from Portland, Oar-EE-gone: 1984 Volvo 245 D24

Hello everyone, I wanted to introduce myself as a long time grazer at D24T.com, and now official owner of a white 1984 factory Volvo 245 D24!

My love of the VW Diesel engine began with my parents purchase of a new 1976 Rabbit Diesel. Although my poor mother was laughed at by the guys in the 18 wheelers (only place to get diesel fuel in the 70s was at truck stops), we laughed all the way to the bank, getting 50+MPG with very little effort.

I acquired my 1984 D24 in December (to go with our pre-existing 1985 gas Volvo 245), M46 is in great condition with working overdrive, and drove it home to Portland (with the "Brake Failure" light coming off/and on and VERY squishy brakes).

I have been slowly in off hours fixing a bunch of wiring issues (at least a dozen wires were cut for no apparent reason). My favorite previous owner wiring F-up was the removal of the glow plug relay from under the dash and replacement with a large Radio Shack pushbutton, which was tackily placed into the center of one of the 52mm gauge faceplates… I also repaired the power windows ("It's never the relay" but it was), and then went one step further by replacing just the front power windows with manual ones, keeping the rears power (we have young kids and manual windows are not a good thing for them), and moving the controls to the center console (in the gaping hole where the seatbelt connectors were--I moved them).

I've also:

-- Replaced the brake master cylinder (ATE)

-- Swapped the tan interior for a blue one (from our other volvo), including 3rd row seat

-- Replaced the fully-functional original Volvo tape deck/radio with a more modern one (in the upper instead of lower dash), including wiring for a rear view camera.

-- Replaced the hood hinges (one was broken and the other one seemed about ready to go)

I'm in the process now of putting things back together and getting it back on the road, with the last non-engine issue being putting together a working tach (I am blessed with a correct alternator that has the W terminal). I'll be posting my progress (and questions) about that project on another thread.

I'll also be going through the paperwork and verifying the changing of the timing belt, and if I can't find any info, go ahead and get that done. Also change the oil, and clean up the engine bay a bit (quite a bit of acorns and oil).

If all goes well, I hope to see some of you at the iPD garage sale in a few weeks,

Scott
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Old 04-18-2014, 08:49 AM
v8volvo v8volvo is offline
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Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Montana, USA
Vehicle: '86 745, '83 764
Posts: 1,618
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Scott, welcome to the board!

Nice to see yet another Pacific Northwester here. There concentration of diesel owners in the Portland and Seattle areas is probably the strongest in the country... You're in good company.

It sounds like your 245 is a true 1984 model; many of the 1984-titled 240s (and some 760s) are actually more like 1985s, with a lot of little changes that make them quite different. One of the main differences is in the glow system -- the "1984.5" cars have a single 740-style glow plug relay mounted to the washer bottle under the hood, while the 1979-1984.0 cars use two relays, one of which is under the dash, like you're describing on your car. Anyway, sometimes this is something to keep in mind when ordering parts -- the split 1984 model year can occasionally make it tricky to get the right parts from Volvo, so oftentimes for early 1984 cars I have found it easier to look up parts for an '83 to be sure I'll get the right stuff.

You have already gotten a lot of good work done on the car, by the sound of it! Looking forward to hearing and seeing how the progress continues. Going through the sleuthing process, trying to figure out how the mind of a PO was wired (or IF it was wired at all!) based on the prior electrical work they have done on a car, is always fun.

If you do determine that it is due for a timing belt change, just remember that you can't rely on almost any shops, even dedicated Volvo or diesel places, to have the specific tools and knowledge for doing a D24 timing belt correctly. They're not tricky at all to change if you have the right equipment and know what you are trying to do, and are willing to take your time with it -- but they are also completely intolerant and unforgiving of cheating or mistakes! Many D24 engines have been destroyed during or shortly after timing belt replacement work in the hands of experienced, professional mechanics; it's probably the #1 or #2 cause of untimely death for them.

Portland is fortunate to be one of only perhaps three or four cities in the US where it would be possible to have the belt changed correctly at a regular shop -- I believe Kevin (member Slobodan, posts here from time to time) works at a Volvo specialty garage there. However, it sounds like you already have a lot of experience working on the 240 series in general, so if you find that it does need a belt, you might want to consider doing it yourself. We would be happy to help you with tools and information here on the forum, and there are members local to you who may also be up for helping in person.

Glad to have you aboard!
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Old 04-18-2014, 01:35 PM
SMN3D SMN3D is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Portland, OR
Vehicle: 1984 245 D24 M46 (converting to D24T auto), 1982 244 (installing missing D24 and M46 from wagon)
Posts: 13
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Thanks--I've seen how friendly it is around here, and that helped me decide to dive into a decidedly-unpopular-in-the-Volvo-world vehicle (I've learned to just ask for the parts and not mention it's for a diesel if the parts are 240-generic...)

Yes I've seen a couple of Diesel 240s around town--one had the turbo and intercooler sticking out of the hood like a vintage musclecar lol (dark brown 245).

I checked in with Slobodan/Kevin when I first got the car, under the assumption that I would just do "a few quick things" before getting to the mechanical stuff, but when I discovered all the neglect on the interior wiring/etc, I decided to go deeper and fix things correctly. I can't stand trying to troubleshoot one problem when a bunch of other problems exist...

When I ordered the interior glow plug relay, volvo parts webstore asked for the VIN to make sure it was the right relay. I pick it up tonight and try it over the weekend, but it has the correct connector in the picture. I didn't know the switchover was mid-1984, I thought it was 1985 only, so thanks for the info.

I forgot to mention the air filter was non-existent in the car, and the filter box itself was a mess, so a brand new filter is also arriving today and going in the car over the weekend.

I haven't started the engine since January, so I hope it's still working!

Scott
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