Volvo Turbo Diesel

Back for a Visit

2007-10-24T16:16:00.000-07:00

Well, just to let y'all know, I am very much enjoying my E320 CDI and its 369 lb.ft. of torque available at 1800-2600 RPM :) It's scary fast for a diesel. 1/4 mile in 15.3 sec @ 91 mph. Not bad for a 4000 lb. car.

On The Road Again

2007-04-01T11:17:00.000-07:00

After having a valve job and head welding/resurfacing, SoDak is back on the road! When Stew pulled the head he noticed that the pistons don't clear the top of the engine block at TDC. This is a bit odd, but everything runs well. He also discovered that the air intake thermostat that is supposed to automatically select for preheated air/ambient air was stuck in the preheated air setting so SoDak was continually sucking hot air into the intake from near the exhaust manifolds. This would have lead to a decrease in fuel economy and is generally not good for the engine.

Head

2007-03-09T04:51:00.000-08:00

Today the head comes off of SoDak and goes to the machine shop for inspection.

SoDak Update

2007-02-16T14:03:00.000-08:00

"SoDak was hydro locked when I tried to start it, so it seemed obvious that I was going to have to do something with the head gasket. Then I decided to check the head bolts for tightness. They were loose, but also felt crunchy when turning. After tweaking them, the leak stopped. So I decided to pull them out and clean up the threads in the block and properly tighten them. Well, this only worked for the first one. The second one came out all corroded and badly necked.I am still considering jumping into a valve job--I really should. But at this point, I think I will just put in new bolts, clean the threads, and see what happens. It is considerably more work to do a valve job, so I hope to avoid that for now. I will let you know how it goes"

STEW

Don't Worry!

2007-02-15T10:01:00.000-08:00

OK, don't worry about the BLOG going anywhere. Part of the deal with my friend STEW is that he would keep up the BLOG. It won't go anywhere and it will still be updated, and this time by a professional mechanic, not some schmuck wanna-be like me :)

SOLD! To the Highest Bidder

2007-02-13T15:46:00.000-08:00

Today I sold SoDak to my good friend Stew. He will fix the headgasket and we'll see what the future holds. I decided that, with my wife working now, and me working, that I could only afford one project car. That one car would be our 1978 VW Westfalia that needs an engine rebuild an a transmission rebuild. Our plan is to hit the road in the bus in 3 years from now. My wife can bike to work so we only need one car, our VW Bora (Jetta). As sad as I am to see her go, SoDak is going to a very good home.

Bad Dreams

2007-01-22T09:35:00.000-08:00

I had a dream last night. I had parked SoDak in a light industrial area by a scrap yard. This was so it was out of the way until I had time to fix it. When I came back a month later, someone had taken the hood, fuel pump, injectors, head, turbo, etc. I was furious, but sort of relieved because I didn't have to fix it.

Headgasket

2007-01-21T09:09:00.000-08:00

Well, looks like SoDak has a blown headgasket. Someone, who shall remain nameless, drove the car for an unknown period of time "in the red" on the temperature gauge about a month ago. I thought it would be OK, but evidently it is not. Symptoms...

When starting the car, coolant reservoir pressurizes even though the car is not warmed up.
Loss of coolant with no coolant leaks
Difficulty starting (it still starts at -5 F with no block heater)
Faint odor of ethylene glycol (coolant) in the exhaust
More white smoke out the tailpipe that usual
RPM-dependent heater output (my guess is that combustion gases are entering the cooling system and preventing it from functioning normally)
Periodic slight increases in coolant temperature (temp has always been rock-steady, again, gas pockets in the cooling system preventing proper cooling)

The definitive test for a blown head gasket is to test for hydrcarbons in the coolant reservoir using an exhause gas analyzer. Notice that coolant/oil mixing is nowhere on the list. Coolant oil mixing is NOT diagnostic of a blown headgasket as the oil cooler on this vehicle is liquid-cooled and is part of the oil filter assembly. The owner before the owner before me (a professional Volvo mechanic from Sweden no less) tore off the head to repair a "head gasket" and found that it was just fine and that the oil cooler had failed, a very unfortunate mistake...

Heat Contd.

2007-01-16T10:32:00.000-08:00

I pulled both of the heater hoses off of the firewall (after I clamped off the hoses). These go straight into the heater core. I shoved a hose in there and flushed it completely, from both directions. Water flowed freely. This meant that I did not have an issue with the valve or the vacuum switch or blockage in the core. I hooked it back up and "bled" the cooling system (to get out any air bubbles). It seems to work much better now, but heat is still somewhat dependent on engine RPM. Possibly I need to replace the thermostat. It may be stuck. We'll see how it runs this week.

The Heat is On (well, actually it's off...)

2007-01-14T08:28:00.000-08:00

I appear to have lost about 90% of the heat in SoDak, just in time for winter finally showing up! The problem is most likely one of three things.

Water valve (allows coolant into the heater core)
Water valve vacuum switch (uses vacuum to open water valve)
Heater core (the water to air heat exchanger)

It is unlikely that the problem is the heater core as this problem came up rather suddenly. Fortunately, I have Martin Luther King Jr. Day off school and will spend it at The Foreign Service trying to get heat.

Dave's Volvo

2007-01-10T14:40:00.000-08:00

Well, SoDak just keeps on chugging along so I guess I have to live vicariously through other Volvo owners. Dave is rebuilding his D24T and is looking for some serious power... He used a stock headgasket and stock headbolts. I'm very jealous of his squeaky clean block. Here it is with its guts removed. And now they're back in!

Something I definitely don't have the courage to do- take apart my turbocharger...

He's shooting for 140 hp :)

Parts I Need

2006-11-28T19:41:00.000-08:00

1. Throttle mechanism
2. 7-series turbo boost gauges from instrument cluster w/square black plastic mounting plate

Tint

2006-10-19T17:58:00.000-07:00

I was pulled over today in Roseville. The reason: the tint on my windows was too dark. Please. You have nothing better to do? Fortunately, the officer saw my driving record and decided to let me go without so much as a "fix-it" ticket. The interesting thing was that the officer had a "Tint Meter Enforcer". HA! Anyway, Minnesota requires that a minimum of 50% light be transmitted through the window. The Volvo had a reading of 17% :) The interesting thing is that tint laws do not apply to trucks or SUV's. What rubbish. Here is a link to window tint laws by state in case you were wondering. I bought the car in South Dakota and it was originally from Florida. Here are instructions on how to remove your window tint.

Another Turbodiesel In Town

2006-10-03T18:57:00.000-07:00

This had to be the saddest looking volvo I have ever seen. Smashed in driver's front corner, primered hood, smashed grill and headlight. It was a quite a sight. Late 20's white male driver with a cast on his left arm. No issues with SoDak. Fuel economy does not appear to be better with the advanced injection values. Still 30mpg Hwy/City.

Hoses & Hitches

2006-09-19T10:00:00.000-07:00

I changed the last two hoses on the motor that hadn't been done yet. The one from the block to the metal tube in between the head and the intake manifold (runs to the oil cooler) sprung a leak. I replaced the heater hose at the firewall while I was doing the job. Unfortunately, the leak happened when my wife was driving down in Mankato to her symphony rehearsal so I had to drive 1.5 hours down there, fix it (I had the new hoses in the trunk) and then drive back. Luckily it happened in Mankato and not on the freeway. I also noticed the boost pressure to fuel pump hose had come off. The car was WAY peppy when I put it back on.

This weekend I hauled a cord of oak hoem for the wood burning stove. I learned a bit about hitches trying to figure out if it was wise to tow this much with the Volvo. the Volvo will tow 3300 lb. SoDak has a Class II hitch, which is rated to 3500 lb. I figured there are safely allowances (no passengers) so I could safely tow 3700 lbs., the approximate weight of a cord of oak. No problem. What an awesome utility vehicle!

0.95mm

2006-09-11T10:21:00.000-07:00

Well, 0.95 is where it's at as far as timing goes. MUCH more power. Should have absolutely no problem starting in the winter as the cold start device advances the timing an additional 0.25mm. Last winter it started great w/o a block heater down to -10F aT 0.85MM. I tried it on straight petro diesel and B50 and it's much more "zippy" with the advanced timing. If you really want, you could push it to 0.98mm, but I'm conservative. I am, afterall, a volvo driver... :)

This Has to be one of the Funniest Ad's I Have Ever Seen...

2006-09-02T12:38:00.000-07:00

Here Be sure to read the WHOLE thing or you may miss some laughs, e.g. under "Exterior Options", Alloy Wheels, Tow Bar, Scrapes and Dents :)

More Pump Timing and Fuel Economy

2006-08-28T19:52:00.000-07:00

Upon recommendation from a reputable source, I'm going to try timing SoDak at 0.95mm and let y'all know what I think. This is quite a bit higher that the 0.75mm spec and just a bit higher than the 0.92mm spec'd for non-US cars. the car's a bit lethargic at 0.75mm, in my humble opinion.

My friend bought the universal cam holding tool mentioned below. I timed the injection by rotating the cam sprocket and not moving the pump (a HUGE pain in the buttocks). First check your timing as described earlier in this BLOG. Next roll the engine over again to TDC, back it up until you get your lowest dial reading (should be zero from checking the timing). Then you loosen the rear cam sprocket, effectively disengaging the cam from the pump. If you want to add timing, say 0.2mm in my case, you roll the pump forward 0.2mm holding the cam sprocket (or use the cam holding tool). The camshaft will not move, only the sprocket. The rear sprocket has no woodruff key so it is free to rotate. Then you retighten the cam sprocket and recheck the timing. It's that simple. You need to make sure you don't turn the injection pump while you tighten the cam sprocket bolt, but you can just look at the dial indicator to make sure. Worked like a charm!

FYI the EPA fuel economy specs for the 1985 740TD w/auto are 25 city, 30 hwy. I get 30 hwy/city. It should improve with the 0.95mm setting.

Flat

2006-08-28T18:48:00.000-07:00

Having never had a flat in my life, I had two this week, one one on the Jetta and one on SoDak. Now I always check the pressure in my spare tire when I check my other tires (I highly recommend you do this). The spare was great. The jack is the easiest of any I've ever used. There was, however, one small problem. No lug wrench. Aargh. All I had with me was a crescent wrench. Luckily I had my bike in the back and rode to the nearest repair station, left my wallet in exchange for a 17mm deep well 1/2" drive and I was on the road in no time flat (pun intended). Strangely, the valve stem had a tear in it!? That was kind of an odd flat, but better than having to plug the tire.

Lessons

Make sure you have ALL of your tool kit
Drive no more than absolutely necessary on a flat tire. You may be able to save it
Replace your valve stems when getting new tires

Free Biodiesel Helpline!

2006-08-20T10:51:00.000-07:00

You can thank my tax dollars for a free University of Minnesota Center for Diesel Research Biodiesel helpline. They will answer questions related to "biodiesel fuel use, storage, availability, or other questions." I haven't called yet, but here's the number 1-800-929-3437

Another Trip to the Junk Yard

2006-08-19T20:35:00.000-07:00

I returned to U-Pull-R parts in Rosemount to find a plethora of 7-series Volvos. I scored 3 14" Alloy wheels for $22 each. Very nice-no curb rash. I just need one more to make a summer set of wheels, but I can deal with swapping one tire.

It seems as if I missed out on a 240 turbo- a source of boost, Volts, etc. VDO gauges with Volvo printed on them. All the 740's had had their instrument clusters removed :( The turbo models have extra gauges that can be easily transplanted into my dash right above the fuel and temperature gauges, plus my clock has a busted plastic gear so I can't change the time.

There were quite a bit of interior pieces to be had, but none for the wagon. Better luck next time? I got the 740 part of the 740 GLE script for the rear liftgate. Anyone have the GLE?

Front Strut Inserts

2006-08-15T10:37:00.000-07:00

It's finally time to do the front strut inserts. The struts have basically NO damping whatsoever. I went with Bilstein inserts. Around $50 wholesale. I'm off to put them in this afternoon! You'll need a spring compressor to do the job.

HA! You might also need an oxy/acetylene torch, an air hammer, a chain wrench, a pipe wrench and a LOT of patience. The nut that holds in the strut insert(picture above at right) is a bear to get off. I had to heat up the nut and strut housing and then airhammer it loose while hot. The threads will need some attention before the new struts go in.

Day 2.... Well the strut nut on the other side was a piece of cake. Some items that may need attention are the rubber bump stops (Volvo p/n 1273849). Mine had completely disintigrated. Also make sure you have both plastic accordian shock bellows (picture, Volvo p/n 1387735). I was missing one. All these parts delays are starting to get annoying, but I should have checked these thigns beforehand :/ There is a strut bearing (allows the strut to pivot against the vehicle body) that should be cleaned and repacked with bearing grease. It has a plastic casing, half yellow/orange, half gray, that can be easily pried apart to get at the bearings. (picture at right)

Day 3... Finally complete! FYI, this job can be done on the car. Disconnect the sway bar and tie rod end from the strut and the strut will then drop out of the wheel well. BE CAREFUL NOT TO STRESS THE BRAKE HOSES. Once the strut is free of the wheel well, use the spring compressor.

Another Biodiesel Rant

2006-08-13T12:52:00.000-07:00

So I have been getting myself all worked up about the fact that SoDak was still not starting well cold. It would chuggaluggakathunkathunkawaddadatablatatatatatatatatatatatatata and then run just fine. Alot of white smoke came out in the process. Turns out the batch of batch of biodiesel I had was at fault. 1/2 a tank of petro diesel and she's starting perfectly cold. In addition, the VW Jetta TDI was running sluggishly. A couple gallons of pertro diesel and she's MUCH more peppy. I don't know what these morons are doing. Get the kinks worked out before you subject us all to your sophomoric chemistry experiments. University of Minnesota professor Dr. David Kittelson recommended that I run a max of B20. I'm inclined to follow his recommendations to avoid future problems. As much as this pains me, unless you're making B100 yourself, I'd recommend following his advice as well.

A few notes on pump R&R and Smoke

2006-08-12T20:03:00.000-07:00

After seeing a VW 1.8T timing belt that had almost shredded itself due to a bad water pump sprocket bushing, the importance of lining up the pump sprocket and the camshaft sprocket comes to mind. Line up a straight-edge with the camshaft sprocket. it should line up perfectly with the pump sprocket. This is only really necessary if you remove the pump mounting bracket or if your rear belt seems to be wearing prematurely/unevenly.

Regarding the smoke... I seem unable to get the Volvo to smoke even if I mash down the throttle and am running petro diesel. This is a good thing. It might be due to the new pump timing setting (0.75mm), injector recalibration (155 bar) or the rebuilt pump or a combination of the former. Whatever it is, it's good news.

Pump Timing Values & Return Lines

2006-08-07T12:38:00.000-07:00

It turns out that I mistakedly set my pump timing to 0.44mm instead of the 0.75mm specified by Volvo for engines with an EGR system. This caused a bit of hard starting/rough running cold. The also increased cranking time when warm. I used to be able to just blip the key and she'd start. At 0.44mm, it would take a bit longer. there have been lots of numbers thrown around as to what the pump should be set to, anywhere from 0.72m to 0.95mm. Which one should you use??? According to Volvo Supplement to Manual 30571/1, the pump should be set to 0.75mm for all cars equipped with an EGR system. Unfortunately my car might be missing some of the EGR system (??) so I'm not sure if I should still use this value... Manual 30571/1 gives the following values:

D24T Exc. USA/Canada 0.9mm
D24T USA/Canada '82-'83 0.8mm
D24T USA Federal/Canada '84- 0.85mm
D24T USA Calif. '84 0.75mm

If it wasn't such a pain to retime the pump, I would try a spread of values and post some feedback :/ BUT, I found this on a Dodge Ram website

Advancing the timing will...

Decrease exhaust temperature
Increase cylinder temperatures/pressures
Increase fuel economy
Increase your output of NOx
Decrease your output of Hydrocarbons
Increase the amount of black smoke at peak torque

FYI, the cold start device, when operating correctly, should increase the above measurements by 0.20-0.25mm. This gives you a quantitative test for you cold start mechanism.

I have started selling 1/8" I.D. X 1/4" O.D. biodiesel-compatible fuel line. It's more heat resistant than Tygon and has the perfect degree of flexibility. The plastic hose I put on after the pump rebuild cracked and dumped fuel down the side of the engine so polyethylene(translucent plastic) fuel line is definitely not a good idea for this application. At $3 a foot, it's 1/2 the cost of Viton and it comes in a cool translucent bright yellow color. You may send $$ for as many feet as you'd like + $4.05 USPS Priority shipping to mycoleptodiscus@yahoo.com via Paypal or email me for my home address to mail me a personal check.

We're Rolling!

2006-08-04T16:37:00.000-07:00

After reinstalling the injectors and pump, it was time to prime the fuel system. I replaced the fuel filter (necessary if you ever need to claim any sort of warranty for your rebuilt pump) and applied a vacuum (evacuated freon container with air removed using a vacuum pump) to the pump return line (because it's at the top of th efuel system and any air will accumulate there) and pulled fuel SLOWLY through the system. I then cracked the injector lines at the injectors and turned the starter over a few times to get the air out of the injector lines. Yes, it's a little messy, but necessary. Started right up! Did throttle adjustments according to the manual and my idle is a bit high. More adjustments will come later. I guess the important thing is, after dropping $680, SoDak should be good for another 100,000 miles.

The interesting thing was that the three bolts that hold the pump bracket to the engine are responsible for adjusting the rear belt tension. After seeing firsthand the pump bushings worn on one side- the importance of proper belt tension comes to mind. Tension gauges are now on Ebay from ZDMak

I also learned that replacing the pump is actually really easy! If you can adjust the pump timing, you can do the pump. Speaking of pump timing, the timing tools bought from Germany actually work great- no problems. The other thing is that, unlike the front timing belt, if you screw up the job, you can't destroy your motor :)

Another thought- I am considering adding an intercooler. I have been looking at th eturbo piping from a "classic" SAAB 900 and it has a nice cast aluminum 90 deg. bend piece that might work perfectly... More later.

Compression Revisited

2006-07-13T12:07:00.000-07:00

Tested compression today again with a marginal gauge...
1-390psi
2-390psi
3- 370psi
4-390psi
5-390psi
6-390psi
Pretty good for 289,000 miles. The new gauge that I had bought was garbage. It. wouldn't hold pressure. Piece of garbage... Note: to do a compression test properly you need to remove all of the injectors.
I'll have to check the valve adjustment for #3 while I have everything apart.
I spent a good deal of time cleaning out the threads from cyl#5. Evidently I didn't have a good seal with the injector washer against the block. It was filled with carbon. It was a bear getting the injector out. I heard back from Diesel and Import service. My injectors are done and recalibrated. The spray pattern looked good so no new nozzles were necessary. $130. I gave them the go-ahead to do the injection pump. $550. Should be done next week.
A few part #'s
1257427- The rubber spacers that go underneath the injector line clamps
1328452- The short hose just towards th efirewall from the thermostat
9139507- The wax thermostat inside the cold start device (order it from Bosch if at all possible as it's almost $100 from Volvo)
The crank case breather (hose going from the top of the valve cover to the turbocharger) had rotted away and was dumping oil down onto the exhaust manifold. I ordered a new one from Volvo.

Volvo High Mileage Club

2006-07-11T06:28:00.000-07:00

Get a neat mileage badge for your grille FREE from Volvo. Mail the enrollment form to...

Volvo High Mileage Club
P.O. Box 935
Langhorne, PA 19047-0935

More Tool stuff and Pump Shaft Seals

2006-07-10T12:22:00.000-07:00

The Good:
The V5187 tool arrived today. Looks great. It's alot bigger than I thought it would be. I also got a bunch of paraphenalia from Baum on all of the wonderful tools they have (and a credit application). I got a lead on a pump gear holding tool that hopefully is a lot less expensive than the V5199, the AS4394. Baum carries all the standard pump timing tools. Lastly, they have a crank pulley wrench for 5-cyl VW/Audi that looks curiously like the Volvo tool...
www.baumtools.com
1-800-848-6657

The Bad
The pump shaft on my pump has too much play- will need new punp shaft bushings. :( The dude said that a new seal would work for a while, but then I'd be havin' the same problem. Now I need to decide whether to have the pump rebuilt... I need to take another look at the finances.

Overhaul

2006-07-06T22:34:00.000-07:00

Today I pulled the injector pump and pulled all of the injectors. I sent the injectors to Diesel and Import Service to be calibrated. I am going to bring the pump up to them and have them replace the pump shaft seal. They quoted $25 labor + the seal, not bad and my time's worth more than that. I was contemplating a full pump rebuild, but $550 was a little too rich for me. I home the shaft seal takes care of things.

I spent alot of time on the phone with a very helpful chap at the Volvo dealership. They seem to have just about everything. They even had replacements for the little rubber spacers that go in the injector line clamps. They even had parts for a 1950's PV444 are available from the dealer. What service! I can't even get parts for my '78 Bus from the VW dealer :/

I ordered the crankshaft pulley tool V5187 below. Only $60!! The camshaft sprocket tool was $110. I don't need it THAT bad.

Next week I'll be doing a compression test! We'll see what I find. Whahoo!

Bad News Folks...

2006-07-05T02:01:00.000-07:00

I have always known that after I let SoDak sit for a day, she starts up with a little cough and sputter. I am assuming that she is losing prime/pressure in the injection pump. I also am assuming that this problem will be fixed by replacing the pump shaft seal. Lately, the problem had been getting a bit more severe with it taking several minutes (as opposed to several seconds) for the sputtering issue to resolve and lower power at all speeds is evident. Depending on a simple test, I will be pulling the pump and replacing the shaft seal. I will replace the fuel return line with a clear hose to see if air is being introduced at the shaft seal. I currently have the fuel supply hose as a clear piece of tubing and no air is being introduced there. If this confirms my suspicions, While I have all the injector pipes off, I might as well...

Replace the injector nozzles and have the injectors recalibrated to the high side of their opening pressure
Do a compression test (I did one before, but this was before I adjusted the valves- you need to remove all of the injectors to do this properly)
Install Tygon fuel return lines (the little ones on the fuel injectors)

Comments

2006-07-01T20:07:00.000-07:00

I'm curious who (if anyone!) visits this site... Would you be so kind as to post a comment on this entry. I really have no idea if anyone visits this lonely corner of cyberspace. Thanks!

Tools!

2006-07-01T19:51:00.000-07:00

I have found some rather elusive D24/D24T tools. See previous post for more info.
The first tool holds the crankshaft pulley while you torque (supposedly) the crankshaft bolt to over 300 ft. lbs. I had though this tool was unavailable... The part number is V5187 and it's made by Baum Tool.

Second tool holds the camshaft sprocket at the front of the engine while you tighten the waterpump to adjust the cam timing (front) belt tension. Baum V5199

There aloso seem to be some other interesting tools that I have not seen, e.g. the pump shaft seal puller...
Here's the link
Happy Wrenching!

Fuel Pump Function

2006-07-01T12:51:00.000-07:00

Here is some information for those who would like to know how the Bosch fuel pump works. Yes, I'm missing a page. I'll get to it when I have time.

Energy Fair

2006-06-25T15:23:00.000-07:00

I just got back from the Midwest Renewable Enegy Association (MREA) Energy Fair. What fun! I had numerous comments on SoDak (Volvo diesels are not that common as you all know). I just wanted to share what a joy it is to drive this car on th freeway. The only car better was my old 1987 SAAB 900T. The turbo is your friend when passing on the highway :) It was very much a Biodiesel/Waste Vegetable Oil (WVO) event. I learned some new things, like Elsbett makes a single tank WVO conversion. Interesting... I tried to run my camp stove on biodiesel- Had done it twice before- with a different batch- and it was a miserable failure. There must be some variation in bio batches, something that doesn't make me all that comfortable...

Power Power Power! (and a fix)

2006-06-22T05:55:00.000-07:00

Removing that accelerator thing was amazing. SoDak now snaps my neck in all 4 gears when the auto tranny shifts. Sheesh! I disassembled, cleaned and reassembled injector #1 and found my leak still there!?! Turns out that the little rubber cap on the fuel return line had a crack in it and that was what was leaking. Oh well, it's fixed at least. Happy motoring again...

Number One... Number One... Number One

2006-06-10T20:51:00.000-07:00

Injector number 1 started leaking. I'll need to take the injector apart, check things out and retorque the halves together. Fun, fun, fun.

I also have been plagued by this stupit accelerator pedal stop that's mounted in an adjustable screw mechanism. It provides some sort of resistance where it 's harder to push the pedal below the stop. Anyway, it's a pain and the car would be better off without it. I've screwed it all the way in so it doesn't interfere with my life anymore.

ELI ELI ELI ELI ELI ELI Here it is!

2006-05-30T16:29:00.000-07:00

Here's your part dude!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Volvo-diesel-VW-oil-pump-83-86-D241-740-760-series_W0QQitemZ8070336091QQcategoryZ6778QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Good luck! Act Fast!

Good News on the Biodiesel Front!

2006-05-24T16:45:00.000-07:00

Biodiesel News

Overheating

2006-05-14T06:35:00.000-07:00

Yesterday the throttle mechanism on the fuel pump wore a hole through the coolant hose coming from the car heater. My wife told me two days ago they she had seen a pool of coolant under SoDak, but I totally forgot about it :/ The temp gauge went sky high and I shut the motor off immediately and coasted to a stop at the side of the road. A picture for those of you who might wish to make it to the next freeway exit.

Hose only available from Volvo $58 Ouch!
Part #1328110

The old hose was some fabricated piece of you know what, hence the clearance issues. The new hose fits perfectly. It better for what Volvo charges!

Car still runs great, no problems.

Go figure. Carrot Top into Volvo Diesels...

2006-04-17T09:18:00.000-07:00

Who would have known that the (in)famous comedian Carrot Top would be into Volvo diesels, but here he is pulling a D24 out of a Volvo 240! OK, actually, it's Eli, but I couldn't resist. He's looking for an Oil Pump Relief Valve. If anyone has one, give me an email.

"The valve is a 22Milimeeter bolt in close proximity to the oil filter. Actually it is on the same side of the engine and slightly in front of the oil filter. Unscrew this, you will remove the bolt, a washer, a spring and then the sought after piston. Really, i think it is just a small rod"

I'm going to pull mine and get the dimensions of the piston when I get a spare moment.

German Pump Timing Tools Update

2006-04-15T21:01:00.000-07:00

The pump timing tools from Ebay Germany arrived yesterday. I was not impressed. These are basically hand-machined, with macining marks still evident. They are not a mass-produced tool with nice, smooth surfaces throughout. It looks like they will work fine, but the tolerances for the plunger threads that go into the dial gauge are not perfect. My advice, stick with the ZD Mak models and just cut off the end of the lock pin.

U-Pull-R find

2006-04-15T20:50:00.000-07:00

In a quest to find retractable seatbelts from a mid-90's VW Jetta for my '78 VW bus, I happened upon an '80 VW Rabbit Diesel! What luck! I pulled the fuel pump and four injectors + lines and $17 later I was off. Unfortunately, the one compatible Jetta had already had its front seatbelts taken :(

My intention is to use the pump as a practice for replacing the pump shaft seal. I also grabbed the woodruff key in case I lose mine one day. The injectors are the same as the Volvo so i will rebuild them with new nozzles and have them adjusted to the correct pressure by Diesel and Import Service in Blaine, MN. These are VERY helpful people. They tested the opening pressures on my injectors for free! They are a Bosch authorized diesel service center.

Manuels

2006-04-05T18:03:00.000-07:00

Finally purchased a set of factory manuals! Items include...

Sunroof Repair and Reseal
Fault Tracing, Repairs, Maintainance, Engine
Fault Tracing, Repairs, Maintainance, Maintaianance Service
Design, Function
Reconditioning
Emission Controls
Fault Tracing, Repairs, Maintainance, Electrical System
Fault Tracing, Repairs, Maintainance, Radio
Fault Tracing, Repairs, Maintainance, wiring Diagrams
Fault Tracing, Repairs, Maintainance, Power Transmission
Reconditioning, Manual Transmission
Fault Tracing, Repairs, Maintainance, Suspension and Steering
Reconditioning, Power Steering gear, cam gear
Fault Tracing, Repairs, Maintainance, Springs, Shock absorbers, wheels
Fault Tracing, Repairs, Maintainance, Body Repairs
Fault Tracing, Repairs, Maintainance, Body fittings, Interior, Climate Control
Pocket Data Booklet
Brochure with part numbers for all manuals

Biodiesel "Back in the Saddle Again"

2006-04-05T17:59:00.000-07:00

Minnesota is back blending biodiesel at 2% in all diesel fuel sold in the state after a brief hiatus this winter (see previous post) See this article in the St. Paul Pioneer press

240 Normally Aspirated to Turbo Conversion Kit

2006-03-28T07:53:00.000-08:00

I found this kit for sale on Ebay Germany. Appears to be a Volvo factory item. Very interesting. Kit converts a non-aspirated Volvo 6 cyl. diesel to a turbodiesel. Complete with intercooler. Price... 500 Euros + shippin'

g.

More Volvo Tools

2006-03-22T11:58:00.000-08:00

While perusing the Ebay Germany site, I found this nice set of pump timing tools. Note that the lock pin actually has the shallow head that is necessary for the tool to fit in between the pump and the firewall. VW's don't have this problem because the pump is at the front of the motor.
The whole set was $65 plus $20 shipping from Germany, an excellent deal in my opinion. I'll post more when the tools arrive and comment on their quality. Fortunately, I speak enough German to purchase items through Ebay.

Front Turn Signals

2006-03-20T08:50:00.000-08:00

After putting it off for a long time, I finally fixed the front turn signals on the 740. They would go in and out because of HORRIBLY corroded bulb holders. For some reason, these seem to be prone to corrosion-water and/or salty water must have easy access. I just went to the local U-Pull parts place and got a couple turn signal bulb holders for $5 They just twist out. Make sure to put some silicon grease in the new bulb holder to avoid future problems (See previous post)

Napa has Valvoline Full synthetic 5W-50 on sale for $4.19 a qt! Whahoo.

Biodiesel Chemistry

2006-01-28T19:55:00.000-08:00

I have had quite a bit of conversation regarding biodiesel lately. I guess it would be appropriate to share some of it as some of you might have the same questions.

Q. At what temp will biodiesel plug my fuel filter?
A. This depends on what the biodiesel is made from. Biodiesel is made from oils/fats or triglycerides. On the right of the molecule is the glycerol and the three carbon chains attached to the glycerol are the fatty acids. Notice all bonds in the carbon chains are single bonds. This is called a saturated triglyceride. Bad stuff for your arteries and a solid at room temperature. Unsaturated triglycerides have one or more double bonds and tend to be liquids at room temperature. Biodiesel made from unsaturated oils, e.g. animal fats will form wax crystals at a lower tempterature than biodiesel made from saturated oils, e.g. canola oil.

Q. Can I use a diesel fuel treatment to prevent biodiesel from turning to jelly?
A. Companies such as Enertech and PowerService make fuel treatments for biodiesel. If you read carefully, even their best products either are designed to work on a blend of only B20 or their claims are only valid for plant-based biodiesel. How many of you know what type of oil your biodiesel was made from? The only guarantee you have is putting some fuel in a mason jar and use a thermometer and a freezer to figure out the temp where it starts to cloud up.
Q. How often do I need to change my fuel filter after I start using biodiesel?
A. I don't know. Always carry a spare fuel fiter and the tools to do the job in the trunk :) Pay attention for losses of power under acceleration.

Tools, Tools, Tools

2006-01-15T23:21:00.000-08:00

I don't know if any of these are still available from Volvo but...

1. Valve Depressor Tool, Volvo# 9995196 21This tool is used to depress the valves without impinging on the valve shim discs enabling removal and replacement when adjusting valve clearance. Necessary for adjusting valves. See previous posts for the Hazet version
2. Camshaft Sprocket Wrench, Volvo# 9995199 21This wrench is crucial for preventing the camshaft from moving when removing/replacing or adjusting the front or rear timing belts, or removing or replacing the camshaft front or rear sprockets. This would have been a great tool to have when I did this job.
3. Camshaft Rear Sprocket Bolt Wrench, Volvo# 9995201 21This wrench is used to gain access to the camshaft rear sprocket bolt when removing/replacing or adjusting the rear timing belt, or removing or replacing the rear camshaft sprocket. Note: I have not needed this tool to do the job.
4. Diesel Injection Pump Locking Pin, Volvo# 9995193 21Locking Pin crucial for securing Bosch diesel injection pump sprocket from rotating during R&R of cam shaft drive belt. This Locking Pin also assists in locating the general timing position of pump. Note: This pin looks shorter than the one typically sold for VW's and would probably be easier to get into the pump. On the VW, the injection pump is not against the firewall
5. Camshaft Locking Plate, Volvo# 9995190 21Used for securing the cam shaft from rotating and maintaining correct timing position during R&R of cam shaft drive belt. Easy to find this Tool
6. Diesel Injection Pump Dial Gauge Holder, Volvo# 9995194 23 Used for accurate adjustment of the Bosch diesel injection pump. This Dial Gauge Holder screws into the back of the injection pump and comes equipped with a 10cm dial indicator extension pin. Easy to find this Tool
7. Dial Indicator For use with the Injection Pump Dial Gauge Holder above. This is a precision instrument of high quality. Easy to find this Tool

Tachometer and a "Green" method of Biodiesel Production

2006-01-06T05:14:00.000-08:00

Yesterday my tachometer decided that it would start working again :) Yahoo! I guess sometimes if you wait long enough, your car might fix itself... SoDak is still going strong and starting fine in sub-zero temps, but in desperate need of some front strut inserts.

GREEN CHEMISTRY
Biodiesel made with sugar catalyst(From the journal Nature)

The production of diesel from vegetable oil calls for an efficient solid catalyst to make the process fully ecologically friendly. Here we describe the preparation of such a catalyst from common, inexpensive sugars. This high-performance catalyst, which consists of stable sulphonated amorphous carbon, is recyclable and its activity markedly exceeds that of other solid acid catalysts tested for ‘biodiesel’ production. The esterification of higher fatty acids by liquid acid catalysts such as sulphuric acid (H2SO4) is a process commonly used for biodiesel production, but it involves high consumption of energy and the separation of the catalysts from the homogeneous reaction mixtures is costly and chemically wasteful. Recyclable solid acids, such as Nafion1–4, make better catalysts, although they are also expensive and their activity is less than that of liquid acids1. Sulphonated naphthalene carbonized at 200–250 C is a solid acid catalyst that has been used successfully for ethyl acetate formation5; however, it is a soft material and its aromatic molecules are leached out during liquid-phase reactions above 100 C or when higher fatty acids are used as surfactants, so its catalytic activity is rapidly lost. We have devised a strategy to overcome these problems by sulphonating incompletely carbonized natural organic material to prepare a more robust solid catalyst. Incomplete carbonization of natural products such as sugar, starch or cellulose results in a rigid carbon material that is composed of small polycyclic aromatic carbon sheets in a three-dimensional sp3-bonded structure. Sulphonation of this material would be expected to generate a stable solid with a high density of active sites, enabling a high-performance catalyst to be prepared cheaply from naturally occurring molecules. The scheme we use to sulphonate incompletely carbonized saccharides is shown in Fig. 1. First, D-glucose and sucrose are incompletely carbonized at low temperature to induce pyrolysis and the formation of small polycyclic aromatic carbon rings; sulphonite groups (–SO3H) are then introduced by sulphuric acid (see supplementary information). Structural analysis6–8 indicates that the prepared samples consist of sheets of amorphous carbon bearing hydroxyl and carboxyl (–OH and –COOH) groups, as well as high densities of –SO3H groups. This black powder is insoluble in water, methanol, benzene, hexane, N,N-dimethylformamide and oleic acid, even at boiling temperatures. It can be moulded into hard pellets or thin flexible films by heating with 0.5–5.0% by weight of binding polymer; the two forms have comparable stability and catalytic performance. The thin films act as electrically insulating proton conductors whose properties (0.09 siemens cm1 at 50 C and 100% humidity) are comparable to that of Nafion (0.1 siemens cm1 at 80 C). High-grade biodiesel is produced by esterification of the vegetable-oil constituents oleic acid and stearic acid. The activity of our solid sulphonated carbon catalyst in this reaction is more than half that of a liquid sulphuric acid catalyst and much higher than can be achieved by conventional solid acid catalysts (see supplementary information). There was no loss of activity or leaching of –SO3H during the process, even for samples subjected to repeated reactions at 80–180 C after having been recovered by simple decantation. The activity is double that of a carbonized sulphonated naphthalene catalyst tested previously5, which decreased rapidly on recycling at 80 C. Carbon catalysts identical to those described here have also been successfully produced from carbonized starch and cellulose (results not shown). Saccharide molecules may therefore be generally suitable for preparing these catalysts, which can be used as a replacement for liquid sulphuric acid in esterification reactions. In addition to biodiesel production, such environmentally benign alternative catalysts should find application in a wide range of other acid-catalysed reactions.

More Winter Biodiesel Issues...

2005-12-24T12:34:00.000-08:00

Mmmm waxy sludge...
http://www.thetrucker.com/sho wstory.aspx?id=10500
http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/13477163.htm

Washers and Wipers

2005-12-24T12:11:00.000-08:00

Given the salty, slushy weather of late I decided to fix the windshield washers and replace the wipers. 20" or 21" front and 13" rear (remember, SoDak is a wagon) Buy the high quality Bosch microedge wipers! The washer system is a bit odd. The system utilizes 2 pumps-one for the front and one for the rear-and one reservoir. The pump motors are slid into rubber washers at the bottom of the tank. If your wiper reservoir is leaking, these rubber seals are a prime culprit. There is also a rubber washer around the black plastic filler neck as it goes into the tank. The fluid level sensor is grounded right next to the front right turn signal assembly. I found this ground to be heavily corroded and cleaned it, and all electrical connections.

Charging Problems Solved!

2005-12-24T12:03:00.000-08:00

After replacing the alternator with a bosch rebuilt unit that turned out to be bad, I again replaced the alternator. I now have no charging issues! Note: the D+ terminal at the back of the alternator goes to the charge light on your dash. You should get ~14V DC at this terminal with the car running. The W terminal goes to your tachometer and is a pulsed DC signal. It should showed up on my multimeter as ~7.5V DC. FYI, the little plastic black box on the back of the alternator with one wire to the B+ terminal is a radio interference suppressor.

Running out of Fuel

2005-12-13T14:34:00.000-08:00

I am embarrassed to say that I ran out of fuel yesterday. 378 miles on the trip odometer. My fuel gauge is not working very well. Luckily, I was stranded at a freeway exit with a diesel filling station. Lucky me. $11 and I was back on the road. I was very surprised at how little time it took the pump to prime (under a minute!) This is much less time than it takes my Jetta TDI, which I curse every time I need to change the fuel filter.

I was really amazed at the service I got. First a police officer stopped and asked how I was doing. I told him I had mechanical problems and that I had my tools in the back and I was going to tinker around a bit(Hint: you'll get a ticket for running out of fuel on the freeway). He said he'd be back in a while to check that I was alright. Then, 2 minutes later, a "highway helper" parked in back of me and put on his light bar while I fueled up SoDak. What service!

Alternator Contd. Contd.

2005-12-09T05:44:00.000-08:00

According to the 740 manual I have, a voltage drop at the battery(measure voltage across battery with no load and with load - headlights, rear defrogger, blower fan on high- and compare) should be no more than 0.7 V. My measurements were 14.2V with no load and 13.3V with the above accessories on, for a voltage drop of 0.9V. I was concerned, but my friend Stew said that this was completely normal given the temperature (8F) and my 55A alternator.

Next I checked for voltage drop in both the power circuit (measure voltage between alternator + and battery + with load/no load and compare) and the ground circuit (measure voltage between alternator ground and battery - with load/no load and compare) I found a voltage drop in the ground circuit that was slightly more than the allowable 0.4V

I was lazy and just ran a redundant ground from the alternator housing directly to the negative battery cable.

The charge light was still on! Stew suggested we unplug the spade connector at the back of the alternator (red wire) and if the charge light went off the alternator was a bad unit. It went out. BAD rebuilt Bosch alternator :( I'm glad that I'm working on a Volvo where the alternator is easily accessible!

Front End Work, Starter Issues, Cold Starting, Heat...

2005-12-07T17:32:00.000-08:00

Well, my starter started acting up. The small gear that pops out and engages the flex plate (kind of like a flywheel, but for auto trabsmission cars) is sticking when the temp is below zero :( My temporary solution is to just quickly flick the key 2X so as to "unstick" the gear and then start it.

The Volvo continues to start fine in sub-zero (-8F) weather without an electric heater. On the first starting attempt, it runs for 10 seconds and kills. On the second attempt, it starts and stays running. Because of the fact that the engine actually starts (initially) better than my 2000 Jetta TDI, this again points to a fuel issue and not a compression issue. The fuel is igniting just fine.

What I love most about this car is the heat. It's incredible! The TDI takes 15 minutes to warm up and provide decent heat in below zero weather. The Volvo is warm in 3 minutes and the heater is quite substantial. I can even drive to work in my Birkenstocks.

Today I finished repairing the engine wiring harness and did the RF ball joint and tie rod end. Thank God for my friend Stew and his import shop. I get to work inside in comfortable 60 or so degree heat.

Let it Snow

2005-12-03T17:19:00.000-08:00

Having had a chance to try out the Viking snow tires lately, they are excellent so far. The snow traction is on par with the Michelin Arctic Alpin and Bridgestone Blizzak WS-50's I have owned and driven. We haven't had much ice, but they are great on packed and fresh snow. I will update y'all on their wear characteristics and how they perform on ice.

Alternators Contd.

2005-12-03T17:01:00.000-08:00

I replaced the alternator with a rebuild Bosch unit. The charge light is still on :( as are all of the dash lights on the right side of the instrument cluster. Hmmm. I checked the voltage coming from the alternator. A-OK I then repaired some of the deteriorating engine wiring harness. It seems as if a previous owner had spliced in a replacement 8-pin wiring harness plug(the one on top of the driver's side wheel well). They did a horse-sh*t job of it. They just used butt connectors and wrapped the whole thing in electrical tape. I removed the 8 pin plugs and just joined the wires. I used butt connectors cut off the plastic insulation, soldered the butt connectors and the put 3M shrink tubing over the connection.

I still have to track down what is causing the charge light to come on. My tachometer is still not working despite having confirmed a signal at the alternator using a digital scope.

In short (pun intended), I most likely have a wiring issue or a ground issue, but for now, SoDak is back on the road.

Alternator Altercations

2005-11-29T19:14:00.000-08:00

I replaced the voltage regulator(pics of old one to come) on the alternator with a used one today. I also cleaned the electrical contacts on the alternator, including the slip rings and contact points for the voltage regulator. I noticed that a wire on a terminal on the alternator had broken. Could this be my issue? Alas, no. It was signal wire for the tachometer. Yes, the tachometer signal comes from the alternator, a good reason why you need the diesel 55A alternator and can't put one from a gasser Volvo in it. Anyway, after reconnecting the tach wire, the tach signal is still in and out. This, coupled with the fact that the alternator is still not charging with a known good used regulator, would point to a bad alternator :( In addition, the alternator has the original Volvo sticker on it, a sign that it it is probably original and has never been rebuilt. Looks like I'm in the market for a rebuilt alternator...

Jerry, I have not had any issues with this. The pulley you mention, is it the crank pulley or the sheeve (attached to the alternator) send a picture? I am a little bit confused by what you mean.

SoDak is Possessed

2005-11-28T16:57:00.000-08:00

I drove to work today and noticed the lights getting a bit dim... turns out that the battery was basically dead. About 1 mile from work, the radio started going off and on with the turn signals, windshield washer and whatever else required current. For some reason I was led to put the battery charger in the back seat a couple of days ago. Providence? I've been living on borrowed time as the alternator light has been on for a few weeks, well now that I think of it, over a month. I guess now I actually have to deal with the problem.

The alternator light has been doing everything from pulsing with the engine rpm to being on all the time to being off all of the time. Hmmmm

I decided to first address the grounds. I cleaned them off, put a star washer under them and retightened. The star washer makes a nice positive electrical contact. No improvement. 12.7V with engine off, 12.6V with engine on. If the alternator is charging, the voltage will be arounf 14V with the engine running. Bummer. I am predicting a bad voltage regulator/brush pack on the back of the alternator. I'll keep you posted.

Climate Control

2005-11-22T18:53:00.000-08:00

Used Volvo Parts

2005-11-22T14:50:00.000-08:00

Strandberg's is excellent. They will mail you the parts you need AND they have a searchable online database. Whatever your Volvo needs, they most likely have it. 1-800-448-5121 I did find their prices on instrument clusters a bit steep though...

I recently purchased a used lower control arm (I actually only needed the strut rod-part number 7 in photo below) for $45. Not too bad when you consider someone had to remove it from the car, inventory it, take it out of inventory, pack it up and ship it to me.

I decided to replace the strut rod because of the fancy new tires I just purchased. The strut rod was bent, affecting the front alignment, causing wacky tire wear (wtw). That was an acronym I just invented.

Biodiesel Jelly

2005-11-18T09:22:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I was in diesel hell. I am a teacher and needed to be at school at 7:00 AM for an AM basketball open gym that I am paid to run 2 times a week. I got in my 2000 Jetta to start it up and let it idle for a while. It started fine and then I went inside to tend to some things. I came out 5 minutes later and it had died!? I tried to restart it, but nothing. The low that night had only been 8F!?! OK, no problem, I'll just jump in SoDak and take her. She started right up and then after idling 30 seconds killed. AAAAAAARRRRGGGHHH!! The B50 biodiesel(1/2 biodiesel, 1/2 petro diesel) that I bought from the Twin Cities Biodiesel Coop, supposedly with a cold filter plug point of -20F, was plugging the filter at 18F (daytime temperature yesterday). The filters became plugged with wax crystals from the fuel. Both filters had been changed with in the past 4,000 miles. I yelled a few things that I won't publish here and had to call my parents at 6:10 AM to borrow their car. God bless mom and dad. I then plugged in the TDIheater (thermostatically controlled coolant circulating block heater - an amazing product!) to let it heat the engine for the day. My wife had no luck when she tried to start the cars again at 8am to go to class.

That day I called up the TC biodiesel folks and gave them an earful. To their credit, they did offer to help me get my cars started using various heaters, etc. The gentleman who told me that the fuel was good to -20 "did not recall" telling me that information. Hmmm.

Upon getting home that evening, I tried to start the Jetta - No dice. I then pulled the fuel filter, brought it inside, warmed it, drained it and refilled it with properly winterized petro diesel. I reinstalled it and the car started, but killed after a 1/4 mile. The fuel left in the lines plugged the filter again! AAAAAAARRRRGGGHHH!!

I walked home, drove back to the Jetta and pulled the fuel filter for the second time, drained it, refilled with petro diesel and this time put the fuel filter intake into a 5 gal. jug of petro diesel. I then ran the car for 15 minutes, turned it off, dumped the 5 gallons of petro in the tank, reconnected the fuel line and hoped for the best. Fortunately, the tank was only 1/4 full of B50. She started and ran. I then drove the the nearest filling station and filled the Jetta the rest of the way with petro diesel. SUCCESS! Through this whole process, my one-year old daughter was a great sport. She sat in her car seat, looking longingly out the back window as I tried to avoid yelling words I wouldn't want to hear coming out of her mouth next week.

Today is supposed to have a high of 40, so my wife will try to start SoDak again today. Success! She then filled her up with petro diesel. No more problems.

More info that you'd ever want to know about biofuels here.

The morals of the story...
If you want something done right, do it yourself. Biodiesel is a very bad idea for wintertime. If you insist on biodiesel blends for the winter, test your fuel in the freezer with a thermometer or use a salt/ice bath similar to making ice cream to get it really cold.

Snow Tires

2005-11-07T18:41:00.000-08:00

I recently purchased and installed 4 snow tires for the cold, snowy winters here in MN. At first I was looking at the Nokian WR's, but then I realized that we really coudn't afford them so I went with Continental's Viking Snow Tech. At $44 each from Discount Tire, the 185 70/14's were a very good deal. I am very happy with their dry road performance. They feel nothing like the "squishy" Blizzaks I have run in the past on my SAABs. Presently we have Michelin Arctic Alpin tires on our VW Bora(Jetta). The Viking has the government's severe service logo and Consumer Reports rated them highly. I was expecting cheap "made in China" tires, but these are made in Germany. The max inflation pressure is 40 psi.

Rear Tailgate Lifter Supports & Fuel Cap

2005-10-18T20:35:00.000-07:00

I replaced the rear tailgate "shocks" on SoDak today. It took me all of 5 minutes and they were only $13.50 from FCP Groton. Now the liftgate stays up!!!! Instructions are Here. My wife lost the fuel cap and the cap is unavailabel from Volvo. Luckily FCP had one for $15. They were very fast on delivery as well. The fuel filler cap is Stant 10817 and it's made in the good old USA!

Ball Joints

2005-09-23T19:10:00.000-07:00

Ball joints(4) are a piece of cake on the 740. I did my LF one today. All you need is the forementioned large prybar and a LARGE hammer and the appropriate sockets. I still have a front end clunk on turning, but I do still need to do a right tie rod end(1). Anyway, front suspension work on this car is very easy. Anyone can do it!

Air in Fuel Lines

2005-09-23T18:39:00.000-07:00

I was concerned that I might be getting air in my fuel lines because of poor starting after sitting for ~8 hours. I decided to change the fuel filter to fuel pump line to clear tubing. This way, if air was being introduced at the filter or filter connection, I would be able to see bubbles. I also replaced the copper washers for a good seal. You can get these at a hardware store or just heat them with a propane torch for a minute and reuse.

I was attempting to keep the original fuel line intact, but could not find another large banjo fitting (the one on top of the fuel filter). The smaller fitting (on top of the pump) is the same as the one on the fuel rail of a 16v SAAB 900 from the late 80's/early 90's. Replacement black metric 8mmx1mm plastic fuel line(the plastic line between the fuel filter and fuel pump) can be found under the rear seat of the same year SAAB 900 and is very easy to get to and snip a couple of feet.

You will need a fuel line tool to install new fuel line properly. I can't for the life of me find one on the net so please be patient for a picture.

I have let the car sit for 24 hours and I tried starting it this morning. Starting is MUCH improved, but still a little rough. After talking with my friend Stew and perusing the VW diesel bulletin board, I found out that the pump shaft seal is under suction, not pressure, so air could be introduced here as well. I guess my next step is to replace that seal, available from Bosch.

It's now mid November and I still see no worsening of the problem with a drop in the ambient air temperature, another clue that hard start issues might be caused by the introduction of air in the fuel system.

Strut Rod Bushings

2005-09-22T12:36:00.000-07:00

Today I had the day off because of a power outage at my school! First I went to U-Pull-R Auto parts to look for a used strut rod (7)as mine is slightly bent. I found one off an early 90's 740 Turbo. Alas, it's a different style than my '85, slightly longer. Bummer. Anyway, I needed a 15mm socket, a 22mm socket and a 6-point strange-looking socket borrowed from my friend Stew (God bless him) and I was in business. My front end's a mess. I replaced the strut rod bushings(5). They are a common issue with 740's. You need 4 of them. I still need to do a ball joint(4) and an outer tie rod end(1).

How do you diagnose front end problems? Simple! All you need is 2 tools once you have the car off the ground. A LARGE pry bar and a JUMBO slip-joint pliers. Pry on joints with the bar and compress joints with the pliers. Replace what's loose. Be careful not to rip rubber boots!

Some people use polyeurethane bushings. I haven't tried them.

See Radius Arm Bushing Replacement in the swedishbricks FAQ for more detailed instructions.

Nozzle Replacement

2005-09-18T05:00:00.000-07:00

The part numbers for the D24T nozzles are as follows

0 434 250 092 is the Bosch number
DNO SD 1930 is another number they go by
1328209-0 is the Volvo part number

Nozzles are easily replaced once you get the injectors out. You will need to have them calibrated tan opening pressure of 2205-2318 psi by someone with the Bosch diesel injector tester. Follow this link to find an authorized Bosch service center near you.

I am not sure about other nozzle part numbers. Please see the D24 Family Tree post for more info on nozzles, e.g. conical verses cylindrical orafices. BOSCH DNO SD 293 (0 433 250 103) is used in 4 and 5 cylinder models. If anyone has more info on nozzles, please post a comment!

740 TIC

2005-09-13T12:12:00.000-07:00

Here is the engine compartment from a 9-series diesel showing the intercooler piping. Note the repositioning of the alternator.

What Will They do Next?

2005-09-11T15:18:00.000-07:00

760 Turbodiesel Factory Manual Scans

2005-09-08T18:48:00.000-07:00

Wiring Harness Woes

2005-08-30T14:45:00.000-07:00

If you own a Volvo turbo that is of the 80's vintage, you probably have noticed that the insulation on the engine wiring harness has started to crumble and fall off leaving bare copper wire. This is caused by the high under-hood temperatures of the turbo motor. This is bad news. Fortunately, replacement harness are available from Volvo. You will need to quote your VIN number when ordering as there are at least 2 different harnesses and you still might end up with the wrong harness, like I did :( The harnesses run between $150-300, depending on your car. Short of rebuilding the entire harness yourself, this is your only option. The main plug is on top of the driver's front wheel well.

Biodiesel

2005-08-30T11:50:00.000-07:00

I have started using biodiesel in SoDak and my 2000 VW Jetta TDI. In my opinion, the Jetta runs better on biodiesel. it is quicker and gets about 2 mpg better mileage. Do not confuse this with a WVO (Waste Vegetable Oil) system, AKA Greasecar. I am sort of a tree-hugger and the idea of not using any foreign oil appeals to me. I am running B100, 100% Biodiesel made from corn and soybean oils. Living in Minnesota, I am a member of the Twin Cities Biodiesel Coop which is affiliated with Fry Away . Yes, it's more expensive than "dino diesel", but has lower emissions, does not contribute to global warming, supports MN farmers instead of a certain Middle-East Monarchy and smells really nice.

My 2000 VW Jetta's fuel lines are certified by VW for use with biodiesel so no worries, mate. Upon switching to biodiesel all you will need to do is change your fuel filter 1-2X over the next year as biodiesel is a solvent and, over time, will carry any petroleum diesel residue that has been building up in your fuel tank over the years to the filter and clog it up over time. If you have a new diesel, there will be no accumulation so no filter changes will be necessary.

The issues with converting the Volvo are more complicated. The Volvo's rubber fuel system components will deteriorate over time. I am in the process of switching the main and return fuel lines in SoDak over to plastic-available from junked SAAB 900's. I am on my third tank of biodiesel in SoDak and have had no issues. My fuel pump has been rebuilt so I am assuming it has Viton seals and not rubber ones. If not, I'll find out soon :) Viton is a fluoroelastomer and does not degrade in biodiesel. McMaster-Carr sells Viton tubing. Search "viton" on their site. You want 3.5mm inner diameter tubing for the injector return lines.

I have also heard rumors from this site that Gates is making a biodiesel compatible fuel hose, Product ID# is 4219-BD, a 2ply black CPE compound (Chlorinated Polyethylene). Sales contact Mr. Bob Baier 303 744-5147

Here is an excellent link to Biodiesel resources!

SoDak has now been running for about 3,000 miles on B100 (100% biodiesel) with no issues. For the winter, it will use B50.

Glow Plug Wiring Diagram

2005-08-26T09:23:00.000-07:00

How to Set Your Pump Timing

2005-08-26T08:55:00.000-07:00

Checking the injection timing is a breeze. Adjusting the ignition timing is a huge pain-if you don't know what you are doing. Here are some tips.

Remove the vacuum pump first. It's only 2 nuts and will make checking/adjusting the timing MUCH easier.There are 2 hex nuts and 1 allen bolt holding the injection pump. The allen is a 6mm and is on the top, towards the passenger side. The 2 hexes are easy to get at. The allen is easy if you remove the vacuum pump as I mentioned earlier. You will need a LONG 3/8" extension an an allen socket. Make sure you hammer on the end of the extension to make sure the allen socket is properly seated in the bolt so you don't strip out the bolt. If you strip the allen you are SOL.

The copper washer in the injection pump timing port can be hard to remove. Use a pick. To resuse the washer, just heat it with a propane torch!

Volvo '89 740 Gas Wiring Diagram Scan

2005-08-21T15:48:00.000-07:00

Thank the russians for this very nice wiring diagram scan.

Werick's Volvo Parts Vendors

2005-08-21T15:37:00.000-07:00

I get all my parts from FCPGroton, Autohaus Arizona or Volvo Parts Direct

They all have great prices. If dealing with FCPGroton you have to request a price from Nick. They don't list Volvo Diesels but they can get the Parts.

You're gonna need to buy lost of parts for the money pit if your car looks anything like mine... ;)

Help! I lost my Key!

2005-08-20T10:04:00.000-07:00

Ha! Lucky for you, you just need to give your local independent Volvo repair shop your VIN#. They call up Volvo and you can have a new key in an hour or two. PLUS, you get a REAL key, not one copied from another, that was copied from another, that was copied from another. It doesn't stop there! You also get the rubber around the key just like the factory ones!

Cooling System Diagram for Veggievolvo

2005-08-20T07:42:00.000-07:00

The hose that goes over the head is the return line from the oil cooler. You might want this diagram if you're doing a WVO conversion.

Oil Filters

2005-08-16T12:41:00.000-07:00

You have several options for oil filters on the D24T.

One is the Fram 977A, which is readily available.

Another, the WIX 51333, also readily available

Another is the Mann W 950/4, which you will have to order. Other part numbers for the Mann are 1328162 or 074 115 561
The Mann is also used for the Eurovan '92-'96

The NAPA part number is 1773 for the FRAM equivalent

Plan ahead and use the Mann

D24T Family Tree

2005-08-16T12:34:00.000-07:00

Here is a link to an SAE document about the development of VW diesel engines that I found interesting
SAE Document #820441

D24T Ramblings from Badge988

2005-08-16T12:30:00.000-07:00

The first non-turbo motors had wall wear problems like no ones business. This was because first they had no real oil cooling and second not enough oil reached the walls due to the tight clearances of the rod and main bearings. Little throw off means little oil and lots of wear. The turbo motors had piston cooling jets located on the left side of the engine that went directly to the oil gallery and they had a sandwich type oil/water cooler that knocked temps down by 40 degrees C.

The second issue was the fact the non turbo motor burned dirty meaning lots of smoke per given mile, this loaded the heck out of the rings and made them stick and the hard carbon was a good abrasive to the walls so it was like running a 1200 grit paper lightly over the walls at all times. No piston cooling to speak of in a diesel makes pistons expand tighter at high temps and this put more pressure against the walls.

The other issue was with the casting itself. The non turbo motors were made of a low nickel iron that was hard and brittle, easily machined but was a poor running surface, the turbo blocks were a high nickel iron that wore better, was harder to machine and heavier by almost 25 pounds. Thread retention was better with the turbo blocks but with the machining issues the threads were thinner and more prone to breaking. A give and take with this but I have only seen 2 issues with this so far.

The other issues were with timing belts and heads themselves. The lower crank pulley is held with a very stout 15MM fine thread bolt that is torqued to a real value of 425 ft/lbs and this is all that holds the lower timing gear to the crank. The key is only to locate the timing sprocket and provides no driving force through the assembly. Timing belts need to be changed at the proper intervals at the very least, 50k miles is a better calender to follow with these. Many times people will take the car for a timing belt and the mechanic will not tighten the lower bolt to the 425 pounds because they dont have the torque wrench available or are just to damn lazy and use a breaker bar until it feels good. Either way you will end up with a slipped timing lower gear with a broken off key and a mashed valve or busted camshaft. I have seen both and Im holding onto a trashed block that has a good crank, this one lost the lower key to a slip and it busted the cam up through the top cover.

Heads... Early models used a 10MM head bolt that was a non torque to yield or TTY bolt, later blocks and all turbo used 11MM TTY bolts that needed to be retorqued in order to maintain good gasket compression for the head. The bolt was torqued to the yield point but retained enough "spring" to follow the head during expansion and would follow it down when cooling to maintain pressure on the gasket to avert surface shear. The heads themselves had no real issues other than surface cracking between valve seat inserts and warping due to mis-torqued bolts. Many an engine has been sent to the grave because some nit-wit mechanic said "your head has all these cracks and its bad. A new one is xxx thousands of dollars" and the owner would say no and junk it. The crack is superficial and extends to a maximum of 0.5 to 1MM deep and has almost 6 more millimeters to go before it hits water. I have yet to see one hit the water table and normally I dress the cracks to a 45 degree rounded radius and blend it down to the level of the valve seats.

Valve adjustments

2005-08-16T06:26:00.000-07:00

You should adjust your valves every 15,000 miles. To do the adjustment you neet Hazet tool 2574. Be careful as there are several variations on this tool. The one you want is pictured. Some variations are too small to fit the camshaft and are meant for gas VW motors while others are not as ergonomic.

You will also need a supply of VW diesel valve shims. It is also helpful to have a micrometer to verify shim thickness if the numbers have worn off.

To remove the shims use either the VW tool or a shot of compressed air in the notch on the valve depressor.

Do yourself a favor and draw a diagram before you start showing the 12 valves and which are exhaust and which are intake valves.

Your valve clearances will most likely be SMALLER than spec so you will have to put in thinner shims.

Glow Plug Fuses

2005-08-16T06:03:00.000-07:00

Extra fuses are always good to have on hand. You will not find the glow plug fuse in any local auto parts store so all the more reason. The glow plug fuse on the D24T is basically a flat strip of metal. It is rated for 80 Amps and available only through Volvo for a cost of less than $3. To replace the fuse you need a 10mm socket to remove two nuts that hold the glow plug relay (located on top of the driver's wheel well) and a phillips screwdriver to replace the fuse. It is good practice to clean all electrical contacts that you disassemble with contact cleaner.

Grease and Oil and Contact Cleaner, Oh My!

2005-08-15T11:03:00.000-07:00

From perusing the brickboard, many people recommend using synthetic oil in your D24T, but when you consider the D24T needs 7 quarts of oil you have a hard choice to make. 7qts. X $6.50 gives you $45.50 just for the oil! Ouch! Do your engine right and go synthetic, especially if you live in a colder climate. Personally, I use Castrol Syntec 5W-50

For grease, I ALWAYS use Sil-glyde, part part # 765-1351 from NAPA. It is a silicon grease that is wonderful for just about everything. It can be used on electrical connections, distributors, brake systems, etc. NAPA makes another silicon grease, but it is more watery and, in my opinion, not as good.

To clean electrical contacts I use an oxidation solvent like Wurth Contact OL. There are many brands out there. This stuff works wonders. Just spray it on the contacts of a connector and forget about it.

Changing Your Fuel Filter

2005-08-15T07:21:00.000-07:00

When changing your fuel filter it is a necessary to first fill the new filter with diesel fuel. Most of us don't keep a can of diesel lying around. Would you like to get a free injector cleaning along with your new fuel filter?

Fill the new filter with ATF, screw it on, open the bleeder port on top of the fuel fiter housing and apply a vacuum, i.e. find a clear piece of tubing of the right size from an aquarium store, stick it in the bleeder hole and suck. Use clear tubing so you don't swallow any ATF. It doesn't taste very good. Trust me.

Your diesel will start and run on ATF. ATF contains a high concentration of detergents which will clean your injectors of deposits. A pint of ATF in a tank of diesel every once in a while is a great idea as well.

FYI, you may have to crank your engine quite a few times to get your motor started after chnaging your fuel filter.

Glow Plugs

2005-08-14T15:13:00.000-07:00

Contrary to popular belief, it IS possible to replace all 6 glow plugs without removing the fuel pump. You need to purchase a SHORT combination wrench to fit the glow plugs, remove the rear timing belt cover and go in through the rear timing belt to get glow plug #6. The hardest part about this job was reattaching the glow plug wire for #6. I needed a deep offset wrench like the ones at right. Craftsman makes them, but I used a Hazet.

Please clean off the electrical contacts while you are doing this job. I use Wurth Contact OL

Replace any missing insulation on the copper strip with heat shrink tubing.

Changing the Front Timing Belt

2005-08-14T14:39:00.000-07:00

It is absolutely essential that you change the timing belt at least every 60,000 miles. If the belt breaks, the valves will collide with the pistons and then you can say good-bye to your engine. The procedure can be found in AllData. I will just give you a few pointers from when I did the job.

If the water pump has not been done in a while now is a great time to do it. If the pump is recent, you might want to buy a new water pump o-ring to ensure a good seal.

You must remove the crank pulley to do this job. This is a huge pain. The crank pulley bolt should have been installed with Loc-Tite and torqued to >250 ft./lbs. It was necessary for me to use a chain wrench with a 3' handle and a 3' breaker bar to remove this bolt. YIKES! The other option is to remove the radiator etc. and get in there with an impact.

The crank pulley is keyed, but the key is only there for alignment purposes. It has little structural strength, hence the outlandish torque. I torqued mine to 250ft./lbs. and then tightened it some more using the aforementioned 3' breaker bar.

It is of the utmost importance that the crankshaft is spot on TDC. Buy yourself a small mechanic's mirror and use it to site the TDC mark as if the engine were out of the car and you were looking straight down at it.

The manual does not show you how to install the tool . You need to remove the rear camshaft sprocket(make sure to lock the injection pump at TDC with the pin) and I found it necessary to remove the last two valve cover studs. There is a slot in the back of the cam that the tool fits into.

Belt tension: I installed mine too tight and it "howled". I kept on loosening it bit by bit until it didn't howl any more. The VW tensioning tool is over $100. Ouch. I can push/deflect mine 45 degrees with one finger-not trying that hard.

While doing the belt, it would be prudent to change the tensioner as well.

I found it easiest to remove the power steering pump when doing this job. It's only a few easily accessible bolts.

Volvo Diesel Manuals and AllData

2005-08-14T12:48:00.000-07:00

Personally, I have been unable to locate the green factory manual for the diesel Volvos until some kind soul pointed me to a sounce for mauals, Volvo TechInfo. I had resorted to using a Volkswagen Rabbit Diesel manual and a Volvo 760 manual that just has specifications for the D24T and very little diesel repair info.

If you don't have a manual, use AllData. Many of you are unaware that the same database professional mechanics use is available free of cost to you. Many libraries subscribe to the AllData database. Call your local librarian to find out. AllData is basically a database of all factory repair manuals for all automobiles. This is where I got the information on how to set the cam timing, injection timing, etc. It has the complete procedure as well as relevant pictures. It does not have everything, however. Regardless, it is a wonderful resource. Support your local library! (my sister is a librarian)

Cold Start Device

2005-08-13T13:59:00.000-07:00

Now that the cam timing and injection pump timing are spot on, it was time to figure out why the car started so horribly cold(lots of white/blue smoke).

One obvious issue was that the coolant-regulated cold start device was non-functional. It is designed to advance the injection pump timing for cold starts. I called up Bosch and they put me in touch with a dealer that could order the part for me. From the swedishbricks.net FAQ, 1-467-202-302 is the correct part number. It cost me about $50.

To replace the innards of the cold start device you will need a vise, small needle-nose vise-grip, 4mm allen, a hammer and a punch. When you disassemble the device you will quickly notice that it is unde a LOT of spring pressure.

The punch is used to get the wax thermostat out of its housing. Here is a picture of my old one cut in half(above). It has a rubber boot that goes around a sliding rod. I have no idea how this thing works, but I like to take things apart.

When you get the thermostat in the front housing(the one with the coolant ports), take the rear housing with all its springs, cable, etc. and compress it in a vise. The cable should come out the back exposing the stainless steel shaft that the cable is crimped into. Put the needle-nose vise-grips on the shaft so that whe you release the vise, the springs stay compressed. Install with the two 5mm allen bolts and then remove the vise-grips.

I recommend soldering the cable end. It will keep the cable from fraying, which mine is doing.

Cam timing and compression

2005-08-13T13:19:00.000-07:00

The out-of-sync cam timing in my previous post also caused me to get low compression readings as you will read below. Compression testing this motor is quite an ordeal. Before you compression test, adjust your valve clearances. First, you need to remove the injector lines with a 17mm line wrench, carefully labeling which goes where. Second, you need a deep-well 27mm socket with thin walls. I also found it necessary to use a serpentine belt tool(picture at left) to remove injector #5. The extremely low profile of the 1/2" drive part of the tool(at upper left in the picture) allowed me to squeeze between the injector and the injection pump. I recommend the Craftsman as it was the least expensive tool I found. Be sure to blow out all of the sand/dirt/etc. from around the injectors as you remove them. Once I had the injectors out, I removed the heat shields with a large screw. I threaded the screw into the hole in the heat shield and used a slide hammer to pull out the shield.

I found it very difficult to find a diesel compression gauge (onethat reads up to 500 psi) at local auto parts stores. You also need the adapter for injector hole (see pic at right) This adaptor is the same as the VW one.

I bought my compression tester off Ebay from http://www.tooldesk.com/ It came with the adapter. The brand is ATD. This gauge is garbage. Mine didn't work right out of the bag. Wouldn't hold pressure. Good old "Made in the USA" Quality :/ Do yourself a favor and buy a good quality gauge.

My compression readings (with bad cam timing) were 400 psi for cylinders 1-4 and 360 psi for cylinders 5 and 6. This is fitting with the general consensus that cylinders 5 and 6 can become starved of oil under certain conditions.

Background

2005-08-13T12:51:00.000-07:00

I purchased "Sodak" in the summer of 2005 off of Ebay. In doing so I broke the cardinal rule of used car shopping; Never buy a car without having it checked out by a mechanic (me). As a result, I paid too much for a car that was not as described. Fortunately, I have decent mechanical skills and a very good friend, Stew, who is a professional mechanic who owns an import repair shop.

My wonderful wife Armaiti and I drove Sodak home to St. Paul, MN from Sioux Falls, South Dakota. On the way home she (the car, not my wife) blew an oil cooler hose. Luckily we made it home OK without overheating.

The first order of business was replacing the hose. My friend Stew graciously allows me to order parts through his shop at a slight discount. The hose was available only through Volvo at a cost of $33. Upon inspection of the other hoses, I thought it would be prudent to replace other hoses as well. Fortunately, the upper and lower radiator hoses are available aftermarket for a cost of $15 and $33 respectively. Note: there are two versions of the upper and lower radiator hoses. One has flared ends and the other does not. The hose pictures is the lower hose WITHOUT the flared ends. Many of the other smaller hoses are available only through Volvo and are around $45 each so I decided to worry about them later. I had bigger issues to deal with.

Upon acceleration, the 740 emitted so much black smoke you could hardly see the vehicle behind you. I know diesels smoke under hard acceleration, but this was ridiculous! I proceeded to do a quick check of the injection timing. It was WAY off. This meant that the crankshaft and camshaft were possibly out of sync and this and the incorrect ignition timing would explain all of the black smoke. Evidently the swedish Volvo mechanic that did the front belt last did not do such a good job...

Introduction

2005-08-13T12:46:00.000-07:00

I'm creating this blog because there seems to be very little information out in cyberspace about the Volvo 740 Turbo Diesel. The information I did find was horribly disorganized. The aim of this blog is to relate my experiences resurrecting a 1985 Volvo 740 Turbo Diesel so that others may benefit from the knowledge I have gained in the resurrection process.