'88 Volvo 240 DL - Did I buy a lemon?

Hi -

I just bought an '88 Volvo 240 DL Wagon. New to the Volvo world. I
really like the car, but am starting to worry that I bought a lemon.

My main worry is that sometimes it makes a strange noise. It starts
with a sound like when you have a flat tire - sort of a flapping
sound. But it has nothing to do with the tires, it just sounds
similar. That is followed by a grinding sound, that you can actually
feel the vibration through the floor board. Nice, huh? So far it has
only happened in the rain - but then I have only had it a few weeks
and it has been raining off and on. Also, it seems to happen during
acceleration. As a test, in the rain, I pressed the overdive button
and it truggered the weirdness.

Any ideas?

Lori

 

I would have your torque rod bushings checked. If they are shot, then
the extra play in the system allows the driveshaft to contact the
bottom of the floorboard, particularly when you accelerate. Is it
worse when there are people in the back seat or you have a heavy
load? Does the grinding/flapping sound like it's coming from the
center of the car right below the back seat? If so then I would
definitely say it's those bushings.

-z

 

Sounds like maybe a driveshaft center bearing gone bad. Does the noise
also happen if you coast with the car in neutral?

This happened in my 1990 240, it's repairable and life is quieter again.

http://www.swedishbricks.net/700900FAQ/Driveline1.html

http://www.volvospeed.com/vs_forum/lofiversion/index.php/t65742.html

http://groups.google.com/group/alt.autos.volvo/browse_thread/thread/60cc8
32bf4be7f15/ddfaf0f2460ff99a%23ddfaf0f2460ff99a

 

There's no such thing as a lemon, only incompetent mechanics. I would
check the motor and transmission mounts, as well as the driveshaft
center support.

 

Thanks for the suggestions. My husband will definitely check those
things out.

He has tried to get the car to make these sounds on his own and had no
luck re-creating it - until it was raining on one of his test drives.
It really seems to have something to do with water. Would any of the
suggestions make more sense if water were part of the equation?

Z - It does not seem to get worse with passengers or heavy load - it
has happened while I am alone and with the whole family in tow. I
can't really tell where the sound is coming from, other than under the
car.

T - It starts on acceleration, I think it backs down if I let off the
gas, but I am going to have to pay better attention. I am not sure.

THANKS!
Lori

 

Hard to tell over the internet whether you bought a car with a lot of
problems or not. But it is reasonable to expect that a 20 year old
car will have many components that show some wear and some those will
be up for replacement. The best idea would be to have a competent
mechanic familiar with Volvo cars check your 240 out and give you a
prioritized list of repairs. Ideally that would have been done before
you bought the car.

Fortunately the 240 has a well deserved reputation for being long
lived if repairs and mainteance are kept up with.

 

Probably in several ways. If it's a bad driveshaft center bearing boot
cover, the water can get into the bearing.