The Adverture Begins

  • Thread starter Thread starter Randy G.
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Randy G.

As I mentioned earlier, I picked up my 240 yesterday. It was a 160
mile drive home so I got to give it a good run, in 100 degree weather,
at 70mph with the air conditioning on. It's a five speed, and it
cruised happily, and accelerates fairly effortlessly (allbeit a bit
slowly) even at those speeds. I have been driving the 960, and the 240
is no match for that car, but it sure is fun to drive! handles nicely,
and it is great to have a stick again. I haven't given it a real test
yet, but had it up to 80mph, and it was happily cruising along at that
speed. Checked the oil when we got home and it was clean and full and
smelled good (well, like good oil does, anyway)... Nice!

Got it home, and was giving it a final check under the hood when I
noticed that the coolant level in the reservoir was non-existant. I
topped it off and it took two quarts! Hmmm...

This mronig my wife comes into the house and says that there is a
puddl;e under the car.. sure enough, it was coolant (glad we found it
before the dogs did! The stuff really does taste sweet, btw). Thought
the worst, but it was a failed water pump. The car loves me- it waited
until it got home to go pee! Good CAR-ma, indeed! It could have
stranded me on Interstate 80 between the Bay area and Sacramento in
100+ heat!

So tomorrow it's a water pump change out (wife picked one up on the
way home from work today).

"Two Volvos Randy!" (Monty Python reference)

__ __
Randy & \ \/ /alerie's
\__/olvos
'90 240 Estate - '93 960 Estate
Sleeping together
 
Welcome to the world of the two-Volvo family. Since #2 has decided not
to be potty-trained, I guess that the Executive Decision has been made
that you will be driving the 240.

Definitely want to keep the dogs out of those puddles! A couple of
licks can be more than enough to do in a small dog.

Which reminds me, gotta call the garage and make a reservation to take
mine in for a possible bearing change (hopefully not that serious). I
get to drive my wife's car around tomorrow (S40 1.8T, compared to my
old 850 non-T)
 
byrocat said:
Welcome to the world of the two-Volvo family. Since #2 has decided not
to be potty-trained, I guess that the Executive Decision has been made
that you will be driving the 240.
Click to expand...
That was pre-ordained being that the 240 is stick and the 960 is auto,
and the wife is not a real great stick shift person. She enjoys the
heck out of the 960 as well.

Definitely want to keep the dogs out of those puddles! A couple of
licks can be more than enough to do in a small dog.
Click to expand...
Absolutely! nasty stuff indeed. I have been under a car with a coolant
leak and gotten a bit in my mouth, so I know that it does indeed taste
quite sweet. Even though the puddles were under the car, and the dogs
are quite large (two German Shepherds) they weren't even allowed in
the garage until I had pulled the car out and wiped off the floor of
all drippins'.

BTW, a lot of folks don't know, but it is also flammable! It won't
burn well on its own, but spray some of it atomized throgh a flame!
(Kids, don't try this at home- I was once a firefighter and did it on
a closed course).
Which reminds me, gotta call the garage and make a reservation to take
mine in for a possible bearing change (hopefully not that serious). I
get to drive my wife's car around tomorrow (S40 1.8T, compared to my
old 850 non-T)
Click to expand...
I had the water pump pump in and out, and was done by 10:00 AM this
morning. All seems great now. After the dogs are fed I am off on a
short ride, just becasue.

The 960 got about 23mpg on the ride (70mph+ with the air on!). I am
not sure about the 240 as I have not filled up again. According to the
trip odometer, the mileage was so high that I am hesitant to say it
aloud until it can be verified.

I paid a little too much for it, and it needs some minor things, but I
feel confident enough in it to drive it anywhere right now.
Comfortable and fun to drive. Gotta lve the 240's.
__ __
Randy & \ \/ /alerie's
\__/olvos
'90 240 Estate - '93 960 Estate
 
Hi Randy,

Yes it sure is nice to have two Volvos. (It beats "Two Sheds"!)
We had a pair of '74 bright orange 140's a while ago. Actually a 142 and a
145. Like you, we tried to breed them.........
Sadly without success. We were hoping for a little 400 series.

Now we've "downsized" to one Volvo (a '93 240 Classic wagon) and a
motorcycle.

Good luck.
Andy I.


| As I mentioned earlier, I picked up my 240 yesterday. It was a 160
| mile drive home so I got to give it a good run, in 100 degree weather,
| at 70mph with the air conditioning on. It's a five speed, and it
| cruised happily, and accelerates fairly effortlessly (allbeit a bit
| slowly) even at those speeds. I have been driving the 960, and the 240
| is no match for that car, but it sure is fun to drive! handles nicely,
| and it is great to have a stick again. I haven't given it a real test
| yet, but had it up to 80mph, and it was happily cruising along at that
| speed. Checked the oil when we got home and it was clean and full and
| smelled good (well, like good oil does, anyway)... Nice!
|
| Got it home, and was giving it a final check under the hood when I
| noticed that the coolant level in the reservoir was non-existant. I
| topped it off and it took two quarts! Hmmm...
|
| This mronig my wife comes into the house and says that there is a
| puddl;e under the car.. sure enough, it was coolant (glad we found it
| before the dogs did! The stuff really does taste sweet, btw). Thought
| the worst, but it was a failed water pump. The car loves me- it waited
| until it got home to go pee! Good CAR-ma, indeed! It could have
| stranded me on Interstate 80 between the Bay area and Sacramento in
| 100+ heat!
|
| So tomorrow it's a water pump change out (wife picked one up on the
| way home from work today).
|
| "Two Volvos Randy!" (Monty Python reference)
|
| __ __
| Randy & \ \/ /alerie's
| \__/olvos
| '90 240 Estate - '93 960 Estate
| Sleeping together
|
 
its a gas to go "back" and drive/own the 240's after
a while in the newer volvos.....the 240's still have a lot
going for them....
 
~^ beancounter ~^ said:
its a gas to go "back" and drive/own the 240's after
a while in the newer volvos.....the 240's still have a lot
going for them....
Click to expand...
It's all new to me. This is my first 240.

It is somewhat like my motorcycle (1979 BMW R100RT) and my 1948
Chrysler. All three have a lot of torque available at the bottom range
of the RPM scale. The gearing for first gear in teh BMW is about the
same as third gear in the same era 4 cylinder Japanese motorcycles.
Horsepower has its place, but I have always been a fan of torquey
motors.


__ __
Randy & \ \/ /alerie's
\__/olvos
'90 240 Estate - '93 960 Estate
 
Randy G. said:
Absolutely! nasty stuff indeed. I have been under a car with a coolant
leak and gotten a bit in my mouth, so I know that it does indeed taste
quite sweet. Even though the puddles were under the car, and the dogs
are quite large (two German Shepherds) they weren't even allowed in
the garage until I had pulled the car out and wiped off the floor of
all drippins'.
Click to expand...

There is at least one brand of antifreeze ("Sierra" IIRC) that uses the
somewhat less toxic propylene glycol - supposed to be a third as toxic as
ethylene glycol. Whether it is compatible with newer engines or not I don't
know, but I used to run it in our '85 765T.

The problem with propylene glycol is that it goes through a methanol step in
the metabolic process. Think of it as being wood alcohol and you will be on
the right track. It is not environmentally toxic, though, and can be poured
into the ground and watered in. It is consumed by microbes within a couple
days.
BTW, a lot of folks don't know, but it is also flammable! It won't
burn well on its own, but spray some of it atomized throgh a flame!
(Kids, don't try this at home- I was once a firefighter and did it on
a closed course).
Click to expand...
Yes it is! Alcohol, you know, no matter how thick and low volatility it is.
Ditto with brake fluid. A firefighter's textbook I read once said a favored
trick of arsonists is to put pool shock into an open jar of brake fluid.
Less than an hour later flames shoot out the open top.

Mike
 
Randy G. said:
Absolutely! nasty stuff indeed. I have been under a car with a coolant
leak and gotten a bit in my mouth, so I know that it does indeed taste
quite sweet. Even though the puddles were under the car, and the dogs
are quite large (two German Shepherds) they weren't even allowed in
the garage until I had pulled the car out and wiped off the floor of
all drippins'.
Click to expand...
As long as we are on the subject (which I will now take more OT!) grapes and
raisins are also deadly to dogs. Something in them destroys the pooch's
kidneys, just like antifreeze does. We first heard of it about a year ago
and couldn't believe it - we've had dogs for 30 years. A little checking on
veterinary web sites confirmed it. I know it has nothing to do with Volvos,
but I'd never forgive myself if I heard somebody's loved one died because of
something I kept to myself.

Mike
 
brackenburn said:
Hi Randy,

Yes it sure is nice to have two Volvos. (It beats "Two Sheds"!)
We had a pair of '74 bright orange 140's a while ago. Actually a 142 and a
145. Like you, we tried to breed them.........
Sadly without success. We were hoping for a little 400 series.
Click to expand...
Very funny, indeed! :-D
Now we've "downsized" to one Volvo (a '93 240 Classic wagon) and a
motorcycle.
Click to expand...
There's a "classic" 1979 BMW R100RT with just over 90,000m on the
clock sitting next to my 240. I have owned the bike since 1981. The
Beemer and the Volvo make a lovely, interbreeding couple.
Unfortunately, all the children are born with Tricycles Syndrome.

Did the water pump this morning. Not a bad job, all things considered.
I have never worked on a 240. I read everything about the job in the
Clymur's manual which constituted 90 seconds of my life wasted- time
which I shall never get back.


__ __
Randy & \ \/ /alerie's
\__/olvos
'90 240 Estate - '93 960 Estate
 
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