Tickover RPM?

[Richard Setford]

Hello all,

Thanks for all the useful advice today. I can see already that
owning/running this Volvo of mine is going to be great fun.

Last question of the day (for real this time), my engine idles at just
over 600 rpm. I'm sure I read somewhere that an automatic should idle at
around 900 rpm. Is this true and what would be the best way to raise the
idle rpm? This is a 1990 740 SE 2.0 Auto Estate btw.

I'm not convinced that the dial is correct but don't have access to the
right kit at the moment to double check. I won't, obviously, adjust
anything until I can verify exactly what the idle rpm is.

On a lighter note, I had some spare time this afternoon so I decided to
'get-to-know' the Volvo a bit more. I've had the car since Saturday and
have 'played' with it everyday since and it still keeps throwing up
surprises. Nice ones as well. One thing I did find was that one of the
exhaust manifold bolts was loose. When I say loose I mean sticking out
of the engine block by about 3/4 of an inch. The gasket wasn't blowing
at all but I tightened it back up anyway (don't want it rattling out and
going through the windscreen of the car behind me). As I was tightening
the bolt felt very 'dry' as it was being tightened. Anyone else come
across this before?

Much more fun to drive than my old Peugeot 405 1.9i GTX. I know how
captains of ocean liners feel now. The Volvo is massive.

Richard

 

[Michael Pardee]

Hello all,

Thanks for all the useful advice today. I can see already that
owning/running this Volvo of mine is going to be great fun.

Last question of the day (for real this time), my engine idles at just
over 600 rpm. I'm sure I read somewhere that an automatic should idle at
around 900 rpm. Is this true and what would be the best way to raise the
idle rpm? This is a 1990 740 SE 2.0 Auto Estate btw.

I'm not convinced that the dial is correct but don't have access to the
right kit at the moment to double check. I won't, obviously, adjust
anything until I can verify exactly what the idle rpm is.

I don't think the idle can be adjusted - it is under computer control. My
'85 is definitely from an earlier generation, but the idle is fixed at 750.
900 would be pretty high.

Mike

 

[Stewart Hargrave]

I don't think the idle can be adjusted - it is under computer control. My
'85 is definitely from an earlier generation, but the idle is fixed at 750.
900 would be pretty high.

Pretty sure this is a UK spec car. We still had K-Jet fuel injection
up till about '89. I suspect a '90 car would have L- or LH-Jet.
--

Stewart Hargrave


For email, replace 'SpamOnlyToHere' with my name

 

[Richard Setford]

I don't think the idle can be adjusted - it is under computer control. My
'85 is definitely from an earlier generation, but the idle is fixed at 750.
900 would be pretty high.

Mike

Thanks for that. Always worth checking these things. I guess the
tickover must be okay as the car can still pull away without me pressing
the gas pedel.

 

[Erik Lidén]

Hello all,

Thanks for all the useful advice today. I can see already that
owning/running this Volvo of mine is going to be great fun.

Last question of the day (for real this time), my engine idles at just
over 600 rpm. I'm sure I read somewhere that an automatic should idle at
around 900 rpm. Is this true and what would be the best way to raise the
idle rpm? This is a 1990 740 SE 2.0 Auto Estate btw.

I'm not convinced that the dial is correct but don't have access to the
right kit at the moment to double check. I won't, obviously, adjust
anything until I can verify exactly what the idle rpm is.

On a lighter note, I had some spare time this afternoon so I decided to
'get-to-know' the Volvo a bit more. I've had the car since Saturday and
have 'played' with it everyday since and it still keeps throwing up
surprises. Nice ones as well. One thing I did find was that one of the
exhaust manifold bolts was loose. When I say loose I mean sticking out
of the engine block by about 3/4 of an inch. The gasket wasn't blowing
at all but I tightened it back up anyway (don't want it rattling out and
going through the windscreen of the car behind me). As I was tightening
the bolt felt very 'dry' as it was being tightened. Anyone else come
across this before?

Much more fun to drive than my old Peugeot 405 1.9i GTX. I know how
captains of ocean liners feel now. The Volvo is massive.

Richard

As the other ones has said, the idle speed can't be *adjusted*. But a few
thing could *affect* the idle speed. I would start to check for vacc. leaks.

/Erik Lidén