• Hello Guest, welcome to the initial stages of our new platform!
    You can find some additional information about where we are in the process of migrating the board and setting up our new software here

    Thank you for being a part of our community!

1984 242 lh2.4 swap issues (starts, then dies)

S

sideways242

New member
Joined
Nov 3, 2017
Location
Sacramento
Hey there,

I'm about four weeks into this headache of a swap and I'm starting to feel a little hopeless.

Let's start with some details. I have a 1984 Volvo 242 thats been a great car.
My buddy and I rebuilt and swapped in a b230ft out of a turbo 940, which I had running happily with a 13g at 12psi on the stock k jet harness with a turbo computer. I have done a t5 transmission swap with upgraded clutch etc...ALL WORKING GREAT TOGETHER BEFORE LH 2.4!
After having noticed that the K jet harness was deteriorating at the touch of a finger, I decided to grab an LH 2.4 harness out of a 93 240 that was in mint condition. After following many threads carefully and swapping a flywheel and yellow 850 turbo injectors my car fired right up for about 2 seconds and then died. I cleared the ECU (lh 2.4 turbo) and cranked again to check codes and got the code 121 (MAF signal error). Easy enough I thought!!!!!

New MAF (confirmed to be good) out of lh2.4, nothing. Checked MAF wires and they had the same figures as my healthy running 91 245. It starts every time I crank but then after a great sounding two seconds, it just dies. It also idles without the MAF plugged in! So it has to be MAF related right?!?!? I have spark, fuel (can hear pumps priming with key), and timing so all systems seem to be ready to go!

At this point, I'm pretty stumped and would love some input from someone who had similar problems. Whoever can figure it out gets beer money through venmo just sayin' ;-)
 
Does it stay running with ether or brake cleaner pulsed into the throttle body?

Does your fuel pump stay powered up? Use a test light.
 
Have you upgraded the ignition switch? Older switch doesn't have pins in the proper places. Did this blunder to my self-twice.
 
ZVOLV, it runs great with the MAF unplugged and I can hear the fuel pump going the whole time! it just smells like it running incredibly rich.
 
2 old for this, I've never heard of doing this! Would I just pull a switch from an LH 2.4 car and switch it with mine? is it plug and play or more wiring? thanks
 
sideways242 said:
ZVOLV, it runs great with the MAF unplugged and I can hear the fuel pump going the whole time! it just smells like it running incredibly rich.
Click to expand...

This feels like a bad maf. Grab a junkyard 016 unit and try it out. Do you have a WB gauge? What does it say?

Shoot me a PM, I did this swap on my car and may be able to help.
 
Sounds like it may be the way it's rigged up. We did the swap in a 1984 240 and I forget the details, but I think we repinned a wire in the ignition switch. As in, changed the position of the terminal. It's been years. But you gotta make sure you have ignition on signal, uh, with the ignition on.
 
Last edited:
I swapped in a new brown switch today from an lh 2.4 240 and it cranks, but only gives one spark when the key is turned off. and the system is shutting down? Ideas?
 
These cars heavily depend on the MAF signal compared to modern cars. It runs with the MAF unplugged!? Next step is try another MAF.

Or.... you may have huge air leaks. I did a headskaget job just about a year ago and I had a loose hose clamp and it barely ran. I recommend you check all you idle air hoses and intake hoses and their clamps. I use a smoke machine. What also works is having it running and hose down areas heavily with brake cleaner and see if you can get it to stumble or stall.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top