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project 91 240 (AKA: Spycar)

Thor

Active member
Joined
Feb 20, 2007
Location
Nebraska
Current mode List:
-B Cam
-Stage 0 with KingsBorne Wires
-Complete AC Delete
-Modified Intake - ram air
-Poly Accessory Bushings
-100 amp alternator
-Complete Brake system rebuilt
-IPD SS Brake lines
-IPD 25mm F/R Sway Bars
-IPD Torque Rods
-Replaced Clock with Tachometer
-Swapped Blue Interior for Gray/Black - Need door cards and rear shelf
-New Fuel pumps and Filter
-New/use Head lights
-New URO Tail light
-ZF rack & Pinion
-Home brew Paint job

To do:
(on standby) 94 B230FT - to do - Rehone, Reseal, Rebuild head (8V)
90+ manifold
Turbo - T25
Convert to LH2.4 & chips
Cam - ????? (Turbo performance)
Goal - 250 Chp
Wheels - Deseones??

As purchased:
91 240 M47, LH3.1

Photo from previous owner owner.
IMAG0387_zps39bbe10e.jpg


It was definitely not perfect but for 201K miles with a stack of records an 1" thick I decided to take it off his hands.

On the trailer.
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Got it home and washed it all off and started taking notes on issues and repairs needed.

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"Looks" pretty clean but at some point the passenger rear door and fender where hit or something and repainted (terribly). Only a little rust is starting in front of the rear wheels. I'm going to find a new rear door as this one is too far gone from a combination of bad prep, paint and neglect.

The good
M47 - seems ok
Solid body
Motor is OK - Edit - Motor is no good. rebuilding a 94 B230FT
Good wheels and tires -
Windows all work
clean interior

The bad
Headlights - broke and yellowed
drivers seat - busted and broke - FIXED/Replaced
Suspension - All original . . . . . . . including shocks and struts
Tune up neglect - runs like doo doo. - tuned up but still starts rough- Edit bad head and I think LH 3.1 no good
Passenger rear panel and door (paint and rust)

First Mod - Added Tach from my old cluster
Tach_zps2dee99a6.jpg


First Fix
Had a wheel wobble at speed, kinda like an unbalanced tire. Turned out to be a loose front wheel bearing. Pulled, inspected, repacked and torqued to spec (while turning wheel) no more wobble.

Oh and the nickname (Spy car) Co-worker said it reminded her of the Car from Spy vs Spy. And it stuck. now I'm contemplating a Black & White paint scheme.

Specs:
1991 Volvo 240
Blue on Blue
201K miles (Documented and a working Odometer)
M47
LH3.1
 
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Just bought a bunch of tune up stuff as well as Adj Torque rods from IPD thanks to their end of summer sale. Although wishing I had more money now. More pictures will follow of the stage 0 tune up and torque rod install.
 
Update: Got some parts in . . . . .
Parts_zps98e96f29.jpg


Did the following over the last 2 days to try and get rid of a cold start miss and rough idle and to stage 0 the motor.
-Took everything out down to the head on the intake side
-Cleaned the Throttle body, IAC, & Power washed the intake manifold inside and out to get rid of 200K miles of crud.
-Replaced the old warn out rubber accessory bushings with new polyurethane bits
-Modified the air box - removed the hot air flapper and cut the font open to get as much fresh air as possible.
-Cleaned the injectors as best I could and installed new o-rings and pintle caps
-Replaced the spark plugs, cap, and rotor (Bosch Cap and Rotor, NGK BP6ES plugs gaped to .030).
-New air filter
-Changed the oil and filter as well

I know every one likes pictures because reading is too hard. Here you go.
Engine all torn down
Engine1_zpscf9909cb.jpg


Original Accessory bushings
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Polyurethane bushings from IPD
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Air Box
AirBoxMod_zps715b439d.jpg


Injectors
Injectors_zpsd96b2ac8.jpg


Cleaned throttle body
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All back together again.
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I still need to replace the spark plug wires and install the IPD torque rods buts that's for another day.

Car starts and runs much better now. We'll see how it does in the morning when it's cold to see if I cured the cold start problems I was having
 
Update: Installed the IPD Torque rods a few weeks ago. Seem to work better than the stock torque rods with destroyed bushings. However does anyone know how to get rid of the resulting creaking bed spring noise these Polly bushing make?

This last weekend I replaced the thermostat and water pump with a remaned Volvo unit and replaced all the belts as well. (Car started over heating on the way home and coolant was coming out the weep hole on the pump)

Also the cold start issue turned out to be sticking fuel injectors. 2 of the four have terrible cold start spray patterns. However I've been running a bottle of techron with each premium fuel (No E10) refill. Problem seems to be improving slowly. If these injectors can get me through the winter I'll probably be +t buy mid summer.
 
Torque rods side by side. Those stock units weren't shot at all.
IMG_20131019_101105_102_zps47d9e9ff.jpg


Dash with radio in lower position and new volt guage. Also found a Denso 100A Alternator and installed that.
IMG_20131201_163738_208_zpsf7af478f.jpg


Also Greased those IPD Torque Rods with marine grease - no more creaky bushings, woot!:-P
 
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Just showing off my latest update. I refinished an old set of Coronas for my winter tires.
The base coat is graphite and the top edges are standard silver wheel paint with 3 coats of clear.

to start
IMG_20131004_190716_939_zps396c4370.jpg


I then had them media blasted and I repainted them with Rustoleum wheel paint.
IMG_20131207_190354_451_zps6a689c12.jpg

IMG_20131207_190328_741_zpsd167f7a2.jpg


With Snow mounted and on the car
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Next project is Maintenance Items:
Fuel Pump & Filter
Engine coolant temp sensor
head gasket - For preparation of upcoming +T
Replace Radiator - The one that the PO had replaced a year ago is leaking.

:cheers:
 
Scored a nice black/gray interior (front & rear seats carpet and center console) from a 92 240 at the U pull it today. The driver seat is in great condition overall. way better than the broke down POS in my car now. Also picked the fuel rail as it has the schrader valve on it. and a new grill. I tried to get the head lights as they were nice clear but unfortunately the bolts had something else to say and they stripped out in the housing keeping me from removing the headlight . . . .bugger.
 
Update: Head gasket let go a few weeks ago so that needed taking care of.
I found that Cylinder #2 is either knocking real bad or something got in there at some point. I love surprises. I left the #2 piston as is and cleaned up all the carbon deposits on the head and pistons
Block2_zps28d2f38c.jpg

CylanderHead_zpse1ffecdf.jpg

number2closeup_zps0c613451.jpg

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The head had to be decked 0.008" to be flat
New head gasket and kit from Victor Reinz, Contitech timing belt and tensioner, New NGK BPR6ES plugs, and new KinsBorne Wires

mostly all back together as of 3/23/14
IMG_20140319_200129_095_zpse0af7e61.jpg


Car now starts way easier. Apparently coolant seeping into the cylinders when the system is under pressure was causing my hard start.

Still can't figure out the rough idle though. <-- might be something to do with #2 dunno though. An new(er) motor is going to be sourced as well as LH2.4/ezk harness & Turbo computers. For and +T/ motor swap.
 
Second update: Got that Black/grey interior put in

The old with busted and broke drivers seat & missing center console.
IMG_20140404_163816_333_zpsff355470.jpg

IMG_20140404_163831_706_zpsf4edadd2.jpg


I stripped everything out and cleaned anything i could get my hands on. The previous owner had lots of spare change on the dash and lots of it ended up in the passender side floor vent somehow. I found it by accident. I bumped the vent and it rattled. I also found about 5 bucks of change under the rear seat. PAY DAY!
IMG_20140404_174840_022_zpsa1a8a0d1.jpg


I've never had a car pay me this much while cleaning it.

All clean
IMG_20140404_195550_683_zps4bc82068.jpg


I rented a rug doctor and thoroughly cleaned the black seats and carpets. They were nasty. They came out really well though. I also installed the arm rest that I had laying around from my the previous 240.

IMG_20140405_175611_166_zpsc695c35f.jpg

IMG_20140405_175623_266_zpse691370f.jpg


Now I just need to find another 240 at the yard with a good rear deck and head rests as well as nice and clean door cards.

Interior is 100% more comfortable now. cant believe i put up with that broke drivers seat as long as I did.

:cool:
 
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Update:
Found me a roof rack, OEM Volvo I think. I need to find a air spoiler for it cause it howls like a mofo at any speed above 65mph.
Roofrack1_zps10ca54a6.jpg


Roofrack2_zps8fc8a264.jpg


Motor update as well . . . . .um it runs but I should have had the head pressure tested cause I think it has a crack in it. I'm still loosing coolant if I let the system build pressure. On the hunt for a new motor. Bah!
 
Small update. Parked it but still drive-able.

I found a 940 turbo to donate a motor

Plans is as follows, But may change as time and money allows

Engine:
94 B230FT - to do - Rehone, Reseal, Rebuild head (8V)
90+ manifold
Turbo - ????
LH2.4 & chips
Cam - ????? (Turbo performance)
AC Delete - Who needs ac when you have windows
Goal - 250hp

Transmission:
T5

Body:
Remove belt line trim & weld up holes
remove chrome bits and body tape and moldings
fill, smooth, sand, sand some more, Prime, Paint
New tail lights
E-codes (FCP or originals)
No Chrome
??????

Suspension:
Complete rebuild
All new bushings
Springs, Aftermarket, Cut, other
Billy HD shocks & struts
Beefy sways
rolling IPD billboard

Brakes: Nothing fancy (yet)
Needs to be rebuilt
SS lines
Performance pads
New rotors

Wheels:
???????
 
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Nice car, another 940 will bite the dust, huh. That roof rack is pretty cool. I have two of those earlier style towers without the key, I need two more to complete the set. I like the color swapped interior!
 
Thanks Old Iron. The 940 was trashed. It had a blown turbo and the interior was heavily smoked in (rolling ash tray). I nabbed about everything I could think of to sell off of it before I sent it to the parts yard. There will be a For sale thread for those parts and others here soon.
 
Wow! over a year since my last update. Things have been busy with work, kids, and a complete kitchen gut and remodel. But some things did happen.
1. found some newer IPD 25/25 sway bars for small change
2. Bought a AC delete kit from 77Volvo245. Completely removed all AC stuff from under the hood. Will work on under dash stuff when I replace the blower motor. The kit works pretty well although it is about 1 degree out of alignment with the crank pulley. I will need to mess with it a little more but it's close enough for now.

Sways:
IMG_20150926_163436_569_zpska4ewxs2.jpg

IMG_20150926_183046_450_zps8yrrzpku.jpg

I haven't installed the rear one yet. As the front is still up in the air getting brakes done

AC delete Bracket:
IMG_20150926_183558_639_zpsqzfufmwo.jpg

IMG_20150926_164056_687_zpso5gb5h2j.jpg


And my current project. Rehabilitating the brakes. The front left was sticking real bad and the parking brake shoes de-laminated causing the rear wheels to lock up.

And now for these Rusty and crusty SOBs
IMG_20150926_160817_531_zpsdxfubrgt.jpg

IMG_20151115_190403_862_zpsivruky9n.jpg


The flex lines would not come off the hard lines on the passenger side and I mangled the hard lines getting them off with vise grips. So Im rebuilding the front system almost completely.

Replacement bits:
IPD braided SS lines
New re manufactured calipers with Bosch BP31 Quiet Cast brake pads and new hardware
New hard lines.

IMG_20151211_172322_760_zpsu6hyrbhe.jpg

IMG_20151211_172355_300_zpsi7uv2nbb.jpg

IMG_20151211_172452_882_zpsmhmslfgg.jpg

IMG_20151211_172542_094_zps3mkdk8yi.jpg

IMG_20151211_173651_875_zpsmuhwetlj.jpg
 
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Yeah, I think I need to invest in a quality set of flare wrenches. The Craftsman set I have now hasn't done so well.

I will add that putting the flares on the existing lines while under the car is not fun.
 
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