Hi. I don't know much about cars and that's why I'm here. I'll try to keep this short. My car has a number of problems.



1. I have a 1989 Volvo 240 DL. It won't start. It doesn't make any sounds or anything. Just won't start. I had the battery and starter tested and was told they were fine. When I got the car a year ago, everything worked fine. I would just have to drive the car everyday. Once I stopped driving the car I would have to jump it to get from place to place. Now it takes forever to jump it and if I turn the car off it won't start again. What could be wrong?



2. I got the oil changed and was told they couldn't change the filter because my motor was leaning on the filter. I was told I would need 2 motor mounts and possibly a transmission mount. Approximately how much would those cost and where could I get them?



3. Now my radiator is loose and the speedometer stopped working (jumps sporadically) soon after I got the car, how can I fix these problems.



Thanks for the help.



-C-

Motor mounts, no start, radiator, and speedo. Too many for one posting.

Engine mounts can be had for $7 apiece from FCP Groton.

http://www.fcpgroton.com/product-exec/prod...category_id/110

They probably won't last long at that price. The genuine Volvo mounts will last a long time but I don't know how much they cost. You can check with Volvo. The left and right mounts are different.

I would do the engine mounts first. It's not a tough job. But you should get a Haynes manual at least. Need a couple jack stands, plus a jack. Do not crawl under a car supported only by a jack. The engine needs to be jacked up slightly in order to replace the mounts. At least do the right side so you can change oil filter. How long has that filter been on there?

The right one tends to deteriorate first because used oil gets spilled all over it and contaminates it.

Post back.

Thanks! I have no clue how long the filter has been on there. The car was given to me by my dad for my birthday and he bought it from someone. I just know that I went to get the oil changed in maybe November 2007 for the first and only time.

What do you think of it not starting?

do you have spark & fuel pressure(36psi)? trace them for faults. NB auto shift MUST be in N or P to start. indicating light may have bad bracket giving false reading. Any immobilizer must be neutralized. It's an old car-expect starter motor and alternator recon jobs anytime soon. ditto brake master cylinder. Make sure the battery has at least 11.5V no load, and at least 7V starter engaged, (but not more that 8.5V-or your starter system is u/s). Not sure if/when low fuel pressure cutout was fitted to prevent cranking if insufficient. bad fuses & fuseholders common problem-especially the one near the Left front suspension tower-it's sealed, and in a single wire from the battery-replace unit if it won't clean up. Bad relays for fuel pumps also well known. ruptured fuel line between the fuel pumps at and in the tank not unknown.

Wow! I have no idea what you are talking about but I will definitely get someone to check on all of that for you.

This might sound elementary to some, but be sure to check that your alternator belts are tight enough. My car was doing the same thing, not starting after being shut off, and I had no clue that the belts may have just been too loose. I had a buddy of mine pull on the belts and he suggested they were loose. I tightened them and the car has run fine ever since. Good luck.

Thanks! I will try that tonight. I hope it's something as simple as that.

Thanks for these great hints. I also have a 240 DL '87 that just won't start. It does not crank at all. The battery has been weak the last couple of months and depleated if the car sat for a few days, so I have been jumping it. I tried to jump this last time the lights come on, the dashboard lights up (so there is juice) but no cranking. Could this be the starter? How do I check? There is a black box by the left suspension tower with a red wire running from the + terminal. Is that the fuse box you suggesting to be checked? Also what is the cylinder shape BOSCH component, does that affect ignition? How do I check it?
Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Look for a small blue/yellow wire connected to the top of the starter. Remove it and measure the voltage, you should have +12v while the key is in the start position. This will help to pinpoint the starter or neutral safety switch.

The black box is a junction point, no fuses. Look for and clean the 20A which is close by on the fender.

The BOSCH cylinder is the ignition coil.

Thanks everyone! I bought motor mounts and now I'm going to buy a battery.

My car is fixed and I am so happy! It just needed a motor mount and a battery.

90% of the times the symptoms you described can be traced back to a faulty battery.

When most DIY people decide to test a battery they test it in no load condition i.e. a voltmeter meter connected across the two battery poles and, just so long as the meter indicates somewhere in the vicinity of 12 volts, they reckon the battery is quite healthy and start looking elsewhere for other 'problems' that may not even exist.

Many things will slowly cause a battery to 'go down', e.g. a faulty cell, low or weak electrolyte, sulphation of the plates, plates warping/shorting out etc. etc.

To get anywhere near an accurate idea of what condition the battery is in, the DIY person needs to take a voltage reading in both a 'no-load' and 'full-load' state.

'No-load' means just that - everything off. 'Full-load' means you switch on everything you can think of. If the battery is on it's way out then there will be a noticeable difference between the two voltage readings.

A good battery on 'full-load' should hold up at around 12 volts, while a battery in poor condition may be as low as 9-10 volts.