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What 240 maintenance/upgrade part did you regret after installing?

V

VolvoLatAm

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 4, 2019
Location
Colombia
Sometimes with maintaining and upgrading cars we replace a stock or damaged part with something that ends up being worse. What did you install and end up uninstalling?

For me I regret:
  • Rear IPD sedan overload springs (too sprung) and makes the car more prone to oversteer/axle hop unloaded
  • Bilstein b4 shocks (too stiff), also did not notice that there were spacers to be removed pre '87 in the strut housing to make them fit in the front
  • Tropical clutch fan-made the car too hot and was always engaged, putting in the original ASIN one fixed all the issues
  • New (non volvo genuine) coolant expansion overflow tank--the threads stripped and sprayed coolant making me think I had a head gasket leak
  • Non volvo original rubber seals for the camshaft/crankshaft (the aftermarket ones all leaked after a few months)
  • Not getting the bne mounts sooner...the original strut tower mounts pop even with the best kyb aftermarket ones
  • Aftermarket "molded" ebay volvo 240 carpet...wasn't really molded well and smells like glue
  • Aftermarket rear trailing arm bushings (replaced with the BNE aluminum ones)
  • VP autoparts old? fuel line...everything must have been sitting on a shelf as it cracked within months almost causing a fire when it leaked
  • Tried rebuilding a power steering rack and power steering pump instead of just installing new ones
  • Tried painting the exhaust manifold with high temp paint...ended up flaking off...replaced with Cerakote ceramic paint with no issue
  • Replacing the bulb failure relay sensor with the "volvo" delete part...this didn't work for some reason so I hard-wired the cables
  • Aftermarket ebay exhaut manifold down pipe gasket fried and then blew out...had to re-do this
  • Aftermarket windshield spray nozzles did not fit in the hood properly
  • I went through a few speedo clusters to find out the clusters had gremlins, cannibalizing usable parts into one good cluster
  • Using a fuel filter after the mechanical pump on a carbed car can create bubbles and "hunt" behavior during idle on carbed 240
I'm sure I will think of more...
 
I‘ve had the same experience with the overload rear springs on the wagon. I do like the stance. It sagged pretty bad before
 
VolvoLatAm said:
Sometimes with maintaining and upgrading cars we replace a stock or damaged part with something that ends up being worse. What did you install and end up uninstalling?

For me I regret:
  • Rear IPD sedan overload springs (too sprung) and makes the car more prone to oversteer/axle hop unloaded
  • Bilstein b4 shocks (too stiff), also did not notice that there were spacers to be removed pre '87 in the strut housing to make them fit in the front
  • Tropical clutch fan-made the car too hot and was always engaged, putting in the original ASIN one fixed all the issues
  • New (non volvo genuine) coolant expansion overflow tank--the threads stripped and sprayed coolant making me think I had a head gasket leak
  • Non volvo original rubber seals for the camshaft/crankshaft (the aftermarket ones all leaked after a few months)
  • Not getting the bne mounts sooner...the original strut tower mounts pop even with the best kyb aftermarket ones
  • Aftermarket "molded" ebay volvo 240 carpet...wasn't really molded well and smells like glue
  • Aftermarket rear trailing arm bushings (replaced with the BNE aluminum ones)
  • VP autoparts old? fuel line...everything must have been sitting on a shelf as it cracked within months almost causing a fire when it leaked
  • Tried rebuilding a power steering rack and power steering pump instead of just installing new ones
  • Tried painting the exhaust manifold with high temp paint...ended up flaking off...replaced with Cerakote ceramic paint with no issue
  • Replacing the bulb failure relay sensor with the "volvo" delete part...this didn't work for some reason so I hard-wired the cables
  • Aftermarket ebay exhaut manifold down pipe gasket fried and then blew out...had to re-do this
  • Aftermarket windshield spray nozzles did not fit in the hood properly
  • I went through a few speedo clusters to find out the clusters had gremlins, cannibalizing usable parts into one good cluster
  • Using a fuel filter after the mechanical pump on a carbed car can create bubbles and "hunt" behavior during idle on carbed 240
I'm sure I will think of more...
Click to expand...
Bilstein is obvious. Never recommend on 240s. Coolant tank, learn that long time ago. Always go used or new Volvo. I use corteco seals, very good quality. But we use Volvo seals whenever we can. Yeah rebuilding a rack is not for a beginner.
 
Add me to the list of regretting Bilstein B4's.
Pagid brake pads were dangerously bad and lasted less than 10k miles before they wore down to the metal backing plate.
Swedish Car Parts 240 sedan tail light circuit boards are for single filament brake light bulbs despite them being listed as compatible, completely unusable.
The IPD solid cam/aux shaft dowel is too loose and short for me to feel like there's any added security. I'm going to try to find a better roll pin solution.
I don't necessarily regret trying the B cam, but I spend so much time in bumper to bumper traffic that I'm already tired of the lumpy idle, so I'm probably going to change that out soon.
 
Radtap said:
B4s and Gas-A-Just in my 244. My back will hurt after long drives on rough roads. And poly front end bushings.
Click to expand...
I've got a similar setup in my 245. Rides just fine once I have something heavy back there. Without anything in the back the ride is quite stiff. I am glad I didn't go for a bigger rear sway bar and kept the rubber bushings back there.

I had some regrets on my '89. Mostly polyurethane in the rear end coupled with sedan overload springs and 25/25mm front and rear sway bars. The thing wanted to oversteer everywhere. It was wonderful on fresh smooth pavement, but I was driving a lot of mountain roads and they rarely had that.

Really I think the overload springs are best suited for a wagon you are using as a light pickup truck.
 
OVERDRIVE said:
The IPD solid cam/aux shaft dowel is too loose and short for me to feel like there's any added security. I'm going to try to find a better roll pin solution.
Click to expand...
Measure and head to mcmaster. I'm sure they'll have it.
spock345 said:
I've got a similar setup in my 245. Rides just fine once I have something heavy back there. Without anything in the back the ride is quite stiff. I am glad I didn't go for a bigger rear sway bar and kept the rubber bushings back there.
Click to expand...
Yeah it gets a little better after a trip to the grocery store, it's great on perfect roads but those are far and few between here. Probably gonna swap out the B4 for some koni yellows when I do the strut mounts. I absolutely love them in my 2 door and that car seems to handle better.
 
Last edited:
Radtap said:
Measure and head to mcmaster. I'm sure they'll have it.

Yeah it gets a little better after a trip to the grocery store, it's great on perfect roads but those are far and few between here. Probably gonna swap out the B4 for some koni yellows when I do the strut mounts. I absolutely love them in my 2 door and that car seems to handle better.
Click to expand...
god I wish koni yellows weren't so expensive
 
OVERDRIVE said:
I don't necessarily regret trying the B cam, but I spend so much time in bumper to bumper traffic that I'm already tired of the lumpy idle, so I'm probably going to change that out soon.
Click to expand...
I don't even notice a lumpy idle with my b cam, just a bit hard to start in the cold. If anything my 245 with a m cam has a worse idle than my 765 with the b.
 
VolvoLatAm said:
Sometimes with maintaining and upgrading cars we replace a stock or damaged part with something that ends up being worse. What did you install and end up uninstalling?

For me I regret:
  • Rear IPD sedan overload springs (too sprung) and makes the car more prone to oversteer/axle hop unloaded
  • Bilstein b4 shocks (too stiff), also did not notice that there were spacers to be removed pre '87 in the strut housing to make them fit in the front
  • Tropical clutch fan-made the car too hot and was always engaged, putting in the original ASIN one fixed all the issues
  • New (non volvo genuine) coolant expansion overflow tank--the threads stripped and sprayed coolant making me think I had a head gasket leak
  • Non volvo original rubber seals for the camshaft/crankshaft (the aftermarket ones all leaked after a few months)
  • Not getting the bne mounts sooner...the original strut tower mounts pop even with the best kyb aftermarket ones
  • Aftermarket "molded" ebay volvo 240 carpet...wasn't really molded well and smells like glue
  • Aftermarket rear trailing arm bushings (replaced with the BNE aluminum ones)
  • VP autoparts old? fuel line...everything must have been sitting on a shelf as it cracked within months almost causing a fire when it leaked
  • Tried rebuilding a power steering rack and power steering pump instead of just installing new ones
  • Tried painting the exhaust manifold with high temp paint...ended up flaking off...replaced with Cerakote ceramic paint with no issue
  • Replacing the bulb failure relay sensor with the "volvo" delete part...this didn't work for some reason so I hard-wired the cables
  • Aftermarket ebay exhaut manifold down pipe gasket fried and then blew out...had to re-do this
  • Aftermarket windshield spray nozzles did not fit in the hood properly
  • I went through a few speedo clusters to find out the clusters had gremlins, cannibalizing usable parts into one good cluster
  • Using a fuel filter after the mechanical pump on a carbed car can create bubbles and "hunt" behavior during idle on carbed 240
I'm sure I will think of more...
Click to expand...

Thanks for the endorsements :-)

My list
  • super pro polyurethane rear suspension bushings
  • a front axle low preload truetrac
  • ipd 25mm rear bar
  • aftermarket cam seals
 
My list is pretty similar.
1. IPD Rear overload springs for wagon (I like how they raised the rear end, but the oversteer and the rear hop reduced control)
2. IPD Poly Torque Rods (car would hop up and sideways over even small bumps)
3. New-made Rubber Strut Mount Bushings (Average life recently has been about 15-20k miles. Switched to BNE. I miss the ride comfort of the rubber, but if the BNE last longer, that's the priority)
4. Bilstein B4 and B6 Shocks. (Similar results to overload springs; settled on regular sachs/monroe)
5. KYB shocks (Felt nice, but only lasted about 15k miles)
6. Triple Gauge Pod Top of Dash (Not totally opposed, but for now, I don't like the windshield obstruction)
7. Remanufactured brake calipers (hit and miss nowadays. Thoroughly inspect any reman calipers before install)
8. Remanufactured Steering Rack (Had one fail not long after install, went with another company; worked well)
9. New Bosch diesel injector nozzles, made in India (these seem to definitely be a hit or miss regarding manufacturing quality; have had several DOA)
10. Swedish Car Parts B230 Exhaust Header Pipe (Poor fitment, should've went with the IPD stainless, which I've used without issue on another car)
11. Aftermarket tail lights seem to be good for the most part, but occasionally they are a miss for build quality.
12. Front Transmission Seal for BW55, unbranded, came in a full transmission rebuild kit from VP Auto Parts (Leaking less than a year after replacement)
13. Cork cam cover gaskets for D24 (These things always leak; replaced with rubber Goetz gasket)
14. Reman AMM/MAF (Maybe just bad luck on my end, but I don't think I've had one work....maybe something else is going on...settled on a used one for now)
15. Lower temp D24 thermostat (Went back to regular temp thermostat)
 
You guys seem to have pretty much covered everything. :werd:
I bought some aftermarket door pocket inserts that were totally useless. They filled the whole door pocket so you couldn't put other stuff in it.
I also bought the low preload true track and it's clanking and sort of working.
Dash repair kits never seem to get it right. I'm referring to the epoxy and then color matching paint ones.

There used to be an ebay seller that had the solid cam dowels. Can't find him selling there anymore. I think the seller was pyro pete or something like that. His gig was putting the Volvo 16v head on the Ford 2.3 engines.
 
that Tornado supercharger wind swirler thing
s-l1200.webp
 
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