Had a tinker with a 740 today

**JamesT5** · Wednesday 19th February 2014, 16:58

A friend of mine has just got himself an 1989 'F' reg 740 which I took a gander at today because he's got a strange noise coming from underneath. I said I'd pop on here and pick some brains and I've offered to service it for him for the cost of the parts (I'll get some more hands-on experience working on another Volvo).

For a car with 186,000 on it and 25 years old it's actually in pretty good condition, rust free on the body work and seems to have been service pretty well. A few things I noticed...

There is an oil leak underneath which I believe could be the oil sump seal but I also noticed the sump plug has a leak around it, I told him the sump plug gasket probably wasn't replaced on the last oil change. There doesn't seem to be any oil leaking from the block.

The ATF fluid looks a little low, I wonder if the oil leak is actually ATF fluid that's found it's way along the bottom of the car, something to investigate.

The car seems reasonably well serviced and the oil a reasonable colour (i.e. not black and sludgy). The radiator water looks like it has no coolant in it because it looks a little brown and rusty so I've suggested he has the system drained, flushed and refilled with the OE stuff.

The noise underneath seems to be coming from the front end and sounds like 4 or 5 short 'clunks' when the car pulls away and when I turned the wheel slightly (could be coincidence on the last part). I jacked the car up, had a play with the wheels and couldn't find any movement in the ball joints, wheel bearings or obvious play in any of the suspension bushes. The front drop link bushes were pretty well cracked and for less than 10 quid per side I've suggested I change these over for him (heat gun at the ready!).

I was wondering whether the clunks could be related to the low ATF level.

Any thoughts?

I wish I'd got some pictures but I'm planning to do a service for him so I could get some then. By the way, he paid £350 for it and got £150 for his old 850 which he sent to the breakers (I said he should have kept it and I would have found a buyer).

**M-R-P** · Wednesday 19th February 2014, 17:18

make sure you put the right oil in it James

seriously tho, make sure you get some pics mate, got my eye on one as a potential summer project.

**JamesT5** · Wednesday 19th February 2014, 17:29

Originally Posted by M-R-P

make sure you put the right oil in it James

seriously tho, make sure you get some pics mate, got my eye on one as a potential summer project.

Yeah, I'll get some ten forty oil for it.

The 740 was amazingly simple under the bonnet with far less electronics and complicated bits to go wrong. The suspension looks simpler than out P2 models, it would be a great project car and the thing is, I've offered to help service it for my friend to save him paying garage prices and he's not so good with doing stuff on cars, but also it will give me some experience which I think I'd benefit from.

By the way, the suspension on the 700 series is really saggy by comparison.

**artfulflounder** · Wednesday 19th February 2014, 22:00

Sounds like your having fun.

pics would be good.

**Doingitsideways** · Wednesday 19th February 2014, 22:23

If it's a carb fed redblock, there will be virtually no electronics under the bonnet, although saying that even the injected ones aren't that complicated to be honest.

The redblock is a joy to work on though, they almost look lost in the 7/900 engine bay. These bays easily swallow straight-6s

To this day, a redblock holds my record for the fastest cambelt change: 40 minutes I think from bonnet up to packing the 3 or 4 sockets away, and I'm by no means a mechanic. That was on a late 940 with an electric fan, but still...!

The suspension is jelly soft, but you need to remember that most of it's design dates back to the 240, which was developed while Noah was still knocking up that arc of his.

A knocking from the front on taking up drive COULD be the engine mounts. I had a one gone so badly on my 240, that the sump was actually sat on the crossmember, and the fan rubbed on the cowl when pulling away hard. Took me ages to figure it out.

Low ATF: worth checking if the dipstick is properly inserted all the way home as I've heard of it coming out of the top of the tube before. But more importantly, make sure there are no signs of water in the fluid, or vice-versa. The radiator has a small ATF cooler built in and they can split internally causing the two to mix, spelling the end of the gearbox very quickly.

Over all though, they're a bulletproof old tank. Nothing will take neglect like a redblock.

Nice and simple, and would be an ideal learner for your mate

Steve

**JamesT5** · Thursday 20th February 2014, 00:36

Originally Posted by Doingitsideways

If it's a carb fed redblock, there will be virtually no electronics under the bonnet, although saying that even the injected ones aren't that complicated to be honest.

The redblock is a joy to work on though, they almost look lost in the 7/900 engine bay. These bays easily swallow straight-6s

To this day, a redblock holds my record for the fastest cambelt change: 40 minutes I think from bonnet up to packing the 3 or 4 sockets away, and I'm by no means a mechanic. That was on a late 940 with an electric fan, but still...!

The suspension is jelly soft, but you need to remember that most of it's design dates back to the 240, which was developed while Noah was still knocking up that arc of his.

A knocking from the front on taking up drive COULD be the engine mounts. I had a one gone so badly on my 240, that the sump was actually sat on the crossmember, and the fan rubbed on the cowl when pulling away hard. Took me ages to figure it out.

Low ATF: worth checking if the dipstick is properly inserted all the way home as I've heard of it coming out of the top of the tube before. But more importantly, make sure there are no signs of water in the fluid, or vice-versa. The radiator has a small ATF cooler built in and they can split internally causing the two to mix, spelling the end of the gearbox very quickly.

Over all though, they're a bulletproof old tank. Nothing will take neglect like a redblock.

Nice and simple, and would be an ideal learner for your mate

Steve

Thanks Steve, looks like these 700 series cars are a lot more user friendly when it comes to fixing them and servicing them.

Do you know if the Ball Joints are splined to the hub or do they just drop out when you undo the 2 bolts? I ask because my friend tells me there is an advisory on the ball joints although to be honest I have the wheel a a good shake and it didn't budge, but at £11 per ball joint he's thinking of having them off and changed. I also wonder whether the ARB drop link bushes have been mistaken for the 'Ball Joints' because on both sides the rubber on the ARB DL is very cracked and brittle. I've offered to change these for him before his next MOT because they are bait for a fail.

Thanks again for your input, you sound like a 700/900 series aficionado!

**Doingitsideways** · Thursday 20th February 2014, 00:57

Ha ha ha, no expert. Just been through most of the big swedes over the years in persuit of load lugging perfection. Finally resulting in my 960: I converted it to a straight-6 diesel, manual 'box, locking diff, RWD and 18psi from the T3 and LOTS of smoke!

I think the struts are splined, but my money would be on the droplinks. They are essentially a small ball joint, so technically the MOT is right.

Steve

**JamesT5** · Thursday 20th February 2014, 09:37

On the oils and fluids side of things, I've read the oil capacity is just 3.75 litres but the coolant is about 9.5 litres? I've been looking this information up because I'll need to know how much oil and (neat) coolant to buy, I know PFV do a 4 litre container of Volvo OE Coolant for less than £20.

**artfulflounder** · Thursday 20th February 2014, 11:33

Heres a link that may stand you in good stead.

http://www.volvoclub.org.uk/faq/FAQSummary1.html

lots of information on the redblock for maintenance hints and tips......very well written how-to etc.

**mikealder** · Thursday 20th February 2014, 17:43

Take the two bolts out of the bottom of the suspension strut to drop the ball joint out, only when it is out can you inspect the state it is in, it isn't easy with a pry-bar in situe as the suspension applies quite a load to it - Mike

**JamesT5** · Thursday 20th February 2014, 18:45

Originally Posted by mikealder

Take the two bolts out of the bottom of the suspension strut to drop the ball joint out, only when it is out can you inspect the state it is in, it isn't easy with a pry-bar in situe as the suspension applies quite a load to it - Mike

Thanks Mike. Do these Ball Joints just drop out once the bolts are out or are they splined in and need a special tool to pull them out?