Date: 28 Jun 1993 17:23:59 -0400 (EDT)
From: V093P9MD@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu
Subject: Used my new Volvo tool
To: swedishbricks@me.rochester.edu
I mentioned last week that I had purchases the Volvo tool to change the timing belt on the B230 and B230T engines. IT is a brachet that lockes the pully on the crank shaft and prevents it from turning when you losen or tighten the bolt. It worked great! It made the job real simple. I did have to buy a 24mm socket, and use a 4 foot extension on the 1/2 socket wrench to get enough torque to get the bolt lose. The Volvo manual was very clear, just check the inside of the pully... there is small rectangular grove that must be placed on the crank shaft properly or it will not be on straight (the same goes of course for the thin damper plate that goes In between the two).
All in If anyone is interested in renting it, I think $4 or $5 is fair. I figure 2 weeks of use (say roue long lost relatived show up just when ou want to start, you can always finish it the next week). Shipping can take a few days back and forth, so that way the whole "process" takes about a month. I'll include the tool, copies of the pages in the Volvo manula that apply to the B230F and B230FT, and the 24mm socket. If anyone is interested let me know.
Happy Motoring,
Andre'
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Hello All:
I'm currently looking at a 1971 P1800 that was running when it was parked a year ago. The tools that I have in my possession are quite limited. I have not done much mechanical work but I am willing to learn. This project would be for "learning only" until I am comfortable with the reliability of my own maintenance.
So far I have just two questions:
1. What tools would be good to start with?
2. Would the above mentioned P1800 be a good car to learn on?
I am going to post the tools question to the FAQ page because there is not much there for a beginning mechanic. Please stop by the page and take part in the survey that I have there. Thanks for all the comments and suggestions. Please continue to let me know how I can improve the FAQ pages.
I am reading all the current threads and appending them to the appropriate FAQ pages as necessary. Please note that the URL for the FAQ page will change February 1, 1996. You can use both URL's until that date.
Bob Scheer
SwedishBrick FAQ Webmaster
http://www2.southwind.net/~filler/volvofaq/volvofaq.html
To Inifinity...and Beyond
In message <30CB44EC.5532@southwind.net>you write:
> Hello All:
> I'm currently looking at a 1971 P1800 that was running when it was parked a
> year ago. The tools that I have in my possession are quite limited. I have
> not done much mechanical work but I am willing to learn. This project would
> be for "learning only" until I am comfortable with the reliability of my
> own maintenance.
> So far I have just two questions:
> 1. What tools would be good to start with?
Basic set of SAE(inches, not millimeters) sockets and wrenches, a set of screwdrivers, a good floor jack and jack stands, various extensions and swivels for the rachet sockets, a big pry bar or two, a rubbet headed mallet. If you plan to do any diagnosic work, get an automotive multimeter(tach, dwell, DC Volts, amps, ohms at the very least).
> 2. Would the above mentioned P1800 be a good car to learn on?
A point of pendantry first... P1800 refers only to the Jensen bodied 1800 built from 1961-63. You can tell them because they've got the upswept "bullhorn" front bumper segments. The 1800S is the carburated car assembled in Sweden from 1964-1969. The 1800E is the fuel-injected coupe, built in Sweden from 1970-1972, and the 1800ES is the fuel-injected wagon, built in Sweden from 1972-1973. So the abovementioned car would be an 1800E.
From the desirability standpoint, the '71 is the performance 1800 to own. It's got the FI, it's got the high-compression engine(10.5:1 CR) and it lacks the smog pump, EGR and other performance robbing smog controls that the EPA mandated in the early 70's(However, it's still a clean engine... the same engine was placed in the '71 142E, and mine dyno smogs at levels that are acceptable for a showroom new car today). The engine developed 135 HP when new... pretty impressive for an over-build, early 70's 2.0 liter I-4 engine.
To work on? It depends. Mechanically the cars(1800s) are very simple. I honestly don't think there is a mechanical procedure on the car that should be out of the reach of a moderately motivated Do-It-Yourselfer. Some things are enough of a pain that you may WANT to farm them out, but nothing that you shouldn't be able to do on your own. The down side of the '71 is that it does have a Bosch FI system. The first electronic FI system in fact. It's not too hard to work on, but you'll want to buy a troubleshooting manual for it, and they do tend to have "personality". They're also rather parts expensive. If you are a carberator kind of guy(I'm not, some are) skip this car and look for a '69 or older. If electronics don't intimidate you (and I use the word loosely... the "compact" FI brain lives in a metal box bigger than most laptop computers... :) and you don't mind electrical trouble shooting, go for it. If you do buy it, I've got some manuals on the D-jet FI I can recommend to you.
-Alex
1971 Volvo 1800E
1971 Volvo 142E
1994 Volvo 944T
(As you can see, I like those Bosch D-jet, high compression B20E engines)
On Sun, 10 Dec 1995, Bob Scheer wrote:
> So far I have just two questions:
> 1. What tools would be good to start with?
Tools, Tools, Tools. Just buy a whole Snap-On truck and you'll be fine..:-)
Just kidding, I was in the same boat about a year ago. I started out by buying a set of Craftsman open/box ended wrenches and 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2" ratchets. The whole thing came in a set for about 100 bucks. I bought an all-metric set thinking I was neve going to touch a domestic car. When that changed, I just had to buy an SAE wrench set and more sockets. Total into the hand tools about $260 including a nice 1/2" torque wrench. Other tools that I use frequently is a Uni-Syn(for us multi-carb folks) , timing light and a gear puller. The timing light is a must. I bought kind of a junker. I wouldn't recommend going crazy on this piece. If you treat it well and don't bash it around, you probably won't have much problems. Make sure to get the kind with the clamp on inductive pickup. The kind where you have to actually put a connector in between the plug and the wire are pains. The gear puller probably will come in handy eventually, but don't buy straight away since they're are about as many pullers as there are things to pull. Also, if funds permit, I highly recommend a good tool chest. Craftsman makes two levels, get the higher one, it's much smoother and better built. For torque wrenches, I like the "click" type ones. I've heard that the beam types are more accurate, but they're a pain for things like suspension work, where you can't always see the dial.
Next is the lifting equip. I bought a big JET floor jack with a long wheelbase and a wide track. It also has a big(5"?) pad. It was about $100 if I remember but worth it. Those little narrow ones scare me, since I always think they're going to tip over. The next step up was a Lincoln for about $369... Caddilac(err 850-T5R) of jacks, but it was too steep for my pocketbook. The Jet weighs about a hundred pounds, so it's not something you can easily tote around with you, but it rolls, so for garage use, it's great.
Jack stands are something that money is well spent on. I wound up with a set of 4 Lincoln 2 Ton stands. They are the ratchet variety, and built real well. I got the 2 ton ones since my cars are all low. I have to jack a car up pretty high just to get it on it's first ratchet, so any taller would be awkward for me.
Hmm, that's about it. If you really plan to do some serious work, decide now if you want to go with air tools or electric tools. I wouldn't buy either off the bat. I've done some pretty heavy work w/o either, but they would speed things along if I had them. I like air becuase of the cheapness of the tools themselves, the tools themselves are light, and since you're working w/ metal, it's nice not to have power cords hanging around, and it's easy to change tools while you're at the car. If you decide on a compressor, don't get a wimpy one. Look at the requirements of the tools you wish to operate and choose a compressor according to that. Most tools don't require rediculous pressures but some of them require quite a lot of volume(at least for continuous use).
Hope this helps!!
Randy
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