Make sure the valve cover isn't bent or distorted. Those 4 bolts that hold it on aren't great.
Make sure the valve cover isn't bent or distorted. Those 4 bolts that hold it on aren't great.
Long time without an update: Mike, you called it on the valve cover, the bolts had been overtorqued it looked like and had dimpled the cover at each of the holes. I used a ball peen and my vise to try and flatten them back out.
I ended up sending the carbs out to be rebushed and have the throttle shafts replaced. The guy discovered that the rear carb's dashpot had interference and would stick. It would take considerable force, even without the damper and oil in place, to move the damper up into the dome. Once elevated it wouldn't return. He ended up having to ream the dashpot dome a hair of a hair to get it to move smoothly again. I'm not sure if there was some kind of corrosion or dirt that got in there but I wonder to what extent that could have contributed to poor running conditions.
Anyway I got a chance to rip it around the block for the first time in six months and it felt fun to be back behind the wheel. Hopefully winter holds off a little out here and I can get some miles on it before continuing the search for a manual transmission.
I talked to that guy on turbobricks actually; it's shocking how similar our cars are. Same year, color, and (initial) condition!
If I had the cash sitting around I'd jump right on it, but we just paid school district taxes and have a tree scheduled for removal next month so I have to keep the wallet locked up.
You might find it handy to add a air/fuel ratio gauge. They are available on E-bay, fairly cheap. You do have to add the O2 sensor, which would have been easy before installing the new down pipe.
Helps take some of the mystery out of tuning carbs.
orthoxstice said:I talked to that guy on turbobricks actually; it's shocking how similar our cars are. Same year, color, and (initial) condition!
If I had the cash sitting around I'd jump right on it, but we just paid school district taxes and have a tree scheduled for removal next month so I have to keep the wallet locked up.
I've spoken to him in person, and sold him that blue fender. I've been tempted, too. Interior looks nice
I took the car on a longer cruise today and feel pretty confident the stumble issue is resolved. I'll do a more thorough tune at some point but with the weather getting colder the car will most likely go back into the garage until spring.
I do have a question though; what are people using for window channel guides? The original... felt? fuzzy stuff? is all totally worn out and so my windows rattle around like crazy when rolled up and it's absolutely maddening.
In reply to ish_da :
I have a couple sets of 140 seats. I believe they are wider than the 122 seats, thought they use a similar attachment method to the floor.
140s are getting pretty thin in junkyards now, too. I've yet to replace weatherstripping on an Amazon, but CVR should carry any of that stuff.
My local upholstery supply house carries window channel and felt.
The channel has a steel core and goes vertically along the front of the windows where it meets the wing window bar comes in like 4 foot lengths.
The flexible felt goes along the top and back of the windows and it comes in rolls.
You just take a piece of each of your old stuff to them so they can match up the proper width and buy as much new stuff as you need.
Here is an example of what's out there. Most supply shops should carry similar or you could mail order it if you can't find it locally.
Four pages...
https://jjautofabrics.com/window-channel-types/?page=1
It beats paying some specialty place to sell you the exact same thing in an overpriced kit specifically marketed for your car.
This is all helpful; even just getting terminology that allows me to do a web search. I've been working on cars since I was 19 and I had no idea haha
In reply to orthoxstice
The window channel in a 122 is from a universal supplier. Volvo bought it, and several universal auto body supply houses carry it by the foot. Check also McMaster car. Machinery often uses sliding windows.
Fired it up on the first sunny, warm day of spring (technically false spring, we usually get at least one more snowstorm in March here in western PA). Gave it a quick wash down the street at the self-service car wash and it's looking pretty good.
Goals for this season are definitely to track down a manual transmission, driveshaft, clutch slave, and hardline so I can properly enjoy this car the way it was meant to be. Then I plan on starting to address some of the rust.
It's always a pleasure to get email notification of a new post on this thread. One of my favorites...
I think I speak for others when I say we are excited to see the transmission swap happen.
Not sure if it's still there but no nonsense knowhow on YouTube posted an Amazon in Philly that might be a donor for the manual trans bits.
https://www.facebook.com/share/v/e1RrYBH5DaL1fCZT/?mibextid=WC7FNe
I have not had any luck finding a transmission yet (or at least one within an easy drive away) but I've been tooling around in the Volvo this summer as is. The other day I made a turn and suddenly the horn was on and would not stop! I noticed if I pulled back on the horn ring it would shut off so I pulled into a parking lot and used my leatherman to take the center of the steering wheel off. After a cursory google I found a handy walk-through of how to repair this on a website from 1998(!): http://www.vclassics.com/archive/hornprn.htm
Here's some pictures of my version:
There's the problem, the isolation material has collapsed enough to allow the two contact discs to be in, well, contact.
There's the 57 year old original material. Seems sort of like dried out playdough or something. Either way, it has to go.
In the original article the author talked about using a mousepad, immediately dating the article to the late 90's. I can't remember the last time I saw a mousepad, but it got me thinking about what I'd have lying around. I bought this armaflex from Lowe's awhile back to reseal a pair of Acoustic Research AR-2's I found at a garage sale.
Armaflex in place; it looks like it will be just the ticket.
Contact discs and mounting plate reattached with the nylon washers and c-clips.
Et voila! as I'm sure the Swedish say.
All in all it took me about 20 minutes. So mind your horn rings, Amazon owners.
In reply to orthoxstice :
This is one more example of the beauty in "catalog engineering". The original engineer, who could have been at Willys when it was the Aero, or later when Volvo acquired the body tooling, but in the beginning the design started with off the shelf materials from the McMaster catalog. Similar to window channel. Everything in an old Volvo was bought in except the engine castings and body stampings. Dedicated non catalog trim seals did show up after the Amazon though darnit.
In reply to orthoxstice :
Nice work on the horn repair. I don't think I've had a functioning horn in an Amazon in years...just never use it.
I guess I'm not an "easy drive" from where you are, (grin) but if you ever find yourself down this way we'll set you up with all the manual swap goodies.
You really should visit Volvoclearinghouse just to see the collection. I am a very satisfied customer.
volvoclearinghouse said:In reply to orthoxstice :
Nice work on the horn repair. I don't think I've had a functioning horn in an Amazon in years...just never use it.
I guess I'm not an "easy drive" from where you are, (grin) but if you ever find yourself down this way we'll set you up with all the manual swap goodies.
I think I'll probably be in touch and just plan another Maryland weekend trip; I've been striking out hard here in W. PA.
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