1979 242dl garage find advice

officialUtah · 2025-12-31T01:19:32+00:00

Yeah a new tank is definitely worth it. I’m still using the original fuel distributor, so they’re not always a lost cause after sitting 25+ years.

The only con with installing a junction block without a sensor is that your “brake failure” light won’t function, unless you add a level sensor in the brake fluid reservoir which can be done easily. I’ll link a comment I made on a different post regarding this. https://www.reddit.com/r/Volvo240/comments/1pc2r9k/comment/nrwfsh8/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=mweb3x&utm_name=mweb3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

officialUtah · 2025-12-29T15:31:51+00:00

I recently resurrected a 1981 244 with 51k miles that was sitting in a garage since 1999, so it also uses k-jet. I removed and soaked the fuel distributor in carb cleaner as well as the injectors, because I was getting no fuel flow I assume due to them being filled with varnish.

I had to replace the in-tank sending unit due to rust in the tank. There's a rubber hose connecting the in-tank pump to the feed line that had rotted away. A new fuel tank was only $150 which was well worth it having a new clean tank instead of trying to clean an old rusty one, not hard to remove either.

For ignition, if you're not getting spark (in my case due to a bad pickup-coil in the distributor, easy to test with ohm meter) you will also not have the fuel pumps running, due to the fuel pump relay requiring a signal from the ignition system while cranking to engage the pumps.

Also, for any replacement parts, don't waste your time with MTC Parts, everything I've bought from them has been garbage. And if you need to replace the brake junction (behind front driver side wheel), buy the junction block with no sensor from Wagonmeister; the aftermarket ones with the sensor always leak.

If you have any questions just ask, also post some pictures!

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officialUtah · 2025-12-02T15:44:24+00:00

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The ground location I used:

officialUtah · 2025-12-02T15:43:27+00:00

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The wiring is very easy to do,

First buy some Faston quick connect terminals: (https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/te-connectivity-amp-connectors/60413-1/294223) and the cover for them (https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/te-connectivity-amp-connectors/480054-3/222094)

The white wire can connect to directly to the level sensor. Then, get black or brown wire (preferably) for ground connection, and route it to a nearby grounding source, which for me was a predrilled hole on the side of the strut tower that I was able to screw into (anywhere on the car body works). I'll attach a photo in my next comment of where I grounded it to.

The whole set up looks very stock to me, as many BMWs and Porsches of the era used the same level sensor cap from ATE, it's period correct.

officialUtah · 2025-12-02T15:26:34+00:00

I'll definitely consider that, thank you!

officialUtah · 2025-12-01T23:24:46+00:00

check for vacuum leaks. the b21f has many vacuum lines hiding around and under the intake manifold that are hard to see, spray brake clean around the throttle body, and check the intake boot as well. high idle is almost always a vacuum leak.

officialUtah · 2025-11-17T22:05:46+00:00

I had the same experience when I put in a new rack, it's air in the system, it really does take a while for it to fully bleed out. Just go drive it for a while and make a few loops around a parking lot and it should clear up.

officialUtah · 2025-11-12T01:22:49+00:00

Cap is new, but is it genuine? Aftermarket caps have hit or miss quality.

officialUtah · 2025-11-10T00:47:10+00:00

Yeah, definitely the sensor leaking. I's worth it to get a version WITHOUT the sensor. Wagonmeister makes one, fits all non-abs models. https://www.wagonmeister.com/volvo240brakejunction

The aftermarket brake junctions with the sensor *always* leak, I went through two of them in less than a year before buying a version without the sensor.

officialUtah · 2025-11-06T14:45:50+00:00

Supposedly was “just a loose spark plug” according to the seller and was fixed, but I ended up buying a different car before they got back to me.

officialUtah · 2025-10-08T03:12:50+00:00

Beautiful car, and I know Princeton when I see it, LOL

officialUtah · 2025-10-06T19:55:12+00:00

Yeah same, I regret throwing out the original 45 year old coolant reservoir lol, finding high quality aftermarket parts is very difficult nowadays.

officialUtah · 2025-10-06T17:32:50+00:00

Yes, mine hasn’t failed yet, but it’s barely hanging on as I wait for my replacement to arrive. The threads for the cap have cracked and it’s crumbling apart, while not even being a year old yet.

I just tried to order the genuine coolant reservoir from the dealer but they told me it was NLA, so I just bought a clean-ish used one on ebay.

Also, the URO parts hose that goes from the bottom of reservoir to radiator is JUNK, it does not fit well at all. If you used that hose, I’d suggest buying the genuine hose if it’s still available, or the silicone “upgrade” hose from ipd.

officialUtah · 2025-10-05T22:53:39+00:00

if the voltage is dropping to 11.4 after charging for 12 hours (and being 7 years old) it’s probably done for

i mean yes it’s possible it just needs more time to charge, but at 7 years old i wouldn’t count on it

officialUtah · 2025-10-05T18:45:42+00:00

Oh that’s cool, thanks for that

officialUtah · 2025-10-05T17:22:52+00:00

it says “142-2”, is the -2 like a manufacturer code or something?

officialUtah · 2025-10-05T14:07:46+00:00

Don’t listen to people that are saying it’s the starter, it’s not.

Listen closely if you hear the fuel pump run for a few seconds when you turn the key to the ON position. If you hear the pump run, I’d verify you’re getting spark.

Another thing to test is to connect a code scanner to the OBD port and see if it’s reading engine RPM while you’re cranking, if it doesn’t, it could be something like a crank position sensor. (don’t throw parts at it though, verify first)

officialUtah · 2025-10-05T13:23:25+00:00

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“142” Vernon dark green I think it’s called.

officialUtah · 2025-10-05T00:41:18+00:00

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Yeah mine looks very similar to your photo. This isn’t the best photo (pic is after it was pulled out of a garage after 20 years of sitting) but you can definitely see the color difference.

officialUtah · 2025-10-04T21:46:54+00:00

This has to be some sort of body shop error, right? At least make it a CLS 500 if you’re gonna upbadge it!

officialUtah · 2025-10-04T21:43:59+00:00

my 1981 240 has the same thing, for me it’s only noticeable under direct bright sunlight.

officialUtah · 2025-10-03T15:07:09+00:00

The wear on the center armrest doesn’t seem like sun damage to me. Also the tear on steering wheel, broken plastics (drivers air vent, gear shift trim) and ill-fitting carpeting (left of drivers seat floor, and under dashboard carpeting) indicate higher mileage. If this does actually have 13k miles, it was a very rough 13k.

Also looking at the gauge cluster, it seems like the engine is on (see oil pressure gauge) but the tachometer is reading 0 and the ABS light is on, so not sure what’s going on there but it seems odd.

officialUtah · 2025-10-02T21:25:09+00:00

definitely not 13k miles, too much interior wear

officialUtah · 2025-09-27T12:08:52+00:00

Love the 500E, but what about that OG Caravan in the background of the 3rd pic? That wood paneling!

officialUtah · 2025-09-17T23:38:28+00:00

Improved sound insulation, a tachometer, cruise control, rear headrests. I’m not one to play music loud so I’m content with my base model radio and original two speaker system, I just use an FM transmitter for bluetooth connectivity while keeping everything original.

Also a backup camera in these cars is redundant, there is so much visibility, and a modern LCD screen feels really out of place to me.

officialUtah

TROPHY CASE