1983 Volvo 240DL manual overdrive question

"James Sweet" <

That makes sense, and although I'm reasonably certain the CC did not
work even before the speed/tacho-meters went, I'll see what happens
when the cable is replaced, assuming that's the problem.

Overdrive is still a little cranky. I don't know whether it needs
longer for the engine to warm up before I try to engage it, or whether
something else is contributing. (The rear defroster does function
perfectly now, as I found tonight when the window was iced over.)

The Volvo-glow is dimmed by having so many minor non-working
"options," but each one that can be fixed is rewarding. Even the
antenna is broken off, the tape player is kaput, (I probably mentioned
that), the passenger-side window does not stay closed all the way --
maybe an expensive fix? -- and the windshield is really occluded by
scratches, when driving into the sun. Having seen reference to that
recently, suggests that this is characteristic of the Volvo.

But lots of large repairs _were_ done recently: new shocks and struts,
brakes, drums rounded, etc.

The handling, and being unaffected by semis passing on the highway
make it impossible to not appreciate what assets this "small" car does
possess. - NJ

 

When it first starts to engage, does wiggling the shifter a little cause it
to drop out? If so your 4th gear switch is worn out, also does the light on
the dash always work or does it fail to come on when the OD fails to engage?
That helps narrow down whether the problem is electrical or hydraulic.

Shouldn't be hard to fix, you can get window regulators cheaply from a
junkyard, also look to see if a clip is missing and caused a linkage to
simply pop off or something. It needs a fair bit of work, but remember that
it's two decades old, as well as it sounds like it was somewhat neglected,
but from what you say it seems it's responding well to a bit of TLC as they
often do.

 

"James Sweet" <

Sometimes the light flickers on, them immediately off without my
moving the shifter at all. OD doesn't engage. Once it does engage
there's no instance of its dropping out.Today's test: I turned on the
ignition while parked, then put it into 4th gear. After pressing the
button 16 times, the OD light came on. The next time it took only two
times for it to light, after which it came on flawlessly every time I
pressed it.When driving after reaching reach operating temperature, it
takes much longer for OD to actually engage -- +30 presses when I
counted, with several (maybe three or four) flickers of the dash
light.After that it does not fail to re-engage, even though the
temperature gauge has climbed no higher. (It rarely does move much
above the "C," except on long-ish hills.)If I wait longer to begin
trying, on the route I always take, it still takes awhile for OD to
function.

It was driven only an average of 3-4000 miles a year for the past five
years, probably for in-town driving. Maybe it has to get "re-broken
in." ;-) -NJ

 

Well it's definitly an electrical problem, I'd pull the relay out and check
the soldering, that's the first step, and also check the 4th gear switch,
sometimes it won't engage until it's cold, you can temporarily bypass it by
grounding the wire that goes to it, if the OD then freely engages then you
know the switch is bad.