360GLT with lots of little problems

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carnut1100
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Joined: 09 Jul 2008 03:03 am
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360GLT with lots of little problems

Post by carnut1100 » 10 Jul 2008 04:39 am

Hiya all,
I'm a 300 noob as I have been fiddling with 240s and 164s for years.
However, my little brother just got a 360GLT for his first car, and I will be chief maintenance man as
a) He's a baker, not a mechanic
b) He is better at breking stuff than fixing it
c) That includes tools, so he has no good tools left and he ain't touching mine!!!

Sooooo, I took it to work with me today and I have a little list of problems I have noticed which need attention.
Minor stuff like the central locking on one door not working, or the interior mirror falling off because it was held on with superglue are easy.

However,.........
It refuses to select reverse. All oter gears select fine.
Reverse just seems to be missing from the gate.
It worked in reverse a few days ago when we picked it up though.....


The brakes pull it up good, but need a firm shove.
Is the likely to be the booster going?
On all other cars I have had, when the booster went, it went! Maybe the booster is stuffed but the brakes aren't too bad without them. Certainly they are not as hard as Dad's 1969 Ford Transit with non boosted brakes....

What is the most likely cause of a clonk in the driveline, reminiscent of a slightly work universal joint on most cars, or a set of worn torque rod bushes in a 240?

And is there a usual reason for a vibration in the steering starting at around 80 kmh and getting quite bad by 110?
Could be an out of balance wheel maybe, or something worse....
Volvos rock!

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Ronnie
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Post by Ronnie » 10 Jul 2008 11:59 am

Gears - don't know

Brakes - check your vacuum hoses, then the servo. V300 brakes are really pretty good

Driveline clonk - could well be the diff on the way out, does it feel like diff backlash?

Steering vibration - hopefully just balancing. If it's been sat for a long time the tyres might be rogered. Check the alloys for visible damage, the later slab-sided ones are made out of butter.

All the best
'85 360GLT Mk2 3 Door B19E - SOLD
'94 L400 Mitsubishi Delica LWB

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petefarrell360
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Post by petefarrell360 » 10 Jul 2008 08:56 pm

Hi and welcome!

Only a quick reply, Ronnie seems to have covered most things, reverse may be the switch that illuminates the reversing lights etc, if you lift the cover off of the gear surround, held by a couple of screws on the back in the cubby hole behind the gear stick under the central instrument panel from memory, you'll see the white switch that is adjusted on two allen keys. That may be out of adjustment and blocking reverse. There should be a collar on the gear stick that needs lifting to select reverse as well. Also, particularly with a worn or dodgey gearbox on a 300, selecting first before reverse prevents crunching and aids the gear selection.

Pete
G reg 360 GLT, G reg 340 GL Variomatic, plus many more..........

pettaw
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Post by pettaw » 10 Jul 2008 11:17 pm

The others have covered most of the points pretty well tbh.

Do the gears grind before they engage reverse? If so then the clutch isn't disengaging properly. Possibly a mis-adjusted cable, (150-160mm distance from top of pedal rubber to carpet when fully released) but more likely its the clutch slightly seized on the clutch shaft. If so then its a real PITA cos the whole lot has to come out so you can lubricate with a smear of grease. Sticking it into first to jam the gearbox is not a good idea as it will eventually knacker the first gear synchro ring as it struggles to stop the rotating propshaft. (I have to admit to being unable to get my red car to go into first quite a lot cos the clutch is so badly seized so I jam it into third and start off in that, but I really don't fancy having to strip the clutch and gearbox out just to lubricate that shaft on my spare parts car):oops:

Vacuum hose on the servo is a good favourite. I haven't heard of any servos failing by themselves, but I've heard of plenty of vacuum hoses collapsing internally. If the car has sat for ages then it could also be rusty/seized brakes.

Clonk could be as described, or slightly worn driveshafts.

carnut1100
Posts: 37
Joined: 09 Jul 2008 03:03 am
Location: Hobart, Tasmania, Australia

Post by carnut1100 » 11 Jul 2008 12:24 am

Ok,
The gears I have traced to a sticky reverse lock collar. Got it working now, but I will have to strip it and lubricate it or something to make it slide smoothly.
Phew!

Ok, so the booster hose is next.
Booster is functioning some, as if you start it with foot on brake pedal it sinks. Hose is now favourite culprit.

It has been in regular use as a daily driver, the previous owner just wanted more economy as he drives a 110 mile round trip to work so he is getting a 3 cylinder Daihatsu....

It has the early style 4 spoke wheels on it ( it is a 1984) and I have yet to properly examine it to see if a balance weight has gone, or the wheel uot of round.
Might try rotating the tyres and see if the vibration goes to the back.
I will get the front off the ground over the weekend too, and see if the bearings are shagged and check out the linkages.
the dampers are past it, and I think it needs a wheel alignment too.

The driveline clonk feels like a worn universal joint in a regular car, but not too bad.
Hoping it isn't the diff.........

I must say, the 360 is a lovely balanced little thing. I can compare it to the Alfa 33 my sister had for a while ( until it started dissolving and she got a Focus instead), the 360 and 33 are about the same size, but the 360 is much more stable on the highway and gives far more confidence in bends. the Alfa revs better and is mroe responsive, and a little more fun to thrash around town and redline everywhere but is crap on the highway.
The Alfa dash was more funky, but the Volvo one is more logical, and more importantly, it actually works!!
The 360 is also extremely controllable on gravel, and so easy to get the rear end to come out ever so gently and controllably and easy to get back in line again.
Drifts good in the wet too :D
Volvos rock!

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Ronnie
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Post by Ronnie » 11 Jul 2008 07:13 am

You might want to check the dif fluid level. The gaskets weep. Obviously if its dry the diff is probably rogered. Our resident Senior Volvologist, Mac has produced replacements as Volvo has ceased to bother - very long thread all about diff gaskets here:


http://www.volvo300mania.com/forum-uk/v ... ff&start=0
'85 360GLT Mk2 3 Door B19E - SOLD
'94 L400 Mitsubishi Delica LWB

http://www.filterfeeder.eu

carnut1100
Posts: 37
Joined: 09 Jul 2008 03:03 am
Location: Hobart, Tasmania, Australia

Post by carnut1100 » 14 Jul 2008 02:46 am

Well, I had an hour or so to fiddle with it yesterday, and I got the mirrors working, so it is driveable in traffic now!
Reverse turned out to be nothing more than a sticky reverse lockout which is now working.
I must get it up and check fluids, in fact I must do a full service with fluids and filters.
Don't think it has had one for quite some time.
Volvos rock!

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