Volvo 340 GLE 1.7 1987

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volvopandy
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Volvo 340 GLE 1.7 1987

Post by volvopandy » 20 Dec 2014 12:28 am

Guys, I haven't been on the site for many years & my 340 hasn't been on the road for many years (the reason really is tragic so I will omit here)! it's been Sorned & left with just the occasional manual move to try & stop the wheels seizing. The dream was to get her back up & running - but I've been kidding myself. I'm only an amateur & it's way beyond my capability.
So, with a genuinely heavy heart, I'm just putting the word out early doors that I'm going to scrap her. I'll probably get £80-100.
That's why I'm here. Maybe there's someone that wants to bring down a trailer to Coventry & take her away?
Just to be clear: this 340 is not a runner!
Feel free to reply & ask any questions. I'm not going to try & break her myself. She'll have to go as is.
To a genuine Mania member, I will do a good deal but I must feel assured that the buyer is not simply going to pick her up & then take her straight to the scrap yard in order to make a quick £50. I would prefer to sell to someone who will break her & make those parts available to Mania members. Maybe I'm being too idealistic?
I don't think the car is in good enough condition to merit a re-build / launch a project on - I think there are too many things that are shot away. I can elaborate if there are any interested repliers.
I will delay the scrapping for a few weeks in order to allow time for anyone to reply / ask questions.
I'll leave it there for now.
Merry Christmas from Volvopandy x

macplaxton
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Re: Volvo 340 GLE 1.7 1987

Post by macplaxton » 20 Dec 2014 06:58 pm

volvopandy wrote:I haven't been on the site for many years
Just looked back and it's only been 8½ years! Thanks for popping back in.

Hopefully you'll find a member that'll collect it soon enough and part it out to the rest. Not exactly the best time of year to rustle up time/transport, but at least as the word is out, someone will hopefully respond soon.

Good luck.
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SteveP
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Re: Volvo 340 GLE 1.7 1987

Post by SteveP » 20 Dec 2014 08:17 pm

Could interested, or persuade a friend to be interested given how close you are... sent you a PM
1989 - Volvo 360 GLT
1985 - Volvo 360 GLS
2008 - Volvo S60 SE Lux

volvopandy
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Re: Volvo 340 GLE 1.7 1987

Post by volvopandy » 21 Dec 2014 06:50 am

Thanks to Macplaxton & Steve P for the replies. How embarrassing - 8.5 years without logging in!!! Seriously though, if you knew what I'd been through, you really really would understand. I know that the car hasn't moved in just over 7 years. Prior to that though, it was you guys that helped me get it back & up & running. I couldn't believe that I got her going & through an MOT. I remember my Dad watching me through the front room window (he was very ill at the time and passed away not too long after that) at the very moment that she fired up after I'd sourced & attached a breaker's Solex carb - I'd never tried anything remotely close to that before in terms of difficulty - I just punched the air & my Dad gave what I perceived to be a surprised but also proud smile. Absolutely magic feeling. I'll never forget that moment.
Anyway - just a quick but potentially interesting up-date. I put the 340 battery on a long charge yesterday; sorted out a bad HT / plug connection; put the battery back in loose just to see if there was any life at all. It was cold & dark so I didn't do anything else - but! - she seemed to turn over twice! I couldn't believe it. I had half presumed that the engine might have seized. Anyway I have a few ideas to try; if I can get out there tomorrow with a bit of daylight & I don't feel too bad (Have a bad cough at the moment), then I'll try to make some progress. I will update if there is any news.
If anyone is interested but this is a bad time for them then I can delay the scapping. She is on my driveway & sorned so everything is legal.
Cheers for now - Volvopandy.
ps. Steve P , I will look for the pm section to reply - I'm not sure I know where that bit is!!

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SteveP
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Re: Volvo 340 GLE 1.7 1987

Post by SteveP » 21 Dec 2014 01:27 pm

Good news - wouldn't surprise me if it'd run with fresh fuel. I'd imagine the remaining fuel will have gone stale. It'd be a shame to scrap without removing some spares as they're getting harder to find, unfortunately - particularly the earlier cars. The messaging section is at the top of the page next to 'User Control Panel' (if your web browser doesn't block popup's you'll get a popup window too).
1989 - Volvo 360 GLT
1985 - Volvo 360 GLS
2008 - Volvo S60 SE Lux

MCHUDD
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Re: Volvo 340 GLE 1.7 1987

Post by MCHUDD » 22 Dec 2014 12:18 pm

Hi mate.
Very good of you to delay the scrapping. There will be many usefull parts on the car.
I hope someone saves it.
Cheers Mark.
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bogbasic
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Re: Volvo 340 GLE 1.7 1987

Post by bogbasic » 22 Dec 2014 02:55 pm

Go on men, save it, save it, save it - you can do it.
1988 340 1.4 GL, 218k, 5 door (Grey Bess). Gone to CBA.
1991 340 1.7 GL, 64k, 5 door, petrol blue (Deep Blue).
1988 360 2.0 GLE, 140k, 5 door, ocean blue metallic (Blue Bess).
1989 340 1.7 GL, 108k, 3 door (Red Ness).
More info here!

MCHUDD
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Re: Volvo 340 GLE 1.7 1987

Post by MCHUDD » 22 Dec 2014 04:57 pm

Hi bogbasic.
Unfortuneatly i am geographicly challanged on this one.
Cheers Mark.
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Dean
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Re: Volvo 340 GLE 1.7 1987

Post by Dean » 24 Dec 2014 04:54 pm

How bad is it? I'm after a standard 1.7 340 to save. Got an engine ready just no car.

But I'm coming a fair way if I do come... Manchester.

Have you got any pictures?

volvopandy
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Re: Volvo 340 GLE 1.7 1987

Post by volvopandy » 08 Jan 2015 10:08 pm

Dear All, terribly sorry for the delay in up-dating my thread here - been ill but I have been tinkering with the 340.
For Steve P: Steve I thought that I had sent you a PM reply but I can't find it in my sent messages - so maybe I messed it up & it didn't get sent. I'm not good at this sort of thing but I do apologise. I will try again. In the meantime here is my update.
For Dean of Manchester: Hello Dean, I hope you find this update helpful. Feel free to respond with any questions. I don't know how to upload photos. I have a smartphone so I will try to learn how to do it. I did see a couple of 340s for breaking online the other day - I think one was "up north" - I'll try & find the listings again & post them up for you in this thread.
Note to all: I have had a few responses to my original posting & in the meantime have got the 340 started (see below) - so I've decided to hold off from scrapping her until the spring at least. I was going to scrap her because I was convinced that she had seized - but I underestimated the Mighty 340. I feel that I need to give Mania members more time & better weather to weigh things up and I've enjoyed working on her again.
Please note, this car is not free - I do want a few quid for her. It would be much easier & quicker for me to scrap her for £100+ but I am genuinely trying to find her a home. Since I got her started I think the right enthusiast could get her back on the road. I mean if I can get a car started after 7 years - believe me I am useless, I don't even understand how cars work, I just read the manual & ask 300 Mania for help - then a decent DIY mechanic should have no trouble. If I could weld I would fix her up myself - although I would need to learn about brakes from scratch!!

Here is my update - I hope you find it helpful. (Joke warning: all of my school reports used to say that I was overly meticulous and, even though I say it myself, I sure know how to clean a battery earth strap!

340 1.7cc, B172 engine update Part I:

1) Fitted a cleaned set of spark plugs -old plugs clean but I broke one on removal
2) Cleaned rotor arm but couldn't pull it off the distributor
3) Cleaned the HT leads; two of the metal connectors were dirty & two small metal bits were broken resulting in quite a loose connection
4) Two of the plug end HT leads rubber connectors are bent & make for a loose connection on plug 4
5) Cleaned distributor cap - very fouled with crystalline deposits
6) Cleaned battery earth strap & all connections to earth at battery & to engine block
7) Petrol seemed to have evaporated (over the last 7 years!!) so put in a 5.5 litre jerry can
8) Heavy crystalline deposits around thermostat / hose inlet (just below distributor); removed rubber hose; end of hose & thermostat housing inlet plugged full of presumably crystallised coolant; cleaned this out as best I could & drained out coolant from radiator & refilled coolant system.

Part II:
1) Turned engine manually with ratchet - so engine is not seized
2) Had ignition lights on dash after a battery charge & electrics were working
3) Engine turned but weakly so I knew it wasn't going to start

Part III:
1) Got my old Fiesta (also off the road!) working, pulled her out of the garage & connected jump leads to the 340
2) 340 turned over strongly but didn't fire - but I knew I was on to something!
3) Turned choke on Fiesta up to very high revs - 340 FIRED UP FOR FIRST TIME IN 7 YEARS!!! :340:
4) Kept her going for about 25 minutes but couldn't get her idling without choke (see "Things Wrong with 340" below).

The day I got her started was 28th December 2014. According to my records the last petrol I put into her, with her on the road, was 25th October 2007. Her last tax expired 30th November 2007; so it's a definite 7 years without starting / use.

THINGS WRONG WITH 340:
Ok, this list is not exhaustive and not necessarily correct or incorrect. It's just a preliminary "what I think is wrong" list. I haven't jacked her up for a detailed inspection. Also please note, I am not a mechanic - I am an OCD hoarder!!

1) Choke cable is broken. A thief tried to steal the 340 a couple of years ago from my drive. He ripped off the panel below the steering wheel & snapped the plastic bit of the choke cable where it attaches to the steering section - sort of parallel to where the ignition is on the other side of the steering wheel. I only realised when I started tinkering recently that the thief must have snapped off the other end of the choke cable that attaches to the carb. I have tried looking for a choke cable but can't find one - even online.
2) Engine not idling properly. When I got the car started, because the choke cable is broken, I manually moved the choke on the carb. When I fully closed the choke / carb flap, the engine started to stall; the engine was warm, the coolant radiator had kicked in, so ideally it should have idled without choke.
I'm not happy with how the air filter housing is sitting on the top of the carb; I'm not sure that the three bolts are aligned properly in terms of their respective heights - so I am guessing that there is an air leak there - this could account for the non-idling without choke. I replaced the original carb in May 2006 & it passed the MOT emissions & functioned perfectly until I took the car off the road in Oct/Nov 2007
3) Reverse lights not working. Cleaned connections, fuse ok but no joy - there is some rust / moisture just above the delivering wiring to those lights (nearside rear) but the strange thing is is that the other lights in that unit (side light, brake light & indicator) are working so for me the delivery wiring is sound.
4) Electric windows (front doors only) not working - have not investigated
5) want to remove thermostat / thermostat housing - due to all the coolant gunk that was there (see Part I no 8 above) - to test the thermostat operation as well - but after cleaning, draining & then the radiator fan kicking in when I got it warmed up, I am thinking that the coolant was able to move around the engine without hindrance.
6) There is an oil leak, high up on the driver's side of the engine block. Cleaned some old hardened oil away but can't identify site of the leak as yet.
7) The battery housing plate is badly rusted at the coolant expansion tank end. Pretty sure that's an MOT fail. I have been monitoring the coolant level closely & so far I believe that the coolant expansion tank is sound / not leaking.
8) Driver's side, rear passenger door sill rusted - maybe 3-4" rust hole developing - didn't want to prod it too much as yet. Again, pretty sure that's an MOT fail
9) There is rust above the rear light units - both sides - visible from within the boot. Did not want to investigate as yet.
10) Bottom of radiator looks a bit rusty but not leaking & coolant system seemed to kick in fine. Still monitoring coolant.
11) Engine bay looks a bit rusty - can't see any obvious rust holes - hopefully fairly surface rust that can be repaired
12) All four doors are badly rusted. I know why. The weather strips when I bought the car were bodged. Water gets down past the "weather strips" & into the doors. They could be welded / repaired but water tight weather strips would be required in order to stop it happening again. I haven't been able to find weather strips so far.
13) Rust bubbles (could be bad rust underneath?) on both sides near the wing mirrors; my Dad bodged the nearside & that has held up ok
14) Rust bubbles near the bottom corners of the front windscreen - don't know what that area is called
15) A few chips on the front windscreen - same chips didn't cause fail on the last MOT I got for the 340 (in 2006!!)
16) At least 3 out of 5 tyres are MOT failures I think; they've just wizened & cracked with the car sat idle for 7 years. They are all still holding air though
17) Not sure but I think the nearside front spring has gone; the car looks lower than on the driver's side

Condition Summary:
The sills look good and, as far as I can see, the underbody is good; rear, roof, bonnet & wings all look pretty good, as does petrol tank. All glass is good apart from windscreen chips but didn't fail 2006 MOT. The electrics all seem to work apart from the electric windows, reverse lights & central locking. Handbrake seems good but I would imagine that, after 7 years with no use, the entire brake system would need a major overhaul - new pipes, discs, pads etc. Can't be sure. The brake pedal seems to function normally. I've never worked on brakes - it's one of my weakest areas of knowledge.

Ok, can't think of anything more. I will try to see how you upload photos - I have no idea!
Salutations to all, from Volvopandy.

derskine
Posts: 199
Joined: 29 Sep 2013 10:38 pm

Re: Volvo 340 GLE 1.7 1987

Post by derskine » 09 Jan 2015 09:05 am

I have a choke cable for sale for a 1.7 if you/potential buyer is interested.
1984 Volvo 360 GLE Saloon
1987 Volvo 340 1.7GL

Additionally -

1966 Ford MK1 Cortina
1971 Hillman Imp
1984 Renault 18 GTD

volvopandy
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Joined: 29 Mar 2006 02:45 am
Location: Coventry

Re: Volvo 340 GLE 1.7 1987

Post by volvopandy » 09 Jan 2015 10:33 pm

Hi Derskine, how much for the choke cable? I have actually started trying to fashion a sort of Heath Robinson style fix for my broken (at both ends - by a thief!) choke cable! Nuts but necessary!
Volvopandy

volvopandy
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Joined: 29 Mar 2006 02:45 am
Location: Coventry

Re: Volvo 340 GLE 1.7 1987

Post by volvopandy » 10 Jan 2015 06:56 am

Hi Derskine - will send you a pm in a minute.
For anybody else reading - tried for 2 hours to upload photos of my 340 - failed. Will ask a mate to help me out. Apologies. Bear with me.
Volvopandy

skylor.dinnan
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Joined: 07 Jan 2015 06:15 pm

Re: Volvo 340 GLE 1.7 1987

Post by skylor.dinnan » 10 Jan 2015 03:21 pm

Intrested, pmed you! Let me know if there is any other way you can send the pics? Email txt etc

volvopandy
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Re: Volvo 340 GLE 1.7 1987

Post by volvopandy » 10 Jan 2015 11:06 pm

These are the pics. Let me know if you need more.
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