340 Auto - New member needs help...!!

[Ian Mac]

Hi all, I'm new to the board although not to 340's, having owned several of them over the years. I've just bought a 1991 340 GL Auto with 41000 miles on the clock. It has a full service history having been maintained since new by the same dealer that originally supplied the car (Bells of Northampton). When I collected the car last week I noticed that drive didn't engage until about 2500 rpm but once on the move everything seemed to work normally. However, having used it for about 200 miles its obvious that something is slipping. The car is very reluctant to pull up inclines and the symptoms are identical to a slipping clutch in a conventional car. I think as a 'belts and braces' exercise I'm probably going to replace both the clutch assembly and the CVT belts and being reasonably technical I will probably do the work myself. However, I don't seem to be having much luck in locating the parts (I'm based in the West Midlands, not far from Birmingham). Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated please, as would any guidance to shimming the new clutch as I've not changed one before - are shim kits still available? Thanks in advance, Ian

[trabitom99]

Welcome, Ian! I'm sure someone will be around later who can tell you more, but in the meantime you might want to check out the CVT green book:
http://www.volvo300mania.com/forum-uk/v ... =36&t=7262
and mac's very useful CVT article:
http://www.volvo300mania.com/forum-uk/v ... =39&t=3803

I have read posts saying, shims were still available from Volvo, but the situation changes quickly so the best bet is to ask your Volvo dealer (and let us know ). The part numbers are listed in the CVT article.

Cheers

Tom

[Bjorn Belter]

Hello.

I did the same as you a few months ago - saved a 340 Variomatic!
And, just like yours, it would not even start to move until (even more than 2000 rpm) near enough max revs.

I guessed immediately what it was - clutch totally shot. Despite being an automatic, the clutch bit is very similar to a coventional manual clutch. I was able to locate a brand spanking new one easily and within days from Holland (quick shipping to the UK). I'll send you a PM if you like with contact details.

I'm hopeless at carrying out mechanical work though - I can often diagnose, sort of, so the new clutch was fitted for me by a local to me independent Volvo specialist, who actually likes and understands the Variomatic!

Clutch shims - apparantly, according to the repairer, these are no longer being sold by Volvo, but I'm hopeful that contacts in Holland will be able to supply.

Whilst I was about it, I had some new drivebelts fitted - the old ones were definitely about to "go".

Hope this is of help.

[Ian Mac]

Hi, thanks for the PM, very helpful. If any other members can offer further advice I'd be grateful.

By the way, my car has a factory fitted rev counter which according to some posts on here is quite unusual? It also has central locking, electric front windows, a time clock in the centre console and heated front seats. It's a 1991 GL on a 'J' registration and came to me via Ebay for £325. Not bad for a one owner car with 41K on the clock. Assuming I can sort-out the transmission...

[Bjorn Belter]

Yours will be one of the last 340s made, certainly Variomatic ones. Production stopped in 1992.

Eleven years or so ago, I had an H-reg 340 GL Vario (reg number H19DAF) for a while in varicose vein blue. Lovely car and like yours, had the rev counter, electric windows, two heated front seats with manual switches -and it went very well!

The late model 340 GLs like these were "specced up" towards the end of the run.

And wow - what a price!

[Ian Mac]

Yes, its not to bad for the money I guess. The interior is very tidy and the only obvious concern with the bodywork is the usual rust on the lower edge of the front valance. Its obviously had a new exhaust very recently and the service book is stamped by Bells up to 40000 miles - its now done 41800. The MOT runs until July and apart from cracked tyres I can't see any reason why it won't pass next time.

By the way, did you also get your belts from the guy in Holland or did you source them in the UK? How did you manage your clutch replacement without spare shims or did the garage who did the job have some?

[Bjorn Belter]

Yes, got the belts from the same place.

Shims - the garage had some availablen but not many.

[nvdw]

Production actually stopped in March 1991; anything that's registered after that is just 'new old stock' Interesting to hear your rev counter was factory fitted. Never seen that before, even though the official accessory listings mention the thing as available for variomatics. Got one retrofitted and it's a really nice feature because it's an easy bit of help in determining if your variomatic shifts up properly.

Even though your car has done the best of 40k miles, please check the condition and adjustment of the belts first before replacing them altogether. There is no such thing as a 'service interval' for them. Obvious signs of wear are missing tooth segments and cracks. Replace both belts even if only one of them is damaged or worn. Personally I would get myself some new belts instead of old stock that's been deteriorating for years at your local Volvo's. Adjustment is key though. While you're checking belt condition, note the gap between the rear pulleys (i.e. the ones driving the rear wheels) as described in the service manual Tom linked to. If the belts seem to be OK, re-adjustment of the pulley gap makes them live considerably longer.

[nomead]

Personally I would get myself some new belts instead of old stock that's been deteriorating for years at your local Volvo's.

I just wonder, how new will any "new" belts be? I bought a set of spare belts through a local parts dealer (Scan-Tech / Roulunds) and I can't tell whether they're really old or not. Are they supposed to have a date code somewhere?

The belts are marked...

Roulunds Roflex-Vari Made in Denmark (yellow print, repeats along width)

46M1340MR 435 (stamped once, grey (white?))

and then almost diametrically opposite to those markings there's a "3090" printed in white that repeats along the whole width of the belt.

[Ian Mac]

Thanks for the info on checking the belts, I'll have a look at them before I order replacements. If anyone knows of a UK supplier for clutch and belts I'd be grateful, before I order them from Holland. My car also has electric mirrors by the way, not sure if I mentioned that earlier. It was registered 1st August 1991.

[trabitom99]

Thanks for the info on checking the belts, I'll have a look at them before I order replacements. If anyone knows of a UK supplier for clutch and belts I'd be grateful, before I order them from Holland.

For belts, there's
http://www.scantechparts.co.uk/acatalog ... 0_360.html
I've never ordered anything from them, and I don't know which type of belts ScanTech have in their lists, so don't take this as a "recommendation" Worth an enquiry though ...

Tom

[volvodspec]

just bitching, the 300's where produced untill 1991, they sold the remaining stock in 1992.


could be the clutch-bypass switch at the thop of the shifter that is faulty.

this switch is a security that ensures the tranny wil be spared with an engaged choke, along with the choke the rpm's will climb above normal clutch engaging point, (rpm stationairy around 850, clutch engaging around 1100 rpm, good choke rpm 1300+)

this switch at the top of the gear selector engages a vacuum mechanism working the same as the clutchpedal in a manual car. because this will extra engage the clutch, the propshaft can't go around in neutral, so when you select the gear you won't get a lot of grinding noise.

the fact that the car will only start to drive at 2000/3000 rpm is the point where the declutching mechanism is being overruled by the normal centrifugal working of the clutch disc.

on mk2 and mk3 there's a production fault. you can read more about this in my topic on v3c http://forum.volvo300club.nl/showthread.php?t=3879 this could be the problem, when this vacuum feed to the clutch membrame is broken, the clutch is allways on.

actually, when i think of it it can be two things, the system above, of a sloppy maintained airgap of the centrifugal clutch.

the way to test this, is to drive off, go to about 50mph and then let go of the throttle, when the fault is electric/declutchmechanism relatated, the clutch will be on as soon as the rpm drops below 3000/2000 rpm.

when wear of the clutch, and with this an incorrect airgap of the centrifugal clutch is the problem. it should declutch at slightly higher rpm as the clutch engages from standstil (about 1400rpm). when the clutch engages at around 2000 rpm, it will be savable if not being adjusted before. in that case i estimate that there's an airgap of about 1,3/1,5 mm. the origininal spacing package is 2.7mm.

when the clutch has been adjusted to less than 1,5 mm of spacing package or it starts to drive at 3000rpm+. i wouldn't try adjusting it, the clutchplate ribbits will grind into the flywheel and pressure plate parts that will damage these parts and make the clutch wear even harder..

anyway, you will need to sort this one out quickly, you won't be the first of cvt drivers who got stuck next to the road

[nvdw]

Roulunds Roflex-Vari Made in Denmark (yellow print, repeats along width)

Those Danish belts are the 'unofficial' replacements since I doubt Volvo's still having them made. I've heard they can be a bit noisy when cold, but their life expectancy should be longer as well.

[Ian Mac]

Thanks for all the comments and advice. The people in Holland have quoted €500 for a clutch kit and a pair of belts although this does include a €50 surcharge against the old clutch. I can't justify spending this amount of money on a £325 car so I need to look at options. The first thing I need to do is get the car up on ramps and try and figure out exactly what it needs. I thought I'd check the belts first and if they're ok dismantle the clutch. Unfortunately, if it really is going to cost €500 then in all probability I'll cut my losses and look for another 340, a manual this time I think. Watch this space.....

[filthyjohn]

It sounds like the clutch to me, from what you say about engagement rpms. However that might be because I have a few vario clutches here. Check it out and see if it is the clutch, and if so I can help you out.