David has shown what its like to be a KZfaqr... doing it for the fun... And doing what you love.. I've chatted with him on FB... Honestly better than what he shows in the video... Love you man!

My 1990 240 dash has cracked in the EXACT same spots. My car also came ordered (from new) with the 52' tach - I've seen really grown to like it.

Thanks Dave on the jumper wire tips. I needed the info on how to do that for my 87.

As regards the dashboard illumination only working with the main beam/bright headlights on my gut feeling would be that you're right about it being a bad turn signal/indicator stalk, they do seem to be a bit prone to failing and making strange things happen. BUT from personal experience with a 1979 244 I had the same thing happening so I changed the column stalk (I had to anyway as the stalk wouldn't stay in the position to activate the indicators/turn signals in one direction). But changing the stalk made no difference to the dashboard lights. By accident I discovered that tapping the dashboard dimmer when the lights were on made them work so in this case it was a worn out dimmer that was stopping the dashboard lights working. A Volvo specialist said that while that wasn't a "they all do that" problem, like the odometer drive gears or sagging headliners, it is far from unknown, over time adjusting the dashboard illumination wears out the track inside the dimmer (a simple variable resistor) and causes weak connections and then muck that has accumulated inside raises the resistance to a point where there is no or almost no current flow. So it might be worth thinking about changing the dashboard dimmer too, I would imagine they're cheap and easy to get hold of, and if you can find out the specs for the unit you can probably get a suitable item from an electronics store... The best suggestion and most plausible reason for the odometer drive gears being prone to failing on Volvos is that it is because the heaters are so good in them. Sounds stupid I know, but think about it, heat softens plastic so if you live somewhere with a lot of sunshine (New Mexico) or you use the heater it's going to raise the temperature inside the car. Because under and behind the dashboard get no airflow the temperatures in there can remain very high, compounded by the effects of the sun beating down on the black dashboard. So the gear is continually getting cooked and eventually that cooking is going to alter the properties of the plastic and make it softer and softer until eventually it fails. As you said the gears are made by the same people that make them for Mercedes-Benz, it's unlikely they're going to use totally different formulae of plastic for, essentially, the same part as it wouldn't be financially sensible, and Mercedes aren't as known for having them fail, though it can happen at old age or high miles. And after all Volvo heaters do things to the glue in the headlining and make them drop in some models. And what other make of car is well-known for doing this? SAAB, who also come from icy cold Sweden...

The sure fire way to break the odometer gear is to reset the trip odometer when the car is moving. I know some who have never touched the trip reset and the odometers have worked past the half million mile mark. Great video, by the way. I will, however, be sending mine to Wagonmeister for a full redo. The board is needing repair or replacement, and I don't have the skill to do the whole thing. Since my odometer failed about 20 years ago, they will set the odometer forward to what I figure is close to accurate. I have a spare cluster in now until it is done. In a few years, I will be switching speedometers so it reads miles, since I will be moving to Belize.

Lol stealth mode, that's great I would have never thought of that

Damn that’s a beautiful car not much restoring , just wow I’m jealous

Your vehicle did not have the rubber stop piece for the tach hole, that's where the clock adjustment knob was. If you pulled the tach from the junkyard, there should still be that rubber stop piece in the junkyard, go get it! You could always find a piece of rubber to push in there, purely aesthetic. I also have to depress my turn signal stalk to get my high beams to show, I'm not sure of a work around to fix that. Make sure you clean your male electrical connections when you take things apart. If you ever have to take out switches, instrument cluster etc out in the future you wont run the risk of breaking anything. Plus you'll have a better electrical connection.

I want to change out the clock for a tach as well. Glad to see that the wiring is already there. I take it the temp gauge is working like it should?

I know that later Volvos, from the 850 onwards have a small switch below and to the right of the headlamp switch that allows the daytime running light function to be switched off. Knowing how much is shared across vehicle ranges and with your 240 being a very late one it could be that yours has that as well and it has been switched off by a previous owner. If yours has it somewhere around the headlamp switch will be a hole with a plastic knob with a slot in it. If my memory is correct if the slot is vertical the lights should be on when the ignition is on, and if it's 1/8 turn off vertical they are turned off so just use a small flat-blade screwdriver to turn the switch back to the vertical position...

If needle breaks, just use a tooth pick, sliced in half,, paint Orange..

Wow ,Great!!!!

Did you have to do any wiring to get the tach working or was it plug and play?

Hi David Bello, One teeth is broken in odometer 240 Volvo wagon 88 total 25 teeth in this gear. Would you know Where can I buy it please

David, this is super helpful! Thanks for posting. I need to replace the gear on my odometer as well, been meaning to do it. Other issues I'm having is that sometimes (very rarely) the speedometer will just cut out, and sometimes when I click on the high beams the headlights go off completely rather than go into high, when i go back to regular lights they come back on. Must be electrical, any thoughts??? Also, my fuel gauge doesn't work, but i have feeling this isn't a dash related issue, but something further down the line. I have a 1990 240 DL wagon.

have you ever had a problem with the gas gauge giving wrong fuel reading sending unit good and a new fuel pump its the gauge or wiring any ideas thanks

Good vid, I bought a small tachometer and im going tot install it.. Dou you know if the tachocable is on the 85 model to? Or only on the new models?

My question is, after you cut the springs, the wheels touch when you make the corner? if you go too fast?

Would a tach from a 1989 740 cluster work in a 1992 240?

can you explain how to replace the headlight switch? or if you already have a video that shows that, reply with the link?

2:33 Sanders

Hi David, I have a little problem with my cluster, when I turn the key on no lights appear in the cluster and when I tap the cluster slightly lights come some times it does not come on, sometimes have to tap it a little harder. I have checked all the bulbs they are good., My gas gauge does not register the correct amount of gas, Could you please help me. Thank you

Is 900 rpm a little high for idle on the 240?

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Where could I buy a tachometer? I hate having a clock

stop sign instruction - slow down to walking speed, don't stop, drive away.