This could have Burnt Down the Volvo 740...

I found burnt and shorted out wires on the Volvo 740 (battery positive and negative / earth) which apparently is a common issue on these early models!
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[@general_ascona]

Good call! Previous owner of my 1989 740 had this happen to him, with the difference that it did indeed caught fire. Burned the plastic engine protection plate, upper radiator hose and power steering hoses. I've since then been given ownership of the car and am currently restoring it; fire damage has been sorted out and the car's running and driving again. Still lots left to do but we gotta keep them rollin' ;)

[@Involvod]

Oh wow! That's good to know. Glad you got it sorted 👍

[@DeanofMachines]

Volvo's deserve this kind of love. Glad you moved that ground to the top bolt. It's clearly happier there.

[@Involvod]

Thanks man

[@fannycraddock99]

Great that the old girl was able to give just a little bit more. Good job Sledge.

[@Involvod]

Thanks 🙂

[@devinanderson6466]

That $300 crust bucket paid for itself! Nice job!

[@Involvod]

Thanks Devin 👍

[@d.jbrickmocs1637]

Than a parts car is a send from heaven

[@RichieRouge206]

Isn’t it mad how such a simple thing can potentially lead to catastrophic results. Great job there fella

[@Involvod]

Thanks buddy

[@Parknest]

Sledge, you've dodged a bullet there with those cables. Get the word out there. Lucky you had the spres car to rob the cables from.

[@virgiliobrito1026]

Very educational video, Volvos from that era were easy to work on!

[@Involvod]

Indeed!

[@ched999uk]

Very iffy cables, well done for spotting the issue and sorting it. I had an engine earth cable fail once and it earthed through a fully open throttle cable !!!!!!!!!!!!! Took me a good few seconds of panic before I remembered the ignition key :-)

[@Involvod]

Ooof! I had a car completely burn down on me once before because of a battery short, an MG Metro, probably the best thing for it 🤣

[@ched999uk]

@@Involvod At least it was an MG metro not a 'standard' one. The MGs looked so much better.

[@Involvod]

@@ched999uk yeah it was pretty cool, black with the red bits and pieces inside and of course the 1275cc engine so it went ok!

[@damo6975]

Another job well done 👍 will be checking my 960 weather permitting thank you

[@Involvod]

Thanks 👍

[@jimralph8066]

Nice one sledge,i be underneath my 740 tomorrow checking cables out.👍🏻

[@Involvod]

Nice one! I hope they're ok 👍

[@iridiumvalkyrie9017]

Great video!!! You make these projects look so simple! You are a true inspiration! Long live Elsa!

[@Involvod]

Thank you!

[@mickywalters7439]

Great video. I've seen the big cable going across the cross member on my 940 but it hadn't registered with me that its a massive live wire very close to ground. Got a few jobs to do on the car tomorrow and checking that cable insulation is one of them!

[@Involvod]

Glad it helped!

[@kivboiii4259]

I have a 1985 Volvo 740GL project wich i had as a daily since 2020 until this summer dince i started the restoration on it, this is certainly 1 thing ill check first thing tomorrow

[@nilslorenz6554]

Definetly something you should be aware of. Thanks for sharing!!

[@Involvod]

Thanks for watching!

[@richardbartholomew7924]

I hope you get Volvo 850 love watching your videos mate

[@shepshepherd]

I remember reading in Car Mechanics magazine in the mid-1990s about a recall to check for/fix that very problem on the 700/900. It basically involved adding extra insulation to the cables or replacing them with the modified versions.

[@Involvod]

Oh that is interesting!

[@shepshepherd]

@@Involvod I checked mine today, and it seems to have the modified cables.

[@Involvod]

@@shepshepherd nice!

[@GentilsGarage]

Well done. It’s one of the things that gets overlooked in many cars.

[@Involvod]

Thanks man

[@user-wx2si5ql1g]

Enjoyed the video with my 240 noticed that the brackets were cutting into the outer coating of the negative and positive cables so i just got a rubber water hose cut it to length to suit then cut it down the centre of the hose then wrap it around the cables at various points then cable tied them on

[@Involvod]

Great tip!

[@einfeldt777]

Cool little fix 👍🤗

[@Involvod]

Thanks 👍

[@togst]

Well done! Far too many neglect damaged wiring. A bit odd to see how the arrangement is on a regular 740. I've only owned a turbo model, where the battery is located on the left side. So far I haven't had any trouble with the battery wiring, but the rest of the wiring in the engine compatment is somewhat fragile. Dust boots for connectors and some wiring insulation have crumbled and needed attention. Only been a problem where I know WD40 or other petroleum based lubricants has been used. The insulation does not like that it seems.

[@arieplomp8906]

Nice job fella! 👊

[@Involvod]

Thanks 👍

[@stefanobio7045]

Hi Sledge.... Well done on locating those bad cables, and replacing them. Another interesting video so thank you for posting My best regards to you and your family Stay safe and take care. Stefano (UK).

[@Involvod]

Thanks 👍

[@jfv65]

That was an extremely UNacceptable repair...also known as an UberBodgeJob Suppose your startermotor is 1200W then at 12V supply it will pull 100Amp !! Good lord! Good job you found it in time.

[@revolution1one]

Scary stuff!

[@JMassengill]

I would guess someone cranked the starter on that car for a very long time. That positive cable looked absolutely knackered.

[@hungryboy424]

😲 Nice one again mate.

[@Involvod]

Thanks 👍

[@Saaketti]

Main thing here is fix oil leaks. But when you buy car a seconhand as most people do. You must look carefully every stuff and listen how starter spins, measure alternator how it charges etc. Not everything at once of course. And when you notice stuff, take look at it. Taping of a clearly rubbed through cable is a roadside fix unfortunately and cable needs to be replaced. 30yo cable that has not been wear through yet has very hard and brittle insulator. My early 940 had bad ground blue cable and worn red. I made both of them new with thicker and more flexible cable. Man that starer spinned faster than ever. My late 960 had loose red cable connector at the startet b+. That alternator started to charge way better and engine spinned soo fast after just tightening the nut. Happy tinkerin. 🙂

[@JH-lo9ut]

Wow, those cables look absolutely terrible. Also, I'm always surprised how poorly the connentors are crimped onto the cables.

[@fhwolthuis]

Dodged a bullet there, Sledge! 😜

[@chrispersclassics]

Looks like it caught fire where it sits against the crossmember

[@Schwedenstahl245]

Perhaps adding the factory splash pan will help keep road debris from hitting those components on the underside and front of the engine bay?

[@Involvod]

Yeah definitely, I'm on the lookout for one 👍

[@brndnoe33]

Nice job, so the rusty red one had a useful spare part for Elsa. The old one looked very bad, kinda mixture of hard electrical short in earlier days and long-term corrosion during the time...

[@jellybean1976928]

Jezuz that sub frame looks like it has been dipped in the ocean! Salt is the devil to classics.

[@finn2586]

good job

[@Involvod]

Thanks 👍

[@jackharriet4814]

Is the positive cable between the alternator and battery not fused (and as close to the battery as poss)? If not, inserting an inline fuse would be an idea. Having an unfused power cable straight from the battery seems a bit reckless. I don't know the correct amperage value for such a fuse but it should prevent a dead short from turning into a fire.

[@IDriveSideWays]

Hello involvo d do you know a good and cheap replacement turbo for a 940 classic

[@stevenginnever5343]

Nice video as always, will check mine out ASAP.

[@Involvod]

Thanks!

[@rimmersbryggeri]

Thos cables seem pretty over rated for the job that is asked of them.

[@sputnik4216]

Just imagine the hideous nightmare of EV car WIRING in the future as the chassis rusts into oblivion. Yet they'll still be driven and charged up and PARKED next to YOUR beautiful Volvo 240/740/245 !!!! YIKES!!!

[@Herr_Flick]

why keep the crusty cable. Buy a new one and problem solved for twenty years.