Volvo: Intermittent Loud Squeal and intermittent engine starting and not starting, volvo 240 dl, transmission leaks

Question
Hi,
I have a 1985 station wagon volvo 240 DL. It has been making a  loud squeal when I turn on the engine. It sounds terrible and it can be heard down the length of a quiet block. It's been doing this for about 3 months, intermittently, and now a little more consistently. The guys at the repair shop have yet to hear it. When I took it in to them 2 weeks ago to have my oil changed and a check-up, they told me I had several small leaks to the transmission and that the car has cracked torque rod bushings. They said I didn't need to seal it right away, that I could come in when I next have my oil changed. They also said I didn't need to replace the bushings until later when they break. They topped off the transmission fluid and sent me away. Immediately, I stopped hearing the sound. I went on about 500 miles in the last two weeks up in the Sierra Mountains and the sound came back after my road adventure. When I tried turning the car on on Saturday evening, the battery turned on but the engine wouldn't. It wouldn't turn over. The same was true Sunday Afternoon. I towed it to the shop, where at first it wouldn't start and then it's been starting for them. They let it sit over night and it's still starting for them. Are any of the four observations (sound, engine not starting, cracked bushings, and transmission leaks) related? And is there a way to tell what it is and prevent the car from repeating the same scenario (the engine not turning over) when they give it back to me?

Answer
Anne,
Not turning over is a battery, switch or stater problem unrelated to the noise I would say. You need to know when the noise happens and how you can make it happen for the tech at the shop. I would guess belts or pulleys are a great possibility. Bushings or small leaks are not really going to have anything to do with the noise. I would suggest a good shop that knows and works on Volvo's a lot as they would be best to find your noise, and be able to test the starting.