 |
 | Home | Contact Us | FAQ | Search & Site Map | Link to Us |
 | Sign In | Join | Other 45 Sites in Network |
Car Forum / Volvo Cars / September 2005Still trying to get it running right
My 240's performace is degrading, and I haven't even had it on teh road for a week. Been trying to run down a problem, but no luck. SYMPTOMS- it will start, rev to 2000 rpm, stay there for a bit, then either die, or when warmed up a bit the RPM drops from teh 200 point to about nil, baerely running, then revs agan, then drops, etc. SOmetimes it "stabilizes at a round 100-1150rpm, and other tims bumbles around 200rpm or so unless reved up a little. Revving the motor seems to cause it to get lean, and repeatedly depressing and releasing the motor gets it dunning to higher speed more smoothly, but it is running rough. O2 sensor reporting the mixture incorrectly? It is not in "limp" mde. I verified that by disconnecting the AMM and starting the car. it ran in limp mode, and you could smell the richness of the mixture. At that point it actually did set a "CHECK ENGINE" light and post a 1-2-1 code. I turned off the car, reconnected the AMM, cleared the code, and it was back to the original poor running car, but it has not been posting an AMM fault (as it had been in earlier posts). I have checked the brake booster, and it holds vacuum for (literally) hours. Cleaned the AMM and its contacts, cleaned the IAC and its contacts, cleaned the contacts on the throttle position switch, cleaned the.. well you get the idea. I also did the two tests on the AMM as described in the Bentley. At this point the frustration is such that if I could get it to drive decently I would take it in to the mechanic I live about 30 rural miles away). I guess I am venting as much as looking for ideas... I suppose I can open the throttle body and check the shaft seal, and I could do a compression check just to make sure (but there is not excessive blowby or crankcase pressure).. I did spray WD-40 about (around teh injectors, intake, throttle body, etc., but found no leaks. Computer coolant temperature sensor? There are no errors for it posted. It is a bitch to get to and get out.. :-/ Arghhh...... I want my car back! __ __ Randy & \ \/ /alerie's \__/olvos '90 245 Estate - '93 965 Estate "Shelby" & "Kate" > My 240's performace is degrading, and I haven't even had it on teh > road for a week. Been trying to run down a problem, but no luck. [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > bumbles around 200rpm or so unless reved up a little. Revving the > motor seems to cause it to get lean, and repeatedly depressing and ............. blocked exhaust or cat converter? >............. >blocked exhaust or cat converter? I don't think so- once it gets up in RPM (and greatly increased exhaust volume) it runs OK- not great, but OK. __ __ Randy & \ \/ /alerie's \__/olvos '90 245 Estate - '93 965 Estate "Shelby" & "Kate" > >............. > >blocked exhaust or cat converter? > > > I don't think so- once it gets up in RPM (and greatly increased > exhaust volume) it runs OK- not great, but OK. That's just what a car I had, did, that's why I suggested it. After some time as an asthmatic at higher revs it would not idle well, then finally would not start. > My 240's performace is degrading, and I haven't even had it on teh > road for a week. Been trying to run down a problem, but no luck. [quoted text clipped - 44 lines] > '90 245 Estate - '93 965 Estate > "Shelby" & "Kate" What codes if any are present on A6 which is the Ignition Side Did you check the fresh air pipe from the MAF sensor to the throttle Body this hose does crack & may be a cause of your problem Glenn K  Signature"*-344-*Never Forgotten" Is for the New York City Firemen who lost their lives on September 11,2001. The official count is 343, but there was also a volunteer who lost his life aiding in the initial rescue efforts. And I will never forget them as long as I live, nor should any American. >What codes if any are present on A6 which is the Ignition Side >Did you check the fresh air pipe from the MAF sensor to the throttle >Body this hose does crack & may be a cause of your problem I have checked both the A2 and A6 codes numerous times and have gotten no A6 codes, and with the A2 exceptions I have noted previously, none are reported there either. I have previously removed the hose from the MFA to throttle body and shoved my florescent trouble light through it to look for leaks, and found some very small wear spots, and only one showed any evidence of leakage (about a 2-3 mm long, .5mm wide opening that only opened a bit when the hose was stretched). I pactched all the thin spots with plastic epoxy. I think I will remove the throttle body again to check the shaft seal, and will check the hose again. It would be a lot easier if the bad part just failed completely, or if a code was posted.. Ughhhh... :-( I threw a timing light on it today and the timing looked OK- advancing when the throttle was opened to cause the RPMs to increase. It does seem to run a bit better once it warms up than when it is cold, but I haven't warmed it up all the way yet (becasue of how poorly it is running), but that might be the next thing to try. Might point towards the temperature sensor... or not... __ __ Randy & \ \/ /alerie's \__/olvos '90 245 Estate - '93 965 Estate "Shelby" & "Kate" >What codes if any are present on A6 which is the Ignition Side >Did you check the fresh air pipe from the MAF sensor to the throttle >Body this hose does crack & may be a cause of your problem I have checked both the A2 and A6 codes numerous times and have gotten no A6 codes, and with the A2 exceptions I have noted previously, none are reported there either. I have previously removed the hose from the MFA to throttle body and shoved my florescent trouble light through it to look for leaks, and found some very small wear spots, and only one showed any evidence of leakage (about a 2-3 mm long, .5mm wide opening that only opened a bit when the hose was stretched). I pactched all the thin spots with plastic epoxy. I think I will remove the throttle body again to check the shaft seal, and will check the hose again. It would be a lot easier if the bad part just failed completely, or if a code was posted.. Ughhhh... :-( I threw a timing light on it today and the timing looked OK- advancing when the throttle was opened to cause the RPMs to increase. It does seem to run a bit better once it warms up than when it is cold, but I haven't warmed it up all the way yet (becasue of how poorly it is running), but that might be the next thing to try. Might point towards the temperature sensor... or not... __ __ Randy & \ \/ /alerie's \__/olvos '90 245 Estate - '93 965 Estate "Shelby" & "Kate" >What codes if any are present on A6 which is the Ignition Side >Did you check the fresh air pipe from the MAF sensor to the throttle >Body this hose does crack & may be a cause of your problem I have checked both the A2 and A6 codes numerous times and have gotten no A6 codes, and with the A2 exceptions I have noted previously, none are reported there either. I have previously removed the hose from the MFA to throttle body and shoved my florescent trouble light through it to look for leaks, and found some very small wear spots, and only one showed any evidence of leakage (about a 2-3 mm long, .5mm wide opening that only opened a bit when the hose was stretched). I pactched all the thin spots with plastic epoxy. I think I will remove the throttle body again to check the shaft seal, and will check the hose again. It would be a lot easier if the bad part just failed completely, or if a code was posted.. Ughhhh... :-( I threw a timing light on it today and the timing looked OK- advancing when the throttle was opened to cause the RPMs to increase. It does seem to run a bit better once it warms up than when it is cold, but I haven't warmed it up all the way yet (becasue of how poorly it is running), but that might be the next thing to try. Might point towards the temperature sensor... or not... __ __ Randy & \ \/ /alerie's \__/olvos '90 245 Estate - '93 965 Estate "Shelby" & "Kate" > My 240's performace is degrading, and I haven't even had it on teh > road for a week. Been trying to run down a problem, but no luck. [quoted text clipped - 30 lines] > compression check just to make sure (but there is not excessive blowby > or crankcase pressure).. Do you have EGR ? Symptoms sound like a stuck open EGR valve?? Tim.. >Do you have EGR ? Symptoms sound like a stuck open EGR valve?? Yes I do have EGR- will check that out... THANKS! __ __ Randy & \ \/ /alerie's \__/olvos '90 245 Estate - '93 965 Estate "Shelby" & "Kate" >> My 240's performace is degrading, and I haven't even had it on teh >> road for a week. Been trying to run down a problem, but no luck. > >Do you have EGR ? Symptoms sound like a stuck open EGR valve?? This morning I loosened the EGR pipe where it joins the intake manifold and slipped in a piece of gasket material to cover the hole, then retorqued the EGR pipe, effectively disabling the EGR system. made no difference at all. :-( __ __ Randy & \ \/ /alerie's \__/olvos '90 245 Estate - '93 965 Estate "Shelby" & "Kate" > >> My 240's performace is degrading, and I haven't even had it on teh > >> road for a week. Been trying to run down a problem, but no luck. [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > then retorqued the EGR pipe, effectively disabling the EGR system. > made no difference at all. :-( Bugger L:( Tim.. > My 240's performace is degrading, and I haven't even had it on teh > road for a week. Been trying to run down a problem, but no luck. [quoted text clipped - 44 lines] > '90 245 Estate - '93 965 Estate > "Shelby" & "Kate" When a motor surges up and down on its own it's usally the indication of a vacuum leak. If you had the throttle housing off to clean it be sure that it is refastened securely. If the bellows hose to the intake is not split and the intake manifold gasket is intact everywhere front to rear, and the hoses on the idle air control motor are secure, then the mass airflow sensor is indeed faulty. Bob SignatureThe goal when driving is to miss the maximum number of objects. >When a motor surges up and down on its own it's usally the indication of >a vacuum leak. If you had the throttle housing off to clean it be sure >that it is refastened securely. If the bellows hose to the intake is not >split and the intake manifold gasket is intact everywhere front to rear, >and the hoses on the idle air control motor are secure, then the mass >airflow sensor is indeed faulty. I appreciate the reply, Bob. If it is a vacuum leak I will need to start seriously taking things apart including the intake manifold, but I have checked all the intake manifold bolts for torque and the gasket looks like it was replaced at one time and looks sound. The AMM is the direction that my head is pointing as well.. I wish there was a more accurate way to test the AMM other than the resistance test and the burn-off function test, neither of which give any indication of accuracy. I am going to contact a local acquaintance who knows a local guy who use to be a Volvo mechanic and services out of his home now (retired). He might have a spare AMM to loan or possibly a car to put mine in to see if it works... I am over 50, and have been servicing my own vehicles since the late 60's/early 70's. I also taught a basic auto repair class, and I was always the guy who folks would stop by with the car and ask, "Could you look at..." Same thing with their bicycles (I was a bicycle mechanic, built my own wheels, raced, etc.). The complexity of "modern" vehicles does not have me confused, but certainly frustrated. WHen they run they run great, but when there is a problem it's not like the "old days" when you replaced the points, coil, or plugs, or maybe rebuilt a carb and all was well (unless you have Lucas electrics and then nothing was ever right and you just got use to it). Now, since all the systems are interrelated and tied into a computer, any of a half dozen things can go wrong and the car runs badly in the same way. So instead of just putting a test light across a set of points you either need a computer, or in this case you need to find a replacement for a $700 part ($300 rebuilt.. more or less). If I KNEW that this part was bad it wouldn't be a problem spending the money, but I am frugal enough to feel I a not ready for a $300 experiment that doesn't involve twins and water-based lubricant.. And, no, they don't HAVE to be twins... ;-) If nothing else, by the time I finish all this I am going to know a lot about this car! __ __ Randy & \ \/ /alerie's \__/olvos '90 245 Estate - '93 965 Estate "Shelby" & "Kate" > Now, since all the systems are interrelated and tied into a computer, > any of a half dozen things can go wrong and the car runs badly in the [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > that doesn't involve twins and water-based lubricant.. And, no, they > don't HAVE to be twins... ;-) Is there a U-pull yard near you? The local one I go to charges $34.99 for a computer, cheap enough that it's not a bad idea to have a spare around. >Is there a U-pull yard near you? The local one I go to charges $34.99 for a >computer, cheap enough that it's not a bad idea to have a spare around. There is one but I haven't had a chance to get into town to see what they have. It is a smallish yard, so I don't think I'll get lucky there. Planning on dropping by there on Friday maybe... The closest multi-acred Pick-n-Pull is about 90 miles away. :-( __ __ Randy & \ \/ /alerie's \__/olvos '90 245 Estate - '93 965 Estate "Shelby" & "Kate" > >Is there a U-pull yard near you? The local one I go to charges $34.99 for a > >computer, cheap enough that it's not a bad idea to have a spare around. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > there. Planning on dropping by there on Friday maybe... The closest > multi-acred Pick-n-Pull is about 90 miles away. :-( Hmm, well if you want a computer and can't find one locally I'll look next time I go to the yard, figure about 50 bucks shipped. > My 240's performace is degrading, and I haven't even had it on teh > road for a week. Been trying to run down a problem, but no luck. [quoted text clipped - 38 lines] > > Arghhh...... I want my car back! Did you check the distributor cap? My brother's car behaved very similarly when the carbon button in the middle had broken. Could also be a bad fuel pressure regulator or pump, or a blocked fuel line. >Did you check the distributor cap? My brother's car behaved very similarly >when the carbon button in the middle had broken. I have replaced the cap, wires, and plugs. The rotor was lost in shipment and ont the way. >Could also be a bad fuel pressure regulator or pump, or a blocked fuel line. It runs OK at higher RPMs- not correctly, mind you, but I thought since it will hold a higher RPM that there should be sufficient fuel to handle idle. FWIW, it also ran very rich in limp mode when I disconnected the AMM. I don't have a proper high-pressure fuel pressure gauge to check though.. __ __ Randy & \ \/ /alerie's \__/olvos '90 245 Estate - '93 965 Estate "Shelby" & "Kate" >My 240's performace is degrading, and I haven't even had it on teh >road for a week. Been trying to run down a problem, but no luck. For the end of the story, see the thread: It's RUNNING! __ __ Randy & \ \/ /alerie's \__/olvos '90 245 Estate - '93 965 Estate "Shelby" & "Kate" |
Reply to this Message |
 Sign In
 Join
 My Latest Posts My Monitored Threads My Blog My Photo Gallery My Profile My Homepage Start New Thread Enable EMail Alerts Rate this Thread
|
©2008 Advenet LLC Privacy Policy - Terms of Use
This website includes both content owned or controlled by Advenet as well as content owned or controlled by third parties.