Hi,

After spending months changing various things I finally got rid of a lot of jumping changing the spark plugs..

but my problems feel as if they are returning, I have to say that the spark plugs were probably not to blame, its just fresh new ones avoided the real issue.. The Ignition Coil.

I have gone over the leads, and the plugs, but I was told to look at my ignition coil at night, and I noticed around the coil is a blue fuzzy glow on either side between the core and the metal "winding" around it.

As my problem feels like the engine is cutting out for a brief second like a jolt loss of power, it would appear to my best guess thats its possibly arching under pressure ie acceleration.

Can anyone confirm whether you should see a small amount of fuzzing of sparks around the coil (only in the dark)

 

There should be no arching around a coil (which is a transformer)at all it should be insulated properly and if there's an insulation breakdown you may have a problem with the coil losing or droping voltage

-Mike

 

FANTASTIC! All is confirmed in my view, as I have examined my Ignition coil and its got what looks like a burning around the edges on the metal bit! Also i reved the car and my mate noticed a spark fly of it..I think that puts my mind at rest, i have a second hand one on order, from a reliable parts replacement service, as they rarely go wrong, its worth the risk!

 

Congrats They usually don't go bad.

 

ahhhh!!! I can't believe it, I have put a new one on and I can still see the blue glow around the ignition coil, are any of you able to be certain that there is no activity around the core?? Surely I cant have a second one reacting in the same manour? Please bear in mind you can only see it at night and its very faint.


My only next option is the throttle sensor.

 

wierd... is the dist cap wire/boot in good shape?

 

Yes thats all been replaced.. new plugs leads dist and rotor and ignition coil

 

I unplugged the throttle sensor to see the effects it had on the car...

However its performance feels very different to the way the car relates.


its just after you apply acceleration.. minor acceleration, ie 1cm in 3rd at about 20 mph, or 4th at 30 mph, the car jolts, just once.

Is that normal, have I lost it a bit and gone over the top due to other issues i have had?


I have 2 more second hand ignition coils being sent to me free, to try.
Does anyone know on their ignition coil, is the a slight whitening of the sides? I only ask to know whether its all going normally.

 

There is only white there when they are arching which is not normal.

The throttle position will usually set a code when it goes bad.

 

Ok thanks for your help, I have 2 more second hand ones to test, if they are bad I will try to buy a new one.


Thanks for your help, its a dodgy area as I am not sure about the properties of the device, but I have heard that any arching is a sign of component breakdown.




Again thanks for all your help.

 

Well I've put a new coil on, but although there is some improvement, the problem remains.. This is still a real mystery, and Im beginning to wonder if all volvos perform this badly after 100,000 miles??

Ive tried 4 ignotion coils, and one brand new, and they all create sparks around the core!! So its how they are designed!.. You can only see it at night when its dark.

So Im wondering, could the old ignition coil kill of the spark plugs? No fault codes at all

I would still say its as if the engine cuts out for one second..

I also notriced, when you break say in 2nd or third gear the car jolted just before coming to a stop, with that same feeling associated with accelerating and jolting..


this has stopped since I replaced the ignition coil.. so spark plugs again?

One thing I noticed, the spark plugs worked fine for the first 2 weeks they were in, no jumping, the issue only has crept back over the last 3-4 weeks, but has not become worse, however I have been playing around with the idea it was perhaps the ingition coil.

No error codes!

 

Knock sensor?

ECM valve?

MAF?

any of these likely? Could the Knock sensor be a bit on the edge of dying?

 

Maybe Mass Flow sensor
No Knock sensor

What brand of plugs are in there?

 

I just put in some NGK's, the ones recommended from their site, now the whole car is misfiring all the way up the range! They were installed by a mate who is a mechanic. and has rebuilt 5 cars, he knows what he's doing, and doesnt have a clue, unless its a faulty plug...


How often do you get faulty sparks from new?

 

Sometimes the plugs are bad new.

But I would get some Bosch Platinums and install them and double check the firing order.

 

I put back in my old plugs, but even the older ones, which were performing much better, are now much worse?

I managed to compair my car to a very similar sounding volvo from the exhaust end yesterday, his sound was a perfecty smooth sound, mine chuggs now again, hard to explain, like a blowing


would that cause misfiring..

 

I just had a compression test done on the car...


I was told not to bother using NGK's and to get the proper volvo plugs for proper working..

 

Well..

I put in the the volvo spark plugs and not luck...


However I was informed the plugs are overheating, very yellow..

Nobody wants to fix my car

 

The reason I am posting this again is to clear up what I have tried so far, into a clear precise list.

The car hesitates like a thump or jolt, sometimes sequential under load, at low revs, in early gears. There appears to be a yellowing of the sparks after only a few weeks of use. Everything from ignition could to sparks has been replaced with new parts, official and unofficial parts.


The following has been tried

3x set of spark plugs
2nd set of leads
3x Ignition coil 2 old 1 new
New Exhaust manifold (old one was cracked)
1x distributor cap and rotor
1x air temp sensor
1xAir filter hose
Unplugged MAF for testing
Unplugged Throttle Sensor for testing
1x Idle Air control Valve
1x new radiator (possibly not related.. but see below)
Tried a Cam sensor
Passed MOT only few months ago with this problem

Checked for Exhaust Leaks
Had a good look for intake air leaks..

Have had a compression test done, results were good, all over 150PSI (tested by a Renault expert whio has worked with these engines before)




Spark plugs going very yellow after 4 weeks on porceline body, tried other makes as well as Volvo own, which are currently in it now.

I have been looking at the following but not sure what all the parts relate to on the Volvo, please could anyone help eliminate and suggest anything on the following:

Could be any of the follow I feel:

bad fuel pump relay.

Weak fuel pump

Blocked Injectors/line

Power to ignition coil? Whats this where could it be from.

Sensor? Do all sensors give codes and or engine warning lamp.

Exhaust, could an exhaust problem, ie bad muffler/box cuase this issues.. how about the CAT?

Others include MAF? I hear unlikely, also its fitted to my Air filter box with no means of removal, how about the relay?

Coolant Temp sensor?
I’ve spent enough money now to go all the way to fixing this problem, so a solution must be found, the car is in great shape physically and has only done 102000 miles

 

sounds like may you may be running a little lean maybe running a little lean perhaps?
Are all the plugs tinged with the same yellow tone?? or just a couple.
Did you check your fuel pressure at the rail?
are you over boosting( i forget if you are turbo or not)

it a possibility that ECU is bitched can you get another to try it out?

-mike