I inherited a 1988 Volvo 240 sedan. On four or five occasions, it has failed to start. This has never happened in our driveway but always failed after a relatively short drive.
When it happens, the engine shows no signs of life, it turns but not so much as a sputter. The first time we had it towed, they couldn't duplicate the problem but changed the injection control module(?) Next time we had it towed it started upon delivery so they changed the Fule pump relay, Three weeks later it fails again, for three days I would go try to start the car, finally on day three I squirted some starting fluid into the intake and it started, I drove it to our mechanic, again they could not duplicate the problem.

Three days later it wouldn't start again I didn't try to start it, and had it towed to our mechanic, it started first attempt. When it runs it purrs like a kitten. it does not quit while running, it does not missfire, it gives no warning what-so-ever. This car is relatively low mileage, it was my Mother in Laws, bought new and dealer serviced for all of it's 75K miles, we have all the maintainence records and cannot trace this issue back to prior issues.
PLEASE! Any ideas I might be able to pass along to our Mechanic (He has 25 years experience with imports to include Volvo) The Mrs. is emotionally attached, but this can't go on.

 

why don't you just leave it with the mechanic for 3-4 days so they can duplicate the problem......

 

In general, this is a diy forum. I would like to get a sense of what your comfort level is regarding working on your own car?
Intermittent faults are very frustrating and can be very expensive when the car is taken to a shop.

I would be hesitant to take the car back to the same shop. The ignition control units in these cars are very robust and rarely fail. It would not be the first thing I would throw at a warm start problem.

If you do not work on cars, I would find a good Volkswagen shop that works on older VW's. The system in your car is nearly identical to the MK2 Digifant system in mid 80's to early 90's VW's. (unless there is a magic old Volvo guy shop in your town)

Where are you located? Possibly someone local can help or direct you to a proficient shop.

Usually a warm no- start situation is caused by a fuel pressure problem. The fuel pressure regulator should be checked first. I believe that the main fuel pump in these cars has a check valve attached to keep pressure in the line as well, so the fuel does not vaporize in the line.

Or sell it to me

 

I'm located in Central South Carolina, my mechanic (usually) has 25 years working with Volvos, this car was once towed to a Volvo Specialist in Augusta Ga. He put a fuel relay in just in case that was the cause. I'm not a mechanic, altho I understand the mechanical concepts I'm not much at turning a wrench. I have left this vehicle at the shop for weeks on end and no failure. I gather this make/model does not have a computer that will give a code? I does seem to be a warm start issue, but I once let it sit at the Grocery Store for three days, it wouldn't start until I used the Starter fluid. You'll notice that this was my wife's Mothers car, so she has an attachment, I'd sell it otherwise, and may still if we can't find an answer.

 

He's already wasted how much on towing.....
Plus what, that makes a mechanic bad if he can't duplicate the problem.?? I work at a shop, I'm not going to pull my hair out and waste shop time if I can't duplicate the problem.

 

101, if it's starts with starting fluid you have a fuel issue.

What's even your question? What's wrong with your car? What does your mechanic think? \
Impossible to say without test data of waveforms, voltages, pressure, etc.

 

I don't believe the 88's have a diagnostic box, if you did, it would be on the driver's fender well adjacent to the brake booster. Little 3 inch or so black box with a couple wires on it. I am puzzled as to replacing the ICU. For me, that's a red flag. Yes, after cool down, the fuel should become liquid again. The fact that it started on fluid does point to a fuel delivery problem though.

 

88's do not have the diag box, that was new in 1989 for non-turbos and 1990 for turbos.

re: 80s to early 90s VWs, the 84 rabbit/golf and 1989 Jetta I owned were both K-jet. this 88 240 is LH2.2 w/ chrysler ignition.

 

I went through a two month period of intermittent no starts/ dying on my '83, which turned out to be the fuel pump wiring had been taped tightly together by the previous owner and was shorting out through the insulation. I'm not sayng this is your problem.

You are fortunate in that your's has likely not been hacked and has the more reliable harness material.

If you purchase a decent digital multimeter and a repair manual, you can diagnose most things on these cars. You can do fuel pressure testing with a gauge setup which can be rented from most major parts stores for free.

It is intimidating to work on your own car, but these cars lend themselves to being worked on and if you follow the steps and purchase a small set of quality tools, it can be quite rewarding.

If/ when it happens again, the first thing to listen for is the fuel pumps priming for about 2 seconds at the turn of the key. If yes, good pump and relay.

If you follow the fuel rail which has the injectors on it towards the front of that metal line, you will see a little silver barrel shaped thing which is attached to the end of the fuel rail. There is a little vacuum hose coming off the front side of this facing you. Pull off this vacuum line and check for fuel inside. This unit is the fuel pressure regulator and is a likely suspect if there is fuel present.

Anyone know? does this car have the check-valve on the pump?

 

Yes, Digifant was introduced in'87 on vanagons and some Cali. vehicles; '90'-92 was on just about everything. That said, K-jet and CIS are practically identical as are LH and Digifant. I had an '84 rabbit too!

 

my newest project has HFM-SFI, heh. makes LH look incredibly simple

one nice thing, the hot film MAF's don't croak like the hot wire LH ones do.

 

man, and these cars are supposed to be solid, ha. Look at all the posts in this section of the forum.

 

I just read in another forum about the ignition switch(The thread was referencing a 1983 240) it stated that there were separate contacts in the ignition switch (not the cylinder) for the "Start" and "Run" functions. Does the 1988 model have such a thing? If so, I would have thought my mechanic would have changed the ignition switch

As of Tuesday last week the car was functioning normally, due to weather I have not touched base with the garage, but will tomorrow. I also read that the '88s have an ignition fuse under the hood, described as being in a white containment with red wires, it was suggested that slight corrosion might cause this type of intermittant problem.

 

yeah, for sure, the fuel injection fuse up by the battery, left fender, is a prime candidate for intermittent problems. when they look old, I replace them with waterproof marine fuse holders, using waterproof marine crimps to the original wires.

 

OK, So the car is still at the shop, lost a few snow days, but it continued to start. The service writer took it home a few times, and FINALLY, it failed to start, they had to have it towed back to the shop. I'm told they are still looking for the solution, they think it is electrical. So, does this car have an ignition switch that uses different contacts for starting than what it uses for running? (Fuel pump relay contacts) Does this car have a mass Airflow Sensor? Does it have an ECU? It seems this car predates the use by Volvo of some of the more modern controls. I would appreciate an answer to my questions, This is very confusing to me because when the car starts, it purrs like a kitten, and runs quite well, it never stalls, it never hicups, nothing,,, no clues as to what's going on.

 

If you have to ask these questions you shouldn't be working on cars.... Basic 101 stuff. Can't possibly be prepaired in any way to tackle and grasp a no start diag.

Unfortunately you have to get it to a no start situation and get a mobile guy to look at it. If it's not starting, a half way decent mechanic should at least be able to focus attention to a specific area.

 

To be fair, the car is at a "shop".

O.k., so yes, the cat has a MAF (AMM) and a CPU.

Earlier in your thread, you stated that your car would start on starter fluid when this issue was occurring. Is this the case or not?

 

I'm not turning a wrench, I make no claims about being a mechanic. I'm legitimately looking for answers in an effort to apease my wife, who has an emotional attachment to her deceased mother's car.

 

Thank you for your response. I believe that the car will start (when it fails) with starter fluid. The Service writer who took it home, was alone when it last failed so was unable to spray starter fluid and turn the key simultaneously. He sprayed then turned the key, he said it fired but did not start.
This is a reputable shop, specializing in European Imports, and once it was in a highly reputable shop (Augusta Ga.) that specializes strictly on Volvo, he was unable to reproduce the issue. Can you tell me if the ignitions swith on this vehicle uses a different set of contacts for starting and running (In the Fuel Pump Circuit) This switch costs about $300, so my mechanic is reluctant to change it and not fix the problem.

 

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Sometimes, it doesn't make sense to put a new heart in an old man.

If it fires on starting fluid, then the ignition system is working. If the tach wobbles when cranking the engine, then the ignition system is likely working. Have they tried jumpering the fuel pump relay socket? Have they tested for fuel pressure?

For sure clean up that 25A ignition blade fuse/ holder.