My 240 is now refusing to start, the starter motor is turning over good and strong, but the engine is not firing. It sounds like no fuel is getting to the engine, although the fuel pump is definitely working. After a patient 30 minuets or so of randomly turning the ignition key at intervals, the engine finally fires up, sputtering to life; as if one cylinder at a time. After a couple of presses on the accelerator, all is well. The engine sounds good and runs smoothly, the exhaust looks good, and the car drives well.

If I then turn the engine off and start it within a few minuets it fires up first time every time. But If I leave it for longer than say 15 minuets, then I'm back to trying my luck to get it to start.

I've taken it to a mechanic and they think it is a problem with the fuel distributor?

Does that sound fair?

What kind of things can go wrong with the fuel distributor to cause this bahaviour?

 

I had the same problem, on my '90 automatic.
Fuel pump relay failed, replacing that fixed the problem.
On a 1989 240, "the fuel pump relay is under the foot kick pad on the passenger side, white in color and usually hanging on a bracket" according to faqfarm.com
--if I remember right, that's where it was in my 240 wagon.


Better hope this is the problem, very cheap, very easy fix.

 

Could also be a bad check valve in the Main fuel pump.

 

Both fuel pumps are new, boch, could it be the new pump has a faulty check valve? If the tank was not cleaned before the pumps were replaced could that block the check value?

 

Yes could be a bad New check valve.

 

How does the check value cause a problem only on start? But be okay when the car is running?

Would a faulty check valve effect the fuel pressure in any way?

 

The mechanic has come back and said that the fuel pressure regulator and fuel distributor need replacing.
I nearly fell over when he told me how much they were.

The part numbers the mechanic gave were 463-971 (Fuel regulator) and 5003509 (Fuel distributor)

Any good sites / places where I can get a hold of these cheaply?

I can find the fuel regulator here:

http://replacement.autopartswarehous...ulator&dp=true

Is this the right one? The Boch OEM is listed as 65 dollars which is so much cheaper than the
price quoted by the mechanic (814 in dollars)

I can't find a fuel distributor, but have found distributors for other cars, they are
not cheap! (the mechanic quoted a price of 1700!!!! (in dollars))

 

That should be the right regulator.

One more quiestion what Year is it?

Are you in the U.S.?

 

The year of Manufacture is 1990, year of registration 1992...

I am not based in the US, but these guys should be able to ship the part worldwide? Are they a trusted site?
I always feel a bit cautious buying from a web site I do not know...

I took the plunge and sent the car to the local volvo dealer here, the other machanics did not seem to be
getting very far with the problem...

What I do not know is, do I really need a new fuel distributor? I can handle getting a new regulator, but my
pockets are not deep enough for the distributor...

Why should they both need replacing?

Are there any questions I could ask the mechanic for me to tell if the regulator really is faulty?

I have the impression, they do not know exaclty what the problem is, and are just replacing parts whole sale...

 

The mechanic has come back and said that the pressure is bleeding past both the fuel regulator and distributor.

I guess the solution is not as easy as replacing a few seals?

 

Thats why I asked what the Specs on the car are.
A fuel Dist. is only on old Constant injection cars. Here in the U.S. they stopped making them in around 1983.

The 1990 should be electronic Fuel injection and should not have a fuel Dist.

You need to find out which injection system you have.