So here is the deal. I have two 740's both won't start, each have their own set of symptoms. Any help whatsoever on any one would be greatly appreciated.

Car #1: 1990 740TURBO 151,000 miles

Symptoms: Hard to start, when started, runs for about 10 seconds then dies. Sometimes can get it to run for longer while holding gas pedal down a bit but once I give it more gas it dies.

Tried: Looked at the Fuel Pump Relay, seems to work fine, no fuses are blown, can hear the fuel pumps prime the rail before cranking. Checked the Crankshaft Position Sensor or Speed Sensor (as I have heard one person describe it) seems to check out. I am going to check fuel pressure tomorrow, anyone know what I should expect? Do the fuel pumps go bad in these cars?

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Car #2: 1987 740GL 71,000 miles

Symptoms: Just won't friggin start, came out one morning and just *click*.

Tried: Sounded like the starter was bad so I pulled it and it passed with flying colors at my local auto parts store. Brought the battery in as well and it passed. Removed every ground wire and red cable, cleaned the contacts and reassembled. Defenitly getting 12.45VDC at the starter and it is grounded fine. The only thing that I didn't check out was the ignition wire, where does it go to in the dash, and should there be a relay I should be checking out or something? I have fixed cars my whole life and am kinda new to Volvo's (can't ya tell :P). These just have me stumped man, thanks in advance for any help you guys could shed on my problems...

 

On the first one unplug the airmass sensor and see if it starts. If it does stop engine and plug it back up if it does the same thing you have a bad air mass ssensor. They are horribly expensive at the stealership but you can get them for a very low price from www.car-part.com go to the page with the asterisk for the lowest price if you need one. Unplugging them puts the volvo into "limp home mode"

If no difference check the coolant temperature sensor It should read high when cold and low when warm

Get Tracy Martins book "Diagnosing Automobile Electical Systems"

The electrical part of the ignition switch is known to go bad. Take a jumper from the + side of the battery to the small push on connector post on the starter solenoid if it does it is either the ign switch or the wiring.

 

Well after much trial and error I traced it back to a bad connection at the main fuel pump for Car #1. The plastic connectors got funky on the ground connector... scraped it off and was good to go!

Car#2 was a bad starter after all I'm afraid... when I go direct to the starter as you say... it still clicks. Hit it with a hammer a few times, starts right up... later on, clicks again... pulling the starter today.