I had a valve lifter noise and it went away but now the engine runs ruff at a idle . I checked the spark plugs, cap, and wires. In doing this I found out that the # 2 cylinder is not firing but it has spark. Could a valve be sticking or maybe out of adjustment. This is a 16 valve dohc turbo B23 engine Up until then everyting was working fine Help me I am at a loss and stuck driving a mini Van Thanks

 

run a compression test to see if there's a mechanical problem, including valve, with that cylinder. if the compression is comprable to the other 3 (say, within 10%), then the cylinder is probably fine, time to check the fuel injector.

wait, whaaa? no such thing as a 16V DOHC Turbo, unless its a custom hackjob. The 16V DOHC volvo motor is a B234F, non turbo. The B23 was only used a couple years in the very early 80s, in between the B21 and the B230.

 

they are pretty rare. Not sure if the states ever got them.



car pictured is a 960 but they are also in 940s and 740s

 

huh, yeah, no such beast in the USA per any listings I've seen.

I chose 'volvo europe' in Vadis, and I see some years around 1990-1991 with a B204FT and GT, but no B234FT... That would be a 2.0 L 16v turbo.

 

My car has a engine that looks like the one in the photo except the air cleaner box and fuel injection pump are reversed to the opposite sides I will get some pictures. and model and vehicle id numbers Its nice that it might be rare until I need parts huh

 

there is no fuel injection pump on a LH (or regina) car under the hood. if the air cleaner box is on the left side (right as you look at it), then its not a turbo, its just normally aspirated. The battery and the air cleaner box switch places on turbos.

 

Car was bought in Farfax Virginia

 

ah, that thing on the left of the last photo, thats on the right on picture of my engine, is the ABS modulator.

your engine is a B234F, 16 valve DOHC but not turbo.

anyways, a compression test is the next thing to check, make sure hte engine is mechanically sound.

I'm curious, how did you determine that the #2 cylinder isn't firing but has spark?

 

There is a gauge on the dash that has a needle in it and says turbo boost and a blower in the exhaust manifold. I will get more pictures for you later. Any ways I checked for for spark by removing each spark plug wire to see which cylinder was not firing after finding the bad one. I removed the plug and put another good one in and still no fire. Next i hooked a spark checker with a window and alligator clamp into the plug wires and onto the head to ground it. I left the plug in the head to keep it from blowing pressure out and started up the engine it was sparking good. I had to do it this way since I had no help to crank the engine over while I looked at the spark plugs. I do not have a compression gauge that will fit down the recessed spark plug hole so i have to borrow or buy a extension hose or new gauge. Could i check the fuel injector first and if so would i have to remove the whole fuel rail or just the injector? Would it be possible to swap a good injector with the bad cylinder injector to see if its the injector and would I need need new seals to do this? I am kind of far away from a good parts supply house and do do want to have the car totally disabled yet. Thanks for all the advice I will get you more photos to show the turbo unit and gauge on the dash

 

there's no turbo evident in those pictures, standard 16V manifold and downpipe, with the silver preheat riser air tube back to the airbox(these aren't on turbos). the airbox and MAF are on the wrong side, too, on a turbo car they are on the exhaust side as they are /before/ the turbo, but on your car they are on the intake side of the engine, and there's an intercooler across the front of the radiator. it goes airbox -> MAF -> Turbo -> intercooler -> Throttle body -> Intake manifold.

the instrument panel may have been swapped.

 

So much for the turbo unit it is what it is . What about the fuel injectors can i swap them to see if one is bad with out to much trouble or do i have to remove the fuel rail to switch

 

You can swap the injectors around, the fuel rail pops out, the seals usually can be reused IF handled gently... Although I kinda doubt that's your problem. I don't know those motors, the B234s very well. But the right thing to do would be a compression test at this point. If the tool is not available, may be swapping things around will get you relief--just make sure you don't screw it up more...

 

Also, did you buy this car recently or you owned it for awhile? miles on it?

I would check over the maintenance on this thing.
You do not want the timing belt to break on that engine. not as forgiving as the single cam motors.
Check the belt.

lifters are hydraulic so you cant adjust them for idle improvement.

fuel filter is not really checkable. it's in a solid container.

 

indeed, while the B234F is a sweet motor when its running well, if the timing belt fails on it, you WILL bend valves, which will cost a LOT to repair, more than the car is probably worth.

 

I bought the car about a year ago from a pilots estate without the maintenance records. The was mileage on the timing belt cover and if that was when the belt was changed is was 20k ago the speedo read 215000. The car is in great shape with no rust which is a plus here in Hershey Pa where rust eats cars apart from the winter road salt. I will try to do a compression test the weekend. And check the fuel injector if needed.I this has hydraulic lifters is it possible that one of them is sticking causing a valve to be stuck open if so how would i loosen it up? The Weather here was in the single digits this morning.

 

So, you had a noise you attributed to lifters/valves. Noise went away, now you have a miss? Doubt that the noise is related to anything at this point. I stuck valve would definitely still make noise.

You DO need a compression test at this point to diagnose correctly.