I recently aquired an 88 volvo 240 that had been sitting for 5 years.. To my surprise it started up with a jump box. After getting it to my house, I parked it and let it sit for the night, the next day I jumped it and let it run again for about 15 minutes.. The following day I tried to repeat this process only it wouldn't start.. Carelessly I had left my jumper/charger on the 200amp (start) position with the ignition on for probably a good 20 minutes.. I then returned to attempt to start the car but it wouldn't.. So I kept trying and after much dismay I quit..
A couple days later after cleaning upholstery and a lot of other cleaning that is accompanied with a car thats been sitting for 5 years, I tried to start it again.. An this time it sounded as if the engine wasn't gettin compression..
After some brief searching I found that the timing belt had been stripped by the Crank Gear. I bought a new timing belt and put it on, and then turned the motor by hand to make sure everything spun freely.. it didn't. Come to find out, 2 of the intake valves had gotten stuck in their guides from old non-combusted ethonal gas (turns pretty much to glue).
So I yanked the head off and cleaned the valves and lubed them and put everything back together hoping that it would fix the problem..
Well the motor rotates fine, and I have a good battery now, so no more jumping. But it won't start.. I am not gettin any spark from the coil or from what I can tell to the coil.. I have checked Grounds (all that I can see) Voltage on the primary terminals, and secondary terminals, and voltage to the Ignition control Unit or Module itself which it is receiving voltage..
I did notice that the ICU was quite warm to the touch, and did start to smoke.
My book doesn't say anything about an '88 having a crank sensor or a ballast resistor or power stage... But it did say not to leave the ignition on for long periods of time without the engine running.. And not to charge the battery with it hooked to the car.

I'm all out of ideas.. I just want this thing to run again! ANY IDEAS would greatly help! (i'm starting to think i burned up the ICU)

 

bump for anyone who can help

 

Make sure there's no shorts in any of the wiring to and from the ignition module, then replace it... sounds like it's fried. But you need to make sure that you're not just going to fry the new one again. It's possible that leaving the charger connected at 200 amps would have done something to it. But make sure all wiring to and from the module is in good order, and has the voltage/ lack of voltage the repair manual says it should.

 

I checked the Voltage going into the Ignition control module it was good.. and I ran an ohms test on the Ground wire.. that too was good.

 

Is this a B230 engine? Does it have the Hall sensor or RPM sensor? No spark usually means 3 things: bad Hall sensor or RPM sensor, bad Power Stage, or bad ignition coil, or faulty wires to all of above. Check AC voltage to #1 of ignition coil at ignition "Start." If you have ~0.00 VAC, then the fault is one of the following: the Power Stage, Hall or RPM sensor, or the Ignition Control Module.

Go to www.stepbystepvolvo.com for correct values leading to the Power Stage.

To test Hall sensor, pull distributor base plate out of head, hook up Hall plug, and rotate distributor shaft by hand with ignition "On," with distributor end of high tension wire ~1/8inch from ground. Should see spark if Hall sensor works.

 

Fixed it! figured it was the Ignition control module so I picked on up at the salvage yard, and it works like a charm!

 

way to go chap