I've had my 240 manual transmission for about a year now. It has been a great car for traveling back and forth to work. The only major problem I've had with the car is I had to have a new starter installed. Now all of a sudden the car has a problem with loss of power when I accelerate. When the problem started it was very mild and subtle. It would buck and hesitate a little when I would step on the gas pedal but it would accelerate and be fine. It got progressively worse over a few days. I just took it in to the garage for a routine oil change and I described the problem to the guys there. They test drove the car, hooked it up toa computer and couldn't duplicate the problem at all. I got the car back last Friday. On the same day I got it out of the shop, I ended up on the side of the freeway because it wouldn't accelerate. I got it up to 40 mph but then it kept bogging down, bucking, etc.It felt like it was going to die out. I managed to make it to an exit ramp in first gear. Once I sat there for a few minutes with the engine running, I took off again and it was fine for a few miles but once I got within a mile from my house it acted up again. I ended up having it towed back to the garage. Today is the following Wednesday and they have called me, still telling me they are unable to get it to duplicate the problem while they are driving it. I'm not taking the car back until they get it fixed but how can they fix something they can't diagnose. Is it the fuel pump, fuel filter????? The car can drive fine and then feel like it's going to go dead. Help!!!

 

I don't know if 1992 240s are the same in this respect as 240s from the 80s -- but on a couple of 80s cars I have had the sort of problem you describe, and cured it by cleaning or replacing a particular fuse. The fuse is in the fuel injection circuit, and is separate from other fuses in the car. It sits on the inside of the front fender, driver's side, just under the hood. It is rated, as I recall, at 25 amps. It is a spade-type fuse, not one of the torpedo shaped fuses in the regular fuse panel. Apparently over time this fuse and its holder tend to corrode, causing resistance in the contacts that leads to heating, and subsequent distortion of the contacts that may actually break the flow of current and stop the injection system working. The solution is to clean the fuse's contacts, and those in the holder, as well as possible -- or even to replace both fuse and holder (IPD sells a replacement for about $15).

As I said, I don't know if the set up will be the same on a 92 car. But if it is, this may be a simple and cheap fix of the problem.

 

Thank you so much for the info!!! It's a great place to start and more than the mechanics have told me about!!! Thanks a bunch!!

 

I would also look at teh Mass flow sensor.
How old is the fuel filter?
How much gas does the car have?

If it happens again and you are stuck try unplugging the Mass Flow sensor and try moving and see if it helps some.

 

I agree this is good advice. I just came out of the rain myself with a similar issue. I was driving down the highway and the car went dead. Starter was working fine but engine wouldn't seem to fire.

Mine was a fuse inside the regular fuse box to the left of the drivers side in the car(92 240).

Could have been much worse if I hadn't noticed the Fuel Injection fuse inside the carwas deteorating and arcing. I made a quick switch with the fuse for the Seat Heaters (always popular in Florida). The 240 powered right up. Perhaps a little too much power...another fun project with my 240!

Wish I could go right over to IPD and grab a handfull of new fuses.

 

Ok, I'm about 15 years late on this question from the looks of it, but I'm having the same issue with my '92 Volvo 240DL, It sputters when attempting to accelerate, may even backfire a bit but then loses power. it motors on a bit at (2..MPH) before dying out. After I let it rest for a min or two it'll start right back up and drive well, but a few miles or so later it'll happen again?? My question, when you said "The fuse is in the fuel injection circuit, and is separate from other fuses in the car. It sits on the inside of the front fender, driver's side, just under the hood. It is rated, as I recall, at 25 amps. It is a spade-type fuse, not one of the torpedo shaped fuses in the regular fuse panel." are you speaking of (under the hood, on the drivers side near the fender, in the fuse box) of would it be a separate, stand alone fuse?? your answer will truly help me out on this issue ...
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The 25 amp FI fuse referred to in the earlier post is referring to the spade fuse just inside the driver's side fender. Does that answer your question?

 

Absolutely, and thanks for the timely reply.