Great tips all. Thanks for all your help.
The new CPS did the trick. It was the original, so after over 250,000 miles it was due to die and did.
Off and running for the next 250!

 

Good deal! Thanks for the follow-up! Glad you've got it going again.

 

not uncommon for the ignition switch to fail in these older models. If you get the car to start only after wiggling the key, that's your smoking gun

 

OK, here is what I truly hope will be my last post on this subject.
After numerous intermittent no-start episodes, and all since the intake and emissions systems were serviced fully and produced a clean smog test "like a new car," and a couple of tows from various locations around town, usually after a job on a Friday or at least at day's end so shop closed, I got word from the shop manager on Friday that each time they tried to start it it did and they kept it over the weekend. Over the weekend I decided to pick it up on Monday morning and do the tedious job of component testing and tracing the no-start on my own in the safety of my own garage. The shop gave it up, no charge! They are known among customers as "the last honest shop in town." With good reason, say I.

Here's the crux of the story. I researched tests for fuel pump relay and pumps, diagnostic codes, got my self ready to spend the weekend searching, ruling out one thing or the other, hoping to find the cause.

One source described the relay thoroughly. It suggested a way to bypass the relay if stuck on the road. I was ready to try it. It involves the fuses, 4 and 6 for my year. 6 is the live power fuse for the fuel pump relay. I looked into thew box and found the fuse askew. When I tried to move it it fell apart!! I replaced the fuse and voila!! Starts every time now.

So my BIG tip to all of us plagued by a 240 with an intermittent no-start issue: CHECK THE FRIGGING FUSES. DO IT FIRST AND MAKE SURE. DO NOT ASSUME THEY ARE FINE.

The lesson I just relearned is to do it first, do not assume, and stop going backwards and doing that last, like I just did!!!

Thanks to all the dedicated Volvo mechanics and DIY Shade Tree Mechanics who post questions and advice here. Thjs Forum is the Best.

 

Nice find! I've learned long ago to always start with the simple stuff. When your paycheck depends upon speed, you learn that one pretty quick.

I had a similar issue on a '74 Super Beetle I bought for the wife last year. Everything was original on that car, including the fuses. A few of them crumbled when I touched them. They're an odd German design with no glass - just porcelain with the conductor running over the top and ends of it. That was the cause of the lack of reverse lights on that one. The picture of my hand shows just the conductor minus the porcelain center.

Then as luck would have it the car was totaled last summer after a moron blew a stop sign. Wife got hurt, too. She's almost fully recovered now, but we're done with those cars. We had a 1966 just a month and a half prior, and that one ALSO was a total loss when the engine caught fire! I suspect I missed a bad fuel hose hiding underneath that cloth braiding the Germans loved to use. I think those cars are cursed! At least for us ...

As for my '94 940, it made it through yet another MA winter. The FI system or computer has been failing, however. After 3 seasons dealing with it's quirks, like a high idle, low / rough idle, failure to start (lean) below 40°F, fan kicking on full speed & intermittent alternator output when the engine is started with brake clean instead of the coolant heater, and heavy black smoke out the pipe at full throttle, I'm going to fix ALL of that once and for all this summer. Weber carburetor with manual choke, and a Volvo-Penta boat distributor with points. Now if something goes wrong I can fix it on the side of the road with pliers rather than waste countless hours of my life troubleshooting and getting absolutely nowhere.

 

Wow, that was quite a hit! Glad your wife is recovering.
The fuse connector wire end you hold in your hand is exactly what my old Volvo has, all of them of different amperage. It pays to gently snug the ends over the tips of the ceramic/plastic structure before you install them since the connector is loosely fitted. Rather than my fingers I used a needle nose plier to hold the middle of the fuse without any contact with the wire.
Now, as I said, I am off and running. I started it up numerous times since Saturday and my son trusted me enough to take it to his job this morning!
Thanks to all on the Foium for sound guidance.

 

Thanks, I appreciate that. Indeed it was!

Ahh, must be a European thing of the 70's and back. In owning those Beetles I've found they are definitely failure prone at this age.

Anyway, glad she's back on the road! Nice work.