BIZARRE Electrical Problem
#1
04-10-2009, 04:57 PM
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Portland, Oregon
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
BIZARRE Electrical Problem
EDITED again because I missed a few things.
Starts great, idles well, stalls when shifted into drive or reverse.
1983 Volvo 240 (244) Automatic ...
The engine quickly and smoothly shuts off as if the key had been turned, and all the panel lights turn on (like they do when starting the car).
In January, this problem surfaced while I was having a brake problem diagnosed. The bid was ridiculously high, so I said I'd come get the car.
When I got there, the shop owner said the technician tried to back it out of the bay, and "the brake went all the way to the floor -- so he threw it into park to stop it."
(earlier I posted, "pulled the parking brake", but that's from my notes about what I did, and why I took it in -- my notes from what they did say "threw it in park.")
It sat on the street outside my house for 2 months, and then my Dad (a retired mechanic) decided to come get it, and try to fix it. I stood by the car, and he tried to turn it on, and it shut off when he put it in park. I went inside to get gloves to help winch it onto the trailer ...
... And when I got outside, the stinkin' car was on the trailer. He was able to drive it right up, while I was inside.
He kept it for 2 weeks, and it never pulled that stunt again.
He put on new brake pads, gave it a new oxygen sensor (It'd just passed emissions days before the new stalling problem, but the Lambda Sond light was on and it was due for one), adjusted the timing because it'd been idling a bit fast, checked hoses, drove it every day, and told me it was OK to come get it.
I arrived, turned it on, it purred happily ... I put it in reverse ... it shut down. I tried again, and drove it a few miles to where my Dad was working.
An hour later, I try to leave, and when I put the car in reverse it stalls. It does it again, and again, and again. My Dad came over and tried it, narrowed it down to something electrical, checked all sorts of stuff ... again, and again, and again.
I noted, this was the behavior it exhibited in January and February, while he wasn't around. He said it'd never, never done it with him except the one time when I was standing by it (I'm trying hard not to take it personally, but the other day when I walked past his shop, his belt sander turned on for no apparent reason) ...
He told me, when I said I wanted to buy an old Volvo, that they have great bodies and engines, and the strangest electrical problems he's ever seen. This car has been pretty good: all the lights work, the clock works, the light in the glovebox works. Sometimes the windshield wipers or fan for the heater won't turn on, but they start working again if I turn the car off, and then back on.
At this point, I'm looking at a long bus ride 100 miles back home, and days of my Dad creeping around the car (with an inflamed back), and possibly trying again to convince me to let the car go.
He's busy checking all the obvious -- I'd love to save him some time if anyone can say "HEY I've seen that before and it was ..."
Starts great, idles well, stalls when shifted into drive or reverse.
1983 Volvo 240 (244) Automatic ...
The engine quickly and smoothly shuts off as if the key had been turned, and all the panel lights turn on (like they do when starting the car).
In January, this problem surfaced while I was having a brake problem diagnosed. The bid was ridiculously high, so I said I'd come get the car.
When I got there, the shop owner said the technician tried to back it out of the bay, and "the brake went all the way to the floor -- so he threw it into park to stop it."
(earlier I posted, "pulled the parking brake", but that's from my notes about what I did, and why I took it in -- my notes from what they did say "threw it in park.")
It sat on the street outside my house for 2 months, and then my Dad (a retired mechanic) decided to come get it, and try to fix it. I stood by the car, and he tried to turn it on, and it shut off when he put it in park. I went inside to get gloves to help winch it onto the trailer ...
... And when I got outside, the stinkin' car was on the trailer. He was able to drive it right up, while I was inside.
He kept it for 2 weeks, and it never pulled that stunt again.
He put on new brake pads, gave it a new oxygen sensor (It'd just passed emissions days before the new stalling problem, but the Lambda Sond light was on and it was due for one), adjusted the timing because it'd been idling a bit fast, checked hoses, drove it every day, and told me it was OK to come get it.
I arrived, turned it on, it purred happily ... I put it in reverse ... it shut down. I tried again, and drove it a few miles to where my Dad was working.
An hour later, I try to leave, and when I put the car in reverse it stalls. It does it again, and again, and again. My Dad came over and tried it, narrowed it down to something electrical, checked all sorts of stuff ... again, and again, and again.
I noted, this was the behavior it exhibited in January and February, while he wasn't around. He said it'd never, never done it with him except the one time when I was standing by it (I'm trying hard not to take it personally, but the other day when I walked past his shop, his belt sander turned on for no apparent reason) ...
He told me, when I said I wanted to buy an old Volvo, that they have great bodies and engines, and the strangest electrical problems he's ever seen. This car has been pretty good: all the lights work, the clock works, the light in the glovebox works. Sometimes the windshield wipers or fan for the heater won't turn on, but they start working again if I turn the car off, and then back on.
At this point, I'm looking at a long bus ride 100 miles back home, and days of my Dad creeping around the car (with an inflamed back), and possibly trying again to convince me to let the car go.
He's busy checking all the obvious -- I'd love to save him some time if anyone can say "HEY I've seen that before and it was ..."
Last edited by TrennaMW; 04-11-2009 at 03:42 AM. Reason: silly grammar, probably using wrong terms
#2
04-10-2009, 08:47 PM
Check the grounding point on driver's side wheel well above battery. I had a 1982 244 that gave me starting problems because that connection was bad. Visit www.stepbystepvolvo.com and click on "Basics of Diagnosis and Other Hints," top left of home page. Also, make sure your fuse contacts are clean and bright by sanding them with fine sandpaper.
#3
04-11-2009, 03:51 AM
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Portland, Oregon
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Update
Is that problem you describe, Fred, a problem *starting* the car, or a problem with the car stalling? I'm having absolutely no trouble starting the car.
I already had a look at your basics of diagnosis, we've covered all those.
When I phoned my Dad on my way home, he said he was thinking ... what was it ... the neutral safety switch, I think he said. From the first few seconds when he saw the problem he said "Electrical". He also told me again, this was *not* the stalling he thought he was fixing, because it never did this to him.
I also remembered that after I brought it home from the mechanic, and I tried it myself, it would act like it didn't "know" it was in park. I don't recall what it does if it's not in park -- won't give you the key? Won't turn over? Whatever it was, I have a distinct memory of having to (while the engine was off) shift it, and then give it a hard shove into park before it'd "pop" into place.
So now I'm thinking, maybe the reason it's OK with my Dad and not me is, he might be gentle with the shifting, and I am not. Today I was very gentle when I started it and drove it, but I know when I parked it I shoved it hard into park, and then afterward it didn't want to stay running.
Or maybe I'm overthinking. I know copiers much better than cars, I'm just doing the online research because my Dad is really busy and I want to learn.
I already had a look at your basics of diagnosis, we've covered all those.
When I phoned my Dad on my way home, he said he was thinking ... what was it ... the neutral safety switch, I think he said. From the first few seconds when he saw the problem he said "Electrical". He also told me again, this was *not* the stalling he thought he was fixing, because it never did this to him.
I also remembered that after I brought it home from the mechanic, and I tried it myself, it would act like it didn't "know" it was in park. I don't recall what it does if it's not in park -- won't give you the key? Won't turn over? Whatever it was, I have a distinct memory of having to (while the engine was off) shift it, and then give it a hard shove into park before it'd "pop" into place.
So now I'm thinking, maybe the reason it's OK with my Dad and not me is, he might be gentle with the shifting, and I am not. Today I was very gentle when I started it and drove it, but I know when I parked it I shoved it hard into park, and then afterward it didn't want to stay running.
Or maybe I'm overthinking. I know copiers much better than cars, I'm just doing the online research because my Dad is really busy and I want to learn.
#4
08-08-2009, 01:59 PM
BIZARRE Electrical Problem
Research shows faulty wire harness in 80-89 volvos with main causes being a few wires running along bottm of engine. Solution is to lenthen them so they don't touch hot engine. Other possibilty is the fuel pump relay switch (2) with 5 prongs located below passenger dash or in upper left corner of driver side dash. These corrections solved my problem.
Research shows faulty wire harness in 80-89 volvos with main causes being a few wires running along bottm of engine. Solution is to lenthen them so they don't touch hot engine. Other possibilty is the fuel pump relay switch (2) with 5 prongs located below passenger dash or in upper left corner of driver side dash. These corrections solved my problem.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
