I have an 88 244 Dl and last night I was driving home from work and the engine was making a clanging noise. very bad loss of power, kind of stumbling along. It cut out on me twice on the 4 mile drive. It cranked back up both times, and when I got to my driveway, it died completely. I tried to crank it back up, and it would start, then die immediately. With the pedal pressed, i was able to inch it forward (not driving on the starter) and then it died. I came back out this morning, and it cranked up and ran, still stumbling, and I was able to get it up the driveway. I just changed out the fuel pump relay. I checked the plugs, they were fine. I can hear the pump running, but I have no clue. Help please?

 

Also, I cranked it up today, and it runs very rough for a minute, then it dies again. When it dies, I hear the pump running, then it stops, like normal. if I give it gas, it sounds like a lawnmower in the engine.

 

Really bad vac leak maybe?

 

loud clanging sounds if thats what it really sounds like, are quite possibly serious mechanical damage inside the engine like a broken piston or rod.

otherwise, it might be a broken exhaust manifold or pipe, but thats not a clang, more like a roar.

 

test your pumps...jump fuse 5 to 6 I believe?

better yet look at fuse box cover and find out the fuel pump fuses and jump them to tes the pump...

was your relay a good brand or a 17 dollar one?

 

fuel pump wouldn't be giving him the 'lawnmower in the engine' sound.

broken exhaust pipes would, as would major mechanical damage inside the engine.

 

I checked my exhaust pipes and they seem to be fine. And I bought a cheap relay. My dad says it kind of sounds like it jumped time. I would check, but I cant get it to idle.

 

If fuel relay isnt the problem then I think your ignition amplifier box needs to be changed

 

Well, I checked the timing and it is spot on. I talked to a mechanic friend of mine on the phone and he has worked on a few Volvos, and he says it sounds like an injector is hanging open. I cleaned the spark plugs yesterday and cranked it up a few times and they are now black, so it makes sense, I guess. Is there any way I can check this?

 

Alrighty. I have figured it out. My mass Air Flow sensor is bad. 150$ part at O'Reilly's. I unplugged it and it runs. I am still experiencing a skip on cylinders 2 and 3. I pull the plug boots on them while it is running and it doesn't affect the engine. I shall determine the cause soon.

 

do the spark plugs on 2 and 3 look different than 1 and 4, and if so, how?

whats your cap and rotor look like?

those 'cheap' rebuilt MAF's are a crapshoot, sometimes they are OK, but many times they are flakey from the getgo, or die early. sadly, the 'good' expensive ones from Bosch are only a little better. new ones aren't made anymore, all you can get are refurbished.

Volvo Mass Air Flow Sensor - Bosch 0986280102 | FCP Euro

or the 'blessed by volvo' version, which probably gets more testing
Volvo Parts - TascaParts.com