yeah, the distributor cap should be pretty much sealed. if you pull the cap off, what does it look like inside? are their black tracks between the posts on the inside of the cap? if so, its time for a new cap and rotor. you can clean those tracks off with a dry clean GREASE FREE rag but likely by the time they look like that, the electrodes inside are pretty badly eroded.

re: manuals, IMHO, there aren't any good aftermarket service manuals for the 940s. the only good wiring diagrams are the Volvo Greenbooks, which are model year specific, and about $60 each, if you can still get them. some 94 and most 95 non-turbo 940s have significant wiring changes relative to prior years.

 

I might venture that there is cracking in the distributor cap and while that may or may not be the source of the issues with the car, it is always a good idea to make sure the wires, cap and rotor are sound before beginning diagnostic work. These components do most of the heavy lifting in the system.

I usually number my distributor cap with marker and mark my wires with tape I can write on.

You can mist the wires lightly with water especially at night to see/ hear any arcing from them. Damage to cap and rotor are usually evident upon inspection.
Definitely a good idea to clean up any grounds you can.

 

A word on multi-meters. I have a middle of the road Klein multi-meter and am very happy with it. I would caution against a HF multi-meter in that some measurements are very discrete and the meters I've bought cheap have been almost no help in diagnostics. I spent about $50 for mine at home depot. I do have HF units in my cars for emergencies.

I guess the more expensive HF units may be o.k., but don't count on the cheap ones to do the job.

 

Thanks guys, I'll pull the cap tomorrow and update here, I need a day away from the issue, stress level needs a rest and its Daytona 500 day, go Junior.

What would be a decent brand of cap/wires/rotor that would be available at the usual places eg: Advanced, Autozone, oreillys etc.

Fochs, I'll follow your advice and check out Home Depot.

Again, thank you Both

 

Only put on your car what came on it. Usually bougicord for wires and bosch for cap/ rotor, but I'm not positive whats on your car.

From what I understand, later 940's came with a few different ignition systems. What does your coil look like physically?

I do prefer Carquest to other brick and mortar suppliers.

Yes, Viva la NASCAR!

 

indeed, a 1994 940 NA can be Regina/Rex or Bosch LH2.4 w/ EZK. The Regina systems often have a side-mount distributor, while Bosch EZK on a 740/940 uses a back-of-head camshaft mounted distributor. I've also heard of Regina injection cars that have Bosch ignition, making this a real mess.

Bosch EZK ignition systems use a conventional 'baby bottle' style coil, mounted behind the right side suspension strut tower, with a seperate power module mounted on the left fender behind the left headlight. Rex ignition uses a coil that looks more like a transformer module and has a integrated power module, this is mounted on the LEFT suspension tower (left and right from the drivers view, NOT from your view looking at the front of the car).

Bosch LH injection systems have a "MAF" mass air flow sensor in the air duct between the air filter box and the throttle body, this is clearly labeled Bosch, Regina injection uses a MAP pressure sensor instead, which is much less obvious, and where the MAF is on the bosch LH is instead an adapter with a air temp sensor.

also, a 1994 940 could have 'Pulsair', which is a bizarre system I've only seen in the parts diagrams, these engines are designated B230FD. Pulsair has air ports on the head below the exhaust headers, 2 2-into-1 adapters, with 1-way valves, and a "F" shaped hose fitting that goes over the top of the valve cover just behind the timing belt, and has a vacuum actuated valve thing on it, and connects over on the intake side. here's the parts diagram for one...


the one-way valves [7] die with age, then hot exhaust gases burn out the rubber "F" pipe [8].

Rumor has it, if you live in the land of no-smog-tests, you can cap the exhaust air ports with metal plugs, and cap the fitting where the other end of the fresh air pipe [9] goes, and get rid of all the pulsair plumbing. disabling pulsair should have zero effect on performance or drivability, it will just make the engine run a little dirtier (pulsair was a fairly clever fresh air injection system that relied on compression pulses rather than a dedicated air pump, this fresh air diluted the exhaust gases, helping the catalytic converter do a better job).

 

Coil - Canister, mounted behind tower on passenger side

Engine B230F, Bosch I believe, MAF drivers side just off the air box

Distributor is mounted on back of head by the firewall.

Anything special I need to do when pulling the cap?

 

ok, yeah, thats a Bosch LH2.4 injection w/ EZK ignition.

 

That's a good thing. I always label all the wires and make sure I understand the orientation as the cap sits. These days I also take digital pics to refer to. But no, nothing special.

 

Pierce and fochs,

The good news is she's up and purring again, not to mention a much needed detail(it's easy when you do it for a living). The bad/good, I now have a back up coil, but it's not bad, my new Bosch is chrome and looks very nice under the hood.

Turned out to be the Ignition control module.

I want to extend a special thanks to both of you for putting up with me through this mess, You both offered support, sass(fochs) and most of all your knowledge.

Again, Thank You both.

I will be more active here and just maybe I can help a newbie as you both did with me.

Have a great night guys.

 

Hi all,
I have a 1989 740gl with 120k miles. My car also stalls out when it's hot outside. I currently live in Las Vegas where it can reach 115° in the summer months. I have already replaced the fuel pump relay behind the ashtray, the relay on the coolant reservoir, and replaced feul pump/filter located under drivers seat. My boyfriend is convinced that replacing the fuel pump/filter located in the gas tank will alleviate the problem. Our local Volvo dealership wants $431 for the parts, so I am hard pressed to spend that much w/o knowing for sure.
If anyone has done this repair and/or can give some advice it would be much appreciated.

 

there's no way the intank pump is that expensive for just the parts... is this 1989 GL a 'regina' car? they use different pumps than the Bosch injection system (actually, regina uses only a single high pressure pump in the tank, while bosch uses a low pressure transfer pump in the tank, and a main high pressure pump under the back seat, next to the fuel filter)

 

please delete, threadjack.

 

My car has the Bosch injection system. As stated before I have already replaced the main pump under the drivers seat and the fuel pump relay with Volvo parts.
When temperatures are over 100° she will stall out while idle, feels likelike running out of gas. 2mins later she starts up again just fine. This only happens when it is hot.
Is there anything you can suggest?
Also, $431 is just how much the pigs at Volvo of Vegas think I will pay. Do I have to get the part from the dealership?

 

pumps are available all over.

the official volvo part for my 740 turbo is,
Volvo Fuel Pump Assembly (740 760) - Genuine Volvo 3507492 | FCP Euro
yours is similar, just put in your car and try again...

but thats teh whole in-tank assembly with the gas gauge and plumbing and everything. most people JUST replace the pump, with like
Volvo Fuel Pump In Tank (740 760 780 940 960) Pro Parts Sweden 3517845 | FCP Euro
(again, the turbo version)

here's a how-to. he's replacing a regina pump, but he talks about both and its really the same process...

ReginaFuelPump

 

ok, this is the pump you probably want.
Volvo Fuel Pump In Tank (740 940) VDO 3501928 | FCP Euro