Trying to get my 92 Volvo that has been sitting for a while running. It cranks but will not turn over. I removed one of the hoses from the IAC that goes to the big flex hose to the throttle body and sprayed a bunch of starting fluid in there to see if I could at least get it to run for a second or two, but no go. It does have spark.

Last time it was running it ran really rough and backfired a time or two.

Any ideas would be appreciated!

 

Have you checked your timing belt? Have a buddy crank the engine while you look down into the oil cap. You should see the camshaft turning. If not, your timing belt has snapped or stripped.

If the timing belt moves, I would verify that it hasn't slipped. Set the crankshaft to top dead center by aligning the notch on the drive belt pully to the timing marks on the timing belt cover. Pop the distributer cap and make sure that rotor points to #1 or #4.

Also, it wouldn't hurt to do a compression test. How long has it been sitting since it last ran?

 

Last ran about 10 months ago. Here's the thing- I would start it weekly and let it run for about 30-40 minutes. Gradually it was harder to start-would have to crank it several times, then it finally started running rough, backfire, almost like it was starving for air/fuel. Actually what I am trying to describe is that I would try and rev the engine, but it was like something was holding it back. Sorry, don't know if I am being clear here

 

Those symptoms sound like fuel starvation. However, your original post stated that it won't even fire when spraying starting fluid - which would make me lean towards thinking an ignition timing problem. I would still check the items I stated in my original post (timing belt, compression). You should also check out the fuel pumps. Here is a site that has a nice description of how to check the pumps:

In the Tank - 240 Volvo Tank Pump and Sender

This is assuming that you have a 240 as your post does not mention what model you have. If it is a 740/940, the above site does not apply

 

Yes, I will check out what you recommended. Here is the thing that bothers me. I also have a 83 - 240 sitting out in the yard that I used to start every week and come to think of it, it experienced that exact same symptoms, until it would no longer start! Cranks nice, but no turnover. So I start thinking, what do they have in common. Possibly bad gas from sitting out there too long. Ok, so if that's the case, then spraying starting fluid and trying to start should prove that theory? Well, as you can see, even starting fluid didn't let it turn over, strange? Hard to believe that both jumped timing, etc. Wouldn't you agree?

 

I agree that if it were bad gas that it would fire using the starter fluid. It is a bit puzzling. The other puzzling part is that if it has spark and will not fire using starting fluid then I would think that it is timing related - meaning, you have spark but it doesn't spark at the right time.

My '90 240 had a hard start when cold condition that eventually turned into a no-start condition. What I found was that my half-shaft had slipped a few teeth which meant that the rotor was not pointing to the correct cylinder. I had severe arcing going on in the distributer and left carbon trails in there.

Another consideration that may be common between your cars is that over time your battery goes dead. When the battery voltage drops below a certain threshold, your ECU will lose its memory. The ECU does remember and compensate for engine conditions. If you have an AMM that has drifted over time, the ECU will compensate for the drift. When it loses its memory, it defaults back to the factory settings.

 

i just went thru this with a 1990 volvo 740 that the volvo deal said we cannot fix dont bring it back.. i found it issue. stright wire to test from 12volts to the fuel pump and crank :-) if the pump is not dead it should crank and run. my issue is a wire that is dying somewhere after the fuel relay and fuel pump so sometimes crank others not. so i "forced" the issue. I started with a switch to test when it would not crank i would flip and it would crank so i knew it was a fault to the fuel pump.

 

yeah, most dealers really don't like working on cars over about 10 years old. the only exception I know of is Mercedes Benz dealers, if the car has been properly maintained, they will work on it regardless of how old, but you'll pay dearly for that.

our 20 yr old Benz...

 

Purchased some gas additive from Wally world over the weekend. Put in gas tank and the next day---vrooooommmmmmmmmmm! Car started up and ran relatively well for something that's been sitting around. Guess my test of squirting starter fluid in the intake and it not starting did not prove it was bad gas!

 

I can't imagine any scenario in which a gasoline additive would fix a no-start problem.

 

Even if the gas was old?

 

no pint bottle of whatever (typically toluene or alcohol) is going to magically change 6 or 8 gallons of bad gas into good gas.

 

Only about 1-2 gallons in tank