Urgent: We’re 1,000 miles into a cross country road trip and “the old Volvo” is acting up. Two days ago, arriving in Pocatello Idaho on I-86, doing about 70 at the end of a warm day, the ’93 940T wagon stumbled big time twice and then shut down. After about 10 minutes, it started and ran well around the city but the fuel pump was sounding like a swarm of bees.

I made an educated guess that the fuel pump was failing and thus producing a fuel starvation scenario in a high demand situation, long hot day, high speed, … So the next day I installed a new fuel pump & filter while camped at the KOA.

Hitting the road again today, all went well for 250 miles, but then the same scenario occurred. After a ten minute rest, we preceded for a mere 30 miles before it occurred again. We again sat on the shoulder of I-80 for ten minutes and then proceeded about 120 miles to Rawlins WY, where we are now for the night. I’m now thinking this may be a failing electronic ignition module as I’ve diagnosed this in numerous GM engines over the years.

Any experienced road warriors out there care to weigh in on this? We are not yet on the AAA hook but I fear we may be soon. If we make our next layover in Fort Collins I think I’ll replace the EIC module, just to eliminate that possibility. TD

 

Check your crank position sensor. It is located on the top of the bell housing where the engine and transmission meet. It has a single black coax cable running from it up to a connector on the firewall. If the insulation is cracked and flaking off, then this is most likely your problem. Otherwise check you radio suppression relay

 

My AM radio has never worked in this car but did work well in the car it came out of. FM works fine. Could this be a clue? Where is the superssion relay?

 

+1 on the Crank Sensor, except it doesn't have to be frayed, it can look good and still be bad continuity wise...

 

noisy main fuel pump is often a sign the in-tank pump has failed.

the 'radio suppression relay' is under the hood, car's left side, near the battery, and provides power for the fuel injectors.

 

Turbos' relays are on the left, NAs' on the right... even that may vary from year to year.

 

Thanks to all who responded to our plea. We made it to Fort Collins with only two flame-out scenarios, one on the 8,600' pass east of Laramie and once in downtown Ft Collins where a local lawman pushed us into a parking space and described the almost identical symptoms related to a failed Crank Position Sensor.

In my posession is the only one on location anywhere between Rawlins WY where started calling and here. I will install this evening and report.

Question regarding in-tank-pump failure. Doesn't that also cause difficult starting symptoms?

Another fellow mentioned the possibility of a failing fuel pressure regulator. What opinions exist on that possibility. There is one in Loveland I could install tomorrow to cover all my bases? "Old Volvo's never die, they just get newer part by part!"

 

I wouldn't replace a fuel pressure regulator unless it fails a fuel pressure test, or fuel is squirting out the vacuum line that plugs into the back of it.

re: tank pump failure, my symptoms were noisy main pump when below 1/3rd tank of gas, and fuel starvation at higher throttle+RPM ranges again worse with less gas in the tank. with above 1/2 tank, I could hardly tell, and this was on a turbo (1992 740T wagon).

 

Thanks for the info Pierce. The first flame out occurred @ 303 miles after a fill up, second time @ 250 on a fill up, the third 30 miles later. Forth time @ 118 on a fill up and the fifth 82 miles later. Before I invest in the in tank pump I'll experiment by keep the tank above half. I notice no difference in the new pump sound at any tank level.

I've installed the new crank position sensor for starting out tomorrow and will carry a suppression relay to install if flame out occurs. Important only introduce one variable at a time.

I found a black Volvo relay in the the area you mentioned, connected to the fender well. It has a white # on it 010393, the plug holds four wires, Lg Red; Lg Grey; Sm Black; Sm Yell/Blu. It's 12 volt 40 amp and the imbossed # is 899931 1323592-1. Does this sound like the suppression relay? Engine noise is NOT being suppressed from the AM band at all so I'm thinking it is bad regardless if it's part of my current bigger problem. Tried to attach a jpg but couldn't figure out how to do that. TD

 

thats the RSR all reet. a bad RSR will stop your engine from running, but it won't increase/decrease AM noise. its called the RSR for whack reasons, I've detailed them before on other threads here, and am too lazy to write it up again.

if you have AM noise, there's either a bad ground somewhere under the dash (or in your antenna cable), or maybe your alternator needs a radio interference capacitor installed on it. some have them, some don't.

 

I'm pretty sure the antenna is the radio issue and I can easily live without an AM radio since the demise of most local stations.

I've been unsuccessful looking for the RS relay by make, model, & year. Would someplace like AutoZone be able to cross any of those numbers I found on the relay?

 

The Volvo Parts, Accessories and Performance Specialists Since 1963, www.fcpeuro.com, Volvo Relays etc etc.

 

We're in another urgent situation as our flame outs are continuing and in fact becoming more frequent. I have installed a new crank position sensor and only made it 89 miles into the the vastness of CO rt 14 between Ft Collins. Picked up an in tank pump after getting to Sterling and am installing it now.

I'm to the point of removing the large round cap from the tank, have all the hoses disconnected but don't see how to remove the wire and there doesn't seem to be enough slack to get the assembly out once I get the cap loose. Does that cap rotate off or pry off. Giant ring clamp is removed already.

 

The wiring is permanently attached to the pump/sender unit. Unplug it at the other end, by the left rear, under the storage area cover, and feed it through the holes toward the sender unit. It is clipped close to the sender, to the chassis with a plastic anchor lip, too. Undo it there or you won't have room to move the wires.

 

Thanks for that tip. Actually had to cut the wire in the left storage well (this is a wagon) and install my own plug, but that worked well. Installing the intank pump (thanks to Peirce for that suggestion) seemed to be the silver bullet as we left Sterling, CO @ noon yesterday, made it all the way across Nebraska and should be in St Louis this evening. I'm actually starting to relax and suspect that the issue is resolved but ...., it's a Volvo and we know there are always more adventures lurking.

One small question is that since working down around the tank access area our speedometer has become occasionally intermittant. Is there a wire in there that could have been disturbed?

Again, thanks to all you wonderful Volvo Forum Gurus!! TD

 

the speedo sensor is on the distributor back cover plate, and yes, is wired through the left side of the floor next to those fuel tank wires.

my wiring diagrams show that is a twisted pair of brown-white and green-white wires. on my 92, these go through a grey sheath/tube that comes out near the spare tire just to the right of the tank wires and under the fuel filler pipe, they head over to the left rear cubby/compartment under the deck where the power antenna is, and go through a black box just behind the left rear wheel well, from there they go forward under the left side doors and up to 53-pin connector C1 near the instrument panel.

 

That certainly explains the coincidental occurrance of the speedo issue & perhaps the AM radio issue being an antenna ground issue in the same area. It's one of those "in the rear side glass" type antennas.

Had another flame out about three hours ago but after 10 mins we started back up and are almost withing the 100 mile triple A bubble around our friends place in St Louis. Is there a way that one could hot wire the fuel injector wires at the Radio Supression Relay? If I could find one I'd carry it with me for the next flame out but if it could be hot wired, I could install a couple wire taps on those wires and a jumper ready to plug in. That would either eliminate or confirm the relay as the culprit. What do you think?

 

A long time Volo friend suggested I may have a failing Air Mass Meter, not what I was wanting to hear suggested. Any opinions on that possibility?

 

Fault code 1-2-1 just showed up which indicates a wiring issue to, or in the AMM, however the symptom of various driving problems seems less serious than outright stalling from a normal driving situation with no warning. Also am not experiencing poor fuel consumption. This makes me less likely to suspect the Air Mass Sensor.

 

If its not a bad wiring problem, its highly probable you have a bad MAF/AMM. 93's are long past the years of bad wiring.