Hi, Car won't start. Changed distributer cap and roder. Turns over but no fire.
Funny, the windows and radio will not work either even though the fuses are good. Thank You for any help!!

 

240's could have any of 3 different fuel injection systems depending on the model year, with 100s of incremental engineering changes over their nearly 20 year production life.

be very helpful if you could narrow this down to a specific model year, and also there are differences in US model cars and various world markets, we have no idea where you are.

also, was anything done to it just before it stopped starting? or was it working fine one day, and not the next?

engines need compression, fuel, and spark to run

 

Ya, sorry. It is a 1999 Volvo 240 and I am in Oregon. It started right up a few weeks ago. It has about 7 gallons of gas. Thank You for your reply!

 

last year for 240's was 1993, there are no 1999 240's.

 

Oh shoot! Its a 91.

 

ok, a US model 91 240 has LH 2.4 EFI...

well, my troubleshooting of a no start usually starts with confirming the engine is getting spark and fuel. if its getting neither, I'd check the CPS (Crank Position Sensor).

 

My son is here trying to help. Here is his response...


I have confirmed that the car has no spark at the ignition coil. I then preformed a bench test on the coil, as detailed in the repair manual, and the resistance of the primary and secondary windings was within specs. The coil terminals are also getting power when the key is turned on. I do not smell any fuel and I am limited on the tools I have here so I have no way of confirming if the engine is getting fuel or not.


I found a 3 wire connector on the firewall that I am assuming was for the crank sensor, but the one shown in the Chilton repair manual I have here only shows the diagnostics procedure for a 2 wire sensor. Is this the correct connector? I do not see any other connectors that are easily accessible from the top of the engine and the engine is too far back to get a good look at where the sensor is, or even if I am looking at the right wire. If it is the correct connector, do you know of a way to test it?


I read online that there is a 25 amp fuse by the battery that powers the fuel and ignition system that can be problematic, but I have been unable to locate it. Do you know where I might find it if it is not there?


Thank you for all of your help!

 

Disregard Chilton Manual! Not worth the paper it's written on!
Start with the Crank Sensor, then Fuel Relay, Pump, etc.

 

The 25 amp fuse by the battery was last used on the 1990 model year. Beginning in 1991 the function of that fuse was moved to fuse 6 on the fuse panel in the car.

When my 1992 240 acts up I pay close attention to the sounds of the fuel system. When I turn the key to the II position (without cranking the key) I listen for the sound of the fuel pump underneath the car priming up with fuel...and then for the "click" sound from the fuel injector relay behind the glove box. If those sounds are not heard on your car turn your attention to fuse 4 and fuse 6 in the fuse panel. Spin those 2 fuses in their holder and try to start car. If unsuccessful clean up the contacts..replace fuses...try again. If unsuccessful jump the fuse panel contacts with a wire/paperclip and try again. If unsuccessful you may have a dead main fuel pump.

Does your '91 have a fuel pressure test port on the fuel rail?

The crank position sensor is held to the top of the transmission bell housing with a single 10mm bolt. It is hard to reach. Follow the wire from the cps to it's connector. The wire should run from the cps towards the drivers side and be held on by a zip tie at the top of the engine bay along the firewall.

 

THANK YOU!


Can the Fuel injector relay be tested? I am on my own again
Fuel rail?

 

if there is no spark at the coil, first thing I'd check would be that there's 12V on coil pin '15' when you turn on the ignition. thats one of the two side tabs on it, the other one is pin '1', and is connected to the power module, which in turn is controlled by the ignition control unit (ICU). ICU says 'spark', so the PM grounds pin 1, and the coil sparks when that ground is released.

power module has 5 pins, pin 5 is the signal from the ICU, if you have a 12V LED test light, connect the + probe to this pin, and clip the ground wire to a handy ground somewhere, then have someone crank the car, that test light should pulse with the cranking. if it DOES pulse, put the test light probe on pin 1, and that also should pulse during cranking. if pin 5 is blinking but pin 1 isn't, then your power module is suspect.

If no blinks on pin 5, then the 2nd thing I'd check on a LH2.4 car would be the crank position sensor (CPS). this provides all the timing info for both the ignition and fuel systems. I don't know of a good test for these, the failure mode is usually that the wire has disintegrated. The CPS is mounted by a single screw on the top of the bell housing behind the engine head, and very hard to see. it has a short wire thats plugged into the cable harness near the firewall.