Recently when cold, the volvo requires I pump the throttle continually while cranking and then once it starts, keep pumping to keep it running, after it gets a little warm it runs fine. I have another problem that has gone on for three years since I bought the car, where the car quits and wont' run, once I change the fuel relay, it runs fine for another few months, then does it again(I keep a few spare relays in the glove box). I plan to replace the 2 fuel pumps and fuel filter, and I can hear a fuel pump whining when the car is idling most of the time. The two problems may or may be not related, the cold starting just happened. The car has 265K but has been maintained well, I just drive it about 1K per year now, but need to try and fix it's problems.

 

So, you say your car goes through too many fuel injection relays? What brand relay do you use? An OEM relay should last 20 years! Try a good one!

As far as the hard start, the coolant temp. sensor would be the first thing I'd look at.

 

a whining main fuel pump usually means the in-tank pump is dead. this can also lead to hard starting, and power stumbling at heavy throttle acceleration, which gets progressively worse if the tank is below half full.

 

thanks for the advice.I will replace tank pump.

 

well, before just replacing it, I would confirm its broken. disconnect the output fuel line, and the wires to the tank pump, connect a piece of fuel-safe hose to a fuel-safe container, and jumper power to the motor (avoid making sparks, since you are in the vicinity of gas fumes at this point).. if it pumps fuel, the pump is good. if it doesn't, THEN replace it!

 

Check out this site:

In the Tank - 240 Volvo Tank Pump and Sender

It provides a nice pictorial on how to check and replace the in-tank pump.

 

Thanks Pierce, will do. act1292, thanks too great write up, I did find that earlier and was going to use it. The out of tank pump was replaced by a shop just before I got the car. I bought both pumps and filter, will test the in tank pump first. I don't like how the out of tank pump runs so much, has kind of a low pitch whine.

 

Both pumps should run continuously as long as the engine is running. One symptom of a failed in-tank pump is a noisy main (external) pump. The in-tank pump just acts as a feed to the main pump to reduce the load on it. When the in-tank fails, the main pump has to work harder to maintain pressure and makes more noise.

 

To close the issue, I changed the in tank pump after testing in tank pump and seeing it did not work. Everything seems fine, I hear both pumps running..Thanks again!