Hello, just wanted to thank everyone in advance for any help, I've used this site several times for diy tips and things like that and was very useful but I'm having an issue with my car lately that I need help diagnosing.

I have a 97 850. about 6 months ago I was having all kinds of problems with the Volvo cutting out on me, more often while I was stopped and just idling, but I could also feel it while cruising or accelerating, only difference is it wouldn't completely turn off while driving it would more "chug" than anything. Anyway I had the alternator replaced at a shop and it more or less cleared up the issue. Couple of weeks later starter went out, not sure if that was related or not because the starter almost looked like it was smashed with a sledge hammer.

So for the most part since the car ran ok, but really even the same day I got the alternator put on it ran a little funny, pretty much only while idling however. Main thing it does is when I am driving and come to a stop the RPM's dive to about 500, at which point the car either dies, or it jumps back up and stabilizes at its usual 1000RPM.

I've pretty much been suspicious of the alternator since then, so I took the car down to advance auto parts and had them run a test on the charging system, they said everything checked out, alternator and battery are fine.

results of the test said the battery was at 12.7V when car was off. and while running no load 13.86V 1A. and when its loaded 13.45V 8.1A. For some reason I thought those two tests were supposed to be over 14, but they assured me that was not the case.

In any case this is where im kind of stuck, best idea I can come up with is a fuel issue. Does anyone have any ideas, or any questions for me to come up with an idea?

Any help is appreciated!
Thanks, Joe!

 

Hi Joe, I would agree with Advanced Auto.

Please try not to pin current problems with the car with the "last thing fixed" (that drives me nuts). You are driving a 17 year old car, you can have a new malfunction every week.

The questions that most of us helpful trolls would ask are:
1. When was the last time the car was at stage 0?
2. Have you read through the 850 stickies, especially the ones about stalling and fuel pressure?
3. Miles, ignition parts, other recent maintenance?

 

I guess the main reason I brought up the "last thing fixed" was because I was kind of stuck on thinking the problems were so similar, that it may have never been fixed. which I obviously at this point I guess is not the case. In any case, I have been going thru a lot of different information at this webpage and another Volvo forum I check out sometimes. I didn't necessarily see one on the 850 forum here regarding stalling and fuel pressure, but im sure going to go ahead and look a little harder for it.

As for being at stage 0, I presume you mean when was it working correctly. Immediately after I got the alternator replaced it was working fairly well, but I could still tell something wasn't right, and it has gotten steadily worse, until this point where basically im annoyed every time I drive the car because it will shut off, and then become difficult to start.

As for maintenance I will confess im not the best with keeping up with all of it, I keep the oil changed on a regular basis, but other than that not so much.

 

Just realized I didn't address all your questions.

approx. 180k miles
haven't done anything with ignition parts.

 

http://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/what-is-stage-0.html
check this out for Stage 0

 

+1 Stage 0 is basically the last time it had a full blown tune up. When you got the charging issue corrected you likely had 2 or 3 other underlying issues which were never corrected (maintenance items).

So, start with the 30k & 60k maintenance items. Replace the spark plugs, cap & rotor. Then move on the the PCV and timing belt if not done.

You may have a bad fuel filter. If not replaced lately you may need a fuel pump relay but that isn't likely unless you are having raddom stalls at all speeds.

What CEL codes do you have?

 

Check this link and my signature YouTube link will show you how to do most things.

https://volvoforums.com/forum/volvo-850-16/volvo-850-random-stalling-hard-start-testing-fuel-pump-fuel-pump-relay-64044/

 

With the "stage 0" they were pretty much asking when the last time you did a tune up was.

Onn thing to look over is vacuum hoses. When they did the starter did they pull the intake manifold or snake it out from behind it ? Either way they could have pulled or bumped a vacuum line loose and that could cause a problem with the system holding idle. You might want to get a good flashlight and look over the engine for a nipple with no hose on it or a hose going nowhere.
There is one vac hose that runs under the intake all the way over by the PS pump/alternator and is connected to the fuel pressure regulator.

So could a dirty throttle body or IAC (idle air control motor). You might want to pick up a can of throttle body cleaner, NOT carb cleaner and clean those two items.

If not sure about where or how on the TB or IAC cleaning you can google, bing .... for more info. When you clean the IAC remember to keep the motor up. You don't want the crud you're rinsing off the shutter wheel getting into the motor.

 

Man I just had this problem myself. I did a full tune up, cleaned the IAC, replaced the MAF and after all that I found out I had a hole in the plastic bottom of my intercooler. I patched it while I'm waiting for my new IC to arrive later this week sometime. Hope this helps because I got very frustrated with this problem

 

thank you everyone for the advice, sounds like I have a little bit of work to do. So if I were to put in order what I should do.

1. sparkplugs
2. cap and rotor
3. check vacuum hoses (this could be very likely as I did the starter myself, and things never like to fit right when I install them, so there was pushing and squeezing involved.
4. PCV

Also I don't have CEL codes, but ill get that checked as well, I presume that Is a service a place like advanced auto probably offers as well.

 

Does the bulb work?

 

not sure what you mean by bulb

 

CEL "Check Engine" bulb. When you go to start the car, turn the key to run and look at the lights on the dash, one in the right group should say CHECK ENGINE. If that is NOT working the bulb is out. If it is working and you have no codes you likely have a fuel delivery problem.

 

Yes I'm sorry, the CEL bulb definately works, it works so well it hasn't turned off in years. I've asked a couple of mechanics about it and they've "turned it off" obviously it was short lived until it came back on. In any case I'm not sure what the codes are on it, I don't have a reader, but I probably should've had the advanced auto guy check it the other day. I'll have them test it when I pick up the spark plugs, cap, and rotor.

 

These cars do NOT like after market ignition parts. Order the parts from www.FCPEuro.com or www.iPdUSA.com. Get Volvo plugs, Bogie wires, Bosch rotor and cap.

 

When you wrote that you "don't have CEL codes" you were saying that the light wasn't on. Get the codes, they likely hold the key to your problems.

 

Having the check engine light on is the first thing you need to take car of. It's telling you something is wrong and will tell you what that is.

Oreilly, Autozone ... others offer this service free and before you start replacing parts you need to do this. This should have been done before you even posted a question here so you could post the codes and the meaning of each.

What you've done is a lot like asking a doctor what pill to take before you've told him what's wrong or what hurts.

 

Did you end up checking the vacuum lines? I had to clean my EGR a few weeks ago so I had them off, they basically dissolved so I just replaced them. Aren't our cars supposed to idle at about 800rpm? Mine does. 1000 seems just a tad high and bogging down to 500 seems so much like a vacuum leak to me.

just my 2 cents.

 

i did check the vacuum lines, as far as I could tell looked good and connected.

I got the codes read at autozone:
103, 172, 300, 301, 302, 304, and 305.
the guy recommended changing the spark plugs, and running fuel injector cleaner.

 

so I have been trying to address a couple of those codes. First thing I did was check out the MAF, I had read on another thread about unplugging the MAF. So I was at the store the other day when my car was acting up, unplugged the MAF, and sure enough the car started working a lot better. So I elected to clean the MAF, which I did and its only been two days, but it seems to be working a lot better, however did have one instance of car giving me a hard time starting, needing to push on the gas and all.

Also, I've been inspecting the lines a lot closer, and I noticed there was an elbow just hanging around by the throttle, after a lot of searching I found an empty nipple kind of by the top of the radiator fan. I haven't been able to test the car since reconnecting this cable, but I was hoping someone might tell me what it was and if I connected it to the right spot.

Thanks !