I got the "R" back from the shop and it was running fine after they put on a new set of plug wires and replaced the upper motor mount. They said I do have low comression in cylinder #1 (120 while the others have 150). Yesterday coming to work it started that rough running at idle in gear and at slow speed. Got the misfire on cylinder one code again. I reset the codes and started it up this morning and it was running fine again. About 4 miles from home it starting chugging like it was going to stall. This was at about 2000 RPM's or 50-55 mph. When I pushed on the gas it smoothed right out. Slowed back down and it did it again. Got behind a truck and was going about 45 and it seemed to run fine. I dropped back and gave it a little gas and it chugged again at 50-55. Push on the gas it smooths, pulled into 3rd gear and smoothed out at 55. Then it went away and ran fine the rest on the way to work and CEL did not come back on. I think there is a ghost in my car. A guy here at work said he would replace the distributor cap, rotor and put on a new fuel filter, but we are grasping at straws at this point.

 

Do the 850's have a Mass Air Flow Sensor? If they get dirty, they have trouble reading the oxygen mix in the system, and it usually becomes apparent off throttle or at idle. Cleaning them with brake cleaner will cure the problem.

If they do, and you have a K&N filter that you recently cleaned, that may be the problem. If the filter is slightly over oiled, the oil droplets collect on the MAFS and cause funny reads, thus giving a near stall out condition. - AB

 

IN my opinion the Compression has nothing to do with it. That is not enough for it to make a difference.

What year are the wires? They are stamped on them. Monthand year.

Possible that the mass flow dirty. Has the throttle body been cleaned lately?

It could also be a bad throttle position sensor.

 

Ran fine the rest of the day and I put about 60 miles on it after the problem this morning. I even blew the doors of some ricer on the way home tonight. This idiot was in front of me on a two lane road and slowed way down to about 25 mph in a 55 zone. It was only about three miles before I have to turn left so I was just following him when he was doing around 50. I wasn't even on his tail until he dropped way down. Finally had no choice but to go around him and I was not pushing it just passing him without much effort. This clown takes off when I get in the left lane to pass him. It was a Prelude with that big muffler coming out the back, and made lots of noice when he pushed it. I don't know who this guy thought he was messing with, but I kicked in economy mode and it still took off pretty good. Pulled away from him like nothing. Then had to turn left and put my turn signal on. After I turned he just went by me on the main road. This just happened about five minutes ago. Why in the world would this car run so good when I hit and so bad, sometimes, when I'm just drive real slow?

 

Sounds like a bad set of plug wires. They will act very funny at times.
Check the wires like I said above with the date. If more than 5 years old you might as well replace them.


BTW GOOD KILL!!!

 

Plug wires is what they replaced at the shop last week.

The kill was OK, but I like a little more challenge. It was actually pretty funny that this guy thought he was going pull away from me when I started to pass him. Just wonder what was going through his head when I just flat took off?

 

A PENNY FOR HIS THOUGHTS!!!

Check the plugs then and the Cap and Rotor.

 

OK here is a Wacky Kill story for you.

Im on my way to work one morning with the wifes car. Which is a 1995 Chevy Barretta 2.2 5-speed. I pull up to this light. I see a newer Acura RSX sitting next to me at the light.(I am always in a rush) I take off pretty hard and so does he. I notice him do it. I put it to the floor and wind it out. Hit Second and chirp the tires and so does he. I just keep in it and going. Hit 3rd and look for him and he is behind me. So I let off it and go to normal speed(which isn't much slower than I was going).

I know the wifes car isn't a rocket but I thought the RSX was a fast car?

The only Mod to the wifes car is a cone filter.

 

I thought the RSX would be pretty fast too. That's what my youngest daughter wants in blue with the 5 speed.]

 

Before I married my current wife, she had a 84? Nissan 200SX that was the same way. She would drive the BEJESUS out of it and it would run like a champ. If I drove it like I actual didn't want to kill it, it would run like crap. I think the car enjoyed being punished. It was a very naughty car. We finally had to sell it with 210k on it bacause it was rusting away, as in the body was starting to sag. Still ran like a raped ape, whatever they run like.

 

There's a big difference between the standard RSX and the RSX-S. The Celica GT-S and the RSX-S are on par with each other. 0-60 times in the mid 6's. The standard RSX is around 7.5 seconds to 60, if it's an automatic it's even worse. I'm pretty confident you were running an S version.

When I had my Celica in full STS trim for SCCA Solo II, I was putting down 182 whp with 132 #ft. The car weighed 2325# and could have been lighter if I pulled the AC. On street tires I ran 13.8 at 103 mph in the 1/4 mile. All this from a 1.8L normally aspirated 4cylinder with just ECU swap, intake and exhaust. - AB

 

Damb that is fast. Im not sure which one it was I really didn't see the back of the car.
But my wifes car loves to be beaten as well. She drives it like an old lady. I drive it to clean it out.

 

My '96 850 non turbo with 155,000 miles on it has been doing exactly the same thing for about 6 mos. now. We have changed Plugs, wires, rotor, cap, fuel filter, Fuel cap, (it was bad anyway). Volvo does not know what to do next as we have changed pretty nearly everything. Next is O2 sensor in the front. (it is past time for it).

The mileage is as good as it has ever been (23-25 MPG) and runs great EXCEPT at that 2000rpm range.

We too are grasping as straws at this point. I would really like to know if ANYONE has ever resolved this issue. It seems to be fairly common.

Thanks,

Glenn

 

Took it back to the shop today and they said the compression in #1 is down to around 60 now. Did a wet test on it and the compression stayed the same. So it's in the head. I've had the head to the machine shop three times now and they say the head is fine. Had the lifters bled and put them back in. I really think it's something to do with the lifters or maybe the cam? It's always cylinder #1 and that's the one that burnt a valve. The shop is saying take the head back off, and I don't see the point in doing that.

 

I would and test it your self the best you can. That is before taking it back to the Machine shop.
I went through the same thing 5 times on my Moms Saturn before they got it fixed properly.

 

What would I do to test it? I was thinking that I could take the head off, put the head, cam cover, lifters and cam back together off the car and see if one of the valves is not closing all the way. I called the machine shop and they suggested replacing all the lifters in cyclinder #1. This would be much easier than taking the head off. When I had the head off last time I watched the machine shop do a vacuum leak test on all cylinders and there was no leaking. What do you think?

 

If you had the head off you can fill the holes around the valves(Chambers) with fluid and see if it leaks into the stems.

If you are going to do the lifters you can only buy as a set and they are only like $120.00 for the set.

But I have a feeling it is something with the Valves.

When they did the Head work did they do anything with the Valve guides?

 

I don't quite understand what you are saying about the fluid around the valves leaking into the stems? If I had it off and looked at it, I would probably know what you are saying.

The Volvo dealer sells the lifters for $18.00 each and he gives me a 15% discount off of that. Calls me a preferred customer. I don't know what all the machine shop did to the head to be honest. I know the dealer takes any heads they have worked on to the exact same place, and they have never had a problem.

The fact that it was also the #1 cylinder that burnt the valve to start this whole mess also makes me think it might not be something they did. Another thing is the engine over heated before I bought it and they just put a head gasket on and nothing else. I did know that when I bought it. That did raise a red flag, but I really wanted a white 850 R and the car looks great.

For the money I have tied up in it now, I could have bought a rebuilt head and put it on instead of trying to fix this one. They list for $1800 at the dealer, so I coulg have got it for $1500. So that would have been around $2,000 with all the gaskets and everything. I think I have over $1800 in it right now and it's not running right, and that one would have been guaranteed.

If I take the head off again, I might just buy the rebuilt one. I'm thinking about just driving it for a while and then doing that. It's cheaper than buying a car I would like enough to replace this one. So $70 for lifter and about 3 hours work, might be woth a try. Even though I doubt that will solve the problem.

Sorry didn't mean to ramble on. Welcome to Jim's 850 R Soap Opera. Please stay tuned for future episodes, or it this all reruns at this point?

 

I feel you believe me.
In the last week I have put a Radiator in my Van
Parked the stang due to a Freeze out plug Blowing out of the block. And the clutch is about to blow to peices.
And the day before I parked it the drivers door handle broke.
Now today I find out the Water pump is leaking on the Van I just spent over $200.00 on when stuck 200 miles from home to get home.

I only need 2 more days of driving to work till I fix the Stang and I am almost stranded from work.

And that is only about Half of it.


You are lucky on being able to buy the lifters seperately. We had to buy a set for a S70 the other day. We were told they only sell as a set. It was only $120.00 for all.

What I was trying to say is with the head off flip it upside down. Fill the Valves with fluid. Then look in the intake and exhaust ports and see if it is running through the Seat,Seal, and Guide.

The reason I asked about the guides is because they are not avalible. The Part# supersedes to a Head.

Like I have said before I wish I was there to help you figure it out.

 

First off, I'm admittedly a novice. I work on my 850 when and how I can. I'm still significantly inexperienced though.

However, I do know that Volvos have a computer memory that gets reset whenever the battery is disconnected. The memory needs something like 4 weeks to "relearn" the driving conditions, driver's habits, etc. A Volvo tech told me about this. He said that sometimes a VOlvo will run "rough" while the computer memory is "relearning".

Again, I honestly don't know if this is related or will help. I thought it was worth jumping in though. At the risk of seeming like a real novice.

I find your problems and conversation here fascinating.

Good luck!

Jeff