OK, Just got my '95 turbo wagon today.

On the ride home it became obvious something was way off.

Anytime the car started to build boost I could feel what I was sure was a misfire....and the boost couldnt build all the way. If I pressed the the throttle slowly then it would build maybe %50 boost. But if I punched the throttle it would hardly build any boost and studder/hesitate

Went to VIP and used their OBD II reader:
Codes found:
P0705
Trans range sensor

P0303
cyl 3 misfire

P13110
manufacture fire control system misfire

P0305
Cyl 5 misfire

P0300
Random misfire

So, clearly something needs replacing. Is it a distributor? Or the ignition coil? Or could it be as simple as plugs/wires?

What exactly is the MFC refered to by # P13110? Is that a part I should replace.

The Trans range sensor I think I can feel as the car wants to move forward when im in gear at a stop sign/light

I was alittle depressed driving it home, only able to use a fraction of the motor's power

 

I would do a full tune up.(Cap,rotor,wires,plugs)
Then clear all the codes and go from there.
But get decent tune up parts.
Bosch on the cap and rotor
bougicord on the wires
I would also do Volvo plugs

 

OK
got new cap and rotor, and plugs. Parts store will have the wires tomorrow morning.

The screws that hold the engine cover on were very rusty. 1 didnt want to come out at all.

I have the cap off, and there was a small crack where 1 of the bolts goes to hold it on.

I hope the tune up does the trick. I got the car for $1500. The guy wanted $1600 but he noticed how it wanted to move at idle and took off $100 for me. That helps as the cap/rotor plugs and wires came to $150.

I have a rear window that is 1/2 inch down and wont go up. I'll have to take the door panel off when I get a chance and see if I can find a loose wire. I hope thats it, and not a bad motor. Neither of the switches for that window work.

I knew that the driver's power seat didnt work, the guy told me. It took me only 1 minute to find that the memory button was stuck. popped it loose and now the seat's buttons work.

I am glad to see that the 850 carried over alot of the interior style from the 740's. Buttons, steering wheel and center dash feel alot like my old 740 turbo wagon.

 

some progress made...
I installed the new cap and rotor. Just took it for a drive and it does still misfire, but it doesnt happen untill more throttle is given.
And it builds some boost before it happens now.
I will have the new wires and plugs installed tomorrow. Im hoping that will get rid of the misfire all together.

If it doesnt, where should I go from there?

 

I am betting it will be gone after the plugs and wires.
The wires usually last 10 years before going bad but I have seen them go bad earlier.
If the wires that are in there now are OEM wires they will have a date on them. In yellow or white writing it will say something like 25-96. That translates to the 25th week of 1996. Then you could see how old they are.
Gap the plugs to about .028-.030 thousands.

 

You know, I really don't get it. When I purchase a car I drive over 1,200 miles without putting my foot in it. I usually will not try to see what it will do until after I have gotten it home, tuned it up, changed the oil and by all means, if you have any transmission code, service the transmission before you go sticking your foot in it again. You can quickly destroy the transmission, give it a chance by servicing it with some clean fresh fluid, since you already have a code.

Please pay attention to TECH's advise. Bosch rotor and cap, bougicord wires and VOLVO oem plugs. You have a misfire, now is the time NOT to have weak links. Do it right.

There is also a chance that the injectors are dirty and sticking. Had the issue with a Nissan Maxi that I got, which was sitting for a while. If the car was not a daily driver, which is sounds like it wasn't, you need to do several things to properly wake it up before trying to drive it hard.

I had my wagon for about 3 months before I put my foot in it. It was on my way to get the new tranny installed. After I got the transmission replaced and replaced the PCV system, I did put my foot in it, within a day or two. It was pretty much stage 0. Yes it did chirp the tires when it shifted at about 55 mph. Oh Yea!!!

 

When you say it's moving forward at idle, you mean it's overcoming the brakes, and the brakes otherwise seem to feel strong? Or it moves when you're off the brakes (that is normal)? I would think it is more likely that your brakes need to be bled, or the master cylinder has a problem, but I suppose you could have a torque converter problem.

The transmission code seems to relate to the park/neutral position switch, so I think that would be unrelated (if i found the right code). However, if that's the same switch that lets the ECU know the trans is in park/neutral so it will crank, I'd say that's a first priority to get fixed.

Your P1311 code is volvo specific, and I'm having a hard time finding it for Volvo, however for several other manufacturers it indicates a problem with the ignition coil. Make sure all the connections on the coil are good.

 

I was getting a 1311 for a while... misfire multiple cyl w/ TWC damage..

Did full stage 0 and a PCV never got the code again

 

well I drove the car last night, put it in the garage and just now finished installing new plugs and wires...

now the car wont start. All I get is a "click" noise.

At 1st I thougt maybe I had drained the batt...as I had the radio on while working. But all electronics and the headlights work fine.

If it is a sensor thats not detecting the car is in park, would the click noise be present?

I also considered the starter motor could be bad....but couldnt find the dang thing. I was gonna try tapping it with a wrench to get it off the bad spot.

Any suggestions would be very helpful!

 

You might want to check for a burst boost hose.

 

how would that stop the motor from turning over? Its not that the motor turns over but doesnt start....it doesnt even turn over. Like if a starter motor was dead.

 

Ok, figured out the issue.

Bad starter motor. I found pics of the motor on google, but I couldnt see the starter itself on the car, cause of its location.

So, I used a wrench and tapped around where I knew the starter should be. Sure enough, the car started right up. So the starter has a bad spot. Not sure if I will be able change out the starter myself due to its location.

I hate to say it, but the engine bay of this 850 makes me miss my 740! That engine bay had plenty of room to work in.

On the up side, the plugs/wires/cap/rotor fixed the misfire issue. Now it revs right upto max RPMs and gets full boost.



What is the best upgrade that can reduce turbo lag? Id assume that a turbo back exhaust would help the most.

 

The starter motor is easy to change. I did mine in the parking lot at work.

Remove whatever boost hoses are in the way to take out the electric cooling fan (2-4 bolts depending on how dedicated the last guy to take it out was, and the power harnesses, then it slides right up) and you'll have plenty access.

 

If you pull the fan and schroud you can do the starter in the matter of an hour or so

 

???
I thought the starter was on the firewall side of the motor. Thats where I was tapping the wrench.
The pic I found in a manual I downloaded shows the starter on the back (i think)
here is a pic of the front of the motor I have and I dont see a starter motor there.

 

It is there if you look closely there is a black cover with a 90 degree covering the back side. It is down and to the right of the intake.

 

do you mean this part I put a blue square around?

If so, Im more confused as that is not what I tapped before the motor started. I tapped on the back side of the motor, below the exhaust manifold.

Also, I have noticed that the turbo doesnt make any boost when reving in park. Is that normal? I know that the exhaust pressure is not as high cause the motor has little load on it, but I thought it would still make alittle boost.

 

Yes that is the starter. Maybe you tapped the turbo before.
Also yes that is normal no load produces almost no boost while reving.

 

Maybe you tapped your bad switch. :P

I was gonna suggest that if it refuses to crank again, use the interlock override button beside the shifter to go through the gears, or put it in neutral, and see if it will crank. Key has to be in (position II i think?) as well to do that.

 

That I had tried a couple of times.
So the stater motor in the pic must have a bunch of covering? The pics I found of the starter on ebay looks a bit different (none of the black parts)

I bought one used off ebay. It may be the nuetral safety switch thats the issue, but the starter motor was only $50 so it wont hurt to have it if I find I need it.

The cheapest safety switch I could find was $91 on ebay.

Does anyone know where on the motor/trans the switch is located?