How do you test the resistance ? Clueless with electrical stuff. its supposed to be between 200-500 oms. I never use a multimeter before. Ok I found the sheet on how to test it. Now to figur out how to use the meter. I also live in a emissions testing state.

 

When you unplug it, you will see two terminals on the sensor harness. Set your multi meter to ohms, and place each of the probes on each of the terminals in the plug. Make note of the reading. Let me clarify, (since you've never used a multimeter before.) One multimeter probe goes on one terminal, the other probe goes on the other one. Turn the meter on first and set it to ohms, then place the probes on the terminals.

 

checked crankshaft sensor and is within limits 341 before stall 341 hot after stall several times. i may have found the issue. the lady i bought it from had a minor left front fender bender. i started pushing in on the fender that was dented thinking maybe something was shorting behind it, also the battery was out of place and it stalled out, started up fine ... pushed in on fender stalled out again, every time, many times, not in the exact spot but within 12 inches, i was actually having fun. i need to look into this a little deeper. may be a coincidence but i hope not.
i have found the main positive cable from the battery has a huge taped up gash and when i wiggle it or move it a bit the car stalls, so i guess i should replace that. does not account for it stalling while just sitting at an idle. there was nothing behind the fender so i started rocking the car and simple rocking caused it to stall, began wiggling wires and landed on the battery cable. i dont know what to think at this point. i was going to replace the fender and bumper stuff if i got it to run right or use it for parts on the other 850.

 

Sounds promising, and a little more than a coincidence to me. Where exactly are you pushing? Not much on the D/S I can think of. But sounds like a loose/slighty broken connection somewhere.

 

On the positive battery cable there is a spot wrapped in electrical tape I removed the tape and saw it had been cut exposing the copper. I just squeeze it and the car stalls. I'm going to replace that tomorrow. I hope it is the underlying issue and problem solved.

 

That could definitely be an issue. Low voltage to the ECU, for whatever reason, will cause it to interrupt normal engine management, and possibly throw misleading trouble codes.

 

+1 with Turkeysandwich. Sounds like you might have found a gem for cheap. False code= someone giving up, after multiple repairs. And selling a car off for cheap. On the brighter note, you have confirmed, that a lot of the car is good and well. Hope that you finally isolated the problem. Did they not notice this when you got the Battery and alternator checked? Either way, good catch. I have a feeling your problem is resolved.

 

I replaced the battery cable and it's not stalling when I move it around. That's one problem fixedbut still dying. I reared the crankshaft sensor with a meter and I jumped up to 350 ohms before the battery cable fix it was at 341. Still threw po335 code, cranks bot no start like when I unplugged the camshaft sensor. Trying to figur out how to read that with a meter.

 

Is is still only stalling once the engine reaches operating temp? Is it hard to crank back up when it stalls, like it is flooded?

 

Not like it's flooded it just cranks like if either the crankshaft or camshaft sensors were unplugged but they're not I checked. Should my meter be set at 10mohms or 2000 like I have it. If I set it at the 10m range I get no reading it's 0 but at say just 2000 I get that 339 reading. But yeah it just cranks now does not start.

 

Read this over. It should be helpful. (Any questions, let me know) Also did you replace the entire battery cable or just the terminal? Check things on that side. If the impact from the accident, was enough to damage you battery cable, other wiring might be damaged as well.

http://www.volvoclub.org.uk/tech/ser...sicTesting.pdf

 

It's deffinately an electrical issue. I swapped the crank and cam sensor from the car with an issue to the car without an issue and the car without an issue ran fine so I can count out that either one of those sensors are bad. I moved a few wires around and have not experienced any stalling issues however I do think this may be temporary and need to rewire permanently. I usually have issues when going over bumpy roads. At least I know what the problem is and need to track it down. Runs great for now. Time will tell.

 

Yeah after 17 years. Insulation easily becomes brittle. Doesn't sound like the fender bender, did you any favors either. My best advice is too study up/ practice using the multi meter. It it definitely a must. Electrical issues are almost always meticulous, time consuming, PITAs'. But with some patience, will save you a ton, as well as give you the felling of great accomplishment. The upshot is, if your up to the challenge, cars can be had for cheap. (as you know) Anyway, glad you finally have it pinpointed and good luck with bringing the rest along. When you decide to tackle the suspension, shoot me a line. I have a few brand new suspension parts that i was going to put on another 850 a while back, that never saw the light of day. I'm getting ready to take stock of what I have , and put them up for sale cheap.

 

I found that whenever the car cools off I get a light out on the dash so I looked around and four a rear tail light not lit so I hit it and the light came on and the dash warning light went out. Some is not connected right in the tail light could my problem be this simple as a bad tail light connection not to mention the battery cable. Car runs puff when all the lights are on.

 

Thanks for all your help will drop u a line when I do the suspension either u get the cash or fcp. Planning on doing it mid April. Thanks again it great to have people to bounce ideas off.

 

That just sounds like a bad connection right there at the bulb or light connector, if you hit it there and it came on. If you have any bulb out (or the connection is open anywhere) the bulb warning indicator light comes on.

Check that your ECU is seated correctly and the pins are not corroded. If it were mine, I would switch ECUs and see what it does. I had a bad coolant temp sensor, but the car wouldn't run long enough to diagnose it, maybe because of a bad learned fuel trim that refused to erase. Switched ECUs and it was able to stay running so I could view the bad coolant temp signal on my code reader's live data function.

 

I did notice the Ecu has dates handwritten on it sometime in 98 so something was done. I don't have a spare ecu. I was reading the was a way to reset it.

 

The only way I've ever known is to leave the battery disconnected for a couple hours (I usually do overnight).

I thought you had two NA cars?

 

I do but the 95 ecu won't fit into the 97 maybe I tried the wrong one.

 

I gotcha. No, you're probably right. I believe Volvo used two different engine management systems, your 95 probably has the separate ignition and spark ECUs, while the 97 combines them.

If you get a minute, could you post a picture of your 95's ECU box with the lid removed? It would be nice to have as a reference for people who ask ECU questions, and both my cars have the single ECU unit.