Volvogal has fuel issue please help:)
 

Hi there,

Well, my 1994 Volvo 850 Turbo has what I think is a fuel related issue.

A few months back, I went to start my car. It turned over but no start. I just kept trying it and after a few times it started right up. I never had another problem for about a month, then the same thing happened. Again, starting after a few tries. Then another month went by with no problems. Then a couple weeks ago it did it again. This time it just wasn't starting after just a few tries so I decided to just keep the ignition turned over and pumped the gas like crazy and finally it started.

Everthing seemes fine for about a week then, as I was driving up a steep hill I lost power and could barely make it up the hill. We're talking very steep hill and only able to go about 5 miles per hour. So I pulled over, turned off the car, restarted it and decided to just go back down the hill. Car ran fine the rest of the way home.

I then decided to read the codes and the only thing that came up was the front knock sensor(143) and long term fuel trim, idling(232) code. I don't think these are the cause as I have had the knock sensor code for a long time now. Though I don't recall the (long term fuel trim, idling) code 232 in the past.

So I cleared the codes and decided to try the steep hill again. I made it up just fine but half way up my check engine light came back on and I might have lost a tad bit of power. Once up the hill car ran fine no issues. Seems as though the low power only happens on big accelerations and not all the time.

So I'm thinking something is happening to make the car not get fuel, intermitantly.

What could cause an intermitant problem like this?

I think of the 3 obvious, fuel filter, fuel pump and fuel relay. Though the fuel pump obviously is functioning. So I would lean more to the filter?? or relay?? I don't really know much about the relay or if it could produce these symptoms

Or maybe I'm missing something and it could be something else entirely.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Volvogal

i have had the long cranking issue on my 94 volvo before. exactly as you described. happened maybe 3 times total sense i got the car in late 2007.

only thing that i have changed fuel wise is the fuel filter, just randomly, not trying to fix anything. although it hasnt happened sense i changed the filter (4-6 months). so maybe it changed it, maybe it didnt, im not sure.

the fuel trim is the car adjusting for fuel +/- 13% (i think, maybe 10). so something is sensing that the engine isnt getting enough fuel, and it starts to run a richer mixture of air fuel (correct me if im wrong).

i would start by reading the fuel pressure right off the fuel rail. if that is good i think that only leaves your injectors (just give them a good cleaning to start).

thanks!
 

thanks for the advice, I guess the cheapest way to start is the fuel filter, though I think it's odd that it works fine then all of a sudden has these issues then works fine again. I would think if the filter was the issue that it would be a constant problem. Sometimes months went by without a problem. I just don't know. Certainly can't hurt to give it a try.

How do I test the fuel pressure and exactly where is this. I can do mechanical things pretty well so that's not a problem, but I don't have tons of knowledge of where and what all parts are. If I can test it what kind of reading am I looking for?

and what is recomended for cleaning injectors?

Again thanks for your time,

Volvogal

ya i mean that was the same thing for me to. so maybe it will happen tomorrow to me now *knock on wood*.

you can buy or rent or barrow a fuel pressure gauge at your local auto parts store. basically looks like a glorified tire pressure gauge with a hose.

if you look on your fuel rail (silver bar that goes across the front of the motor) you will see the hose going in on the one side, and a nipple on the other (that looks like a tire valve) that is where you will be attaching the fuel pressure gauge.

fuel pressure should be 30-45 psi depending on load.


as far as cleaning the injectors goes you could do anything from in the tank injector cleaner (Lucas fuel additive or whatever.) all the way to removing the whole fuel rail and injectors.

let us know how the fuel pressure test goes.

thanks again for more details. I will get the tester and see what happens tomorrow.

Volvogal

If the plugs, wires, distributor cap and rotor have not been changed recently, I would do that too. I kind of doubt the fuel filter is causing the problem, but very well could be the relay or the fuel pump is going bad. Checking the fuel pressure is a good idea, but my bet is it will be fine when the car is running fine.

thanks for the thoughts. W have owned the car for 8 years and never changed the fuel filter. We did a tune up not too long ago.

Is there a test I can do while the car is working to see if it were the pump or relay??

Thanks,

Volvogal

You would have to check the power to the pump and see if fuel pressure is lost and there is still power there.

thanks, I'll put in a filter for sure this weekend and go from there. The car has been working just fine right now but I haven't tried the steep hill where it seemed to loose power on. I just think its weird that it seems to just loose power when there is a big accelleration then goes back to normal and then randomly wont start here and there. Someone told me to just buy a relay,keep it in the car and when it won't start or it acts sluggish to put in the new relay and see what happens. What do you guys think of that option??

Thanks all!

Volvogal

i guess you could. depends if you wana spend the money for it or not i guess.

Finally fixed my 94 850 turbo wagon!
 

I know it's been over 6 months but...I finally ordered the fuel pump relay! Installed it and so far good to go! Thanks to all who responded to this thread. Hope it lasts. I challenged the steep hill that always caused me to loose power and it went up with no problems twice!

Thanks!

volvogal

sad news. not fixed. started a new updated post, please check it out. it's titled 850 loss of power.

Thanks for your help!

hi - seems to me i just read something about this problem in my quest for volvo 850 info
here goes=== fault in coil - crap fuel -compression- cat is blocked- ecs error- fuel filter is blocked - dirty fuel injectors /pull them and get them professionally cleaned, dont put additives in your car- water in gas- vacuum leak- bad spark plug gap/bad plugs - check cap, rotor and wires for fraying and chaffing if found replace - check rotor button and cap for excessive wear - replace if needed--AIR FILTER- check for obstruction replace if dirtyif a can find anything else i will let you know
OHHH YES--do check your air intake hose / goes to throttle body if its leaking you will experience this problem of power loss - i did and i had a pen -not pin but pen- sized hole in mine - thats all it took i never noticed it till i took it off to clean and check all your vacuum hoses are attached and none popped off
- sorry thats all ive got for now

thanks for all the detailed advice! Greatly appreciated.