Electrical / Recent Engine replacement Advice
 

Hey all!
Some back story (I apologize for being long-winded)... About a year ago, I bought a 2005 S40 T5 M66 FWD (for kbb value at 166k miles, bad decision) that drove great. Didn't see any leaks, shifted great, brakes and clutch felt good, power everything worked, no body problems, etc. Thought it was a good buy. About 300 miles before my first oil change, the engine overheated out of nowhere. Very little oil and little coolant. I filled it up with oil and water after it cooled and it ran again (bad decision, I know) for all of one trip (about 20 miles) the next day and overheated again. Had it towed home. During my last job, I saved, bought parts, and the car sat until about a month ago. I thought originally I could just do a head and gasket job but after investing a butt ton of time into the cylinder head and then moving to the block, I saw the block had already been machined so I ripped the engine out and put a 5 year warranty, used engine (75k) that tested just fine. During removing the "old" engine, I saw the gasket for the oil return on the turbo was sticking out just above the oil pan but I am not completely sure if that was the culprit. I didn't see any oil but if pressure was present, I would assume it would just spray out. The engine was filthy on the front side and the tubing from the oil filter / water separator assembly to the top of the valve cover was dried out and cracked all over. That tube had to of been like that for a long time. In the midst of this engine replacement: new oil filter / water assy. and it's tubing (reading that they go bad), new shocks and struts (terribly bad) w/new mounts, new front springs, new rear rotors (BAD!), new brakes all round (not good), new thermostat, new temp sensor, new turbo tubing, new radiator hoses, new spark plugs, water pump, timing belt & tensioner, clutch (BAD!), pressure plate, slave cylinder, and more... My intent was to not have to worry about a dang thing for a very long time once the car is running. I was able to jump the old battery and turn the car over but once I removed the jump, lights were flashing all over the place and messages related to bad battery came up. I took the battery to the auto store and had them charge it over night. Testing it the following day and had no cranking amps... I took the old battery back home and ran the car for about 20 minutes a few days ago to burp the cooling system. Looked for DTCs and only had one, P0236. Pulled the turbo control valve and cleaned it up thinking it was clogged but I could easily blow air through it. Took of the pressure sensor off the intercooler and with the sensor connection being straight up, I guess when it was disconnected from the harness and we had a good rain, it got water in it. Took it off which was a pain but cleaned and put it back. Cleared the P0126 code and picked up a new battery yesterday on payday. After putting the battery in, I went to turn the engine over and it just clicks. Would the alternator or starter just magically die in the midst of all this? Other than taking those off and testing them, is there anything else I can do before hand like a relay or fuse? I looked at the fuse layout in the owners manual and I believe I only saw the starter motor relay in the engine bay fuse box that looked fine and the Battery charge CM in the cabin fuse box which also looked fine. I took the new battery back just in case and it test fine. Any advice or suggestions is much appreciated.

Like click, click, click....? That's a low voltage to the starter solenoid condition every time I've run across it. If the battery is new then check the cables, both positive and negative. Something is not letting full voltage get to the starter solenoid.

Also, in my experience, when a starter solenoid goes bad you don't get the click, click, click. It's just silence.

I apologize for the delayed reply. This new job is taking up more time than I would like and also, I was in a accident today. Not very many people know how to drive with some or even any sense around here.

@Hudini It is just a single click. Turn the key to start and just one click. If I try to turn it over it will not click again unless I turn the key all the way to off and then try to start again. It'll have to be a project for later. I really was hoping it would be something simple. I'm just ready for my car to be all good. I need a daily again. If the starter solenoid is bad, does that mean replace the whole starter? After I pulled the new battery back out to test it at the part store, I came home and cleaned all the connections: +/- for the battery, ground to engine (near the bell-housing), connections to the starter, connections to the alternator. I never removed gnds to the frame so I felt I would not have screwed those up... should I re-clean the wiring harness grounds that get bolted on the valve cover? I am just confused on I didn't change anything but swap batteries. It worked with the old battery. The old batter just test bad and once the charge dropped on it, the car freaked out with all those lights. Blah... I'm going to bed. Thanks Hudini.

It does sound like the the starter itself. You could remove the starter and have it tested. Now I have seen starters work fine off the car but not have enough power to turn over the engine.

Now just out of curiosity, have you tried turning over the engine by hand? I ask because I once had a good friend have a similar problem as you. Starter clicked but engine wouldn't turn over. He proceeded to replace the starter only to have it do the same thing. After much gnashing of teeth it turned out his engine was seized.

Oh man, I don't know why I didnt think of the engine seizing. I hope thats not the issue. On Friday, I'll pull the starter , turn the engine over, amd probably get them to make sure the battery is charged if the engine turns over.

@Hudini Thanks for all the help. I had a bit of time today and I pulled the starter and new battery. Before heading to the auto store, I was able to turn the engine over making sure that was not the issue. I'm so glad that was not the issue but it would be my luck. I had Advanced test the starter and when they hit it was the hot wire, it barely did anything. I ordered a starter online and I will update when I get it installed hopefully this Saturday. Thanks again Hudini.

Oh, I forgot to verify the P0236 code. Is that related to the turbo control valve and the intercooler pressure sensor? Doing research, that code is normally accompanied with another code. I would assume the code was due to the water in the pressure in the sensor where it connects to the harness. Does that sound about right?

sometimes the 0236 has been known to travel with the 0235. Start by checking vacuum lines and hoses.

here's a good thread to read:

https://forums.swedespeed.com/showth...des-MAP-sensor

I think the vacuum lines are good. I'll check them once my electrical problem is resolved. I have a quick but probably puzzling question. I tried to look at pictures I took awhile back to check and I swear it appears as though both the positive and ground are attached to the same post on the starter. Is this correct? If it is, then I connected the old starter on reinstallation wrong. Can someone verify this? 2 threaded connections exist on the starter. 1 closer to the block and the one farthest from the block appears to have both grd and red wires in my pictures. This was before I removed the starter. I will try to look up a volvo diagram to verify but I am hoping someone has the answer. Thanks for all of the help.

Wow... just walked here and pulled the casing off the one cable I assumed was GND. It is hot as well so I answered my own question... dang...

So it started right up once I installed everything to include the new starter. I am questioning though if the old start is bad or not. I may take it back to advanced to test again. The small wire from the harness that connects to the tab on the starter, is that hot also? I am assuming the ground is the starter physically connected to the bellhousing. Blah. Thanks guys!

So, it has been quite some time since the last time I had to troubleshoot an engine under operation or shortly there after. I ran the car for about 30 minutes today. Maybe 10 minutes to purge the coolant again with the heat on blast. I then drove the car up to the gas station to fill up the tank and came back home. Just attempting to keep an eye on things, I opened the hood. I didn't see any leaks but I do feel it just seems hot. Theres also almost a hissing noise from behind / near the alternator with the engine off. When I squeezed the coolant hose thats near the oil filter assy, the hissing stopped for a moment. Any tips? Thermostat, temperature sensor, air filter, coolant, water pump, timing belt... those are all new. Should it be hot after running it? I don't quite remember how hot a normal running car is when you open the hood.

After 30 minutes it will be hot enough to burn you. The coolant always circulates too. No need to turn the heater on as the heater core gets continuous flow. You are only changing the air flow.

I have replaced the upper coolant hose on my T5 once before and I cannot remember if it has a bleed screw like the old 2000-2004 1.9L models. I've had no issues with it either if that helps. Just top off the recovery tank after it cools and contracts. That hose is a bundle of snakes.