Has anybody experienced this? Once in awhile when I turn the key, the car half-starts. Turning over sounds normal for about a second or two, then ending in a "PSSSHHH" sound where the engine doesn't "catch." I try it again, and sometimes once again and finally it goes ahead and starts. It usually ends up fine but I don't want to get stranded one day.

I purchased a brand new battery about a month ago, so no power problems. Any suggestions?

 

I heard that in my 2001 when I had an intake pipe removed.

I'd open the hood and watch the engine as someone else tried to start the car. Maybe see if I could pinpoint where it's coming from.

 

Take the starter to a shop and have the bendix and solenoid checked. The solenoid turns into an electro magnet when energized and pulls the bendix in to engage the flywheel. If the contacts are burned it won't hold the bendix in.

 

Look closely at the condition of the positive cable - especially where it make a 90 to connect to the battery terminal.

They get overheated a lot and destroy the fine copper strands. That cable also feeds to and from the alternator so when it looses load carrying capacity people end up changing alternators, starters solenoids, etc needlessly and with no results.

Read this:

http://www.justanswer.com/volvo/747o...-volvos40.html



I just replace one with a Autozone universal cable ($10) - the OEM part is like $250.

I cropped out the portion from the battery to the starter and fed a new cable through. It was a pain in the ssa don't get me wrong. But the dealerships wanted $700 in labor plus the part.