Hello, I am new here and have tried to search on this topic without any success. Occasionally after wet weather has set in overnight my 98 S70 has difficulty starting. Most of the time it will start but spits and sputters. If you try to drive it it stalls. I have had the coil changed and all the wires, boots, etc. look in good shape. Is this a common problem? Any advice is appreciated.

 

Have you had the fuel pressure checked?Have you ever had any codes in there?Has the check engine light ever flashed fast when the car is running bad?

 

No, I haven't had the pressure checked. When it happened last year I had the car towed to local shop. They reported the coil had cracked and charged me an arm and a leg for a repair. They claimed some gaskets were lost, etc., etc. but never mentioned anything about fuel pressure. They weren't a Volvo shop and given the bad experience I never approached them again. The check engine light did come on, but without a fast flash--just steady.

I am considering taking it into a Volvo shop as I am loosing confidence in its ability to start consistently. I was just wondering if there were any typical faults people were finding. I suspect an electrical problem, specifically with the spark. The plug wire boots at the distributor were pretty dirty with a oil type grime. I have cleaned that off and it seems better, but I can't be sure.

 

Your rear cam seal might be leaking into the cam seal and when it is cold the oil is thick.When you try to start it might take to long for the oil to come off the speed sensor.Cutting off the signal from the speed sensor.Have the codes been pulled from the check engine light?If so do you remember what they were.

 

We seem to be having the same problem. Are you in Nova Scotia by any chance?

 

Check out my recent post on the same problem. You were headed in the right direction when you cleaned the ends of the spark plug wires but didn't go far enough. Unscrew the distributer cap ( 3 screws - use a metric nut driver or rachet) and check it out. You have to remove the air filter and container but that's not complicated. And number the sp wires.