Wife's car is a 99 Volvo S70 non turbo.


While driving car went into limp mode and would not accelerate over 30 mph. Then car stalled and would not restart. Had it towed home.

Car does turn over but doesn't start.

Have checked the coil packs and spark plugs, all getting fire.

Replaced the plugs just in case but no go.

Plugged OBDII reader to it and the codes it pulled are:

P0116 - replaced the thermostat and thermostat sensor.

P0420 - ordered new upstream 02 sensor, received wrong part and waiting on correct part. Did read that you should be able to bypass and car should start. Tried that and no go on starting.

Did read I should (and did) replace the thermostat and thermostat sensor. Cooling fan was running and temp gauge would fluctuate while driving before it finally died.

Any ideas on what we could be missing?

Almost forgot;

We have a small oil leak on top of the engine somehow (not sure where yet) and there was oil down inside where the spark plugs go. We cleaned them out real good and put new plugs in as well.

 

if you're getting spark, next thing I would check is fuel. Do you have fuel pressure? Is the fuel pump working?

 

If it was a carb I would know how to do that but FI not really.

Advise?

 

These cars are known for the fuel pump relays causing problems. Turn everything off and turn the key on (don't start the car). Do you hear the fuel pump run for a few seconds? If you do, test your fuel pressure to see if you have the 540+ psi you need to start/run the engine.


If your fuel pressure is good.....


Most sensors, plugs and filters will cause an engine to run poorly but it will run. Some exceptions are the cam and crankshaft sensors. The engine needs both of those to establish timing in order to start. Once started the engine will run without them but will throw codes for that. So, check to see that you are getting spark. Pull a plug and ground the body of the plug and have someone turn the engine over. You should see a good strong spark.

 

So I do see a spark on all coil packs but not sure I would use the word strong. I removed the coil pack then held it just barely above the plug and saw a small spark ark to the plug. Is that the correct way to do it?

Yes we hear the fuel pump.

Went on and replaced the fuel filter just in case but still no start. Should I go on and get and test with pressure gauge?

When it's trying to start the ETS light is on (only) but we didn't see a code for that when checked with code reader.

Any idea what's next? We want to keep it but don't want to spend $500 on the ETC module if not sure that's going to do it.

Thank you all for helping me get this going for my wife. She really likes her car. Me and the kids have tried many times to get her to part with it but she will not have it.

 

Is that number correct? We should see 540 or more psi?

 

around 50 psi. Sorry for the typo. Somewhere there is a thread that will tell you the exact number. If you are getting 50 psi it will run.


Spark/fuel/air starts a car.


To test a coil pack you pull the pack, insert the plug into the end of the pack and ground the spark plug at that curved wire end. If you are using some of the multi ground plugs just ground the body of the plug, just ground the body of the plug. You should get a good spark doing that and all 5 should look about the same.


Don't trust the fuel pump relay. There is a video to see how to jumper the fuel pump to run it manually. I think the relay has the schematic on it. Be sure of what you are doing so you don't blow the fuse.