Hi. I been searching on this site and others to find an answer(s) to my volvo problem. I have Volvo S80 1999 2.9L, it has trouble starting. It takes several tries to start, it cranks and cranks and after several cranks later it will start up. Once it starts, it runs fine. I have replace both cam and crank sensors. Every time i try to start, the techometer needle bounces crazy (way up). I bought a used computer, it would not start, did some research found out it requires programming, though you cannot program the used ECM. I hope this problem could be solved. Thank you so much for any help.

 

Hi, I am assuming your car has be run over 250 K KM.

Check battery wires. If it is OK...then you have to check your throttle, it may needs cleaning because while starting you accelerate a lot which get the throttle stick to higher RPM as it get started.

This link might help you.
Volvo Rough Idle Problems (ETM issues) - how to fix - YouTube

 

Hi, Thanks for feedback. Yes the car has more than 250,000KM. I have changed the throttle body. I checked the wires in the engine compartment (grounds and positive coming into the fuse/relay box inside the engine compartment). I don't know where else to check the wires from the battery. Once you're trying to start, the car would just crank and crank and the idle needle would bounce all over. So you have to crank several time (on-off-start). I check the pulses on the injectors, once in awhile it will pulse, and when it does pulse it will be strong pulse and than it will get weaker and diminishes. Could it be CEM i wonder?

 

Have you done its Computer check? If all clears .....try to change the battery of your Key chain transmitter before going for major change. Plus do the computer check.

 

The got solved. The wire from the starter to the battery was bad, just replaced it, and works good now.

 

The world seems heaven once the car got back to normal

 

I have a 2000 Volvo S80 2.9L and saw your thread describing my problem exactly. Which wire to the starter did you replace?

 

Engine Compartment: Check cable from starter to positive terminal near windshield wiper ( Starter terminals need to be cleaned as well)
Trunk: Check Battery cables for corrosion and a small cable which leads to small fuse box (Black color) Clean that too with electronic cleaner.

Good Luck

 

I just ran a new wire from the starter to the red battery wire near the wipers. My problem is gone. Thank you so much. -- Kent

 

My 2004 3.0 has started to not fire up when cold and after a minute or so turning it over it will start to fire. Once it is running and fully warmed up I can then kill the engine and re-start with no problems (i.e. normal start).

I have read through this thread but still am not sure what I should check. I have checked the wiring and everything appears in good order.

I should mention that my LPG mechanic was working on the LPG system and took the input manifold off - could he have disturbed anything? (The car will also run on LPG fine once warmed up).

I have used my OBD checker but this is not helpful and does not show any details. (I would love to get VIDA but that seems too difficult now we use Windows 10).

Any ideas welcome. Thanks --- Lewis

 

That was not my problem, which I fixed with the help of this forum. In your case I would say tune up, spark plugs, fuel injectors, You just have a run of the mill hard starting problem.

 

Thanks Kent - When I checked again this morning I could hear a repetitive clicking and noise under the intake manifold when I turned the key to II - i.e. engine not yet running which did not sound right.

Here is a link to a recording of the noise as I can't upload it here. https://photos.app.goo.gl/CYUnHywoyMT8XFdg9

Remember this only occurs when the engine is cold and it does crank over willingly - just not fire up! There are good sparks from all the coils.

I have tried to remove the intake manifold but I see a hidden black pipe is connected underneath (see where it attaches underneath in the image below) and wonder how to reconnect that if I remove it.




Is there something under there which controls the injection of fuel?

Thanks - Lewis

 

Seems, you have to check the clogged hoses with gunk and you need to check a small electronic unit (I forget its name) attached to Radiator FAN, it takes Air and passes to another hose ....(NOT MAF).

 

Thanks for the hint majorcode - the noise is coming from underneath the intake manifold so maybe it is part of the fuel injection system.

 

I am almost sure that, noise is from your ETM (Throttle body) which might on its way to be replaced.

Try this trick, with key ignition on (do not start the car), just gently press the gas pedal and release it and hear the noise (someone has to be outside to hear that) If it is there then its your throttle body issue, but if this trick works then you dont need to change it, just to it before every start, but with bad throttle body I wont recommend long trips.

 

Thanks - when I turn the key and press the gas pedal I do hear a noise - I can then start the car with one turn of the key and after 20 seconds it fires up. I hope to get a VIDA reading on the MAF and Air Fuel Sensor to see if that shows up the problem as well.

 

Still chasing down this problem - I got a code read using VIDA and that highlighted two coil packs were failing so I changed these but I still get the engine cold start problem.
I turn the key to stage II, let the lights go off on the instrument panel and then push down on the accelerator. Then try to start and it cranks over but if I am lucky it will try to fire up in 10 seconds as it jitters and I lift off the accelerator pedal. I have checked the suction on the oil cap when the engine is running and that is fine. It also starts immediately once the engine is hot - ie. after 15 minutes.
I think it is therefore unlikely to be the battery cable problem reported elsewhere unless that heats up and reconnects?

Any other ideas welcome! I am about to go back to my friendly Indy and get another VIDA read to see if that comes up with anything.

 

VIDA wont help here as it can not be detected if it works fine upon hot engine. Following things you can try
1: replace the positive cable from engine bay side, positive to starter
2: Clean the battery terminals and cable connectors
3. There is a small fuse box beside battery (black box) open it and clean it with electronic cleaner or throttle body cleaner ( Do it if above 2 options did not work)

Hope it will work as it worked for many and for me as well. Good Luck

 

Thanks for the help - my mechanic checked all these items and it still does not start on the first turn of the key but will after 10 seconds of turning over.
Now I am focused on the possible CEM corrosion which I read about. On RHD cars where is the CEM located - is this under the passenger foot well or on the driver's side?
I also read that the Alarm can cause some issues so I am considering pulling the fuse to kill that if I can find the fuse!

Thanks everyone

 

Had the CEM rebuilt and now I can start after some seconds of cranking. I have read the Live Data and the readings shown below are once the engine has warmed up but what I noticed was the Sort Term Fuel Trim readings (SHRTFT1 and SHRTFT2) were -55% when cranking initially. I have checked for air leaks with brake cleaner and gas with no sudden change in the engine tick over. I have cleaned the MAF but still wonder if the MAF is the problem. Any ideas how to check the MAF? All spark plugs show normal combustion so I don't think the injectors are the problem. I have changed 3 of the ignition coil packs which did help it run more smoothly.

UPDATE : I have used a better OBD reader and checked misfire on all 6 cylinders (all passed!) and the O2 Sensors (all passed),

Cheers Folks.


These are readings when the engine is HOT