Yesterday, I went to go help my father install a cabinet at his house. When I got there the car stalled when I pulled in. After we finished the cabinet install, the v70 had a hard time starting and idled rough. I started to pull away and after 30 yards it stalled again. Three repeats of this and I parked the car. I borrowed my dads car and went to go get my code reader. A few hours later, I pulled a lone code P0243 from the ECU. I replaced a seized turbo about three months ago. It idled fine without the turbo spinning before, so I did not think that the waste gate solenoid could be causing the problem. I cleared the code and disconnected the battery for a few minutes. The car started right up three times in a row. So I tried to drive it home. I made it about a mile and it would not start. It just cranked. Same P0243 code.

I went back today with my fuel pressure gauge. The car started right up and I measured a consistent 37 psi even while reving. However, the exhaust smelled really bad of sulfur. And it idled slightly rougher than normal but not as bad as before.

I am a little stumped at this point. Could the wastegate solenoid be causing the problem? If the MAF sensor or O2 sensor were bad it should still start right? Could it be bad gas? I had driven about twenty miles since my last fill up. I had two gallons left in the tank before I filled up though. What should I check next?

Thanks for your help.

 

Is that the only code that was set?

Your symptoms sound more like a MAF sensor and when I googled "OBD II code + P0243" found this thread which again sounded like your symptoms and it turned out to be MAF. Kind of WAG but...

 

Thanks for the reply.

Yes, the P0243 was the only code that was set. I read the thread that you linked to and it does sound like the same symptoms. They mentioned reading the MAF correction factor. Any idea how to do this? Is there another way to test the MAF without just replacing it?

Thanks.

 

I was able to locate my Chilton manuel (just moved). I tested the MAF sensor with a multimeter following the instructions. It tested good with 0.12 volts on the signal return wire.

 

Like I said, it was a WAG...

Some thoughts:

1. What's the mileage and state of tune? This could be caused by any number of things; worn out spark plugs, plugs wire(s) starting to fail, bad rotor/dist cap, etc.
2. The sulfer smell could be: high sulfer gas, excessively rich mixture, bad cat, and/or tune issues (see #1 above). Like you said too, could be bad gas... Try adding a gallon or two or more known good fuel.
3. Hopefully your manual includes a series of tests for the MAF (my manual does for the 850; my ride). Unfortunately I don't have the in-depth testing procedure for your car. Suggest Google this site and other forums for "MAF testing".
4. After you disconnect the battery the ECU will forget all its fuel trim settings and have to re-learn them; this can take some time and the car could run a little rough during the process. Is the vehicle driveable at this point? If so, have you put some miles on it?
5. Other than that, you might have to resort to taking it in to a good indy tech who knows volvos. Sorry, that's all i got...

 

so what was the verdict? bad MAF sensor? I just got the same problem today a lone P0243 and the car would barely idle and then stall. My gut was bad MAF sensor but I pulled the P0243 code and that made me second guess my original thought.

The other thread that GDOG linked had the same symptoms but both P0171 and P0243.

I'll try a junkyard MAF sensor and then go from there.

 

I found this: "All you 98 T5 owners pay attention to this one! If your car posts the p0243 code and refuses to idle and bucks and kicks when you try to drive it ( not to mention the BAD rotten egg converter smell ) save yourself alot of headaches, buy a new M.A.F. I know it doesn't make sense, but this is the 3rd case of this erroneous p0243 fault code that I've found in my research ( after checking every vacuum hose, wastegate control solenoid and everything else I could think of) Every case was on a 98, all had the same symptoms ( some would finally flag a p0103 fault if you kept flogging the engine to try to keep it lit ) and all were magically and totally fixed by a M.A.F. replacement. If you can pull the MAF connecter off and clean up the idle (it will still stink like the dickens) then you have run across the same problem. Thanks for trying fella's If you know someone with this set of problems pass this info on. "

 

MAF can do some very strange things, looks like that is the only thing you didnt clean or maybe replace with a known working one either used or "borrowed", before you buy a new one to see if that solves your problem, my slightly rough idle with a warm engine at idle went away when I put in a used MAF.

 

Yep,

I have 1998 V70 100K miles with the same codes as well.

New MAF car runs perfect.

And no don't even think about the Chinese MAF on ebay (although ebay has good sellers too).

And YES, the cheapest I found was $145 for a Brand new Bosch MAF on ebay buy "germanautosupply". All is well for me now.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Volvo...Q5fAccessories

 

an update.

sometimes if you get this code, after ruling out a bad MAF sensor, I found a leak somewhere after the turbo. in my case, the intercooler was cracked.

 

I suspect I have a bad MAF too but I have diferent codes, at first I had P0103, my car would start and cut out itself. I replaced engine for some reason, my head gasket was bad and courant was mixing with oil in engine, after my mechanic put in engine, these are codes that so far I had, but there are changing time to time at each scan:
P0103 befrore engeine change,
P0505 Idle control System Malfucntion
P1505 Mfr Ctrl Veh spd Idle ctrl Aux Inp
P1507 Mfr Ctrl Veh spd Idle ctrl Aux Inp
Those 3 codes were 1st scan after engine was replaced
Second scan
P0103 Mass air flow sens checking
3 rd scan
P0120 TPS sens A circuit malfunction
P0500 VSS sensor malf
P0123 TPS sens A circuit high input
could all these other codes caused by that one P0103 Maf air flow sensor checking, since this is the only code that came twice before and after replacing engine?