Hi guys, new to the forum, new owner of a '04 XC90, long time Volvo fan since childhood when my father wrenched and owned several models.

Anyways, bought an '04 XC90 with a bad headgasket. Sent head to shop for full rebuild, resurface etc. All new gaskets and dealt with the thermostat housing issue.

Put her all back together using the Volvo specific tool for the camshafts/ cam gears, borrowed it from a friend at a shop. Got all the timing marks lined up, turned it over and no start.

We put starter fluid down the intake while cranking her over and it started. Stayed on as long as the starter fluid was flowing, shut off the moment I stopped spraying.

Lead me to believe bad fuel pump. But I also got to thinking maybe, just maybe we missed something. Maybe timing is off? Any ideas?

Thanks in advance.

 

if it runs on starter fluid is likely a fuel issue. measure fuel pressure at rail. could be clogged filter, weak pump.

 

That's the one thing we have not been able to do, is measure fuel pressure. There is some pressure as we pulled injectors and they do spray while cranking. So it's kind of odd that it won't start at all.

I was just having a hard time believing my luck sucks this bad, fuel pump was working just fine when it blew head gasket and now it's not.

I checked for dtc's. Two codes for transmission solenoid stuck and 5th gear out range. But that's a head ache for another day.

Gonna give fuel pressure a look today, gotta run out and get me a gauge for it. What is the stock fuel pressure on these things?

 

how old is the gas?

 

Crap me, timing was off. Fuel pressure is good. Problem is my friend and I got timing wrong.

Stupid question, but can someone point me to an online resource for the correct timing marks on this model? Maybe one on this forum? I was looking at different timing diagram.

thank you...

 

Depending on how far timing was off you likely now have a destroyed head. Do a compression test to check for bent valves if the car doesn't start or run right.

 

I thought you used the cam locking tools. If you did, the crank pin makes it so you can't mess up the crank position. Then I have no idea what diagram you used for the cam gears, but if you used the wrong one it should have been obvious since your marks are at 12 o'clock and the diagram for the other alignment is clearly different because the upper timing cover is different.

 

 

It lives! So it turns out the crank alignment was off a bit. Cam timing was fine, markings on the timing cover are at 12 o'clock.

Runs smooth. First time doing a Volvo, got a little insecure there for a minute. Put her back together, will double check all before a test drive.

 

So you only used half the cam alignment tool?

 

Yeah. Basically. Timing is still off. Turns on, but got DTC for camshaft position. My friend and former employee is the one that's been doing most of the work and me helping. But I don't think I've been much help at this point.

 

Update: I threw in the towel, took it to a friends shop. He got it done in one afternoon. Along other minor problems my former employee botched up during timing cover removal. Dumb **** yanked the harness for the ECU fan motor.

Starts up just fine now.