96' 850 problem torque converter/lock-up clutch

[hausmeister]

144hp is the Fenix with 10valves right? I would not rule out ignition. I hate these ECUs... hard to troubleshoot from my limited experience. And it won't set a code/light for such ignition misses.
I had some ignition related issues (think some cables were chewed). I replaced the distributor during troubleshooting, only to find later that the new Bosch distributor cap I put in was faulty and also causing issues in wet weather (arcing paths were visible). Had the 2.0 and it was very igintion sensitive.

If you are sure it is the transmission, I'm not sure what would cause the symptoms.

[144ps]

Hello everyone,
thanks again for all the tips. After experiencing increasing start-up problems in wet weather/humidity and ruling out the fuel supply as the source of the problem, I replaced the entire ignition system (spark plugs, ignition cables, distributor cap, distributor finger).
The car now starts up great again in wet conditions, and at the same time, I've noticed that the “transmission” problems no longer occur. So it was the ignition after all! Thanks again to everyone who helped with troubleshooting!

[scot850]

It is not unusual to find how much better a car runs after some basic servicing. I laughed when my mechanic buddy commented how much his 850 AWD was running after swapping the plugs and rotor/distributor cap. Oh, he was a Volvo tech for about 15 years...........

Neil.

[hausmeister]

Regarding the transmission, if the fluid change doesn't help and it shifts weird/hard, you can also try to replace the TCU with a another used one. Mine had failed and it was still working, but acting strange for a long time, before it finally caused a code.