1993 850 GL won't start after short trips - Please Help

[backyetts]

I have a 1993 850 GL manual, that has problems starting.
If you move it a short distance when cold, turn off the engine and leave it, next you come to start it take 1 min plus on the starter and lots of pushing the gas pedal to get it going. Seems like it's starved of fuel.
Interestingly if you take it a short run, say 1 mile or so, then leave it to go cold, next time it starts fine.
I won't to get it fixed as I'm affraid I'll burn out the starter.

I've had it hooked up to an engine diagnostics computer, but it showed no faults.

Someone suggested a faulty engine temp sensor of lambda sensor.

Has anyone got any ideas????

At the moment when I want to move it from the drive into the garage I have to drive round town for 5 mins !!!

thanks in advance for any help[/b]

[vanman250]

I have the same car and the same problem and have had the problem for 150,000 miles and I had it in several times for this but they can't find out what causes it. I even had it towed to the shop when it wouldn't start and they still couldn't find the problem. So I've learned to live with it.

vanman250

[VAVolvo]

Hi there. I'm watching this thread with interest also, as I have a 1994 GLT that recently started doing the same thing. I've found that as long as you get it to shift from first to second (even if it's just out of the driveway and turn around in the cul-de-sac), it can be shut off and restarted. But you're right about moving from the driveway to the garage, if the car doesn't shift gears, it's not restarting unless you're willing to burn out the starter. I've also noticed that it acts a little more sensitive when it's really humid or recently rained (which we get a fair amount of both in VA), like the moisture is related somehow. But that may just be a coincidence. I'd be interesting in hearing from anyone else with the same problem although basically I too have learned to live with it. Oh, and I'm just at 100,000 mostly highway miles.

[backyetts]

Thanks for you're suggestions.

I might hae made a bit of progress since I posted the thread.

I spoke to a mechanic friend and he thought that the Engine Coolant Temp sensor might be faulty. Basically it orginally tells the computer that the car is cold, then after starting the first time changes to the hot reading. If you don't run the car for long enough (or possibly get it into second gear) when you switch the engine off it doesn't reset, so gets stuck in the hot setting. Next time you come to start the engine it tells it it's hot and so doesn't put as much fuel in.
Any the theory seems really sensible, so I have the car in the shop this week, had them hook it up to the diagnostics (which didn't show anything) (I think you'd actually have to have it linked to the diagnostic whilst you've got the problem) But I had them change the sensor anyway.

So far (two days on) and I've tested it 3 or 4 times it's starting fine.

Hopefully that's it fixed - if not I'll be back to driving round the village in second gear - or just learning to live with it.

hope that might help you guys

Cheers