Check Engine Light

ksdst1 · Post by **ksdst1** » 01 Dec 2010, 20:26

Just had a day of hard rains, and while driving my 850 home from work yesterday, after it being parked in the rain all day, I heard rushing water coming in on the passenger side right near the door jam and under the dash. Maybe two cups worth. Great!
Next morning the rain turned to snow and the temps have been below freezing. Drove the car to work and parked it. On the ride back home it progressively started to sound rougher than usual. No water draining into the car (probably frozen if there was any setting inside somewhere), but as i started an ascent of a long and windy road the check engine light went on and i started to loose power. I drove a short distance home and when in the driveway idling the check engine light was still on and flashing, then solid, the flashing, etc., and I hear a bit or rough idle from the engine with a kind of cyclical "fffftttt" air compression sound coming from the engine. Not sure what to make of all of this and looking for opinions.
Tnx....

babypod · Post by **babypod** » 01 Dec 2010, 21:33

I know our check engine light comes one where there is something wrong with little things like O2 sensors - problems with air flow. If it was in water maybe somehow it froze up there to mess op the o2 flow? our light has never flashed either - just steady. Did you check your owners manual? Usually flashing means something different than solid.

Post by **jblackburn** » 02 Dec 2010, 05:21

The flashing check engine light means you've got a misfire, so don't worry about reading the codes for right now.

Actually, just check your spark plugs. You may have one loose. It's happened to one of our cars before

Post by **BEJinFbk** » 02 Dec 2010, 13:13

I disagree -
A flashing CEL is usually trying to tell you that some is VERY wrong.
I wouldn't leave it to an assumption, I would consider it a Red Alert!!!
Get The Codes Read ASAP!
If it's nothing serious, no biggie.
If it IS serious, well then, there ya go.

Cheap insurance...

ksdst1 · Post by **ksdst1** » 02 Dec 2010, 16:00

Thanks for the replies. I will check the plugs (since i changed them a couple of weeks ago so maybe didn't tighten one enough) and i'll get the codes read at autozone, or some place like that. Hopefully, they can do that for me so I can figure out my approach in solving the problem.

ksdst1 · Post by **ksdst1** » 04 Dec 2010, 11:05

Hi All....went to autozone and had the codes read. On the way i put some 93 gas in and then put some sea foam in the gas. The codes are P0301, P0302 (misfire cyl 1&2), P1310 (possibly probs: failed ignition coil,short circuit condition, poor connection). Consequently, the OBDII meter did not have output for volvo's specifically.

Any suggestions to troubleshoot?

Again, i just replaced the plugs 2 weeks ago, (bosche .028 gap-same as before) so i'll check for under tightening. I seafoamed gas/oil/vacuum intake the week before that and changed the oil. Installed new Volvo bougicord plug wires, volvo distributor and rotor 6yrs ago. I could switch the plug wires and the go have the codes run to see if it is plugs going bad at the same exact time. But im worried about driving it alot.

(BTW, we had torencial rains for 24hrs the day before all this happened?? water in the ignition system??)
tnx in adavnce...

Post by **Ozark Lee** » 04 Dec 2010, 13:02

If you have had a ton of rain like you described it could just be wet in the distributor. Mine have all misfired badly for a few miles after I wash the engine at the car wash (which will ignite a whole new thread).

In my case I just drive it a few spirited miles on the highway and things settle back down.

...Lee

ksdst1 · Post by **ksdst1** » 04 Dec 2010, 13:42

Well i pulled the #1 and 2 plugs and they look as they usually do. I took off the distributor cap and no cracks on it or the rotor. I lightly scraped off some build-up on the contacts and reattached. I was not able to switch plug cables (connecting cable 1 and 2 to say plugs 4 and 5 and vise versa to see if the two cables are bad and cause a problem on cyl/plug 4 &5). But I can buy a new set to take a chance.

The thing is, I can here at around cyl 2 or 1 a slight hissing/compression sound. Never has there been a back fire. So I don't know enough to know if I can limit this issuse to just an ignition system issue or to something else like a cylinder compression issue.

Would it be worth the cost to buy new plug wires, distributor/rotor/ignition coil just to rule out an ignition/plug system problem? Or should I take it in to have someone do compression tests and troubleshoot cylinder/gasket, whatever problems?
tnx..

Post by **Ozark Lee** » 04 Dec 2010, 15:49

It largely depends on how many miles you have on the old stuff (Cap, rotor, and wires). If they are due for a change anyway (7 or 8 years) I would go for it but on the coil I would want more evidence that it is bad. The coil isn't really a maintenance item like the rest of the ignition system is.

When the coil starts arcing to the chassis it is likely time for a new one.

...Lee

ksdst1 · Post by **ksdst1** » 04 Dec 2010, 16:05

Hey Lee...tnx for that. Not many miles on the wires, distrib, etc even though it has been 5 years. The car was in storage for some of that time and took public trasport to work the during other time.

So if it is not those things then what could be some other possible causes of misfire codes and hearing the hissing/compression type sound from cylinder 1 or 2?
kevin