Engine cutting out / dying daily - 850 auto 2.5ltr

poroman · Post by **poroman** » 23 Oct 2011, 00:20

[*I have a 95 model 2.5lte Auto 850 Sedan. The car goes great but has a problem where the engine dies/cuts out while I 'am driving. So Dangerous... I have checked/cleared/ rechecked all the codes and all are no prob. I have read it might be the fuel pump relay and you bridge the contacts? I have had the relay out and bridged the contacts but does nothing. Can someone please explain to me the exact way to do it and if they have any suggestions as to what else that could be causing this and how exactly I can test . It happens roughly once a day - day or night or temp variance does not seem to influence the prob. Thx Michael]

Northern Chev · Post by **Northern Chev** » 23 Oct 2011, 01:35

I know it may seem like it's completely random when it dies but think back about each time it did. And in the future keep track of exactly what's going on at the time it happened. It will help us help you if we know this stuff. Here's a just a few more things to watch next time.

- Does it give you any warning before it dies?

- Does it spit and sputter first or hesitate before the instant it dies?

- Or does it just instantaneously die without even the slightest warning?

- Is there a speed, RPM, or specific gear it's in when it dies?

- Do your headlights go off when it dies?

- Did it do it after hitting a bump?

- Is it when accelerating or decelerating or at a constant cruising speed?

- Does it start right back up with no long cranking time?

- Or does it give you a hard time when restarting immediately after it died?

- Does it ever NOT start after it dies?

- Were you going up an incline? Were you going down and incline?

- Were you playing Country music in the car when it died?

...every little bit of information helps!

poroman · Post by **poroman** » 23 Oct 2011, 02:08

Thx for your reply. Driving normal, doing low speed - under 60 km (am in Australia) - I brake turn the corner and a little acceleration then it dies. Or just normal driving - suburban speed limits. It has happened at night and at day. It happened only about two hours ago 2.30pm. It will not start right after it cuts out but if i leave it a while like sometimes a minute or other times a few minutes it will start up like normal. Always starts after it cuts out. Only once did my wife have trouble getting it started but it did. The car has 202000 km on the clock - automatic sedan. michael

Post by **charlyW** » 23 Oct 2011, 04:24

Check the idle control valve also the PCV on a 2.5 auto could be blocked I had a UK spec one last year that would do a similar thing turned out the PCV vacuum pipes were in such a bad state they literally fell apart.

Check to see if the pipe connecting to the brake booster is in good shape along with the one way valve as they fail around 200,000

Charlotte

Post by **jreed** » 23 Oct 2011, 06:14

For the Fuel Pump Relay diagnosis, I'd recommend this "Using a paper clip to jump between the socket positions associated with pins 15 and 87 on the relay is the procedure to by pass the relay itself. If the car runs OK the relay was bad, if you still have no fuel pressure then the fuel pump itself is likely bad." which is from https://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/forums ... =1&t=24929

One additional thing to check is that the electrical cables from the battery to starter to alternator are clean, tight and right. This post describes more: https://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/forums ... 15&start=0

Good luck!

valvster · Post by **valvster** » 23 Oct 2011, 07:10

Checkout the pcv flame trap housing, there is an O-ring that may be missing allowing un metered air into the inlet manifold. while your in that area , clean the throttle body and idle control valve. Mines done about 220,000Km and i clean it every 6-9 mths or it will stall at traffic lights.

Go the Crows.....Valvster

Post by **erikv11** » 23 Oct 2011, 09:44

Idle control valve and PCV are good things to check for general maintenance but unlikely related to this problem. Dirty IAC and PCV are more related to the car running rough or stumbling, not just cutting out.

Fuel supply is a good bet, I agree start with the relay. Next up is the fuel pump, although that is hard to test, it usually works or doesn't then stops working altogether.

Then consider cam or crank position sensor, although those usually just die.

Are there any codes set again, after you cleared them all?

poroman · Post by **poroman** » 23 Oct 2011, 16:47

Thanks for all your help. I will try and do those things you all have discussed and keep you updated as I go along and do each one as I'am sure this problem and your helpful answers will go along way to help others. michael

poroman · Post by **poroman** » 10 Dec 2011, 14:41

Hi, the problem was as per what you great people first suggested - the fuel pump relay. Fixed it no problem. we do how ever smell fuel???

claymore850 · Post by **claymore850** » 10 Dec 2011, 20:49

Take a look on this post...
https://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/forums ... =1&t=33222

Im sure your problems is the EVAP valve...