V70 XC has a hard cold start!

Post by **MattErickson** » 18 Nov 2011, 15:39

So the first start of the day is incredibly difficult. It turns over and sometimes even starts but then immediately dies. After about five minutes or so of trying to get it to run it will start enough to where I can rev the engine up to 3000 rpm. I keep it there for about 30 seconds and then the car runs fine. Also after the first start all the other starts of the day are just fine and it starts right up. The mechanic is saying it's probably the fuel pump...possibly a connection or possibly the pump itself. As of now he doesn't know. Has this happened to anybody? Also has anybody here replaced themselves the fuel pump on this year/model of volvo? Is it a pain??
Thanks
Matt

Post by **Ozark Lee** » 19 Nov 2011, 07:14

Welcome to MVS Matt,

My experience with fuel pumps is that they either work or they don't. I have managed to limp home with one that quit by beating the bottom of the gas tank with a stick once but that pump never started the car again.

On most 850s and 70 series cars the pump is relatively painless to replace but not so the 4WD / XC models. For them you need to either cut a hole in the floorboard under the rear seat or completely remove the fuel tank and neither option is pleasant. We have a writeup in the repair database that shows the location of where to chop up the floorboard if you need to go that route.

My first step would be to verify fuel pressure when the car won't start - there is a schrader valve on the end of the fuel rail and you can even use a cheap tire gauge to get a reading. It may not be the most accurate method and it will pretty much destroy the tire gauge but it is accurate enough to figure out if you are in the 40 PSI range or the 10 PSI range.

Many times it just comes down to the fuel pump relay and they tend to fail at their highest rates as the weather changes in the spring and the fall. A new fuel pump relay is somewhere around $70.00 but if you can solder I have just rebuilt mine with a couple of dollars worth of Radio Shack electrolytic capacitors. I have a writeup in the repair database on how to do that as well.

Without any fuel pressure readings about all we can do is just guess.

...Lee

Post by **Pauloil** » 19 Nov 2011, 09:29

what is batt voltage in early am? have you done a voltage drop test on the B+ cable or looked at it to see if it is corroded at the fuse box? what is the condition of the starter cable? air filter? what plugs are in it and how are they gapped?

dustinclish · Post by **dustinclish** » 19 Nov 2011, 10:37

My 850 was doing this. I replaced the fuel pump relay and cleaned the throttle body. Now it starts no problem. Cheap and easy fix for me. I'm not sure if you problem is being caused for the same reason but, you might look into it.

Post by **JRL** » 19 Nov 2011, 16:30

What YEAR!?
(Sure would help here)
99s and 2000s usually have one solvable issue, 98s are more complex in the fuel system and you may need a new pump

Post by **jblackburn** » 19 Nov 2011, 20:08

It says 98 V70XC in his signature.

I would start with testing fuel pressure from a cold start as Lee mentioned. Even better would be to put a fuel pressure gauge on it when you shut the motor off, leave it over night, and then check it in the morning.

If it drops straight to 0 when you shut the motor off, as we might suspect, the check valve on the fuel pump would be at fault.

settjes · Post by **settjes** » 25 Nov 2014, 14:29

My solution to the hard start on 2005 Volvo XC70. This may not work on others but it is very simple. I turn the key on and let it sit for 2 to 3 minutes. Then I crank it and it turns right over and starts. Not sure if the fuel rail gets air in it or if the computer just needs more time as it ages. Whatever - it works every time. ps I have a new fuel pump and pressure senor and they did not solve the problem. The key onsolved it.