95 850 won't start...cranks w/ spark but no fuel

[farmmedic]

new to this forum
my girlfriend just got a 1995 850 wagon
didn't (and can't) do all the things that should normally be done to a car that has been sitting for 9 months
charged the battery and it started
(this is in Central Wisconsin)
drove it to a gas station to put fuel into it
wasn't so happy about starting then but it did
drove it about 2.5 hours further north and west
drove like a champ
this is my first time riding in a Volvo this new
shut it down for the night
came out the next evening to run to town to pick up some last minute supplies
(we're supposed to be driving 900 miles back home to NE Ohio)
and it did not start
changed the battery b/c i thought that might be the issue (cranked weak)
no change
turns over but won't fire up
for just a second there was almost a hint of starting but nothing
i cleaned off the gunk off of the spark plugs but that didn't help
got new plugs and tested for spark with them today but to no avail
(tested with a plug in the cap grounded to engine)
seems like we have good spark but no gas into the pistons
when i tried the pressure release schreader valve on the fuel injector rod, nothing happens
the fuel pump never primes either
the fuel pump wont turn on when i jump from contact 1 to 3 of the fuel pump relay either
just nothing
and from the reading i've done on this forum i get a mixed message
camshaft v crankshaft sensor
one or both of these could be preventing the fuel pump from activating?
i'm at a loss here and it's cold and dark
the fuse to the fuel pump is good
i have no idea how old the fuel filter is
any ideas?

[farmmedic]

so
for what ever reason...
and i'm TOTALLY at a loss here
it's fixed
only difference this morning is that i went directly to the fuel pump
i removed the FP relay and jumped contact 1 and 3 and turned on the ignition
i removed the electrical connector at the pump and checked for volts coming from the engine
they were there 12.3 or something
then i removed the fuel pump from the tank and bench tested it by first connecting the wires to the exposed lead points inside of the pump housing
kicked right on
then i tested at the connector
still worked
reconnected it to the leads coming from the relay
still worked
charged to prime
i don't have the pressure gauge to see exactly how much psi at the rail but that was the least of my worries
then i turned it over
had to crank for a while to get the fuel up to the motor
it took a bit of cranking
maybe a minute or 2
sputter sputter
VROOM!!!
there must have been corrosion on the connection?
i'm totally at a loss here
i sure hope it hangs together for the trip
then i will have my own tool kit and my garage and won't be stuck in the frigid Wisconsin outdoors working on this thing
any advise would be a big help at this point as to how to get this thing back into fighting fit

[samsson101]

I had a similar problem with my winter beater, an 95 850. I replaced the relay with a spare I had and haven't had the problem since...knock on wood

[farmmedic]

never goes easy
now the car won't really run well
i'm hoping to get another FP relay tomorrow
and replacing the fuel filter
but i've been reading the PDFs about the car
(thank for reposting them Mike, you are a scholar and a gentleman)
and i came across the page about the Computer Relearn Process that the car goes thru when the electrical system is interrupted by replacing the battery
does anyone have any experience with this?
i couldn't try it out today b/c my radiator cap is cracked and i had to wait for epoxy
(always something)
apparently the car can do the following
* Harsh Or Poor Shift Quality
* Rough Or Unstable Idle
* Hesitation Or Stumble
* Rich Or Lean Running
* Poor Fuel Mileage
several of these are happening
at least the first 3
anyone had to deal with this?

[Shish-kabober]

I solved similar problem.

The pump would sound like normal when starting the car...
+ Switch on - you could hear the pump cycle on and stop.
+ Turn to start, engine would crank and often start then die.
. . . . Kinda like the 'non microchip' spare key. Anti-theft system fails to read the key and kills the engine,
There were varying results of the same sequence.

What it turned out to be was the fuel pump relay is being shut down, (normal when max rail pressure is achieved,) but failed in 2 areas:

• 1) Random pre-mature shut-down, it didn't pump-up to a consistent pressure. (If 45 psi is normal then it did more like 18-25 psi and stopped. If you just keyed-on 3 or more times then you would be at max rated presure.)
• 2) The pump never restarted after the injectors began firing and reducing the fuel pressure below the re-start point.

The pump is fine, the control to the relay was funky. (contacts are fine)
_ Perhaps, just replacement would work, but that costs money and may not solve the problem.

The $2.00 solution: Toggle switch on the dash, a direct switch for the FP.

Probably cutting or jumpering (faking) the computer input to the relay would allow both operation and fuel cut-off safety. That's for another day.

Scott

[Shish-kabober]

RE: the re-learn process

My experience has been:
difficult starting and idle
Started and shut-down a couple of times, then kept it running for a once-around the block.
Starting no longer an issue, Shifting was rough.
Put tools away and went for a longer drive ~5 miles, working all ranges. Confirmed that it'd get me to school the next day, and things were feeling better.

75 mile round trip to school. Things seemed normal pretty much both ways.

So I'd expect pretty quick retraning.
Scott

[farmmedic]

you know
i did think about that jumper thing
pretty much every vehicle i've had in the last 10 years had some sort of switch or button added to the dash
usually starter buttons or glow plugs (it's been mostly diesels)
there is a place called strandburgs really crazy close to here
(http://www.strandbergauto.com)
i haven't actually talked to them about the relay yet but it is on the way to the auto parts place that has the filter
maybe i'll pick up some wire and a switch too
great advice
thank you thank you thank you
i gotta get out of here
sooner the better

[farmmedic]

of all the things
i said earlier about how i had taken the fuel pump out and it bench tested fine
well
the problems didn't seem to go away
then y'all suggested the computer relearning process
well that may have happened and i just didn't notice it
i went out this morning and tried to find a new fuel pump relay
those things are damn difficult to find
i guess they've all been snapped up at Stranburg's auto so no joy there
for the record, the parts counter guy at the Madison WI Volvo dealer had no joy for me either
he says that his techs almost never change these things so they don't keep any on hand
Napa has one in Virginia...
went on and picked up a new fuel filter and the fixins for the dash mounted bypass switch
while i was replacing the filter i noticed some other rubber hose coming out of some sort or small canister lookin thing just a bit further back from the fuel filter but on a separate line
something vacuum maybe
it was broken/rotted off so i replaced that too
absolutely no idea what it is
started the car and the fuel pump refused to work
bypassed the relay in the box
still nothing
checked the volts at the pump
all good
all good even with the relay in place
pulled the pump and bench tested it again
worked fine
grrrrr
put it back and it worked for a minute
banged on the top of the tank and it fired back up
ah ha!!!
took it back out and bench tested it for longer
it quit working
tapped it and it started again
tipped it on it's side and it slowed down and then stopped
clarity was achieved
went back to Stranberg's and got a new pump
put the sucker in and away we go
did the whole relearn process
passed with flying colors
we are ready to roll
thank you all so very much for your help
even if it wasn't what anyone necessarily said it was
that was a mistake on my part
i appreciate you willingness to listen to a grown man cry
i'm looking forward to being part of this community