1997 Volvo 850 glt fast starts and passing speed

theproff57 · Post by **theproff57** » 14 Feb 2012, 00:59

1997 850 when going 40 mph and I want to pass, I pressed down on the gas pedal and the car just slowed down then the engine light started flashing until I took my foot off the gas pedal then resumed at 40 mph again. The engine light has been on for awhile now but after changing the air filter the light went out. When I taking off fast from a dead stop the engine light came back on and hasn’t turned off since. After a few times doing this I put in new plugs because it started running like it was missing and that cured the problem. The other issue did not clear up. The car runs pretty smooth if I drive it in a normal way meaning not taking off to fast at a stop light or passing around 40mph. Help!

MilehighV70XC · Post by **MilehighV70XC** » 14 Feb 2012, 08:19

What check engine codes are you getting. Could be a bad MAF sensor

Post by **rspi** » 14 Feb 2012, 08:21

Hi Proff, welcome to the site. So, the only thing you have done is change the plugs and air filter...

Then next step should be getting your codes read. Stop by a auto parts store and ask them to read codes for you. Write them down and post back.

As you know, a 15 year old car will need upkeep, just like a 6 month old car. The best thing to do is bring the car to what we call "stage 0", which means bring everything on the car to within car specs, taking care of all due/overdue maintenance. You can take the maintenance chart out of the owners manual and go down the list of things that should have been done. There is a good chance that your car has many worn out parts, old spark plug wires, clogged PCV, maybe even a timing belt that past due it's time change.

Back to your problem... Your CEL likely has the main issue for solving that.

theproff57 · Post by **theproff57** » 14 Feb 2012, 19:21

MilehighV70XC wrote:What check engine codes are you getting. Could be a bad MAF sensor

I was told that if you spray some kind of chemical (unknown) into that sensor it would reset and may solve the problem I'm having!
The car runs good with that only exception is when I step on the pedal at 40 mph to go much faster the car dogs down then the engine light flashes several time until I release off the gas pedal and continue at a normal speed, back to 40 or a little more but not by much!

theproff57 · Post by **theproff57** » 14 Feb 2012, 19:22

theproff57 wrote:
MilehighV70XC wrote:What check engine codes are you getting. Could be a bad MAF sensor
I was told that if you spray some kind of chemical (unknown) into that sensor it would reset and may solve the problem I'm having!
The car runs good with that only exception is when I step on the pedal at 40 mph to go much faster the car dogs down then the engine light flashes several time until I release off the gas pedal and continue at a normal speed, back to 40 or a little more but not by much!

Have not checked the codes yet!

Post by **jblackburn** » 14 Feb 2012, 19:25

The flashing check engine light means that the car is misfiring.

Take it to an auto parts store and have them read the OBDII codes for you. Write down the numbers (Pxxxx) and get back to us. The OBDII slot is under your coin tray in the console. Pull it up to expose the port.

It could very well be the mass airflow sensor. Sometimes you can clean them with a MAF spray, and SOMETIMES it works. There's no guarantee, but I'd say it works 1/3 of the time.

theproff57 · Post by **theproff57** » 15 Feb 2012, 12:08

jblackburn wrote:The flashing check engine light means that the car is misfiring.

Take it to an auto parts store and have them read the OBDII codes for you. Write down the numbers (Pxxxx) and get back to us. The OBDII slot is under your coin tray in the console. Pull it up to expose the port.

It could very well be the mass airflow sensor. Sometimes you can clean them with a MAF spray, and SOMETIMES it works. There's no guarantee, but I'd say it works 1/3 of the time.

Before I said the same thing about a spray but didnt know what it was or were to get it. I was told to spray the sensor and that would reset itself and the problem would stop adjusting the gas flow and air flow. Good to hear that someone knows about that!

RDEJR · Post by **RDEJR** » 15 Feb 2012, 13:05

Almost sounds like a clogged fuel filter, or a fuel pump giving it's last breath.

Post by **rmmagow** » 15 Feb 2012, 13:20

Seriously, do a tune-up, plugs, wires, rotor, dist cap. With the engine running, pull out the oil dipstick, is there smoke coming from there? Get a piece of paper and move it close to the oil dipstick hole. If the paper gets sucked towards the hole, the PCV system is OK, blown away, PCV is clogged. Big job if you don't know how to work on cars. Flashing CEL lamp is BAD. Misfire, this could ruin a piston. If you don't know when the timing belt was last changed, change it or risk full engine failure. Put in a new fuel filter too. Spraying the MAF will not fix this issue for any long period of time. Get the codes read and send them here. We'll able to help. It is an old car and needs TLC.