Volvo Noob with Ignition Issues

gillette · Post by **gillette** » 30 Apr 2012, 11:31

Hello All,

I have spent a lot of time looking and searching through your website in the past 24 hours trying to get some information to fix my fiance's 1999 non turbo s70.

So we were driving home from Delaware this weekend and I stopped to get gas and shut the car off like normal. When I was done filling up, I started it up, it sputtered and died. I started it back up again, tried to put it in drive and it sputtered and died. I was able to "drive" it a couple feet to get out of the way and it sputtered and died. I had to get the car towed back to my house and I am trying to figure out the issue now.. That's where I need your help!

My first thought was fuel but I dont think it is that because it didnt give me an issue the first 2.5 hours driving and it wasnt even like i was running out of fuel. I had a half a tank still.

So than I thought it was a spark issue and was looking for a distributor cap and spark plug wires to find out it is a ditributorless vehicle (of which i have never worked on and was very confused at first haha).

So I am looking for a second opinon.. Am I on the right track? How do I check for which ignition coil is possibly bad? When I plugged in the code reader to see if there was a misfire reported it said it couldnt connect...?

Abt help is appreciated! Thank you very much.

Post by **jblackburn** » 30 Apr 2012, 12:21

The ignition must be in postion II for the scanner to connect.

This sounds like either your cam position sensor or crank position sensor has failed (cam is more common).

They will prevent either 1) injectors from firing or 2) spark plugs from firing.

Remove a spark plug and coil pack and ground it to the head while cranking the motor over to check if it has spark. Also smell the cylinder you pull it out of to see if it's wet with gas.

From there, let us know what you find out and we can point you in the right direction.

Post by **BEJinFbk** » 30 Apr 2012, 13:14

If it were the CPS or crank sensor, I'd think it wouldn't start at all.
My '98 threw a CPS code a few summers ago and just spun when I
tried to start it. Unplugging and reconnecting the CPS fixed it.

I wouldn't rule out the anti theft system ignition switch antenna.
If it can't read the key's chip, it'll go defensive and shut down.
Starting and then cutting out seems to be what many owners
describe with a faulty antenna ring/connection problem.

As recommended, go for codes.

Post by **jblackburn** » 30 Apr 2012, 13:26

I may have read that wrong. I read it somehow as in "it won't start now at all".

If it still starts, but then dies, Bejinfbk's diagnosis is spot-on. In that case, remove the steering wheel clamshell cover and clean the contacts on your antenna ring.

gillette · Post by **gillette** » 30 Apr 2012, 14:06

OK thank you both. I will do that when I get home from work today. I picked up plugs and a couple coils in case that's the issue.

It does start and idles fine for prob like 2-3 seconds and than it sputters and either is closing to dying or dies.

If i put it in gear and try to drive it will start rolling but buck and die.

Post by **mikealder** » 30 Apr 2012, 14:11

After the immobilser aeirial contacts I would be looking at cleaning out the ETM as it's a non turbo model it should be easy to do, that is of course assuming it does have an ETM but being distributer-less I would expect to have - Mike

gillette · Post by **gillette** » 30 Apr 2012, 14:55

thank you.. what is the ETM and where is it located?

Post by **mikealder** » 30 Apr 2012, 15:11

gillette wrote:thank you.. what is the ETM and where is it located?

The ETM is on the end of the inlet manifold with a rubber airpipe between it and the airfilter box:

To clean it you will need to remove it and clean the air tract on both sides of the butterfly, this can be done without disconnecting the electrics as the cable is routed (trapped) behind the starter motor steady bracket, give it a blast with carb cleaner as carbon can build up making the butterfly valve stick - Mike

gillette · Post by **gillette** » 30 Apr 2012, 15:24

ok thank you very much.. is this the equivalent to a mass air flow sensor on other vehicles? I am not familiar with the volvo terminalogy.

Post by **jblackburn** » 30 Apr 2012, 15:27

It's the equivalent to a mechanical throttle body. Instead of a cable attached to the pedal under your foot, it does it all electronically.

It takes inputs from a sensor under your gas pedal and tells the computer how to better manage the engine from that.

You may have noticed the throttle is a bit more touchy than other vehicles you've driven.