Recently bought 1993 Volvo 850 with fuel issues

kewpielikesvolvos · Post by **kewpielikesvolvos** » 15 Jun 2012, 14:56

A few weeks ago my husband and I bought a 93 volvo 850 with over 240k on it, new tires, new brakes, new struts...

but a curious fuel issue was afoot.

ALSO: the fuel gauge seems to be broken or at least wonky, but that's sort of ok as we just keep it all-but-full

apparently, it needed a new fuel filter or else it was going to stall and sputter and/or not start -- and when we got said fuel filter, and installed it, the car behaved more or less beautifully.

HOWEVER::: this honeymoon period has since ended. after performing nicely for 2 weeks of being driven back and forth between CT and NY (about 70 mi ea/way), my husband told me the car started behaving strangely when shifting -- not like a transmission issue, but more like a power issue...and then, a bit later, it just...stopped working. in an intersection. with a nearly full tank.

do i need to replace the fuel pump itself?
i'm an artist and my husband is a grad student, so we're the doomed kind of volvo owners who cannot always afford a mechanic and thus need to get all DIY begging...

help?

Post by **matthew1** » 15 Jun 2012, 16:25

Check Engine light on?

Post by **Jack Rock** » 16 Jun 2012, 00:01

Perhaps a fuel pump relay working intermittently?

Post by **Pauloil** » 16 Jun 2012, 09:38

there is a lot on this site about fuel issues, but first you have to decide if you have pressure at the fuel rail get a torx screwdriver kit and take off the cover over throttle body to see the cap on the valve at the end of the fuel rail.

https://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/forums ... 912#p12842

Post by **JimBee** » 16 Jun 2012, 12:29

So far, I'd say, suggestions here are helpful. There's a way to test for the fuel pump relay by pulling the relay and using a jumper wire across two posts. I don't know the details but you can search it here or google.

Even before that, though, you can check for fuel pressure easily, as one poster suggested. If there is none or weak, then either the fuel pump or the relay would be suspect, unless the fuel filter is original—if so, that could be clogged.

Good luck.