So driving back having bought it from a private seller on Craigslist the timing belt went and I was stranded. Towed to nearest mechanics and charged $100 to diagnose what was already obvious - timing belt. Quote of $300 to fix. $100 for the belt and $200 for the labor. Waited 2 days. Downloaded the very useful instructions here:
http://www.stepbystepvolvo.com/240%20timing%20belt.html
and went to O'Reillys to get the part $20.
Having resolved to do it myself I was making decent headway in the parking lot of the mechanics up until I had to remove the camshaft pulley (step 7 on the guide above) Unlike as in the guide my camshaft pulley only has one large central bolt rather that 4 separate ones. I could not give it enough torque without the whole camshaft pulley rotating, thereafter paid $200 for the mechanic to finish the job ... using an impact gun/wrench he got it off no problem. I was able to drive it home within 1 hour. No problems starting up after being parked at the mechanics for 2 days.
Question 1: How can i get the camshaft pulley off myself without the impact gun? Please see picture 1. I will need to get it off when I check the alternator.
So I got home and the car has a kill switch which I engaged.
Next morning I went to start it up. Starter would go 'Crank' but engine would not fire. I kept trying to get it to start until the battery was obviously out of juice and absolutely nothing would happen when I turned on the ignition.
Thinking that the battery had died because I had left my lights on or something I waited for friends to get home and tried jump starting it with no avail. Friends etc all poking around in the engine, fiddling basically. Finally I remember that I had engaged the kill switch. With juice in the battery from the jump start it started fine!
I am stupid. Anyway. NOW the problem is is I leave the car for an hour or less and it will not start. Sometimes all that happens is the 'beeping' from the seat belt warning flashes. Sometimes not even that. Just soul destroying silence.
It jump started fine just now. I drove for 10mins. Parked. WOuld not start. Came inside to write this. I went out 30 minutes later to check a random hose in the engine that i wanted to ask about. One that seems loose to me. I pulled it off to photograph and put it back on. Decided may as well try to start...started fine?!
Pic of tube here? What is it? Is it supposed to be this loose, it literally almost pops of when i brush it...
Indicating:
I would like to say...
i) We messed something up whilst fiddling...
1) the battery is being drained faster than the alternator can charge it...
2) The alternator is bad.
3) The battery is bad.
BUT - the battery or alternator being bad (essentially not having enough juice to start) does not explain why it sometimes starts (within the hour lets say...and AFTER it has failed to start...)
Maybe...
1) The Earth for the battery is bad. ( I have yet to methodically clean or replace these. I have found the one nearest the battery and the other one against the firewall at the back but I cannot find the third one? Any tips?
It could be a combo of these factors. I am waiting on a multimeter from ebay so I cannot do the usual tests to check the battery ... it does have a sticker on it that says 2/12 which might mean that it was bought this year and is fine?
In the course of my own investigations the following are issues.
1) There is this random wire in the engine. If anyone can tell me what it is supposed to connect to that would be great. In the picture I am pointing to the one end that is connected. Second picture shows general location in the engine.
I have pulled the kill switch along with the frankly suspect radio on my quest to find engine drain.
elsewhere...
1) Missing fuse (see pic 1) Most likely for the heated rear window relay. (see point 2)
2) All the wiring to the rear door has been damaged at the door hinge mechanism.
Indicating that all the electronics this end are non-operational...could this be a source for possible drain? If wet the snapped wires are close enough to maybe connect, short, etc.. but then there is that fuse missing which indicates the circuit has been cut...
Any and all advice is much appreciated. For the time being I have disconnected the negative terminal on the battery in order to stop drain and let me start it up. If i can carry on doing this I can confirm that the alternator is OK. If the problems persist I know that it is not battery drain. Once I have done that, let's say 5 or six different trips I will leave the battery connected. If that results in the error occuring I will know that there is a drain or that the battery is bad.
Is there something that I am missing. My understanding of cars is basic. I cannot afford to take it to a mechanic. Thanks.