98 S70 glt Engine issues major!

[cn90]

Did you do the paper test as I suggested a few days ago (holding paper at tail pipe as someone revs the engine up and down)?
This test costs you nothing, other than a piece of scrap paper...

[Duake]

I haven't had a chance to do the exhaust paper test again as it's been raining here when I get home.
MAF was just replaced with brand new Bosch one 4 days ago.
Fuel Filter changed about 20,000 and 40,000 miles ago.
Fuel Pump changed about 40,000 miles ago.
Air Filter is only about 2 months old.
New Iridium spark plugs put in about 3 months ago.

Wanted to start the car this morning just to run it for a little while and possibly do the paper test, but battery was completely dead. There was nothing. I'm at work, but I dropped off the battery at AutoZone to charge it and get it tested. Possible that the battery may have had charging issues and couldn't regulate power to the car causing electrical problems for the engine? Just another thought is all.
I had checked the fuel pressure up front and at first it shot out fast, but then just pretty much "leaked" out with no force behind it. That a fuel pump issue itself or could it be related to my jacked up battery and possibly not giving it power enough to push the fuel through? Again, just another thought.

When I have time, I will clean up the ICV and check anything else. Hope I can do the paper test tonight if my battery is ok or I have to buy a new one to replace it.

I do appreciate all the help and I will do what I can as soon as I can.

[Duake]

Just put the battery back in. Can idle and everything just fine. Started driving it right away and try to gun it to see what happens. Nothing but the pedal to the ground and not moving. It just drives a little and then nothing at all. This happens even when I'm not stepping on the gas that much. Car was cold and everything, so does this definitely point to the catalytic converter?

[rmmagow]

Check your lower intercooler hose. It is a big round connection from the bottom of the intercooler to the throttle body. You can access this hose from under the car. There's a big splash protector there held on with two bolts, one on either side. Grab the hose and see if it tightly connected to the intercooler. Check the throttle body and see if it is tight there too. This will generally throw a P0243 CEL code. If you can get someone to give it gas while you look, check for a collapsing BIG rubber hose at the top of the intercooler, that would indicate a frozen intercooler I think. The intercooler is a radiator like device at the very front of the car.

[socompsp]

dude its your cat. im sure when you smash the gas the engine gives a low toned grumble. do the paper test, or get under cover from the rain and remove the downpipe from the exhaust side of the turbo and give it a short drive, you will immediately feel a difference

[VolvoS70Driver]

Just a simple warning, if you do remove the downpipe from the turbo, I would suggest not going wild revving the engine. Not sure the impact the turbo will have but revving hard and letting off fast can sometimes have nasty effects on the valves. You don't want to create new problems while solving this one.

When I first got my S70 it had some acceleration / running issues and I finally discovered that the smaller diameter tube that feeds the throttle body (from ICV I think) had no clamp and would drop down. Doesn't sound exactly like what you have but would be worth checking nonetheless.

[Duake]

I finally managed to get out and check some things. I ordered a new fuel pump kit from FCP and went out about 3 hours ago to change out the parts.

I first changed out the relay. Then I went to the pump before I did the filter. Well, it took about 40 minutes because I was just trying to get the hoses off. Despite that, I pulled the whole assembly out and I found out some interesting stuff.





Seeing all this crystallized crud all over the pump and pump filter makes me want to think my problem is the pump being clogged all to crap. What do you guys think this stuff is from and how the hell would I get rid of it? I didn't change the fuel filter and turn on the car because I couldn't get the damn screw cap on top of the pump inside the car. I gave up after about 45 minutes of trying. The damn thing kept going at an angle and would never line up right to screw back on. I also started getting light headed from the gas fumes. I'll finish up tomorrow, so I'd like to hear feedback about these crystals. It was also on the pump itself and the assembly. It's almost as if I was running salt water through it and the salt just stuck after sitting.

[JimBee]

Obviously, working closely around the open gas tank is a bit dicey, extreme care is needed.

I would want to answer the same question you are posing—what the heck is that stuff? If you turn on a flashlight that does not flicker on and off (away from the tank opening so there is no chance of sparking) then shine it in there you should be able to see if there is an accumulation of anything on the bottom of the tank. Use your own judgment.

I would NOT USE an electrical trouble light near that opening.

It almost looks like sugar in one of your pictures. Is there any chance someone could have intended to cause a problem?

[abscate]

Sugar would actually nicely dissolve in the fuel, salt will not.

That does look nasty but those big pieces aren't going to get through the filter of course.

[Duake]

Well, after changing the fuel pump, the relay and the filter (just really thinking the pump needed to be changed), my car is acting normal again!

Basically, it WASN'T my catalytic converter, which sounded off to me in the first place, so I'm glad I didn't go that route and try and get that replaced. I started thinking from the beginning that it was my fuel pump possibly going bad, but it was really all the crud blocking it up.

There's more junk in the pump tank that will need to be taken out, but I will run the gas down as much as I can so I can take a cloth and grab it all and clean it out.

Thanks for all of the help guys in the process of me figuring it out and it helped for future reference just in case.