1996 Volvo 850 car doesn't always start

blu_eye_april · Post by **blu_eye_april** » 08 Jul 2014, 16:24

I have a 1996 Volvo 850 turbo. To start things off the battery in the car is only 2 years old. When I first got the car it ran fine now for some reason the car dies here and there, basically when it wants to. When this happens I notice if I get a jump from a car or a velichle with a small engine the car will only last a few minutes to about 30 minutes the most before dying again. If I get a jump from a truck/big engine it last a lot longer even days, once a week. I have fully charged the battery. I get a reading off 13.9v when I test it, so I really not sure now that it is the alternator or something draining the alternator? This is very frustrating sinceI never know when it is going to dye!

Post by **rspi** » 08 Jul 2014, 16:34

Hi and welcome to the forum.

Alternators don't drain, batteries do. Here are a few videos that might help you.

Post by **jreed** » 08 Jul 2014, 17:16

I agree with all of Robert's advice above. In my case, the symptoms you describe were primarily caused by a bad positive battery terminal. The terminal was corroded on the inside where I couldn't easily detect it. I used a voltage drop measurement to find the bad connection, and then I replaced the cable.
I wrote up more info here: Fabricate a positive battery cable diy
Good luck!

Post by **abscate** » 08 Jul 2014, 18:10

Just a comment on battery life. A Brand new battery , left discharged for a few weeks, can sulphate and become a paperweight in under a year. The only way to evaluate a battery is a current/voltage under load test.

blu_eye_april · Post by **blu_eye_april** » 09 Jul 2014, 12:27

OK now that video on battery -vs- alternator leaves me a bit confused. It says if after you jump it you can drive it around for awhile it is not the alternator. But if if all the cluster lights go on its the alternator not the battery. Well sometimes I can drive the car for days after a jump but sometimes just minutes. Yet when the car dies all the cluster lights come on. Maybe I misunderstood the video(I am a blonde female) but to me it seemed like a contradiction??

Post by **abscate** » 09 Jul 2014, 13:01

IF your battery is new, and charging it externally solves the problem, it is almost certainly the alternator not charging. You can usually get a free test at a place like Advanced Auto - who will then probably try to sell you an oxygen sensor....

blond old fat stupid guy...

Post by **rspi** » 09 Jul 2014, 15:23

blu_eye_april wrote:OK now that video on battery -vs- alternator leaves me a bit confused. It says if after you jump it you can drive it around for awhile it is not the alternator. But if if all the cluster lights go on its the alternator not the battery. Well sometimes I can drive the car for days after a jump but sometimes just minutes. Yet when the car dies all the cluster lights come on. Maybe I misunderstood the video(I am a blonde female) but to me it seemed like a contradiction??

Per the video... If you are driving the car, and ALL of the cluster warning lights ARE ON (while driving), then the alternator is bad.

Anytime the car IS NOT RUNNING, and the ignition key IS IN THE RUN POSITION, all of the cluster lights will be on. This has nothing to do with a bad battery or bad alternator. Anytime you turn the key to RUN and do NOT start the car, all of the warning light will come on. The same goes for is you are driving along, the key is in the RUN position, and the car STALLS, all of those lights will come on, because the motor is NOT running and the key is in the RUN position.

Hope that clears things up for you.

Post by **rspi** » 09 Jul 2014, 15:28

blu_eye_april wrote:... I notice if I get a jump from a car or a vehicle with a small engine the car will only last a few minutes to about 30 minutes the most before dying again. If I get a jump from a truck/big engine it last a lot longer even days, once a week...

This is a placebo effect. A jump is a jump, has nothing to do with how long the jump last.

You have 1 and/or 2 problems;
- Either you have a battery charging issue.
- And/or a fuel pump relay problem.

Post by **scot850** » 09 Jul 2014, 23:28

Agree with the guys on this, with possibly one exception. When your car won't start, have you checked the battery state before jumping it? If the charge is low then it may point to a poor alternator not charging, but also there are a few threads of alternators draining down batteries.

The dying thing could also be a fuel relay. Try to see if you can find a used one and swap it out and see if it removes some of the issues.

Also check the earth connections around the engine bay.

When you boost the battery, do you do it across the battery, or do you do it with the earth lead connected to the block somewhere? Doing the former, can damage your electronics, especially when boosting from a truck!

I'd put my money on a bad alternator, and possibly a fuel relay.

Good luck,

Neil.