1994 Volvo 850 N/A Issues with Short Ram Intake

Luttrell · Post by **Luttrell** » 03 Jul 2021, 23:46

First post on the forum but I can't understate how much these forums have helped in the past.
Recently a friend and I have been working on a short ram intake to replace the airbox on my 1994 n/a 850. After installing this new intake, the car would turn over fine and sound/perform great! However it did throw a CEL, and after driving it for about 10 minutes, it would suddenly stop reacting to the gas pedal and die. After dying like this the car was unable to start (would still crank) until we reset the computer. We checked the codes on the obd1 box and got back code 1-2-1 in A2, being the MAF sensor. We had it cleaned at a shop since there was some noticeable build-up along the edge of the sensor. Once we re-installed the cleaned MAF the car would turn over great and the CEL was no longer there. We checked the codes again and A2 was reading 1-1-1, so after letting the car sit for a little we started testing it around the block and it wasn't having any issues. Drove for about 20-30 minutes with no problems (idled fine, engine was breathing alot better, seemed to be a success).

About 3 hours later I tried to start the car again and it would not turn over, it was cranking but it just wouldn't start. I reset the computer and then it was able to start again, I let it idle for 5 minutes then drove down the street (about 500 feet) and suddenly it died in gear. It lost reaction to the gas pedal and just died. I ran the codes and it still read 1-1-1 as if everything was fine. Checked all my seals on the intake and couldn't find any source of a leak, maf seemed perfectly fine since it was idling really well before and had no breathing issues while driving. After dying it refused to turn over and would just crank so I started researching to see what the problem could be. Went back out a couple hours later after doing some research, tried to turn it over and it started up fine and idled just as well as it was before while it was running. Does anybody have any idea why it might be dying on me like this? I have a stock airbox on the way to test if the new intake is causing the issue however when it runs it sounds exceptionally healthy with no apparent reason as to why its dying. One thing to note is that when it dies its as if the car went into neutral and just dropped to 0 rpm, no sudden noises or anything just loses power.

I hope you all have a great 4th of July, I'll be trying to address the issue all day and will report back any new information

Post by **scot850** » 04 Jul 2021, 09:02

The cable for the cam sensor runs near the distributor. Check the cable is not near or touch the distributor as it kills the signal to the cam sensor and kills the engine. The cable mounts on the airbox so chances are it got disturbed when you removed it.

Neil.

Luttrell · Post by **Luttrell** » 04 Jul 2021, 19:54

Thanks for the suggestion, i made sure to keep those lines seperated and remounted the cam sensor as close to the original position as possible. Tested both the battery and alternator and everything came back normal. Car started up fine today and hasn't died so far in the test drives I've taken it on. Going to use some seafoam tomorrow as I haven't done that in a while and probably should. Also adjusted the intake and lowered it slightly as it was touching the hood previously, now sits suspended out of contact with everything around it (located where the stock airbox was previously). At this point I'm thinking it could be a bad/dirty injector that isn't getting enough fuel to adjust for the new intake and the car is just leaning out from that. So hopefully this seafoam helps remedy the issue. Will continue to update if the engine continues to die.

Luttrell · Post by **Luttrell** » 06 Jul 2021, 10:59

Small update, I ran the seafoam which fixed the ticking noise of the engine as well as picked up a new fuel pump relay. When testing it after installing the new fuel pump relay the car never died, but when i would try to give it gas in gear (1st/2nd was all i tested) it would start hiccuping and losing throttle then coming back in quick succession. Does anyone have any clue what this might be? Everything was pointing at the fuel pump relay previously as tapping it a few times when the car wouldnt start would do the trick and it would start right up. Please if anyone has any ideas do let me know.

Post by **scot850** » 06 Jul 2021, 11:21

There are several things that can cause this. But it may help to know the service history of the car recently. Also it helps to know the brands of parts as we all know some parts just won't work with this engine.

You have changed the fuel pump relay, but did you check the fuel pressure? There is a Schrader valve on the fuel rail. It should be around 43psi.

Next it comes to service history.

Neil.

Luttrell · Post by **Luttrell** » 06 Jul 2021, 13:02

Ill go ahead and check my fuel pressure on the fuel rail when im off work. Also going to do a test drive and see if i cant record it happening this time to post in here so you guys might have a better understanding of what exactly the issue is. Thank you for these responses I do appreciate it.

Luttrell · Post by **Luttrell** » 06 Jul 2021, 21:58

So I'll have to pick up a pressure reader/make one, couldn't find one laying around anywhere. However I did get a video of the issue it is currently facing, If anybody has any idea of what this is please let me know.

Going to get that fuel line pressure tested soon to make sure that's good. I can hear the fuel pump working as it should, or at least making the whining noise that it does. (btw the noise at the end of that video is just a small bump in the road not the car)

To clarify, It has had this issue in both 1st and 2nd, I haven't been able to get to 3rd to even test if it happens there but I'm assuming it would. It idle's like nothing is wrong at all and it only happens when I'm off the clutch and in gear.

Luttrell · Post by **Luttrell** » 07 Jul 2021, 19:35

Small update, was working on the car testing it with the stock airbox/piping and it wasn't turning over with either the stock airbox or the short ram intake. I did notice however that the fuel pump was not making the whine that it was supposed to so maybe the pump needs replacing. One other thing I noticed when I went to check the spark plugs, was the center hardline delivering oil next to the spark plugs was incredibly loose and could be pulled off very easily. Also found a lot of oil pooling around the spark plugs, should this oil line be tightened down? (I'd assume so)

(picture of the oil pooling)

Luttrell · Post by **Luttrell** » 24 Jul 2021, 19:28

So I found the issue, forgot to update the thread with the fix. It was just the positive terminal on the battery wasnt tightened down enough and that small red wire on the bolt wasnt under pressure. Fixed and the car sounds and runs great now. Looking into coilovers and breaks next cus its not like this car is actually going to be fast until i swap it or sell it lol

Post by **scot850** » 24 Jul 2021, 20:09

Well done figuring it out. The small wire is the B+ wire that controls the power for ignition and other functions.

I didn't see an answer to your question on the 'oil' pipe between cylinder 2 and 3. This is not an oil pipe but part of the PCV system you will read a lot about on this website. It is the crankcase ventilation system.

There should be a clamp on the pipe where it fits onto the head. Volvo use crimp clamps (Oetiker) and you will find it is hard to get in there with a screw type pipe clamp unless it is very narrow as well as being hard to get a screw driver or wrench onto it.

If you have not already done so, replace the oil filler cap seal. These go hard and leak oil into the top of the cylinder head and it will eventually gt into the spark plug tubes.

Neil.