1996 Volvo 850 Wagon - all of a sudden misfire codes

1996Volvo850 · Post by **1996Volvo850** » 10 Apr 2009, 15:00

Good afternoon,
I have a question regarding my 1996 Volvo Wagon.
I was helping my brother move yesterday, we parked the car in his front yard (so we could load the wagon with boxes). The wagon was parked on a hill, front end facing downhill. We loaded the car with several boxes, and as I was driving to the storage facility, the car started to sputter, lose power, and when I tried to give it gas, it sputtered and died out. It restarted right away, but kept having the power problem, and would sputter and then lose rpm power, and then shut off....
The check engine light came on after the 4th time of this happening. We managed to get the car to a garage, and they ran the fault codes - all the codes said misfire (in Cyl 1, Cyl 2, Cyl 3, Cyl 4, Cyl 5,and Random misfire. After the car sat for a few minutes, it started right back up, and I was able to drive home (about a 40 minute drive on the highway). The car ran fine for the rest of the evening, (did some around town short distance driving). This morning, the car started up fine, and ran great, for about 30 minutes, but after getting on the highway, it sputtered and died out again..... I waited a couple minutes, and was able to start the car back up and it drove fine all the way back home...I came home for while, and then went out to do some intown errands....when the car started doing the sputtering and dying thing again.....
I have an appointment to have the fuel filter changed tomorrow, as my brother thinks it is possible from the car being parked at such an incline, that some dirt/junk from the fuel tank got into the fuel filter, and it is clogged......

This is the first time this car has ever had any problems....
when not sputtering, the car runs great....

I have been reading alot on this board and other Volvo boards, and the more I read, the more scared I become that my wagon might be headed for either a very expensive fix, or to the junkyard....

thanks for any input....

Post by **MadeInJapan** » 10 Apr 2009, 15:24

Welcome to MVS.
I'd say the fuel filter if it hasn't been changed in your recollection is a good place to start. I would also check for electrical shorts on the battery terminal and ground wires. Have you had the hood open for anything recently?

1996Volvo850 · Post by **1996Volvo850** » 10 Apr 2009, 15:31

Hi, thanks for the reply...
Prior to the misfiring, I don't think I have had the hood open in at least a couple weeks.... I had the oil changed 2 weeks ago, had the flame trap changed, and the mechanic used OEM oil filter and flame trap when he did the job.

I am praying that it is the fuel filter like my brother (and the mechanic) think... I am hoping it isn't anything like a blown head, antifreeze in the engine, or any of the other horror stories I have read on other boards....

Just wondering about the logic of what my brother thinks (with the car being parked front facing downhill) and dirt/junk getting into the fuel filter because of this.

I am a non mechanically enclined female, and do not want to get ripped off by a mechanic, and cannot afford any huge repair bills right now.....

Post by **MadeInJapan** » 10 Apr 2009, 16:39

Let's hope that's it.... I would not suspect the big items you mentioned from your description.

vlvman · Post by **vlvman** » 10 Apr 2009, 18:31

Sounds like an electrical part getting hot and failing. I would suspect ignition power stage, coil, crank position sensor, or cam position sensor. After cooling down it works ok and on short trips it's ok but after longer trips it heats up and fails.

1996Volvo850 · Post by **1996Volvo850** » 10 Apr 2009, 20:15

Would an electrical part failure have a sudden onset? I have never had any problems with this car until helping my brother move, and parking the car on a hill at a pretty good incline...

Just want to know for when I go to the mechanic in the morning, he is changing my fuel filter, and if that doesn't work....want to know what else to look for.

thanks everyone for the replies...

1996Volvo850 · Post by **1996Volvo850** » 10 Apr 2009, 21:25

Ok, I have spent most of the evening reading threads about misfires..... I am hoping that my issue is one of the following:

Fuel filter - gunk as stated in my first post

Spark plugs - I know they are Bosch, but not sure if they are platinum or copper.... I suspect they might be platinum - I am sure when they were bought we went for the higher price ones thinking they were better...

RPM sensor coil wire being too close to ignition wires

anything else sounds like it is going to be very costly...
(new valves,new fuel pump, etc) so I am praying it will be something simple.

I will have the mechanic change the fuel filter, check the pressure, check/clean the MAF, check the plugs and replace if they are platinum, and make sure they are gapped correctly at .028....
If there is anything else I should be aware of, please give me the scoop, it would be appreciated... do not want to goto the mechanic as easy prey, and have him take advantage of me just because I am female... So far, this mechanic has been really good with not charging me an arm and a leg, and seems to be honest.....but I want to be prepared and have a general idea about what might be going on.
Trying to educate myself about my 850 so I can keep it for a while longer..... I love my car and don't want to part with it..
but can't afford pricey repair bills either.... it is unfortunate that I do not have a Volvo enthusiast mechanic in my family...

thanks for the help!

vlvman · Post by **vlvman** » 10 Apr 2009, 21:54

RPM sensor = crank position sensor.
Yes electrical faults can start all of a sudden.

1996Volvo850 · Post by **1996Volvo850** » 15 Apr 2009, 20:58

Ok, here is the update...

Had the mechanic change the fuel filter..
(he said it did show a little dirt and junk in it)

Mechanic checked to make sure none of the wires were touching each other (as stated in previous posts) everything
looked fine.
I did have the Bosch platinum plugs in the car, so had the mechanic replace them with Bosch copper, he said that they came auto calibrated, so they were already .028.

Mechanic did tell me that my battery needs replacing soon, one solonoid (spelling?) is dead... He tested it on the meter.
I did not replace the battery yet...

The car ran fine Sat, Sun, Mon, Tues, until today, where I did alot of driving around all day.... then on the way home on the highway, it lost RPM and cut out and died..... I was able to restart it right away, and made it the rest of the way home (about 20 miles) with no other problems...

What should I have the mechanic check next?
The coil?
Or could it be the bad battery?

I am trying to figure this out so I don't get screwed or put too much $$ into a car that isn't worth fixing... even though I love my wagon... and don't want to part with it...

thanks for everyone's replies,
Kathy

Post by **confused_al** » 15 Apr 2009, 21:36

Ok, I'm no expert only have a few thoughts...

Or could it be the bad battery?

NO! b/c:

I was able to restart it right away

What should I have the mechanic check next?

Check your codes see if it is still misfiring;
check the fuel pressure see if its normal (around 44 psi);
You can buy a bottle of "fuel injector cleaner" put into gas tank in case some dirt got into your fuel injectors;

GL!