'99 S70 turns over but won't start

[Netrix]

Ok, so get this:
After waiting maybe 3 hours, I went back out and tried starting it up, still no dice. Engine turns over but won't start. But, while the starter's running, I would hear it stumble every once and a while, like it was almost starting. But it wasn't quite there. So, I kept trying to start it, and I pressed the throttle a bunch while I was trying turning the key... I figured it wouldn't do anything since it's all electronic these days, its not like it's my old carbeurated (sp?) Buick that you could flood with fuel (or at least so I thought).

BUT, I kept giving it gas, and it finally sputtered to life! It ran like crap, and almost stalled a bunch of times, but I kept revving it up, and after maybe 30 seconds, it evened out, idled fine, and I drove it around. Everything seemed totally normal...

So... frozen fuel line maybe? I'm betting it has something to do with temperature, because it's been in the single digits for a while lately, then all of a sudden today, it was just above freezing... 35-ish. Could that temperature change have done something to the fuel line? Or maybe to some Fuel Pump wiring? Expanding and contracting with the weather?

man.. who knows. But it's running fine now. No Check Engine light... seems fine.

thoughts? oh, and this problem is with the 99 V70 in my sig... just FYI

I had similar problem where i gave it gas and it started but ran like crap. although mine never evened out. turned out to be MAF sensor. Yours could be gas, i would go get some gas antifreeze stuff ASAP and fill it up with all new gas and run that down (go for a nice drive). basically get that old gas out of there as fast as possible and keep your car above 1/2 a tank at all times in the cold weather.

[cY2k]

Ok, so get this:
After waiting maybe 3 hours, I went back out and tried starting it up, still no dice. Engine turns over but won't start. But, while the starter's running, I would hear it stumble every once and a while, like it was almost starting. But it wasn't quite there. So, I kept trying to start it, and I pressed the throttle a bunch while I was trying turning the key... I figured it wouldn't do anything since it's all electronic these days, its not like it's my old carbeurated (sp?) Buick that you could flood with fuel (or at least so I thought).

BUT, I kept giving it gas, and it finally sputtered to life! It ran like crap, and almost stalled a bunch of times, but I kept revving it up, and after maybe 30 seconds, it evened out, idled fine, and I drove it around. Everything seemed totally normal...

So... frozen fuel line maybe? I'm betting it has something to do with temperature, because it's been in the single digits for a while lately, then all of a sudden today, it was just above freezing... 35-ish. Could that temperature change have done something to the fuel line? Or maybe to some Fuel Pump wiring? Expanding and contracting with the weather?

man.. who knows. But it's running fine now. No Check Engine light... seems fine.

thoughts? oh, and this problem is with the 99 V70 in my sig... just FYI

I had similar problem where i gave it gas and it started but ran like crap. although mine never evened out. turned out to be MAF sensor. Yours could be gas, i would go get some gas antifreeze stuff ASAP and fill it up with all new gas and run that down (go for a nice drive). basically get that old gas out of there as fast as possible and keep your car above 1/2 a tank at all times in the cold weather.

Thanks for the tips! I'm going to swing by the autoparts store on the way home from work... Keeping it above 1/2 tank in winter, I've never heard that before. I'll do it, but I'm curious, why is that?

[Netrix]

Thanks for the tips! I'm going to swing by the autoparts store on the way home from work... Keeping it above 1/2 tank in winter, I've never heard that before. I'll do it, but I'm curious, why is that?

When your tank is close to empty condensation forms on the inside surfaces of the gas tank and dilutes your gas, gets in gas lines freezes and such. Not as big a problem now days since our gas caps and tanks are more air tight than previous generations of cars.

But as I'm sure many people can tell you, it does happen in newer cars. I know a few cases in the winter where cars were running rough and all it needed was a tank of new gas.