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98 S70 misfire chasing

Help, Advice and DIY Tutorials on Volvo's P80 platform cars -- Volvo's 1990s "bread and butter" cars -- powered by the ubiquitous and durable Volvo inline 5-cylinder engine.

1992 - 1997 850, including 850 R, 850 T-5R, 850 T-5, 850 GLT
1997 - 2000 S70, S70 AWD
1997 - 2000 V70, V70 AWD
1997 - 2000 V70-XC
1997 - 2004 C70

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Cadywampus
Posts: 1
Joined: 20 December 2023
Year and Model: 98 S70
Location: United States

98 S70 misfire chasing

Post by Cadywampus »

I'm chasing a stubborn misfire issue on a 98 S70. Actually it is a multiple misfire according to the error codes. Weird thing is it only happens when you accelerate hard, you don't feel it misfiring, and it only pops the check engine light. Driving mildly there is no problem, but get on it and bam ...check engine light. When you scan it is always a multiple cylinder misfire but different cylinders misfiring each time. Compression is fine across all cylinders, the plugs, wires, and injectors were changed but it still has the issue. I'm leaning towards the distributor cap, rotor, or coil since they older parts.....any other suggestions?

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erikv11
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Post by erikv11 »

I'd also check the fuel pressure, you need a pressure gauge to get any useful information. But never any lean codes, just misfire codes?

The rotor can definitely fail internally and affect all cylinders, so that's a possibility yes. I'd be looking to get a new Bosch cap and Bosch rotor, agree with that.

Bad coil is rare on these cars, seems least likely.
'95 854 T-5R, Motronic 4.4, 185k
'98 V70, T5 tune-injectors-turbo, LPT engine, 304k, daily driver
'06 S60 R, 197k
'07 XC70, black, 205k
'07 XC70, willow green, 212k
'99 Camry V6 :shock: 153k
gone: '96 NA 850 210k, '98 NA V70 182k, '98 S70 NA 225k, '96 855 NA 169k

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misha
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Post by misha »

Injectors?
CEL should be blinking when misfire occurs and stay solid after misfiring stops.
Bad Maf,it's wiring or connector could cause a misfiring too.
'97 850 2.5 20v / fully equipped / Motronic 4.4 from the factory / upgraded with S,V,C,XC70 instrument cluster / polar white wagon
History of Volvos in the family:
'71 144 S
'73 144 De Luxe
'78 244 DL
'78 244 DL
'79 244 GLE
'85 340 GLS

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abscate
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Post by abscate »

I'm leaning towards the distributor cap, rotor, or coil since they older parts.....any other suggestions?
Plugs and wires too!

Open up that cap and see if its full of moisture from a seeping cam seal
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foggydogg
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Post by foggydogg »

Cadywampus wrote: 01 Aug 2024, 20:31 I'm chasing a stubborn misfire issue on a 98 S70. Actually it is a multiple misfire according to the error codes. Weird thing is it only happens when you accelerate hard, you don't feel it misfiring, and it only pops the check engine light. Driving mildly there is no problem, but get on it and bam ...check engine light. When you scan it is always a multiple cylinder misfire but different cylinders misfiring each time. Compression is fine across all cylinders, the plugs, wires, and injectors were changed but it still has the issue. I'm leaning towards the distributor cap, rotor, or coil since they older parts.....any other suggestions?
Add one for inspecting the cap and rotor; as Dr. Abscate suggests, a little spooge inside the cap can cause spark dancing.
Random cylinder misfiring on hard pulls can be diagnostic for a vacuum leak as well.
69 1800s, @500k Death by Rust
94 850 Turbo, T-boned, ambulance for me, crusher for it
97 855 T5, 855 R projects
98 V70R x2, Silver Junkyard rescue, Coral Red
98 V70GLT x2, parts cars
00 V70xc x2, both now dead
62 122s, gone to live in Richmond
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rguzz
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Post by rguzz »

Start with the inexpensive stuff, clean up cap, rotor. Next might be vacuum leak agree with last post, also not expensive. I'd go there next, inspect hoses at turbo, tcv. Replacement Bosch cap is over 100 bucks?? Not to mention wires, etc. though you just replaced them I gather, oem parts?

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erikv11
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Post by erikv11 »

Bosch cap under $60 at FCP Euro. Rotor $30.
'95 854 T-5R, Motronic 4.4, 185k
'98 V70, T5 tune-injectors-turbo, LPT engine, 304k, daily driver
'06 S60 R, 197k
'07 XC70, black, 205k
'07 XC70, willow green, 212k
'99 Camry V6 :shock: 153k
gone: '96 NA 850 210k, '98 NA V70 182k, '98 S70 NA 225k, '96 855 NA 169k

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