1997 850 T5 Wagon cranks, but doesn't start

Cdub81 · Post by **Cdub81** » 24 Feb 2011, 13:14

Hi! I've been reading several articles here and I just decided to post my own because it may help faster.

My wife and I bought an 850 T5 Wagon a few weeks ago. Everything seemed in order. The car has about 203k with a new engine being put in around 90k ago. It has all of the paperwork for the maintenance on the car. I didn't take it to a mechanic, although I should have. I got it for $1800 which was a great deal, in my opinion.

We love the car. We have two daughters and the car has lots of space and I loved the way it drove...

...until now.

A week after we bough it, when you tried to start it first thing in the morning, it would be hesitant to start, and when it did, chugged really hard for about 10 seconds (with me revving the engine) and then it would run fine the rest of the day.

My wife drove the car to work today, same problems as usual in the morning, and now it won't start at all for her.

We went through a really bad period of our life with a car we had to push start everyday, and now the new car we just bought doesn't want to start. I think I'm cursed.

Does anyone know what might be wrong? Any suggestions? I'm mechanically inclined, but we are dirt poor and broke, and I have just about no tools to do any lengthy projects on my own.

Thanks for reading, and I hope to be a member of this community far into the future, loving my Volvo!

Post by **jimmy57** » 24 Feb 2011, 13:54

Leaking fuel injector flooding engine or fuel pressure regulator leaking and also flooding engine are what comes to mind with what info you have provided.
IF you can reach the wife and have here hold it to the floor to clear the flooding to see if that makes it start.
IF that works it is at least a partial answer. DO you remember if you smelled raw fuel or saw black smoke in those 10 second periods you were having to high idle it to clear up the rough running?

Cdub81 · Post by **Cdub81** » 24 Feb 2011, 14:08

I cant recall whether or not there was black smoke. I vaguely remember gas.

If the leaks were the case is there any DIY methods? If not, how much do you think I'm looking at cost wise to get it fixed?

Post by **jimmy57** » 24 Feb 2011, 14:42

any pick n pull places with Volvos in Denver?

Cdub81 · Post by **Cdub81** » 24 Feb 2011, 19:22

There may be some, I'll be looking tomorrow, as well as buying a tool set from Craftsman.

It wasn't black smoke, it was whitish/grey, and the holding the pedal to the floor worked. Starts right up now.

Still need to find the root of the problem and fix it. I'm excited to buy tools and learn to start fending for myself under the hood.

Post by **jimmy57** » 24 Feb 2011, 22:00

IS it losing coolant?

Cdub81 · Post by **Cdub81** » 25 Feb 2011, 09:01

Funny you should ask.

When we first bought the car, the coolant light was coming on, so we topped it off. I had read somewhere else that a guy had a similar problem, so to see if the coolant was leaking into the motor, he de-pressurized the coolant system.

Last night, on a whim, I lightly unscrewed the coolant cap when we got home. This morning? Started right up.

What could it be? I'm thinking head gasket, am I on the right track?

Cdub81 · Post by **Cdub81** » 25 Feb 2011, 09:05

It was actually here
https://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/forums ... =1&t=31925

that I had read about the coolant ordeal.

I LOVE this website.

mcp · Post by **mcp** » 26 Feb 2011, 21:24

Common things to check for coolant leaks (before you jump to the conclusion that it is a head gasket problem):

The plastic connection where the small hose hooks to the top corner of the plastic expansion tank cracks/breaks and starts leaking. (To see it, you have to wait until the engine warms up, the thermostat opens and coolant starts flowing through that small hose.) The fix is a new plastic tank and a new hose. (I had to replace my tank at about 195k miles.)

The two heater hoses that connect to the engine block and go to the firewall. (Check both ends for leaks. Mine was leaking at the connection on the driver's side of the engine. Replaced both hoses at 170k miles.)

Heater core leaking inside the car. Is the driver's side carpet wet? (Replaced my heater core at 165k miles.)

Upper and lower radiator hoses. On my son's '97 850 wagon, the upper hose was leaking at the radiator. We squeezed it and saw coolant squirt out. (Replaced both hoses at 165k miles.)

The slow starting and then no start sound like what I experienced last week. For two mornings it took longer than usual to start, but ran fine the rest of the day. The third morning, it started, ran rough a few seconds and quit. Then it would crank, but not start. Replacing the fuel pump fixed mine.