After Market Check Valve in a 2000 V70 XC a NO-GO

volvolove · Post by **volvolove** » 01 Apr 2011, 07:28

Previous Posts: about check valve https://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/forums ... =1&t=37183
UPDATE:
I finally ordered the check valve and installed it in the fuel line running from the tank as close to the tank as I was able. That is another story, as the fuel line is a rubber line, but inside of the rubber it is actually nylon. Anyway, after I installed it, I primed the line by turning the key on a couple of times. No problems. After a short jaunt, I shut the car down, and started it right back up. I did this probably 3 times just to feel it out. Then I went inside for roughly 10 minutes. When I came back, the ol girl wouldn't start at all. Before I installed this check valve, it would always start on the second try if not after the first try, and now it would not start no matter how often and for how long I cranked it. I crawled under the car to check my work. No leakage. I checked the fuel pressure on the fuel rail, and it sprayed me w/ plenty of pressure. The fuel rail never had pressure in it at all before unless the car was running, not even seconds after running.
After bleeding off some of the pressure, the car fired right up. Then I drove it down the road to my house. Did the same thing: shut it down, started it up; several times. No problems. Went inside for about 10 minutes again. Came out, same problem. I released the pressure, and she fired right up. Now the third time I drove a couple miles, same thing with shutting it off and starting it right up but this time I went inside for an hour and came out and fired her right up. Went inside for another hour, came out and fired her right up again. Then I drove back home. Shut it down and waited about 10 minutes again, and no dice, she did not want to start. Then I cam in and researched on this webpage and started to write this post. After about 40 minutes, I just stepped out and fired her right up. WTF? I know I know, I can probably replace that check valve w/ a junction or replace the whole line, and be back where I started, but I cannot figure out why this would happen unless it messes w/ the fuel pressure regulator? I just read a post that said the regulator in the XC is on top of the tank. Does the check valve need to be before that?
UPDATE: Replaced check valve with a junction, and all is back to the way it was before, which is far better than w/ the check valve.

Thanks again

volvolove
New Member

Posts: 7
Joined: 07 Mar 2011, 10:24
Location: brewster, ks
Model, Year: 2000 v70 xc

Post by **jblackburn** » 01 Apr 2011, 07:49

Sounds like vapor lock.

Yes, I would think it would have to be before the regulator; that's the way it is on all other models. How exactly you'd do that on an XC, I don't know.

volvolove · Post by **volvolove** » 01 Apr 2011, 10:16

Thank You for the reassurance that I'm not crazy. I WOULD NOT recommend to anyone w/ this model to put in the aftermarket check valve. Just deal w/ it or go all out and do the job right (which would not be a simple job). Hope this will discourage any 2000 xc owners from doing what i did. Waste of time, money, and now I have a splice in my fuel line that I check all the time to make sure it isn't leaking. But a learning experience none the less.

Post by **BEJinFbk** » 01 Apr 2011, 13:11

volvolove wrote:Thank You for the reassurance that I'm not crazy. I WOULD NOT recommend to anyone w/ this model to put in the aftermarket check valve. Just deal w/ it or go all out and do the job right (which would not be a simple job). Hope this will discourage any 2000 xc owners from doing what i did. Waste of time, money, and now I have a splice in my fuel line that I check all the time to make sure it isn't leaking. But a learning experience none the less.

I don't get it...

Why would you discourage a fix that's helped the majority of people that have used it?
So, it didn't work for you...Maybe you have a different problem. I don't know.
Maybe there was an issue with HOW you did it. Don't know that either. I wasn't there.
But basing a statement like that with only your particular experience with no other data
to back it up is no reason for a blanket condemnation of the external check valve fix.

Sorry it didn't work for you, but IMHO, this subjective
and bitter sounding conclusion is just plain wrong.

Just sayin'...

Post by **JRL** » 01 Apr 2011, 13:22

Please read the above.
You're the only person I know of that had a problem, just one other person who has/had other major issues and the C/valve did not help him at all.
This has helped (almost) everyone.
Obviously each car is different and perhaps you have something else (bad) going on, I don't know.
You're there and I'm here, no way to check but it sounds as if you did install it the correct position

volvolove · Post by **volvolove** » 02 Apr 2011, 08:13

Well, if anybody knows anybody w/ a 2000 xc that has done this successfully, then by all means chime in.

volvolove · Post by **volvolove** » 02 Apr 2011, 14:10

Looked under the car again today. And yes, I stick w/ my first conclusion that I can't get the C V before the fuel pressure regulator, and NO I DO NO recommend using the aftermarket check valve on the xc model. And yes, I am pretty sure it is the same problem the others were having, and yes, a check valve would fix that, but again, the fuel pressure regulator is in a different spot on the XC's. https://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/forums ... =1&t=27556
So, take it from one of these "experts" or "senior members" or take it from an XC owner that tried it. Now, if anybody knows how to get the CV before the FPR or has had any luck w/ this in the XC please fill me in. Until then, just remember that everybody is an "expert" and you don't really know til you try it yourself.

Post by **JRL** » 02 Apr 2011, 15:13

volvolove wrote:Well, if anybody knows anybody w/ a 2000 xc that has done this successfully, then by all means chime in.

Well me for one......with THREE (3) 2000s
Two Rs and one XC

So guess what, BOTH kinds of 2000 AWD Volvos, a Cross Country and two V70R and it worked well.
I'l say this again, either you did something wrong or you have a different issue (which is very possible).

The VOLVO DEALER does this fix, where do you think I found out about it in the first place?

They do them inside the tank and charge 4-5 hours labor (but at least the customer doesn't have to buy a fuel pump) then I found out from two different people (years ago) that they installed it outside the tank and guess what, it still works
(except not for you).

Do you really think I would sell something that wasn't tried first
(Oh and BTW, my wife's R has one in for over 35K miles and three and a half years now, NO ISSUES!)

You can't keep insisting and making a blanket statement that it doesn't work just because your car is not working properly
Have you changed your fuel filter?

Post by **jblackburn** » 02 Apr 2011, 15:28

Everyone chill out.

Your car might have another problem totally un-related to the check valve.

I released the pressure, and she fired right up. Now the third time I drove a couple miles, same thing with shutting it off and starting it right up but this time I went inside for an hour and came out and fired her right up. Went inside for another hour, came out and fired her right up again. Then I drove back home. Shut it down and waited about 10 minutes again, and no dice, she did not want to start.

Like I said, that sounds like your car is experiencing vapor lock when it sits for a little bit with a hot engine. This may have been a fuel pressure regulator problem all along. Next time you experience the no-start condition, find the vacuum line to the regulator and pull it off and see if the engine will start up.

volvolove · Post by **volvolove** » 03 Apr 2011, 10:48

I was feeling like it may be vapor lock too, but only after the check valve was installed. i guess i am having trouble locating the pressure regulator. i found the pic that you, blackburn, sent another 2000 xc owner, and I guess I didn't understand it. I followed my hoses all the way back to the tank, and they go up above the tank. Is the regulator up there? Does the regulator keep the engine from vapor locking.
Without the check valve, the only symptoms are little, or more like "no" fuel pressure after the car has been shut off. Other than that it runs great. After the check valve, the symptoms point to vapor lock when trying to start after it has set shortly with a hot engine because if I bleed even the tiniest bit of pressure off the fuel rail, it fires right up.
JRL, did you install the checkvalve yourself on the XC? If so, where exactly did you install it?