95' 850 mess of a couple months, save it from the scrapyard!

irishjays · Post by **irishjays** » 26 Sep 2012, 07:57

Ok here is the progression of my past couple months. My 95' 850GLT n/a has been my trusty steed for years, it's a manual 5 speed btw. I'll give you the run down of the last few months.
This 850 has 145,000 miles on it.

Drove fine, no problems, until... one day at a store parking lot it wouldn't fire. Cranked like crazy.
Towed it home.
Turned the key and heard no action from the fuel pump.
Replaced Fuel Pump/filter
Started once, got me around the block, then crank but no fire at all.
Checked coil, no spark.
Did the song and dance for the spark routine as suggested by the fine people of past MVF posts.
Replaced Cam Sensor.
Started right up.
Drove great for 2 days.
Then it hesitated to start one morning, but started on 2nd key turn. It also began chugging at low RPMS, and almost stalling on some turns, but once it was on the highway, I was able to drive it 40 miles home from work. Still will not fire on first key turn.
I replaced all my plugs, cap, tuned it up, checked my vacuum and air lines.
Moved my family to a new town and after 2 key turns, drove it all the way to Akron, Ohio, 75mph on the highway, one slight stutter/stall on the off ramp in New Philadelphia, but no other problems.
However once in Akron, I can't get a block without the stall happening. The gas pedal, when pressed will stall out the car, the engine will "downshift" if I get coasting in 1st. Then the throttle will do nothing, and I'll just be sitting on the side of the road.
Cleaned my MAF sensor.
Nothing changed, I can no longer trust her enough to drive. I'm broke from the move and need your help! I also have two kids and I can't take them in a car that could stall mid intersection. So...

TLDR: Volvo 850 glt/n manual, takes a two step key turn to fire, one step to crank, move key back a position, put key in start, engine fires and idles all day. Stalls, or throttle does nothing sporadically after start. Already put $600 in to these issues, and I'm broke and frustrated. car has 150,000m

byeboy · Post by **byeboy** » 26 Sep 2012, 08:04

Bummer! I sure hope its something simple! (it often is)...Did you try to run it with the MAF unplugged? Is it a Turbo or NA?

irishjays · Post by **irishjays** » 26 Sep 2012, 08:10

Its NA, and I ran it with the MAF unplugged yesterday while I cleaned it with the MAF cleaner spray. The MAF looked a little worn, I'm not sure what they normally look like since it's the only one I've owned, but the "yellow"-ish part looked slightly deteriorated. like it was yellow gel in a ziplock bag and someone pushed on the bag moving the gel slightly down, saggy like.

The bright side is, if I can fix it soon and without spending a fortune, I've already got it all tuned up, my engine looks liek a million gold doubloons.

Post by **erikv11** » 26 Sep 2012, 08:21

When the MAF is unplugged, does the stalling problem go away? Drive it around with the MAF unplugged.

Has the Check Engine light ever come on?

Post by **BEJinFbk** » 26 Sep 2012, 08:27

Ignition switch ?

irishjays · Post by **irishjays** » 26 Sep 2012, 08:34

I will try to drive it with the MAF disconnected at lunch today.
The check engine light is on, but there's no OBD-II connector that I can find. Even though there is a sticker on the drivers side that points to an OBD-II above the automatic drive selector. My car is a manual, and I opened up that compartment about the gear selector and there was another port in there that didn't match the OBD-II reader I had.

I haven't done anything to the ignition switch, but it cranks nice and hard every time I try to start it 1st key turn. It would crank until the battery died. Usually a good 3 seconds of cranking, followed by a pause, then a key turn will fire the engine in new car time.

Post by **vjaneczko** » 26 Sep 2012, 09:50

irishjays wrote:However once in Akron, I can't get a block without the stall happening.

That's your problem right there; Akron.

But seriously . . . have you tested the fuel pump relay? I'd also check the throttle body to make sure it's clean and adjusted properly.

To read your CEL, take a look at this post: https://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/forums ... 44&start=0

Your '95 will have an ODBI 'breakout box' under the hood behind the passenger-side headlight.

irishjays · Post by **irishjays** » 26 Sep 2012, 11:07

I didn't see anything that was 850 specific for reading codes, does that mean they are compatible with the 960 fault codes?

Crackron baby! U of A grad myself. Hey, we got The Black Keys, Lebron James and Firestone Country Club, all from the Rubber City.

rmorse · Post by **rmorse** » 26 Sep 2012, 11:41

Fuel pump relay.

irishjays · Post by **irishjays** » 26 Sep 2012, 12:34

Back when it wouldn't start the first time, in the store parking lot. I tried to jump the fuel pump relay with a paper clip. Once the pins were in, I still didn't get fire. That doesn't mean anything though, I guess I could pull it and examine it indoors now that the car is at my house.

I went home to run some diagnostics and feed the dogs, but it was pouring rain, so I didn't get to do what I wanted.