850 cranking, but can't quite start

Post by **dosbricks** » 01 May 2013, 15:06

1996 850 GLT wagon, N/A, 158k
I made the dreaded mistake of backing it out of the garage and immediately shutting it off--then putting it back in the garage the same way (was in a hurry). In the past, this no idle time has caused it to go to default codes and produced a rough stumbling idle for a couple of minutes upon starting.

So now it cranks and tries to start, but won't. I tried holding the accelerator to the floor and with considerable cranking it got more and more going and actually started for a second but as soon as I let off the key it immediately died. Immediately afterwards it cranked but not even trying to start.

Before this latest start try, I changed plugs to fresh Bosch coppers. A few months ago the starter was failing, which went on for months before that got sorted out and I replaced with a rebuilt. At that time I replaced the CPS, temp. sensor, crank sensor, dist. cap, rotor, and points. There is fuel--I hear the pump pressure up and fuel squirts out at the Schrader valve. I smell fuel from the exhaust after extended cranking.

I'm wondering if the combination of default codes and flooding may be the situation? Do You guys think the trick of adding a tablespoon of oil to each cylinder would restore the compression that is lost by fuel washed cylinder walls? or am I barking up the wrong tree? Thank you.

volvobaggen · Post by **volvobaggen** » 01 May 2013, 17:42

I have had the exact same symptoms as you, but I didn´t move the car beforehand.

Car was standing for a couple of weeks outside in the winter not beeing used. Got into the car, turned the ignition on, cranked for 1-2 seconds as normal, thought the engine catched, but when I let the key back to pos II engine died. I don´t think I cranked enough and this caused some lawnmover syndrome but I´m still not sure.

So I cranked and cranked. Got the tractor battery and cranked for many minutes with pauses of course. I could crank for 20-30 seconds, and could hear a rare detonation once and a while, but engine didn´t catch. Could hear the fuel pump, smelled gasoline from the exhuaust. After 20 minutes of failed cranking, the car started. Aha I thought, lawnmover syndrome. Felt really happy, car idled smoothly, and I wanted to take a drive but it stopped after 1 minute when I tried to take it on the road.

Now it was unstartable again, endless cranking to no use. Could still hear the fuel pump when turning the ignition to II.

Went to the breaker yard, got a new fuel pump relay and installed it. Started at once like nothing had ever happened to it.

So even if you hear the pump, smell the gas like I did, its never dumb to change the relay. I don´t think my case was just lawnmover syndrome.

Post by **dosbricks** » 01 May 2013, 18:31

The FP relay is the original, so this sounds like good advice and the best place to start. Just like yours, after making an effort to start, following that it wouldn't fire even once.

I may mail order the relay, but will eventually post back the results. Regards to Norway from Texas (thanks).

Post by **dosbricks** » 01 May 2013, 20:56

I have the pink 103 relay 9441029 with 5 pins instead of 4. Since it costs $95 from fcpgroton, I would like to jumper the #15 and #87 pins to determine if it's the problem. Trouble is, I have #87a and #87b pins (the latter located in the center for the automatic trans). Should I jumper only #15 and #87a? (which corresponds to the 87 pin on the 4 pin manual trans relays). I don't want to screw something up????

Post by **dosbricks** » 02 May 2013, 13:35

To update and complete this thread, I jumpered the #15 and #87a pins, and with a bit of cranking it fired up and after a half minute ran smooth. Now fully confident that the relay is the problem, I ordered the pink 9441029 from FCP which is specified for my year w/auto trans. Thanks once again to this great forum and all those who contribute their know-how.

volvobaggen · Post by **volvobaggen** » 06 May 2013, 08:06

Glad that you got it sorted out, I´m sorry I could not answer your question regarding the 4-pin vs 5-pin relay, but you obviously sorted it out yourself. Thank you for posting what you did and the results, we all learn something from it to keep our Volvos rolling towards higher milages