99 c70 random dieing

HulkC70 · Post by **HulkC70** » 11 Dec 2014, 09:16

I took my alternator and battery in for testing working at 100% fuel pump and pressure good. My car is still randomly dieing. I will only loose throttle then obviously once rpm gets to 500 engine stalls.

Only thing out of place I notice is when I turn the heat fan on high when it first kicks on the lights dim. This morning when I started my car the orange lights on the heater control started to blink at me for out 30 secs.

Post by **FLXC90** » 11 Dec 2014, 12:35

As for the blinking lights, your owners manual will explain that. The dimming with high fan is normal. The random dying sounds like it could be ETM related maybe? If you have power to ignition and pressure to fuel, it sounds signal related, either system, more likely ETM than ignition signal in my very limited knowledge of the 99+ cars. search ETM fault symptoms on the forum for now. Also, any codes?

Post by **misha** » 11 Dec 2014, 19:25

HulkC70 wrote:I took my alternator and battery in for testing working at 100% fuel pump and pressure good. My car is still randomly dieing. I will only loose throttle then obviously once rpm gets to 500 engine stalls.

When the fuel filter was last time replaced?I suspect that you have a bad fuel pump relay or your fuel pump is dying.

HulkC70 wrote:Only thing out of place I notice is when I turn the heat fan on high when it first kicks on the lights dim. This morning when I started my car the orange lights on the heater control started to blink at me for out 30 secs.

It is NOT normal for lights to dim when you turn on the heater fan if the charging system is in good shape.It could dim for a second when the fan kicks in and that's it....a second.

Blinking ac & rec lights means that ac/heater control has stored a code and that is something wrong with it.
BUT...if your charging system is not OK,than it could be the reason why they're blinking.

Healthy charging system MUST produce strong 13.5-14.4V at battery terminals with all consumers ON and idling.Everything UNDER 13.5v with all consumers on and idling,is not enough to keep the battery charged.

Post by **FLXC90** » 11 Dec 2014, 21:01

Ok thanks Misha, I stand corrected.

I have Manual climate control.

HulkC70 · Post by **HulkC70** » 12 Dec 2014, 19:43

Fuel filter was changed two week ago and it's still died twice. Put alternator on a full load test and it stayed in green but at very bottom of green with all load off was a solid 14.4ish when full load went to about 13.6ish. If the charging drops into red does volvo have a auto kill? The motor continue to get fuel until it reaches the 500 rpm stall mark.

I will put the scanner on the car Monday when I get to the shop.

My lead tech also suggested a possible bad etm. I already replace the abs module. I do have another etm. Will I have to get it flashed by volvo when I put it in?

I work for a very large salvage yard corporation so I can get almost anything used.

Also yes the lights only dim for a second when turning the fan to high. I flip the switch all the way over, for a second nothing happens, then the fan catches signal and spins to high and at that exact moment the lights dim for a second then all is good

Is it possible that the throttle from the pedal is not reaching the icm because of bad signal? Early this year I had to replace only the pedal because a tech broke if off. I just pressed a new one on. Is that a bad idea?

Post by **kahl** » 12 Dec 2014, 21:22

I experienced many of the same issues on my 2000 V70. I got another ETM and installed. Car performs great. Did not have to have any dealer flashing.

HulkC70 · Post by **HulkC70** » 12 Dec 2014, 21:54

It's a pretty easy install if I remember correctly. The etm is what sits on the passenger side fender under the hood in the black box correct?

Post by **precopster** » 12 Dec 2014, 22:18

You can replace the ETM if it's from the same engine type and body series. There are exceptions to this that I have lucked upon, such as a P2 XC 70 that went into a P80 S70 2.4T however both are 5 cylinder turbos. Some ECM (engine) firmware is actually compatible with 2 different ETM firmware types (both pre and post 2006) and some are not.

At present there are around 15 different firmware types for P80 and P2 in both 5 and 6 cylinder engines and if turbo can be a PITA to fit so choose your ETM carefully if it's used.

HulkC70 · Post by **HulkC70** » 12 Dec 2014, 22:30

Mine is a early 99 c70 hard top coupe...2.3L turbo with the 5 spd Manual trans. The extra etm I have is from a 2000 s70 2.3 turbo but automatic trans.

Post by **precopster** » 13 Dec 2014, 01:34

It doesn't sit in the black box at all. It has a brass flap and routes intake air to the manifold. Very hard to fit and a waste of 2 hours if it doesn't work.

A trick I use is to plug the replacement ETM into the loom and turn on the ignition. Rule of thumb after around 80 ETM repairs is that if the ETM turns off after 10 secs it has correct programming. If it continues to buzz it won't mate.