Dead, just.... dead... * Found problem! *

l33tDad · Post by **l33tDad** » 22 Jun 2006, 10:26

Car won't start (in signature). Don't know what the heck is going on as this has never happened before. I got into it this morning and nothing, it would crank, but won't even catch. Car was running fine last night when I came home and subsequently went to the store. Because of not having any symptoms before this, I'm not really even sure where to start now, any thoughts?

MO-T5 · Post by **MO-T5** » 22 Jun 2006, 10:43

First thing I would do is check and see if you had pressure at the fuel rail. Then do the old "put a spark plug against the block" to see if you have spark. After that ????? The list is long, any number of sensors, bad wires, etc. Put if I was a betting man, I'd put my money on a fuel pump.

l33tDad · Post by **l33tDad** » 22 Jun 2006, 10:59

How do I check to see if there's pressure at the rail? Never done that before...

DVolvoguy777 · Post by **DVolvoguy777** » 22 Jun 2006, 11:27

Take the cover off the throttle ( black plastic with a single #25torx screw on the front of the motor) take the little blue Schrader valve cover off and put something in it to engage the valve needle and fuel should come out. Watch your eyes though. The fuel should be under pressure. If not. Need new fuel pump.

l33tDad · Post by **l33tDad** » 22 Jun 2006, 11:34

Okay, I'll try that tonight. Would a dead fuel pump also throw a code? Also, would there be any other symptoms of this?

Emmette · Post by **Emmette** » 22 Jun 2006, 11:47

Same thing going on with my car which is being towed to the shop as I wright this. I'm positive it's the fuel pump after reading various comments on this site and would have done the job myself if I had it at home instead of my office. The pump is in the trunk under the carpet close to the rear seat and is easily accessable. There are two metal plates and the larger covers the pump. You can spend as much as $400 for a new one but I would suggest going to the netparts web site. I'm going to purchae the fuel pump kit for $71.74 after I get confirmation that it is the pump. One note. Get access to the pump as I described and then turn the key to the 11 position and listen for any noise from the pump. If none then that is another pretty good indicator that thats the problem.

stoutlogic · Post by **stoutlogic** » 22 Jun 2006, 13:37

You need three things for an engine to run.

1.) Spark, pull a plug hold to the block and have an assistant turn the ingnition while you look for spark. very simple test. If you have spark you know your problem is fuel related.

2.) Fuel and air, do as others before have stated and check the valve at end of fuel rail. Wear safety glasses

3.) Compression, nothing has changed over night so I'm sure your fine.

DVolvoguy777 · Post by **DVolvoguy777** » 22 Jun 2006, 14:12

l33tDad wrote:Okay, I'll try that tonight. Would a dead fuel pump also throw a code? Also, would there be any other symptoms of this?

I bought an orange Autoscan tool from Pepboys to see if I had any codes, no, when my cars fuel pump went out it threw no codes.

Symptoms, no start, stalling, some times start run drive, then no start or start and die. Just a few symptoms. Any more?

iogikuma · Post by **iogikuma** » 23 Jun 2006, 04:30

Sounds exactly like what happened to me in the middle of a long road trip a couple of years ago down under in Australia.

The car ran perfectly for days. We arrived at our day's destination, went out for a meal in the evening, then hit the sack in a motel. Early the next morning I tried to start the. No dice. It turned over beautifully but there was absolutely no sign of even trying to catch.

Had to have it towed 250km (150 miles) to the closest Volvo dealer.

He plugged in the computer, checked the codes and in 30 seconds diagnosed a dead Crank Angle (RPM) sensor.

I was told that this is the typical pattern - when the sensor is close to failure and and runs hot for a while (such as on a long trip) and then you stop overnight in a cold place, the sensor just dies.

No sensor, no start!

At least I got to watch a magnificent sight while I was waiting for the tow truck - a mob of magnificent wild red and grey kangaroos going about their business a couple of hundred metres away in a heavy morning mist illuminated by the sun. Just magical...

l33tDad · Post by **l33tDad** » 23 Jun 2006, 07:40

DVolvoguy777 wrote:I bought an orange Autoscan tool from Pepboys to see if I had any codes, no, when my cars fuel pump went out it threw no codes.

Symptoms, no start, stalling, some times start run drive, then no start or start and die. Just a few symptoms. Any more?

1993 = no OBDII port, so I can't pull the code like that. I need to do it manually.

I had no symptoms before this started at all. Car never stalled, never had a problem with it starting before. In fact, my mechanic is still astonished that at 225k miles, it runs as good as it does. Last time I had it in (oil change), he said it was running "perfect".

Now, here's the clincher in all this, went home yesterday durring lunch to try again and still nothing. However, went home after work and it started with the first turn and every time for the next 15-20 times I did it. I could almost hear the car say "psyche!" when it started. I ran it hard for 20 mins or so, it performed perfectly and started right up after. This morning, hopped in the car and it started with the first turn also. I don't know what to make of it.