Volvo RWD 200 Forum

I last drove it on Monday without issue. It's also been extremely wet and cool here, as a data point.

Symptom: After long (and strong, battery is OK) cranking engine felt like it's running barely on 1-2 cylinders. Tried a couple of times (returning key to OFF each time) and she fired up on the 4th or 5th try and ran fine. This was a cold start. Subsequent warm starts were fine.

I have a new fuel pump relay and wanted to installed it, but for the life of me I cannot find the original which is supposed to be up under the glovebox behind the felt panel. I found a large gray relay clipped to... some expensive-looking brain thingie but I think that is the AC control relay and the wiring connector is different (4 vs 6 pins). Even with a flashlight I could not find anything under there that looks like the white replacement. Is it possibly somewhere else? I've tried a search here but the results don't tell me anything different from where it's supposed to be.

Also, this is a LH3.1 car, but the relay is the same for LH2.4 as far as I can tell.

Check-engine light is off. No fault codes stored.

Another data point: at the end of a two-day road trip in April she just quit in the middle of the road and would not restart, displaying the same symptom as above, only the engine was hot after driving for hours. It was a hot day, and I'd filled up with some possibly-suspicious (high ethanol content) gas earlier. After letting it sit for about 30 minutes she fired up and drove as if nothing had happened so I've been blaming the gas, until today.

Update: with two days of warmer and DRY weather, this problem has disappeared. I suspect a flaky connector on the firewall from the CPS, and will clean/fix that along with cleaning various fuse contacts. From what I can see (which granted isn't a whole lot) the insulation on the CPS wiring is in good shape.

Much more rain and I could have started a mushroom farm in the back seat...

Well, the FPR was not clipped to anything and stuffed waaaay under the glovebox, but I found and replaced it. No change to cold-start behavior, though, so off to order a CPS.

I was kind of surprised, after reading so much about how these go bad, that according to the date code it is the original relay. Oh well, now I have a known-good spare.

Wonder why it starts fine when warm, even after sitting for 60-90min...

On LH2.4 and LH3.1, the FPR is in the same place, it is clipped on top of the large black ignition module that is on the firewall just above the passenger's feet. Of course, above that felt cover.

Given the symptoms you describe, also check the harness on the crank position sensor for missing insulation. It is located right behind the cylinder head where the engine bolts to the transmission, it sticks straight up. This is a common failure that can also make a car run like its on a few cylinders, unlike a fuel pump relay that normally just kills the engine.

Note, even if the crank position sensor harness isn't causing the problem, replace it if the insulation is broken as it will fail eventually!

jorrell
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92 245 278K miles, IPD'd to the hilt, 06 XC70, 00 Eclipse custom Turbo setup...currently taking names and kicking reputations!

Okay, I'll resume the great relay search tomorrow. Too dark now.

I'd guess that "crank position sensor" is the same thing as "crank speed sensor" as shown here. http://www.ipdusa.com/Volvo-200/Engine/Engine-Electrical/Crank-Speed-Sensor/p-69-258-335-3946/

Luckily, it's not that expensive, though like many things, it looks like the old “X is a supreme pain in the ass to replace, but it’s not an expensive part” maxim applies.

This is what we are refering to:
http://www.fcpgroton.com/product-exec/product_id/3396/nm/1989_1993_Volvo_240_Engine_Speed_Sensor_Impulse_Sensor/category_id/111


10mm wrench and/or a 10mm socket, 14" extention and ratchet.

--
'75 Jeep CJ5 345Hp ChevyPwrd, two motorcycles, '85 Pickup: The '89 Volvo is the newest vehicle I own. it wasn't Volvos safety , it was Longevity that sold me http://home.no.net/ebrox/Tony's%20cars.htm

Patience is your friend on a CPS replacement. It is held in place with a 10mm headed bolt if I recall correctly. A tiny 10mm socket and a foot or two of extensions and a ratchet are all you need. Putting a bit of grease or bubble gum inside the socket will help hold onto the bolt during removal and installation. It also doesn't hurt to have a 3/8ths U-joint in between the socket and the extension.

NOTE: Once the bolt is out, if the sensor does not come out easily, do NOT hammer on it! soak it in penetrating oil and try to twist it out. If you break the skimpy aluminum mount it is in, the transmission has to come out to correct the problem. That being said, on our 92 245 (North Carolina car... no rust), once I removed the bolt, the sensor came out with 0 effort while tugging on the harness.

Be patient.

jorrell

ps. Be patient.
--
92 245 278K miles, IPD'd to the hilt, 06 XC70, 00 Eclipse custom Turbo setup...currently taking names and kicking reputations!

Excellent, thanks. This is why I bboard.

Off to check my collection of extensions... I think I've got about two feet's worth somewhere. Note to self: buy some gum.