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I'm talking 15 mpg in town, about 20 on the highway. It's rated for 20 city and 29 highway (and btw, I have ALWAYS gotten the EPA estimated gas mileage in all the cars I've driven for the past 30 years - got 52 mpg out of my 3 cylinder Geo Metro).
It has all new plugs, wires, distributor cap, etc.
It is a 5 speed manual and I've driven manual for 30 years.
It has 73,700 miles on the engine.
Recent work includes new timing belt, some other belt was also replaced but I forget which one. New air filter. Replaced a torn CV boot and front control arm. Was previously owned (literally) by a little old lady who only put about 2k miles on it the last year she owned it. Had regular maintenance. There are no apparent engine problems - runs great, doesn't hesitate or stall, no knocking, pinging, or other strange noises. "Check engine" light is not on. I was thinking an O2 sensor but shouldn't that trip the check engine light?
I'm at a loss. With gas $3 a gallon and me a poor starving grad student (with a son in college as well) I can't afford this.
Any ideas?
Sojourner
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posted by
someone claiming to be curious kid
on
Wed Apr 25 03:45 CST 2007 [ RELATED]
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I second the thought on sticking brake pads within the guides - I had an issue last year with my 850 AND my mother's 240dl (now recalling a distinct smell). If at all inclined, safely jack the vehicle and remove the wheels and pads one at a time. Clean/lightly file any corrosion on the mating faces of the pad backing plate and the pad retainer arms on the calipers. I used a light application of anti-sieze on the caliper piston face-shim, shim-pad backing plate to help reduce squeal, and some on the mating/contact points on the edges of the pad backing plate and caliper arm surfaces where I had to slean-up/file away corrosion. That corrosion seems to form an expansion of material that can lead to siezure/sticking. While you're at it, sheck the rubber seals around the piston in the brake caliper for leakage/tears - moisture and/or dirt could have found it's way in leading to issues as well.
Another possibility alluded to by another post here, was having to do with a cleaner in the fuel and oil. I would recommend the use of a fuel system cleaner as you have reported such in frequant use in the last year by the previous owner. I can also imagine the tank may still contain some "stale" fuel and that the engine management system has had to adjust timing and mixture levels to run "well". It's going to take some tank fulls to flush things along with a system cleaner, and for the computer to re-adjust things - Some have mentioned that you could quickly "reset" the engine control module by disconnecting the battery for 5-10 minutes though I have not done this, and DON'T if you don't know the radio's unlocking code which will be required to get it operational when power is again restored.
When I bought my new-to-me 850, it had appearently in a front-end incident, having sat for a while and used little there after. When I was test driving it, power seemed down (dealer used regular gas, and I imagine the piston rings weren't sealing well at the time as the engine wasn't being given much of a work out for so long) The 1st few tanks I was getting some 18mpg in mixed driving with an automatic. It wasn't long though that I began getting what has amounted to 22-23 mpg in similar driving conditions (now use mid grade (89 oct., 92/3 while towing). I also replaced the fuel filter, but that was after seeing a marked increase in MPG.
Sorry to hear of the previous owner's spotty service from the mechanics, but none-the-less, welcome to the Volvo owner's club!
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posted by
someone claiming to be fixit2003
on
Sat Apr 21 04:44 CST 2007 [ RELATED]
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Your 850 certainly isn't a Metro but with the 5 spd you should be able to get better mileage than you're seeing now. Shouldn't be too much going wrong with the engine with that low mileage. Unusual old lady to be driving around a 5 spd wagon!! Crank up the tire pressure. Feel the wheels after doing some driving. If any feel unusually hotter than the others the brake pads are probably dragging. Could be an issue with a seldom driven car?
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Yup, and she replaced it with another one just like it - 5 speed manual 2007 Volvo wagon. I'm pushing 50 myself and if I have my druthers, I'll drive stick 'til I die. I'm trying to figure out the stuff about the flame trap and all that others have suggested. I used to always work on my cars, but lately there's so much stuff in the engine I can't tell what half of it is anymore. My first car was a '69 VW Fastback. Everything else has gone downhill from there, engine-clutter-wise, at any rate, LOL!
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I don't think that you will get 29 highway at all. Mine is running city/highway mixed for almost 12 years, it is about 22 on average. In winter time, it drops to about 19/20. Unless I drive a long highway distance such as from Boston to Six Flags and back then I will get 25.
My car has no vacuum leak, no code stored, no leaking injector or fuel, it is what it is....
Ching-Ho Cheng
--
1995 855 NA, Bilstein Strut & Shocks, Volvo Protective Grill, K&N Filter, E-Code Lens, ClearCorner Light, Alpine CD-Changer, AutoDim RearView Mirror, 6000K HID
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posted by
someone claiming to be ksg
on
Fri Apr 20 08:00 CST 2007 [ RELATED]
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If the other suggestions aren't effective you might try verifying that the fuel pressure is correct and injectors aren't leaking (pressure should remain normal or near normal for many minutes after shutting off engine). Has the car had an emission test (measuring the actual exhaust, not just checking for stored codes)?
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posted by
someone claiming to be bobd
on
Fri Apr 20 05:30 CST 2007 [ RELATED]
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it could be a problem with your air box thermostat causing hot air to be pulled from exhaust manifold. check this link http://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/chat/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=8830 also try using the seafoam in both the fuel system and oil flush http://www.seafoamsales.com/
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Check your codes from the diagnostic boxes. That will help a lot.
It sounds like there is a vacuum leak, which is common in older 5 cyl engines. Also check the flame trap. If there is a small plastic screen in it, throw the screen in the trash. It only gets clogged and serves no purpose.
Check the accordian plastic tube from the air cleaner to the throttle body, even a tiny crack will cause problems. Use an old tooth brush and clean the electrical connection to the MAF (the plug is next to the air filter box).
Klaus
--
1975 164 w/174,800mi (Sold) 1995 850T w/91,000mi, 1998 V70R w/129,000mi
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OK, I got a Volvo repair person to show me where these bits are. Is this the right hose - "accordion plastic tube from air cleaner to throttle body"?
http://69.0.158.19/live/B200083045OEA.JPG
"Volvo air intake hose with elbow"
The previous owner took the Volvo to the same mechanic since she bought the car new. This mechanic failed to replace the timing belt on schedule (the car still had the original timing belt in it when I got it, it was FOUR YEARS overdue for replacement) and had told the former owner that the wear on her front tires was caused by a leaking CV boot on the opposite side (wear on left tire, CV boot on right). It was actually caused by a bad control arm on the left.
Given this sort of track record (she trusted them to do "regular maintenance" without herself knowing what that entailed), my bet is that flame trap has never so much as been looked at - if I were in danger of blowing seals because of it, would there be obvious signs? The Volvo repair guys are 2 weeks behind right now so I'm on my own with this. It's the end of the semester for me, which means I'm about as far behind myself. Should I stop driving until I can get to it? I have to mail-order parts, there's no Volvo dealer within 100 miles of here.
I need a Chiltons, or a Haynes, or something.
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With the car idling in park you can remove the oil fill cap and should have a negative pressure there, hopefully. A positive pressure might indicate your flame trap and or pcv might need to be cleaned, as far as your concern over the seal(s). If you have time to get over to Mathewsvolvosite there’s an 850 service manual in zip form that you can download and then maybe pick up a Haynes and that all should get you started in the right direction.
--
Wallie
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First things first. Your studies are infinitely more important now than any car. Like I told my daughter last week, exercise your brain for the next 2 weeks until your head goes numb. You will get plenty of time to rest and do fun things as soon as finals are over.
Your car runs, poorly, but it runs. So wait until you have time to get your hands full of grease and then do all of the things you think are needed. This is one distraction you can put off until tomorrow.
So, hit the books, and when finals are over take a good look at your car and do the easy stuff first.
Yes, that accordion part is what I was talking about. It can not have any holes in it. But do not take it off now, hit the books!
Klaus
--
1975 164 w/174,800mi (Sold) 1995 850T w/91,000mi, 1998 V70R w/129,000mi
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Thank you so much for your help! Back to the books now . . .
Sojourner
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