Hello
My car is not charging the battery
and some of the red warning light on the dash don't operate
is this an indication of a particular part failing ?
The generator not charging light is always off
thanks

Please check the voltage regulator on the back of the alternator. I believe the brushes are part of that. Look at pics:

http://catalog.autohausaz.com/autohausaz/detailw.jsp?sid=nxialvvzmlnd50mxt3mn1zuw&partner=autohausaz&year=1995&make=VO&model=850-T-001&category=F4010&part=Voltage%20Regulator

The VR is almost the same price as a reman alternator.
Worn brushes will deposit a lot of magnetic dust on the rear of the alternator.
--
My name is Klaus and I am a Volvoholic.

Check the battery connections first, they need to be clean and snug. If you have one, hook up a trickle charger and leave it connected as long as you can to get a full charge, preferably 24 hours.
Check the red wires going to the battery for cracks in the copper connection.
If the car is running, is the red wire hot to the touch? Follow the ground wire to the car body, is the connection all rusty? Clean it and recconnect.
How old is the battery?

Try jiggling the key when it is in pos II, you might have a failing ignition switch.
--
My name is Klaus and I am a Volvoholic.

yes klaus
I concur that the problem is with energizing a circut. I will clean the connections and see I am also suspect of the key with 275k Could there be a fuse
in play or the back of the alt seems damp with oil of some kind I have only had the car a few days and have not dug into it yet but I wondered if that could fowl the brushes? being a volvoholic is a good place to be.
thanks

Oily residue doesn't sound good. My 95 got messed up because of antifreeze spillage on the alternator circuit board.

There is a fuse for the instrument panel, but not the one you are looking for. The alternator warning light is not fused and looks like a red battery when lit.

You can pull the caps off the battery to check the electrolite level, they pry off with a screwdriver. If the level is very low, replace the battery.

Alternator output should be in the low 14V range.
--
My name is Klaus and I am a Volvoholic.

Based on experience with 240s, it sounds like the alternator brushes are shot to me. If this were a 240 it would be an easy fix, but it doesn't appear these cars have an alternator with accessible brushes. But before replacing anything, I'd check for 12v at the little wire (exciter) on the alterantor with the ignition at II.

--
'81 GLT 245 @ 259K; '83 DL 175K

The brushes (voltage regulator) is right behind the plastic cap on the alternator. Easy to fix. If the charging system checked out and the battery is good, you have a voltage drain the mechanic didn't find. IPD sells this on/off valve for the battery that you can turn the lever to "off" at night instead of messing with the screws all the time if you just cant figure out where the drain is. Wonder if you have a grounding problem with the car.

THE PROBLEM HAS TAKEN A NEW TWIST
THESE LIGHTS ON THE DASH never light
Batt
check engine
brake
low coolant
and there is a mystery wire jacking power from the #4 fuse slot and spliced into
the wire harness
further investigation required
I will check for 12 volts today
I am betting on a bad igniton switch

more developments
the small excite wire is delivering 12 volts
I think the alt needs an overhaul
could the bulbs be blown on the dash lights
no codes cel is coming on and going out
ignition switch is out of the problem now
rouge wire in #4 fuse slot seems to make no difference attached or not

Still sounds like the alternator brushes to me. Generally, when you turn the ignition switch, that puts 12v on the exciter wire and from there to the core of the alternator through the brushes. So the rest of the alternator may be fine, but not getting the voltage to make voltage because the brushes are shot. If current can't flow through the exciter wire because the brushes aren't making contact, the dash lights won't go on. Under normal conditions, once the alternator starts making 14v, the polarity of the exciter wire reverses and the lights on the dash go out. Hope that makes some sense, and that someone can offer a source for parts: I didn't see them listed at IPD or FCPGroton, just the whole alternator.

--
'81 GLT 245 @ 259K; '83 DL 175K

Yes I belive bad brushes are to be discovered in a tear down of the alternator
will post results. I think the gen light on the dash will then funtion.

Confirmed no contact on i brush copper oilly crud had built up between it and the
stator a little steel wool and we are reading 14 volts at the batt with the engine running

Oh darn, I was going from my dad's 93 that has the dist mounted on the block by the intake manifold..in that case all i said does not apply.

How does the car sound while its cranking? does it crank faster and with less restriction..or sound the same?

2) HOw and where did you check for spark?

3) remove the ashtray and the lill cuby above it and locate the fuel/dme relay its the white one on the left of the relay box up on the second row..put on your hand on it and crank it..as soon as it starts to crank you should feel a click.

4) does your tach move at all while its cranking?

those last 2 are checking on both the relay..which is very common..and the hall sensor also very common and is located underneath the dist and has notorious bad plastic exposed to alot of heat and breaks off

When I'm cranking the car is does sound really strange. Somewhat high pitched. The RPM Guage dosnt move. but gosh you can smell the gas. I will try cranking it tommarrow and see what shes does. the Hall Sensor, is it hard to replace?

I think Toze is leading you the right way.

But if you've been doing a lot of no-start cranking AND smelling fuel, the unburned fuel could have washed the oil from the cylinder walls, causing a loss of compression — enough to prevent combustion. It's been reported here before.

The fix for that is to pull all the plugs to let the cylinders air out, then add about 1 teaspoon of oil to each cylinder and crank over (plugs still out) to spread the oil into the rings.
--
Bruce Young, '93 940-NA (current), 240s (one V8), 140s, 122s, since '63.

The smell of gas means that the hall sensor or rpm sensor in your car is working properly, Check in your timing the fact that it does not sound right while cranking as it used to is a sign of SOMETHING,

But if you havent yet i would click on the FAQ and sit down for some reading..
http://www.brickboard.com/FAQ/700-900/

Dont discourage you'll get this puppy working again in no time..

Toze,

Yeah it does sound strange when i'm cranking it. i've read online about everything. i'm clueless. i'm not wanting to take her to a mechanic but idk i'm lost lol.

Jacob,

• I don't see where you answered Toze on this (Thu Mar 5 16:45 EST):

"2) HOw and where did you check for spark? "

• You did say, "Yes it has spark " to Goatman on Wed Mar 4 20:43 EST, but knowing the specifics of your test might be helpful.

• I'm not clear on when this problem began. Was it right after you replaced the ignition wires? Or was that some time ago, and now this problem started?

• Looking from the front, back toward the distributor cap, the left-to-right order of the plug wires should be 4-3-1-2.
--
Bruce Young, '93 940-NA (current), 240s (one V8), 140s, 122s, since '63.

well you should step back and get back to basics, You need 3 things for the thing to start,
Fuel
spark
compression

if it sounds like its cranking faster then usual that would make compression as the culprit, Lucid might be on to something with the washed cylinder walls lowering your compression. But then the question is WHY didnt it start to the point that all that unburnt fuel washed your cylinder walls,
See if your oil dipstick smells of fuel meaning that the fuel has gone past the piston rings and down to the sump.
Check to make sure that the routing of your ignition wires are going to the respective plugs in the right order. firing order is 1-3-2-4.

where abouts are you located?

Hello,


It would be a great idea to check that the camshaft turns while cranking. Do this by having an assistant turn the key while you watch the camshaft through the oil filler cap opening.

If you do not have an assistant, you should remove the timing cover and visually verify that the belt has not spun or broken.

It'd be even better to do both.


Goatman

Howdy,

I did put a new water pump on it and now it wont run.

This was the beginning of the no start condition?

Yeah it does sound strange when i'm cranking it.

I take this to mean uneven cranking speed -- faster, slower, faster, slower. Is that correct?

Follow goatman's suggestion to inspect the timing belt. Pay particular attention to the timing marks on the pulleys. Post back, and let us know what you find.
--
Mr. Shannon DeWolfe -- I've taken to using mister because my name misleads folks on the WWW. I am a 53 year old fat man. ;-)