Hi. When I start my 1997 850, I'm able to run it up and down the driveway and then let it idle for about 15 or 20 minutes. After the 15 or 20 minutes, I depress the gas pedal, it stalls and I cannot start it again. Any thoughts? Also, can anyone recommend an OBDII reader? Thanks!

Hi again Pam,

Taking the advice of getting the codes read can be very helpful!
Getting "all" of the codes pulled off the reader and having it reset afterwards may be beneficial to getting to the worse problem first.
The worst one or only one, will come back first.
Since you have a CEL ON it is most likely an emissions error.
There can be others that lead up to having the light on but the light is primarily for emissions purposes on these earlier cars.
As it was said, not a lot of bells and whistles!

You never responded back to why you let the engine run so long?
What does the cabin gauge show?
It uses a separate sensor and should reach half way up the operating range to be normal. Have you ever made a mental note where it stayed before the trouble started?
If is doing that, then there could still be a code for a sensor that talks to the computer!
More data helps!
The Brickboard is that data and can be helpful on occasion!

By you Moving the throttle and it instantly wanting to die, is a clue to mixture issues I'm at a loss to where you are going to be "plugging" (:-) along, unless it's to go have its codes read at a parts store or a shop?
The plug they will be looking for should be around or under the steering column.
By law, it's suppose to be reachable from the drivers side opening, even if your kneeling to find it.
Hey, the OBDII tried to apply a standard, to the mess finally!

I had to look up BB's posted advice to see what a fuel controller was or how it does control fuel on an 850.
It looks to be a fuel pump relay, so he thinks that the fuel pump is shutting off prematurely, due to it itself, overheating?
That can be a problem on 240's. Those have a circuit board or solder trace issue or a magnetic coils inside quit until cool. It a good idea to consider as they age.
On our 240s it's a combined two system relay that also controls the fuel injection too.
One side or the other can open and shut down an engine or in most cases.
It can fail to start altogether eventually. So, if that's one of those, it will get worse as his must have!

IMHO, a failed relay shouldn't be able to flood the engine.
It shouldn't fail, open, just when you pushed on the gas pedal either.
For me, it's too much of a coincidence.
Now, If the engine were running too lean to begin with and you open the throttle then lean sounds more logical.
A colder running engine always needs more fuel so just how are the mileages on this car? Is the performance decent?
A vacuum leak behind the MAP sensor or a lean mixture reading from an oxygen sensor is a clue.
Have you looked for splits in any rubber hoses? They hide!

O2sensors need heat and a colder running engine over time can smut up an Oxygen sensor and hopefully would trip a nice little code for it. I won't hold my breath, but?
On later cars they went nuts putting those gadgets everywhere.
So many in fact they had to track them with even more computing power.
You could use a "data code" to point you in some direction for hunting purposes though!
If you have some cattle on a ranch and you have a creek on the south side, going off North won't get you there! (:) Just an analogy for fun! (:)


KlausC is right, we need more data!
When you hold the throttle wide open on any flooded engine, especially a carbureted one, you are circumventing the normal starting procedure. On older engines it does let more air through to the plugs and a carburetor loses its capability to suck gas out of jets.
If you are doing this on a fuel injected car you are messing with a computer program that is going to react in who knows what ways!
If I personally don't know what the sparking plugs, since your both plugging along, are getting in fuel or the shape they are in either?
We cannot forecast which way is the wind is going to blow from tomorrow? (:)

You can check for proper heating of the engine by letting the engine run long enough to get hot. Say, within Five to ten minutes maximum should be enough to show some heat out on the top hose of the radiator. It should and will get hot first.
It will be cold then more suddenly get more warmer to the touch but only after the thermostat opens.
Getting on up to warmer right away might mean it's stuck open. That is not what is supposed to happen.
It's Very common issue and the best way to have one fail, as overheating kills an engine.
These can also age like some relays and are about the same price, in case you're wondering. Changing one is out is not as easy as a relay but most people can learn.
It should eventually get healthy hot and on too you cannot hold your hand on the hose for any length of time. That's even before its fully warmed up.

The thermostat should stay closed, until the engine end of the hose, is reaching above 180 degrees.
You can tape a meat thermometer to the hose and observe when the change is happening more directly and to a numerical quantity, if you're a scientific type!(:-)
Getting the heat to the right amount, in the right place is as critical in candy making!

Same goes for gasoline combustion and especially on the emissions CELs.
This is probably too technical for both of us anyway! (:-)
I had better stop here with the guessing and yapping!
Good luck!
We will be wondering as we all like happy endings!

Phil

Are you driving this car on the road?
If it quits and then starts again after five minutes or so, then try a new Fuel controller. My new fuel controller did that, after diving for 15 minutes it would head up and quit until it cooled down ... Get the Stribel on ebay, the other
common brand is the one that died on me after one year.

Good luck, Bill

Hi,

I’m a 240 series man but I shop other tabs here on the Brickboard for a widened entertainment experience. (:-)

Why are you idling the engine that long? 15 to 20 minutes is not a good thing to do to any engine let alone wasting the gasoline.
If the car is not warmed up long before all that, you probably have a failed coolant thermostat.
Does the inside gauge work?

If the engine is not warming up idling that long can foul the sparks plugs and not do the exhaust system any good either. The list for cold engine problems goes on!

As far as what brand is good in the OBDII diagnostics, I can only recommend an ACTRON brand as I inherited one from a neighbor that had passed away.
He had newer 2000 to 2006 vehicles. He got it from J.C. Whitney catalog sales. He used them a lot, not that is a reason to use them, but we have limited resources where we live.
Also, He was rather frugal so I guess it’s priced mid range for him to buy it.
This OBD II reader unit came with oxygen sensor tester lots of books and disc for desktop use in one big plastic case. I suspect it was a close out from the catalog sales company.

It spits out a direct code number so no need for a computer even then and is a lot nicer.
My older OBD I system, prior to 1996, is built into the my cars with a red flashing light to count. So I use it on other peoples or a relatives cars!
I recently help fix another visiting neighbor car.
It was a 2014 Honda that had a code for a MAP sensor.
I look up on the codes on the Internet’s You Tube University for a fix.
Turns out had that code due to so many ash ridden wildfires.
Washed it down a little with a spray.
So, at least this brand doesn’t go as obsolete as others I have noticed in some of my reads!
Nowadays, with these items you get what you pay for and that depends on how much you know or how capable you are to fixing vehicles.

A 1997 is not overburdened with tons of computing garbage. Most any code readers will cover this car and since they are better now, will work on any newer cars that you end up getting later.
Being a “mid range buyer” is the best course to take no matter what decade you are in!
Volvos of past have always been slightly above mid range but that why they are still on the road.

I’m not saying anything about the newest car technology trends no matter who you pick.
It all going to change!
I hide out and watch from my 240s and saved myself from a mess of depreciation in values with in all the electronic gadgetry! I have benefited from the “others” cast asides!
Maybe much like you!

I hope this gives you some guidance and that others with your type vehicle will post help that’s more specific.

Phil

Not enough data for a good diagnosis. You could have a lot of carbon on the plugs and when you push on the gas, it floods. A flooded engine can be restarted only if you wait a long time, or press the gas pedal to the floor and leave it there while cranking.

If the check engine light is not on, a scanner will not do much for you. If the CEL is on, an auto parts store should be able to read the codes for you.


Which scanner? Personal preference, and cost. Up to the buyer. You have a 1997, so one with a lot of bells and whistles will not do much for you.
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Keeping it running is better than buying new