Folks,
I have a 1993 Volvo 850. I did an oil change. Due to severl people being involved in the process there was about 2 quarts of extra oil put than necessary. Now after everything is done the car does not start. It did start before the oil change. Any suggestions why this would happen. Does not the extra oil just burn out or do I have to drain the oil out.

I need to put the car on a small ramp so I need the card to be running to put the car on the ramp so I can drain the oil out. If the car is not running I cannot do this. Help !!!

It is not a good idea to run a car with too much oil in it. The oil could contact the revolving crank shaft and foam, causing any number of problems.

If your car is seriously flooded, you should change the plugs and change your oil. This is convenient because you have to drain it now anyway.

In 8 years, I've had two episodes of my car not wanting to start after a short move. Once about 4 years ago with my '90 740 turbo when I moved it twice in order to shovel snow. And once with my '95 850 when I moved it 4 times to keep it in the sun when I was working on it on a cold day.

With the 850, I was told that some of the valves were stuck open. The technician observed it cranking faster than normal and checked the compression. New plugs got it started, its been fine ever since.

Now we NEVER start one of our Volvos unless it is going to be run until it reaches operating temperature.

If your valves are stuck, you may ruin more plugs and oil before you get it started!
--
2 8s & 2 7s 700,000 miles total

Looking at your other responses this almost sounds like the
"Lawn mower syndrome". What happens is the car is cold, is
started for about 10 seconds and moved, then shut down (moved to
get the lawn mower out of the garage). After that, it
won't start. It actually floods (will run a few seconds
a then die with strong gas odor out the exhaust). This has
happened to me twice with our 95 855.

Did you start up the car a few seconds before draining the oil
or was the car warmed up?

If this is the problem there is a good chance it is running by
now since letting it sit a while can allow time for the plugs
and combustion chambers to dry out (which get soaked with fuel).

Why can't you use a jack and jack stands? Then just drain, the amount you need to. Sounds like you might have gotten oil into the combustion chamber. As you know that it can't be run now, the oil obviously can't be burned off. I recommend using a jack and jack stands, and draining an adequate amount.

Will draining the oil remove oil from the combustion chamber. Sin in one of your posts you have mentioned something about flooding when you do a quick start and stop. I drove this car about 5 feet from the driveway inside the garage to do the oil change etc. Then it did not start.

If that is the problem then how do I go about sorting it out.

Now that you mention that little fact, your no start condition has nothing to do with your oil change.

Change spark plugs (blow the fuel out of the combustion chambers with compressed air while plugs are out).

If this doesn't work report back here.

Pablos,
I hate to frustrate you but how does one blow the fuew out. You mentioned compressed air. Any suggestions on a cheap method of doing this.

What really bothers me is this used to happen in my Honda and I'd just shake it a bit and boom it would start. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh

A compressor at 135 psi is what I used. I guess just airing it with plugs out for several hours may work...at least your oil is fresh.

Have you tried flooring it and cranking the shit out of it?

There'd have to be ALOT more than 2 qts of added oil before that in itself could result in your no start problem because the spaced out "tech" who works next to me has forgotten to drain the old oil before added yet another 7 qts (totalling about 13-14qts) yet the engines still start, just don't run too well and smoke.

Is it possible that someone unplugged your coil wire or something like that? By "no start", do you mean cranks but doesn't fire or doesn't even crank?

Yes it does crank and if I keep on cranking for a minute or so it even fires for about 5 seconds but as soon as I let the keys go it dies.