Hey folks new guy on the block,
(vehicle) 1992 wagon,740 auto,will not run when its cold and damp. This has got my mechanic and I crazy. I bought this car knowing that it had this problem but alas, I thought I could repair It myself with the help of my mechanic.

Mechanic: 30+ yrs. experience on foreign car repair. Has worked on this car before I owned it, he told me so before the purchase!! Shame on me.

Myself: a backyard do it yourselfer whenever I could within reason. Owning Volkswagons, Nissans, Honda, Mercedes, Subarus, Mazda, and Toyota now Volvo.

The 740 looks good, runs good, shifts out smooth doesn't burn oil but has this inherent gremlin that parks itself when it rains and it is cold.
I have replaced the distributor cap and rotor, plugs (platinum), oil change and filter,air filter K&N, transmission flush, fuel pressure regulator,fuel pressure relay,relay for injectors,(junk yard part) coil (junk yard part)cleaned flame trap,dielectric grease on all connectors under hood, replaced some obvious vacume lines that needed it. Plug wires look new, volvo brand.

It will run a moment or two after sitting, almost will stay running but down she goes. It started the other day while a major storm in Pa. Wilma storm remanents, sputtering a little on turns over railroad tracks until it just quit. I have fuel at fuel rail, spark at plugs. I have read on brickboard about,the crank sensor, in tank fuel pump and the wires attached to it going bad but I'm now getting to the point of trading or selling it but I like this car.
I don't want to give up the ship,(Swedish brick yet). Most of the summer it ran just fine, its now October and I'm hating life because the woman I bought it from drives by with her Subaru and knows the 740 is sitting in front of the shop. Heh heh small town Pleasantville USA. Help me please someone has got to know where or how beside the Volvo & Aston Martin dealership about an hour away$$$$$$$. Thanks in advance to the brotherhood of bricks. 740Dane Grove City Pa.

Does it run well when it's dry?

If so, you should troubleshoot when it's dry.

Use a spray bottle to spray various components with water until you find the ones that cause the problem.

BTW, rule of thumb is 4 years or 60K miles for spark plug wire replacements.

John,
Thanks for the response, I had the new plug wires in hand but returned them because the quality didn't meet my specifications. I wished I would have used them now, Auto Zone had to order them and came in next day. The vehicle runs fine when its warm and sunny, my mechanic took a couple of buckets of water and drenched the engine compartment before I owned it, so as to repeat the problem and it ran, go figure? This is a baffling situation, it appears that when the atmosphere permeates the car through and through is when it starts to act up. Going to replace wires. Get back to you after more diagnosis.
Thanks and out.

Must be the wires. That should have been your first choice. It's the only related item left! If you'd rather not fork out for new wires until you're sure, try some water-repellant spray on the wires first.

Art on this subject, does the 700's have the 25 amp fuse on the Fender like the 200's. I would suspect that too. If it is margiunal, moisture can find that easy
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'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

Thanks,
Will try and find this fuse today if in fact I have it.
Will look in manual.
I appreciate any and all insight, need to go to an interview in Virgina next Friday we are down to one vehicle. When it rains it pours (Heh Heh) Sun is out today maybe it will start. Heh

Pretty sure none of the 700s have the fender fuse.

I had a similar problem that my 91 740 Turbo. It would stop running while in the rain or not start at all after sitting in the rain. Once in awhile it would be ok (although hesitating when giving gas), but must times not. I had it checked out even at a dealership and they could not find the problem. They said they checked the cap and rotors and they were fine. Well a few months later, I took the car to a local repair shop and had the cap and rotors replaced. To my relief it solved the problem!! It felt good to see rain clouds and not worry about getting home alright.