Finally everything's up and running again so I should be able to make it to Ikea in Philly this Sunday. Fianl problem was that I am dyslexic (see spelling of "final" - that's how I typed it)and had the spark plug wires run backward from the distributor since I had unhooked them to check the rotor and couldn't figure out which way the engine turned.

After a weekend of diagnostics I have found the problem. Yet another weird bolt coming loose. The bolt that goes into the end of the crankshaft has come loose and caused the lower timing belt sprocket to stop turning under load - that's why the valvetrain turned when I cranked the starter. Now all I have to do is get the bottom half of the engine in time with the top half. I've done a timing belt replacement so I already know how to find TDC on the top and bottom and get them to align. By the way, the door handle problem is exactly the same one I had with the driver's rear door last year. The pull handle broke where it goes into the main handle body. I got a new one at the junkyard and I'll put it on as soon as I can get it to run again.

The not running at idle is exactly what my 740t did when I was a youngun and not driving. It happened one morning (trying to catch a train out of town) and it turned out that the timing belt partially failed, then completely failed while driving down the road at 60.
It seemed like some "teeth" wore down and slipped a few notches before it broke.
Can you check the timing with a timing light? I hear they're fairly easy to "make" yourself. Or about 30 dollars.

If you put up the hood all the way, can you see around it to watch the dizzy crank? Know what I mean-- all the way vertical - there are some little stops that rotate and allow the hood to go perpendicular to the ground for removing the engine or working on things in the back of the engine.

Good luck, Post back,
Will
--
1990 740 Turbo, on its way to stock specs, maybe beyond

Check for 12 volts on the injector plugs when the ignition is on. Maybe the relay is bad. One pin is zero to ground and the other should have 12 volts.

The timing belt can fail and still look just fine. Get a friend to look into the oil filler hole and watch the camshaft. If it turns, the belt is OK.

The distributor could, I suppose, fail to turn even if its drive gear turns. For that, the dizzy shaft would have to have lost its connection to its drive gear. That happened once in my memory, and it was a Ford V-8, not a Volvo. In that case the roll pin holding the drive gear to the shaft had rusted out.

When the key is turned to Start, the computer (ECU) allows the two fuel pumps to run 5 or 6 seconds. If the ECU has not received a signal that spark is present, the fuel pumps are cut off.

The 5-6 second pump run can be checked by having a friend listen (1) at the gas filler tube, cap off, and (2) next at the gap between the LR wheel and the fender at the 1:00 0'clock position. He should hear the (1) in-tank pump run, and (2) the main pump run.

If you have pumps running, next check for spark. Your car has the Crank Position Sender, it is located atop the bell housing at the back of the engine. It is a known offender. Look down in there with a flashlight for rotted insulation and other signs of failure. Such failure can make for no spark = no fuel = no start.

Try this stuff and post back.

Good Luck,

Bob

:>)