1983 245......BOUGHT AS A KID HAULER A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, RAN GREAT FOR A WHILE, BEFORE THE FUEL-PUMP FOLLIES.....

REPLACED THE PLUGS, CAP, ROTOR, WIRES, IN LINE PUMP, FILTER, FUEL PUMP AND FUEL INJECTION RELAYS, AND GOT A PROPER ECU FROM A JUNKYARD.......CHECKED AND CLEANED THE 15A FUSE(AND CONNECTIONS) IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT.....

THEN THE 'QUIRKY' STARTING STARTED.......

IF I HOLD THE STARTER SWITCH ON, IT WON'T START NO MATTER HOW LONG I LET THE ENGINE TURN OVER.........

IF I JUST 'BUMP' THE STARTER WITH THE IGNITION SWITCH, ENOUGH TO TURN THE ENGINE OVER(MAYBE A REVOLUTION???), AND THEN LET IT GO BACK TO 'ON', IT WILL START AND RUN.......

SOMETIMES IT TAKES ONE 'BUMP, SOMETIMES 3 OR 4, MAYBE SOMETIMES BETWEEN 5-10, BUT IT ALWAYS STARTS(USUALLY BETWEEN 2-3...)

WHEN IT STARTS, IT RUNS SMOOTH AND FINE, NARY A BURP OR A BURBLE....

AMBIENT TEMPS MAKES NO DIFFERENCE, NOR DOES ENGINE TEMP, IT STARTS LIKE THAT EVERY TIME, WHETHER IT'S JUST BEEN RUNNING FOR A WHILE, OR FIRST THING ON A COLD(OR WARM!) MORNING..........

MY FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD PARTS GUY, FAIRLY WELL VERSED IN VOLVO-SPEAK, DIAGNOSED THE STARTING AS AN IGNITION SWITCH PROBLEM.....I HAVE A NEW SWITCH, BUT HAVE NOT BOTHERED TO INSTALL IT(KEEPS THE EX FROM BORROWING THE CAR.....)

ANYBODY HAVE ANY THEORIES??????
--CARLOS

'bumping' it like you mention gets the fuel pump going, and it continues to run for about a second after you turn the key back to the 'run' position... thus, building up fuel pressure.

I wonder if maybe your fuel pump isn't getting electricity when the key is in the start position. Or perhaps not enough electricity to fully build up proper fuel pressure... Even a weak battery coupled with a bad starter could possibly do that.

My wifes car behaves similarly.. it will start after a few seconds of cranking, but it starts much faster if I bump it once, then try again...

--
-Matt I ♥ my ♂

I'VE ACTUALLY TESTED THE PUMP WHEN THE KEY IS IN THE STARTING POSITION, AND IT PUMPS!!!!

THE BATTERY IS FAIRLY NEW, AND GETS A TRICKLE CHARGE EVERY NIGHT(I RUN A MAGNETIC BLOCK HEATER AND A TRICKLE CHARGER IN THE WINTER, JUST AS INSURANCE...) BUT IT STARTS THE SAME, WARM OFF THE HEATER & CHARGER, OR COLD(WHEN I FORGET TO PLUG IT IN AT NIGHT) OR COLD AT THE OFFICE.....

IT ALWAYS TAKES A BUMP (OR 3, OR 7...) IF I HOLD IT IN THE 'START' POSITION, IT WON'T START.....

THAT IS THE MYSTERY..............