Volvo RWD 200 Forum

INDEX FOR 10/2025(CURRENT) INDEX FOR 4/2024 200 INDEX

[<<]  [>>]


THREADED THREADED EXPANDED FLAT PRINT ALL
MESSAGES IN THIS THREAD




  REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

Cranks but no start - here's the story so far.... 200 1990

posted by  Strackerjack on  Thu Aug 26 05:42 CST 2010
Author: [PROFILE] [EVERY POST] [THREADS] [BEST POSTS] RSS Feed     [IGNORE ALL POSTS]
last visit: Wed Oct 8 19:11 CST 2014
[RELATED]

So I drove my car to work and have not been able to drive it home due to a no start condition.

My alternator gauge had been fluctuating rapidly at idle for about 2 to 3 weeks (between about 13.5 and 15 Volts) so I had taken a minute at work just to check to make sure the battery cables were tight, and the wires at the alternator were tight and that there was sufficient water in the battery.

All wires good and tight then 2 hrs. later when I went to drive home it cranked but wouldn't start. Luckily there is an auto shop at my workplace so we began troubleshooting.

It seemed like a no spark condition but we sprayed some starting fluid into the intake hose and the car turned over and ran until the fluid burned off = no fuel, alas the fuel pump was not making the normal sound, no sound and no click at the fuel pump relay, fuel pump relay fuses were good and I cleaned the fuse terminals and still no power to the relay.

I started swapping parts... here's the list of parts swapped out so far

ignition module (power stage?) tried two different modules
ignition coil
fuel pump relay
fuse 4 and 6
checked ground connection to in tank pump - it looks and feels clean and tight

Got lucky (or divine intervention depending on your belief system) and found a 951 ECU in the junkyard on my first visit!!!

after swapping in 951 ECU still cranks but no start.

so - here I am at the Brickboard... any thoughts would be greatly appreciated

would the engine crank if the RPM Sensor (Crank Position Sensor?) has failed?

Thanks in advance,

Jack








  •   REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

    Cranks but no start - here's the story so far.... 200 1990

    uid 3059's pic
    posted by  fredbyte on  Fri Aug 27 08:42 CST 2010
    Author: [PROFILE] [EVERY POST] [THREADS] [BEST POSTS] RSS Feed     [IGNORE ALL POSTS]
    last visit: Tue Oct 29 12:34 CST 2013
    [RELATED]

    Go to www.stepbystepvolvo.com for free guide to 740 no-starts, which may help with your 240. My guess is that it could be the main fuel pump. The guide has instructions for isolating the main fuel pump test. Also, it could be a faulty RPM sensor.








  •   REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE Replies to this message will be emailed.    PRINT   SAVE 

    Cranks but no start - here's the story so far.... 200 1990

    posted by  TONY H on  Thu Aug 26 08:31 CST 2010
    Author: [PROFILE] [EVERY POST] [THREADS] [BEST POSTS] RSS Feed     [IGNORE ALL POSTS]
    last visit: Fri Oct 17 16:39 CST 2014
    [RELATED]

    You mentioned you cleaned Fuses... The fuses you cleaned were in the car? did you clean the 25 Amp fuse on the Drivers Fender, under the hood? I think you had the right idea, but wrong Fuse. Also, how did you verify the Fuel Relay was good?
    --
    '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 http://home.lyse.net/brox/TonyPage4.html








    •   REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

      Cranks but no start - here's the story so far.... 200 1990

      posted by  Strackerjack on  Thu Aug 26 08:47 CST 2010
      Author: [PROFILE] [EVERY POST] [THREADS] [BEST POSTS] RSS Feed     [IGNORE ALL POSTS]
      last visit: Wed Oct 8 19:11 CST 2014
      [RELATED]

      you are right - I cleaned the fuse holders for 4 and 6 but not the one for the 25 Amp fuse... now it's running!

      I had a fuel pump relay in the glove box that I knew was good from previous use so I used that!

      thanks for the help Tony H!








      •   REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

        Cranks but no start - here's the story so far.... 200 1990

        posted by  someone claiming to be George on  Fri Aug 27 02:55 CST 2010 [RELATED]

        Where exactly is this 25 amp fuse under the hood???







      •   REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE Replies to this message will be emailed.    PRINT   SAVE 

        Cranks but no start - here's the story so far.... 200 1990

        posted by  TONY H on  Thu Aug 26 09:06 CST 2010
        Author: [PROFILE] [EVERY POST] [THREADS] [BEST POSTS] RSS Feed     [IGNORE ALL POSTS]
        last visit: Fri Oct 17 16:39 CST 2014
        [RELATED]

        Good news.

        Oh.. For future reference. yes, the car will Crank with a bad Positioning sensor.


        --
        '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 http://home.lyse.net/brox/TonyPage4.html








  •   REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE Replies to this message will be emailed.    PRINT   SAVE 

    Cranks but no start - here's the story so far.... 200 1990

    uid 27's pic
    posted by  Art Benstein on  Thu Aug 26 06:25 CST 2010
    Author: [PROFILE] [EVERY POST] [THREADS] [BEST POSTS] RSS Feed     [IGNORE ALL POSTS]
    last visit: Fri Oct 17 20:10 CST 2014
    [RELATED]

    Try a jumper between fuse 4 and 6.

    If this gets it running, examine the fuel injection relay above the passenger's toes. Pull the cover. Watch it as you crank. You should see both clappers pick, as you turn the key on from KP-I to KP-II. Then one should release. Then that released one should pick again when you turn the key to crank it, into KP-III. If one isn't picking, push it down with your fingers and try starting.

    If the relay holding trick doesn't help, you probably need to go over that blade fuse wiring under the hood.



    --
    Art Benstein near Baltimore

    Santa Claus has the right idea. Visit people only once a year. - Victor Borge








    •   REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

      Cranks but no start - here's the story so far.... 200 1990

      posted by  Strackerjack on  Thu Aug 26 08:45 CST 2010
      Author: [PROFILE] [EVERY POST] [THREADS] [BEST POSTS] RSS Feed     [IGNORE ALL POSTS]
      last visit: Wed Oct 8 19:11 CST 2014
      [RELATED]

      Art - you have a picture for everything!

      no luck with the relay trick

      tried cleaning the fuse holder blades and that did it... car is running

      I think it's having a hard time with the 951 computer though, it's running a little rough. Any suggestions there?

      or should I just put 556 back in and hold on to the 951 in case of failure?

      THANKS Art! and goatman!

      jack








      •   REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE Replies to this message will be emailed.    PRINT   SAVE 

        Cranks but no start - here's the story so far.... 200 1990

        uid 27's pic
        posted by  Art Benstein on  Thu Aug 26 09:16 CST 2010
        Author: [PROFILE] [EVERY POST] [THREADS] [BEST POSTS] RSS Feed     [IGNORE ALL POSTS]
        last visit: Fri Oct 17 20:10 CST 2014
        [RELATED]

        Jack,

        If you disconnect the power through that blade fuse even momentarily, you've cleared all the adaptive trimming learned by the ECU. It is said to take about 10 miles of driving to get it relearned, and you might feel some minor driveability or idling misbehavior until that has been done.

        Regarding which ECU - that's up to you. Faced with the same decision, I chose to run with the 561 (not EGR 556) and keep the 951 in reserve. "Wear out the old first," as a senior partner of mine once teased me.
        --
        Art Benstein near Baltimore

        We could certainly slow the aging process down if it had to work its way through Congress. - Will Rogers







        •   REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

          Cranks but no start - here's the story so far.... 200 1990

          posted by  Strackerjack on  Thu Aug 26 14:11 CST 2010
          Author: [PROFILE] [EVERY POST] [THREADS] [BEST POSTS] RSS Feed     [IGNORE ALL POSTS]
          last visit: Wed Oct 8 19:11 CST 2014
          [RELATED]

          That's what I'll do - it was running fine before this (except for the voltage fluctuation) Thanks Art!
          --
          Bad Blue - '86 245 with 303,000 mi. (now for parts), Good Green 1990 245 with 178,000 mi., Blacky - '91 740 wagon with 180,000 mi., Mean Green - '94 850 with 222,000








  •   REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

    Cranks but no start - here's the story so far.... 200 1990

    uid 40935's pic
    posted by  Goatman on  Thu Aug 26 05:51 CST 2010
    Author: [PROFILE] [EVERY POST] [THREADS] [BEST POSTS] RSS Feed     [IGNORE ALL POSTS]
    last visit: Sat Jul 26 20:30 CST 2014
    [RELATED]

    Hello,


    The engine would not run, which it did with starting fluid, if the crank sensor was bad.

    You need to check for voltage at the main fuel pump while cranking.


    Goatman







<< < > >>



©Jarrod Stenberg 1997-2022. All material except where indicated.


All participants agree to these terms.

Brickboard.com is not affiliated with nor sponsored by AB Volvo, Volvo Car Corporation, Volvo Cars of North America, Inc. or Ford Motor Company. Brickboard.com is a Volvo owner/enthusiast site, similar to a club, and does not intend to pose as an official Volvo site. The official Volvo site can be found here.