I own an '89 240 DL with over 250,000 miles on it. For the past few months I've been scouring forums, getting advice from fellow owners of older Volvo's to no avail.

Here's the story: My car makes a high pitched whining noise that sounds like it's coming from the rear. I lifted up the carpet in the trunk to see if I could clearly hear it from where I was told you can access on of the fuel pumps. It sounded like it MAY have been coming from there. Nothing conclusive. My car does not whine all the time though.

Every so often (it's happened only 2-3 times a month) my car lurches when going UNDER 40 mph. As soon as I hit 40 mph or higher, either the lurching stops, or in only two instances the car has died on me. I have to wait on the side of the road for about an hour and then we're off again.

The first time it died I was on an emergency road trip (death in the family) and probably got massively screwed over by the mechanic. They supposedly replaced my oil filter and both fuel pumps. Whatever they did didn't fix the problem.

After getting some adviced, and reading car forums, I replaced the MAF and my fuel relay. That seemed to do the trick until today, my car was having issues this morning.

It's been frustrating because it seems like a million things could be wrong with my car. Am I just going to have trial and error this thing, or are these clearly symptoms of one or two problems. I'd just like to be able to narrow down the possibilities. (Personally, I think it IS the fuel pump and that they were never repaired properly.)

Also, I am not mechanically inclined. I was able to change a few parts because an idiot can do them. I noticed a lot of technical jargon in other forums, o if you could talk to me like a baby, I'd appreciate it. heh.

Dropping back in to thank every one for their input. It certainly helped and it seems as if my problems were really a bunch of small issues causing big trouble. I think I've fixed every one of the little things so that my car is running a hell of a lot better, except for one:

the engine stalling.

Yesterday I was driving and all the symptoms that has usually accompanied the engine before stalling weren't there, and as a sat at a stoplight it just shut off. Battery was still working. My heat stayed on, my stereo, my lights. It was as if someone just flipped a switch to my engine. I was able to start the car back up immediately.

This sounds electrical to me. Any way to be sure?

It would help if you told us what you have done so far.

If it always starts after cooling off for an hour it may be the power stage / ignition amplifier mounted near the battery.

Did you replace the crank position sensor?

Do you get any engine codes from the OBD module?

Dan

As Nel621 alludes, it's probably the in-tank fuel pump. Art Benstein gives good instructions at http://cleanflametrap.com/transferPump.htm
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1980 245 Canadian B21A with SU carb but electronic ignition and M46 trans in Brampton, Ont.

Does sound like a main pump starved for fuel. The fickle nature may be a dependence on the temperature of the fuel and how much is in the tank? It could be as simple as a corroded fuse in the #4 spot. But that is all based on the whining noise coming from under the back seat.
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Art Benstein near Baltimore

A man and his wife are sitting in the living room and he says to her: "Just so you know, I never want to live in a vegetative state dependent on some machine. If that ever happens, just pull the plug."
His wife gets up and unplugs the TV.

For clarification's sake, when you say "main pump" do you mean the one in the fuel tank or the other one?

From the description of what the main pump sounds like when starved for fuel, I can say it's probably the same sound.

I've read elsewhere that it's normal to hear a quiet hum from the fuel pump. Is this true? When I start the car, and listen closely I can always hear a hum, but every so often, that hum turns into that obnoxious whine I mentioned.

I know where my fuse panel is (found it by accident, haha). Is it possible to check for a corroded fuse from there?

Fuse panel is drivers side panel next to your left leg (near door). The fact that you can hear the main pump humming means the fuse isn't completely blown, but it could be providing intermittant contact (corroded) - You Might want to pull the fuse out and check both ends - but just rolling it back and forth in the copper contacts should allow it to get a better contact with the ends where it connected.

The pump inside the tank (often refered to as the lifter pump) primarily raises the fuel out of the tank - so it is easier for the main pump to push it to the fuel rails (read engine compartment). If you have a healthy main pump - it will often pull the fuel out down to a half a tank or less even with a dead internal pump. Below a half tank, the internal pump is necessary to get at the fuel (hence everyone's questions about how much fuel was in the tank).

I would originally have suspected the internal pump (as this one seems to be a regular problem) but you said that you're getting the problem even with a nearly full tank.

Based upon the whine you mention (and the fact that it is occurring with a full tank - I'm suspecting the main fuel pump is "going" and that your repair shop charged you for work that they didn't perform. (Are you sure they changed the "oil filter" and not your "fuel filter" ???) Also Check the hoses (as previously stated) before going out and purchasing a new fuel pump. With that many miles, it could be any of the above parts.

(with most other cars - after 250,000 it would be needing a new engine!!!)

Hope that helps
Charles

Yes, the main pump is what I call the one under the rear seat. The one inside the tank can be called the "tank" pump, the "intank" pump, transfer pump, feed pump, or pre-pump. (And after reading Charles, add "lifter" or lift pump to the list.)

The main pump should hum quietly, like when your cell phone vibrates in your hand, but when it sucks air along with fuel, because of a failure in the tank, it sounds more like when you leave your cell phone on a glass coffee table.

There are some more ideas about checking the tank pump here: In The Tank
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Art Benstein near Baltimore

The journey of a thousand miles begins with a broken fan belt and leaky tire.

Yup, sounds about right for what I'm hearing... oi vey.

I've bookmarked the link you provided. My b/f used to be a car mechanic so I'll have him take a look at it so he can help a damsel in distress and maybe we can go over this together. Thank you!

I know it isn't practical to go back to your road trip mechanic, but keep in mind, any defect in the work may not have been intentional. As much as fraud and shoddy work make sensational conversation, most problems that don't get fixed right are just honest mistakes the tech would love to be given the chance to correct. "Do it right the first time" is an admirable goal, but it requires a lot of skill and luck.
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Art Benstein near Baltimore

After a poor game: "I think they just got through marinating the greens."

Quality of replacement parts is a big issue, I had a new Borg-Warner main pump only last one year. Get a Bosch main pump they last a very long time.
Dan

In my experience there are good shops and bad shops. (Most of my bad shops have been service chains - but I've occasionally gotten a good one) However even the BEST shops are often thwarted by the same problems we "shade-tree mechanics" face - the extreme difficulty in finding quality replacement parts.

I've even gotten poor parts from the dealers, so it's difficult to put all of the blame on a shop unless you get consistently bad service (or outrageous pricing for minor service / cheap replacements).


Sorry for the trouble you are going thru and hopefully you can get it resolved quicly and cheaply!!

Charles

Did your repair come with any type of warranty?How long after the repair did you start to have problems again?You may consider going back to the shop and insist that thay fix it properly or you will call your credit card co.[if that is how you paid] and make a report of being charged for work not done and parts not supplied.Basically FRAUD!Theft!

Claire,


Just stay away from the gas fumes yourself, and don't let him spill gas outside next to your bedroom window!

When I do stuff like this (gas tank), I go to a vacant lot or somewhere open and quiet. I have a paranoia of gas fumes wafting into a nursery.


Goatman

When they "replaced" the fuel pump, actually the pre-pump, the one in the tank did they also replace the small hose that connects the pump to the fuel gauge sender?This hose may have developed a small hole in it giving you all this grief.Does the car have problems with less than a half tank of gas? Did they show you the old parts that they removed?

They didn't show me anything. MISTAKE. Should have asked, but it just wasn't one my mind at the time.

I have no idea if they replaced that hose.

It's funny that you and others have mentioned the less than a 1/2 tank of gas thing... The first time the lurching nonsense happened I was below a 1/4 tank. I assumed I needed gas and just filled the tank and went on my merry way. After I filled the tank, nothing happened so for the longest time that's what I thought had caused that.

But now this has happened regardless of my fuel level in my tank. In fact, the last few times my car was lurching for a bit I had a little under a full tank.

I certainly agree there might be something wrong with the in-tank pump delivery. However, it should be alleviated by filling the tank with fuel if it is the hose that split. It is hard to believe that anyone replacing the little pump would miss a split hose, BUT they may have also installed a defective pump (had one myself, brand new, with a binding impeller) or used inferior quality hose which has loosened or swelled to admit air instead of fuel at half tank fill level. Also had that happen in the past.

Very good point. I installed a defective one also. Brand new, but the manufacturer did not sufficiently crimp one of the commutator terminations to the armature winding.

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Art Benstein near Baltimore

We have very deep depth!

Being not the best-informed but an owner of a 1990 240, I do have a feeling that it has to do with your fuel delivery because it sounds very much like a problem I once had and it turned out to be water in the fuel. Now, yes, I did read what you wrote and over a period of time, there still could be water and once you get up-to-speed the fuel delivery is smooth and consistent, unlike when you are accelerating. The noise, I cannot relate to what I am guessing here. I am somewhat reluctant to even send this because I know my theory wil be discredited and I, too , will learn something. I always do. But, I can hear your frstration and I feel better knowing I at least got the ball rolling so the big guns will come out and save the day. Like Art near Baltimore, unless he moved, pageda, bork bork bork, goatman and the others who really make up the braintrust at brickboard. They're great and you'll get hooked-up very shortly.

Dear god, water in the fuel?! Do you remember what the cause of it was? Could a split hose that's been mentioned cause that?

Water in the fuel usually is a result of buying fuel from a low-volume station that has a low quantity in stock and it is near the bottom which sucks up water/debris with the fuel. Newer systems do a great job of filtering but a rural, less-successful station may not have the newer equipment. Also, condensation in the winte from you running low on fuel consistently will produce the same effect. There is a product that you pour into your fuel supply and it de-waters the gas. ( its called "Dry-Gas" ). But if you follow, the screen filter in your fuel system can have wate setting on the top of the screen and when you accelerate, the water tries to push by it and therefore, "spudder" or jerking. I bet your car idles nice and smooth ( as a Volvo can ). Good luck, opinions are like belly-buttons.....everybody has one.