My 1989 240 won't start. Battery seems strong and it turns over fast.

Here's the history:

1. Car was running fairly well, but has had intermittent issues with stalling at stop lights. If it did stall, the car would restart immediately. Then one day all of a sudden, it won't start in the driveway.

2. Recent troubleshooting prior to no-start showed OBD codes 2-3-1 (mixture), 3-1-1 (speed signal), and more recently 3-1-2 (knock sensor). I don't think these would cause the car not to start, however.

3. No-start diagnostics so far: 25-amp blade fuse shows 12+ volts on both sides, I get spark from central distributor lead, both fuel pumps run when I jumper fuses #4 and #6. Car won't start with fuses jumpered.

4. Potential clue? When I try now to get codes from the OBD it doesn't respond. I get a red light when I press the button, but it doesn't return any blinks. What's the deal there?

Where to go from here?

Thanks...

CPS
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89 240 wagon, 94 940, 200K, 94 940, 135K

This is very strange, your profile says you are in Autaugaville, AL yet your zip code is Oakland, Ca?

Updated my location to Oakland. Whoops!

Timing,spark or fuel. First five minutes of a no start diagnosis.

Pull the oil filler cap, watch while somebody cranks. If the cam turns, the timing belt is not broken.

Check for spark on all four spark plug wires. Good spark down to all four plugs eliminates more than half of the no start causes. I use a timing light.

Spray a little starter fluid (carb cleaner works ) into the throttle body and crank it. If if starts momentarily, you know it's a fuel delivery problem.

Some progress:


Camshaft turns when the starter is turning so no broken timing belt.

Engine sputtered a bit upon spraying flammable substance into throttle body...so the no-start appears to be a fuel-delivery problem.

Given that the pumps run when jumpered, does this point to a fuel relay issue? What's the best way to test this relay?

Try cleaning the contacts on the OBD module.

What ECU is installed and color or the label?

You need to check for spark at a plug, remove the plug and see if it is wet.

Wiggle crank position sensor wire see if it starts. Look at the sensor and wire is the insulation cracked or missing? If so replace it.

Dan

are you sure you have spark? My first thought on the comment Cranks fast is that you broke your Timing Belt


the previous Stalling at lights is probbaly a dirty Throttle Body
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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 http://home.lyse.net/brox/TonyPage4.html http://cleanflametrap.com/tony/

When I said it cranks fast I only meant that it turns over normally...the battery isn't sluggish or anything.

I cleaned the throttle body a while ago in an attempt to cure the stalls.

I was just getting ready to replace the knock sensor when this happened. Could a faulty knock sensor signal keep it from starting? Maybe the spark is too advanced or not advanced enough.

I'm not sure what ECU I'll have but I'll check when I get home.

the '89 Computer is the 'weak' one. last three digits are 561.

Many people have had to replace them.

No I can't imagine a knock sensor causing a no start.

Pageda has a very valid diagnostic comment. Have someone crank the car as you slowly wiggle the wire going down to the Crank Position Sensor (Impulse sensor). If this was never replaced, it is likely that it finally gave up.
Are you familiar with the Crank Sensor issue on these cars? The covering around the three wires on the sensor cracks and water gets in and ruins them. They can be intermittent for a long time before finally dying.


http://www.fcpeuro.com/products/volvo-reference-sensor-rpm-240-740-760-780-940-271949

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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 http://home.lyse.net/brox/TonyPage4.html http://cleanflametrap.com/tony/

I just did a 3-way jumper on the fuel pump relay but still no start.

I wiggled the crank position sensor wire and tried to start, but nothing. The wire harness to the CPS is brittle and frayed, so that could be something.

The ECU ends in 556. I know this isn't the bad 561 kind but I'm wondering if there might be a problem with the ECU...literally two days before this no-start issue I successfully retrieved codes from the OBD. Now, I have power to the OBD and the LED lights when I press the button but I get no response flashes. It seems like too large a coincidence that the OBD failure and the no-start happened at the same time.

that's how the CPS starts to fail... fraued wires.

I don't think the 556 ever went in an '89 .

maybe you should start a new post and just ask that question. Or do a search, I think someone did a writeup on what year cars took what ECU's

Did you hear the pumps run??
If not,how clean is the 25 amp Fuse on the Driver Fenderwell? Do not just do a continuity test across the Fuse, make sure the Fuse holder is clean
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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 http://home.lyse.net/brox/TonyPage4.html http://cleanflametrap.com/tony/

Well, problem solved.

The lack of OBD response turned out to be a big clue. I didn't really have any more time to put into diagnosis and my wife needs the car NOW, so I took it to our local Volvo shop.

There the ECU was confirmed dead and replaced the same day with a rebuilt ProgRama unit. It pained me a bit in the wallet because they took a healthy markup on the rebuilt ECU...I had checked prices on-line before taking the car to the shop. But that's what you pay for by taking the car to experts I suppose.

At any rate, I did discover some items that need attention during the diagnosis process...it sounds like the CPS might need replacing before it dies and I also plan to replace the 25-amp fuse holder, which looked pretty crusty. I'm not getting any OBD codes right now but I'll keep an eye out and am ready to change the knock sensor if necessary.

Thanks for the help and advice.

Too bad you had to dig deep into the wallet.

You nneded the car running and it's running.
Being Proactive on the CPS and the Fuse holder would be a good thing.
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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 http://home.lyse.net/brox/TonyPage4.html http://cleanflametrap.com/tony/